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Thimbles
What is it? – Thimbles in one form or another have been around a long as needles have. Ancient sewing artifacts include “press stones”, the precursor to modern thimbles. Almost 2500 years ago residents of the Mediterranean area were using more familiar shaped bronze thimbles. Why? Well, whether you’re pushing a spike through animal hides or a hand sewing needle through a high thread count cotton fabric it still hurts your fingers. Over the years those crude press stones have evolved into the refined, task specific thimbles in use globally…
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Bias Tape
What is it? – Let’s face it, a lot of sewing is just basic construction. You start out with a set of tools, some fabric and an intended pattern. Then you add your own creative expression and that’s what makes it yours. One of the materials used by sewers in virtually every genre is bias binding tape. Bias binding tape is simply fabric cut on the bias, or cross grain, and folded to a specific lengthwise dimensional width. By cutting and folding the fabric on a 45 degree angle from…
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Wedge Iron
What is it? – Pressing is an essential part of most sewing and many craft projects. Pressing during sewing construction creates accurate assembled pieces which match up beautifully into quilt, fashion, heirloom or home decor finished projects. Unfortunately, the modern pressing tools available to us do not always provide the specific features and capabilities we might need. In an attempt to provide special feature ironing solutions, many manufacturers have merely miniaturized their full sized irons. This only made smaller versions with little effect for making them more relevant. To provide…
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Chalk Marking Tools
What is it? – Almost everything we do in sewing or quilting requires measuring, marking and cutting. Because it is so important to our resulting project, we go to great lengths to make very precise measurements. But once we arrive at that measured point, how do we mark it? How do we identify a desired point, line, circle or curve? Keep in mind that cotton, wool, fleece, spandex, or any number of other fabrics all have different textures and fiber characteristics. Add to that mix having to allow for…
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Tool School: Chalk Marking Pens
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Tool School: Nancy Zieman Fusibles
What is it? – Interfacing is used in many sewing and craft projects to provide extra support, body, reinforcement or shape.
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Tool School: Takumi Interchangeable Knitting Needles
What is it? – Few knitting tools are more useful than a quality interchangeable circular knitting needle assortment. At home or on the road it’s like having a knitting shop in a case.
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Tool School: Mini Beading Loom
Clover Mini Beading Loom with instructor Steve Butler
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One Year of Tool School!!!
We are pleased to celebrate one year of Tool School during the month of July. Throughout the year we have explored Clover tools with Steve Butler the sales manager here at Clover. Steve has expertise in the sewing and needlecraft industry. Co-founder of Superior Threads. Steve has taught numerous classes at all major sewing machine conventions, regional trade shows, international Quilt Market, various machine embroidery venues and has been a four time repeat guest on Martha Pullen’s popular PBS series, “Martha’s Sewing Room”. We’ve had a blast and hope you…
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Tool School: 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide by Nancy Zieman
Tool School with Instructor Steve Butler 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide by Nancy Zieman What is it?– We take such great care with our sewn projects. Crafts, quilts, fashion, home décor, it doesn’t matter what. We envision exactly what we want to create. Once we have that picture, everything about it has to be just perfect. Patterns, fabrics, threads, and accessories are all selected with great care. We measure, mark, cut, pin and press with precision. And then, well, then we put it all together. We sit down at our sewing…