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Extra Credit: Sweet `n Sharp Macaron
Macaron By Shannon and Jason So, you’ve been bitten by the creativity bug and decided that hand sewing is going to be your next foray into the maker world… WELCOME! There are so many styles to choose from… embroidery, sashiko, needlepoint, crewel, kogin-zashi, or cross stitch. Whether sewing is your primary form of creative expression, or you saw that one project which inspired you to pick up needle and thread, you’re going to love the versatility and vast range of projects that hand sewing encompasses. One thing that is going…
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Extra Credit: Marking Tools
Pins By Shannon and Jason A quick glance at Clover’s website will show a plethora of items made just for marking fabric and projects…literally dozens. GAH! Where to start? We understand how confusing it can be. We keep a healthy variety of these marking tools at our cutting table, sewing machines, and workspace… just in case… which means we have a lot of marking tools. So, with all the options available to us, which tools do we reach for first when we are working in our studio? Glad you asked!…
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Straight Pins
Straight Pins with Instructor Steve Butler Class 163 Visit Our Website Here! What is it? Let’s assume you’ve just found that perfect sewing project. Fashion, fashion accessories, heirloom, quilts, home décor, crafts, whatever. Fabric and pattern are identified and are on hand ready to go to work. What else do we need? Tools! We’ve got to measure, mark and cut our fabric to very precise standards. All set now, time to sew, right? But wait, how do we hold all of those perfectly shaped gems of fabric in perfect position? ‘Cause we know if the alignment and…
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“Quick” Yo-Yo Makers
“Quick” Yo-Yo Maker with Instructor Steve Butler Class 162 View at our website What is it? Fabric yo-yo’s. What’s not to like? They’re fun, fast and a definite avenue for creative expression. What can you make with these little fabric gems? Who cares? For some it’s nothing more than a therapeutic journey to some level of nirvana. But if you’re actually into making something with them, those little creative fabric medallions are perfect for all kinds of home décor applications like doilies, quilts, bead spreads, pillows, placemats or fashion accessories like dresses, vests, headbands…
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Fabric Folding Pen
Fabric Folding Pen with Instructor Steve Butler Class 161 View at our website What is it? We get it, no one likes to take the time to press fabric pieces when putting together that new creative inspiration. The sewing machine is ready, that fabulous fabric is ready, the complimenting thread is ready and, most importantly, we’re ready. Taking the time to press those preparatory seams just feels anticlimactic somehow. The truth is though, those initial ironing steps are a significant factor in determining whether our finished project is something that is polished and…
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Tracing Paper “Clover Chacopy”
Tracing Paper “Clover Chacopy” with Instructor Steve Butler Class 160 View at our website What is it? When it comes to sewing, and that’s what we do, tracing our pattern designs onto fabric is one of our least favorite activities. We find that perfect pattern, amazing fabric and complimenting thread and we just want to jump right into the sewing process so we can experience that highly anticipated creative fervor. But hold on, there is still the drudgery of the not so exciting prep work. Bummer. Probably the least favorite is tracing the pattern…
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Hot Ruler
& Hot Hemmer Hot Ruler Large and Hot Hemmer Square with Instructor Steve Butler Class 159 View at our website Visit our website What is it? If we were to make a list of essential actions required to achieve our most lofty creative aspirations when sewing, pressing would be near or even at the top of that list. Precise pressing of our project component pieces during the construction process often marks the difference between a completed project that appears polished and professional or something that appears more homemade and amateurish. By pressing during the construction…
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Extra Credit: Hot Hemmer Square & Hot Ruler Large
Hot Hemmer Square & Hot Ruler Large By Shannon and Jason Well… Clover has done it again. Just when we were looking for a product, here they are with exactly what we need. They have expanded their line of pressing tools to include the Hot Ruler Large and Hot Hemmer Square. If you are a garment sewist, the larger ruler is something you are already familiar with, and it is this product we were JUST looking for to use in our own garment making as well as to adapt for quilting.…
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Tracing Wheels
Tracing Wheels with Instructor Steve Butler Class 158 View at our website What is it? The genesis of almost everything we create when we sew begins with a pattern of some form. Fashion, fashion accessories, heirloom, purses and bags, quilts, home decor, they all use them. In our selection process we identify potential candidates from the perfectly posed pictures on the pattern packaging. The next step is to look at the pattern itself to get an idea of what it will take to complete that project. Some patterns are very complex while others are…
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Extra Credit: No-Sew, Iron-On Octopatch
No-Sew, Iron-On Octopatch By Shannon and Jason Oney the Octopatch Here, in our part of the world, we are entering that time of year when the skies are clearer, the breeze is warmer, and the wind carries the unmistakable sound of screaming little folx who have looked forward to summer break for months but now they have entirely too much time on their hands and are sooooo bored with everything and what were you thinking giving them three juice boxes (they have how much sugar??) and maybe that giant Slurpee…