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Rosette Makers
What is it? – Kudos! Well done! Grand Prize! First place! Honorable mention! Special achievement! Student of the month! Employee of the year! It’s all recognition, plain and simple, and we all like it. When we do something exceptional, remarkable or noteworthy, a little personal recognition makes it all the more rewarding. And tangible evidence of that achievement makes it even more memorable and special. The question is, how can we make “one of” type awards for any number of occasions. The short list of those occasions includes, fairs, festivals,…
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Hair Pin Lace Tool
What is it? – If you’re looking for something old that is really new again in the world of crochet then hairpin lace is just the ticket. Historically called “fork work” or more recently “hairpin crochet”, this is one of those truly unique art forms that comes and goes as each new generation of artists discover it… again. Each of these new generations, however, contribute new and more creative technique. Though credit for the creation of this technique is generally ascribed to Katherine of Aragon it was certainly…
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Tool School: Roll & Press and Pressing Tools
By Steve Butler What is it? These are pressing issues. Shakespeare might even ask, “To press or not to press, that is the question.” Well, no matter who is asking the question, the answer is the same, a resounding yes to press.
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Roll & Press
What is it? – These are pressing issues. Shakespeare might even ask, “To press or not to press, that is the question.” Well, no matter who is asking the question, the answer is the same, a resounding yes to press. Some very important things happen when we press each seam as we sew it and they make all the difference between something that looks “finished” and something that looks much more amateurish. Pressing as you go allows your project to acquire the intended shape more quickly and allows you…
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Nancy Zieman Hobo Tote
What is it? – For today’s active life styles a handy tote is a required accessory. Satisfying requirements of both form and function they are both fashionable and useful. Totes of one kind or another are available everywhere. So many styles, so many colors, so embellishments. But therein lies the problem. Which one? Choices, choices, choices. Well, here’s another choice for you. What if you could make your own tote? Pick your own style, pick your own fabrics, pick your own embellishments. And what if you could have more…
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Takumi Knitting Needles
What is it?– In its most elemental form, knitting is simply a method by which we apply various technique to yarn with knitting needles and turn it into a unique fabric that mirrors our creative intent. Using knitting needles we are able to manipulate yarn to create multiple loops in a line on the needle shaft or cord. As each of these rows progress, a newly created loop is pulled through one or more loops from the previous row, placing the new row on the gaining needle. The resulting knitted fabric consists…
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Darning Needles
What is it?– In the history of mankind it is hard to find a tool that is more enduring, more useful than the hand sewing needle. Initially they were basic to the production of everything we made from clothing to shelter. And we still use them today. Modern needles, however, have become much more specialized, adapting shape, length, diameter and eye to meet the unique requirements specific applications. Darning needles are just one category of those specialized hand sewing needles that has been modified for specific techniques. Basically, darning needles…
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Air Erasable & White Marking Pen
What is it?– “The devil is in the detail”. It’s a common enough phrase. Perhaps some of us has even used it. But what does it really mean, “the devil in the detail”? How often do we start a project that looks like it’s going to be a snap, only to get bogged down in all of the details. You know, all the little things that consume so much time, make us a little crazy and eventually affect the quality of our finished project or maybe even determine if it gets…
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Chacopy Tracing Paper
What is it?– Fashion, fashion accessories, heirloom sewing, quilting and home decor. All of these projects are often one time or another blank canvases that are truly enhanced with the addition of the appropriate decorative pattern. Some of these pattern designs are professionally developed while others are original work we’ve created all by ourselves. Beautiful, often meaningful patterns for sewing, quilting and embroidery. But they’re all usually on paper and we are not sewing on paper. How do we move them to our fabric in a manner that allows us to…
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Magnet Pin Caddy and Dome Threaded Needle Case
What is it?– “I’m on pins and needles.” We’ve all heard the phrase and we know what it means. A sense of anxiety or suspense. But how could that possibly apply to sewing? Pins and needles of course. We all use them but they’re all armed with wickedly sharp little points. Hence the anxiety or suspense. We’ve all been stuck more than once while we’ve had to sort through a pile of pins or needles looking for the one we need. But it’s a hodge-podge of shafts and points all aimed…