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Stitch Guide
Stitch Guide with Instructor Steve Butler Class 156 View at our website What is it? Ever watch an accomplished sewer lay down a line of stitches? It’s always perfectly straight or curved as desired. It looks easy, right? Well, easy until you drop the presser foot and the stitching begins. Then the skills of said sewist become glaringly evident. There’s nothing automatic about perfect straight or curved seams. It takes years of honing those skills to be proficient. And absent those skill enhanced perfect seams our sewn projects will constantly remind us, “It could have been better.” And…
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Mini Iron II: “The Adapter Set”
Mini Iron II: The Adapter Set with Instructor Steve Butler Class 152 View at our website What is it? First of all, why do we call it a “mini iron”? Because of its diminutive size? Yeah, pretty much. But that name is a true misnomer. Even though labeled as “mini”, the small size really packs a punch and makes it one of the most useful notions in any sewing or crafting studio. It’s simple, our pressing stations need to keep pace with the almost explosive growth of sewing and craft techniques and applications we see today. Let’s…
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Fabric Tube Maker
Fabric Tube Maker with Instructor Steve Butler Class 155 What is it? Jelly Roll™ projects of all types are more popular than ever. Home décor, fashion, fashion accessories, quilting, or any other application you can imagine. The three dimensional effect of the folded fabric tubes are particularly enticing. Add to that the unlimited selection of fabric colors, patterns and textures plus a vast array of thread colors and textures and the creativity quotient is off the charts. Okay, they’re great. We get it. So how do we make these fabric tube masterpieces? I Googled it. Let me…
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Extra Credit: Tracing Wheels
Tracing Wheels By Shannon and Jason Medieval torture devices? Baking for making those cool cuts in the top of your bread? What exactly are those strange looking wheelie-pokey-thing-a-ma-bob-tools that come in sewing tool kits and why should I learn to use them? If your first exposure to tracing wheels brought up these questions, you aren’t alone. Tracing wheels are for, just that, tracing pattern pieces. The pointy, sharp tracing wheel is perfect for outlining an existing pattern piece to create a duplicate. In our case, we use it to duplicate…
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No-Hassle Triangle Gauge
No Hassles Triangle Gauge with instructor Steve Butler What is it? – We’ve all been there, right? We’re in our favorite quilt shop and as usual, we see some amazing quilts. Flying Geese, Drunkard’s Path, School House, Log Cabin, Dresden Plate, Double Wedding Ring, Bear Paw, Half Square, Mariner’s Compass, it goes on and on. Talk about inspiration! Or maybe you’ve envisioned something original. In either case we’ve been bitten by the creative bug. An hour later we’re on the way home with the most gorgeous fabric that was ever made. Within minutes of arriving we’ve cleaned off…
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Quick Cut Thread Cutter
“Quick Cut” Thread Cutter with instructor Steve Butler Class 138 What is it? – Is there anything more exciting than sitting down with a stack of gorgeous fabric in front of you and an image of the most incredible quilt solidly focused in your mind? Maybe we just found the ultimate Charm Pack at our favorite quilt shop. We just can’t wait to start putting it all together, to see that creative vision solidly locked in our minds finally realized at our sewing station. Once we get the blocks in order we take…
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Extra Credit: Snag Repair Needles
Snag Repair Needles By the Shibaguyz It’s happened to us all… you’re pulling your favorite sweater down from the closet and oops, it catches on a spot on the shelf—SNAG! Or maybe you’re the outdoorsy type and tend to walk a little too close to brambles or blackberry bushes—SNAG! Perhaps you’re like us… just walking through the house and somehow your handmade sweater (crocheted from 7 skeins of $30.00 a skein silk blend in a one-of-a-kind dye lot that you totally adore) magically gets a—SNAG! GAH!! You totally have to…
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Snag Repair Needles
Needle Threaders with instructor Steve Butler Class 137 What is it? – Every notice how it’s never the old garments that fall victim to the dreaded snag? Those sweaters, coats, blouses or pants that never leave our home seem to never to snag. But something new, something we can’t wait to be seen in and snags plague our very being. Oh, and did I say then never develop in obscurity. No such luck. These snags are children of the obvious, proudly standing for all to see. Those unruly snags. They’re thread or threads or maybe a section…
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Extra Credit: Fork Pins
Fork Pins By the Shibaguyz Pins are the ubiquitous tool of sewists, crafters, quilters, garment makers, crocheters, knitters… basically anyone who ever touches fabric will use pins, and use them often. Some pins tell you what they are designed for—like Silk Pins or Quilting Pins—others you must play with a while to find their best use. They all have their own unique characteristics that make them suitable for different uses.There is one type of pin that we keep close at hand as the secret weapon in matching up any seams.…
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Needle Threaders
Needle Threaders with instructor Steve Butler What is it? – Few sewing tools are more useful and necessary than hand sewing needles. Specific needle styles have evolved into virtually every genre of sewing specialty including general sewing, appliqué, embroidery, ribbon embroidery, quilting, upholstery, tapestry, basting, beading, darning, tailoring, etc. Additionally, and regardless of style, each needle is manufactured with great attention ensuring it is produced with a point that ensures precise fabric insertion, a flawlessly smooth shaft that pulls effortlessly through layers of fabric and a smooth eye that securely holds the…