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Wonder Pins
What is it? – Basting just may be one of the least enjoyable elements of the sewing process. So why do we do it? Well, we have to. Basting ensures greater stitching accuracy. It makes the difference between something we’re proud to show and something we quietly and secretly put in a bottom drawer somewhere and forget. Basting with either stitches or pins is like a practice stitch or a trial run before we permanently sew our final seam. Turns out it’s just the best way to temporarily join layers of fabric together while we adjust…
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Tool School: 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
The 6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide is a truly multi-function tool that will make sewing even the most difficult and demanding applications of thread to fabric a breeze.
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6-in-1 Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
What is it? – Did you ever wonder why we have all of these sewing notions? All of these tools that we use almost every time we sew? Quilting, fashion, heirloom, home décor or crafts, it doesn’t really matter. There are tools that apply to all of them while some notions are very specific to just one in particular. But why do we need them? When we start any project, we envision exactly what we want the finished article to look like, whether we’re replicating a sample or have something more original in mind. We…
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Tool School: Tailoring Tools
There are various tailoring tools that are essential to most everything we do in sewing. Learn about a few in our Tool School lesson!
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Tailoring Tools
What is it? – Open any catalog of sewing notions and you’ll immediately be overwhelmed. There are so many specialty tools with each designed to assist us in our various sewing tasks. But as the “specialty” moniker suggests, they often apply only to a specific niche (or even micro-niche) of a particular sewing operation. But what about the other sewing tools, the ones we use all of the time? What about those sewing notions that have expansive applications to a wide spectrum of sewing requirements? Take tailoring or dressmaking for example. What are the operations common to most…
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Tool School: Marking Tools
Finding the best marking tool can be a challenge. Learn about all of our useful marking tools and find the best one for each job.
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Marking Tools
What is it? – Let’s think about it. What do we do when we sew? What comes after the creative vision is set and after finding the perfect fabric and the perfect accessorizing thread? We cut that beautiful fabric into smaller pieces and then, well, and then we sew it all back together again into a larger piece of fabric. But it’s the shape of those pieces and the way they are assembled that brings a smile to our faces. So how do we do that? Measure, mark and cut. The more precise each function is accomplished, the more…
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Extra Credit: Use the Mesh Transfer Canvas to make a Butterfly Shirt
If you all have seen our previous blog posts and Tool School Extra Credit projects, you know by now that we love a good embellishment! For this project, we are going to be using the Mesh Transfer Canvas from Clover and let us tell you… it is so easy to work with. Also, because it is clear, you can use it to trace an outline from any photo or printed design. Once your item is traced onto the canvas you simply place the canvas on top of your fabric and trace…
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Tool School: Straight Pins
Taking the time to identify that “most perfect” pin for each application can make all of the difference in our finished work. Learn more about our variety of straight pins.
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Scandinavian Fabric Stars with Clover’s Bias Tape Maker
Following along with our posts, you will have noticed that we love taking existing tools and finding unique ways to use them. Most everyone reading this will have heard of bias tape, having purchased it or made it themselves for garment trims and quilt binding. Bias tape maker… surely there had to be other uses for a tool that made fab strips of fabric that totally encased any fraying edges of fabric. It was during this last holiday season we stumbled onto a solution almost by accident. Shannon’s grandmother and…