I have been working on baby blankets and recently found a time saver.  I used to pin pleats on the satin ribbon and then sew on the minky fabric.  After a few blankets and  a lot of time, I purchased a ruffler foot.   You can actually ruffle satin onto the fabric at the same time.  I wish I had gotten a ruffler foot a little sooner.  Now I am looking for projects that need ruffles!  Pillow cases, dresses, etc.

I handsome extra minky fabric and wanted to think of a something else it could be used for other than baby blankets.  I decided to make my daughter a pillowcase.  She got to pick out the color and the embroidery design.  She thought that was great!   She loved  how soft it was on her face.  Well, when she woke the next morning her long hair wasn’t tangled like normal.  Which meant less brushing and fusing that morning!.  It’s the pillowcase.  Grandma was right!  If you don’t want your hair messed up during the night than sleep on satin…..and now minky too!

You’ve put hours of hard work into the quilt top and it looks gorgeous, but what about the backing fabric. Don’t cheapen your quilt by using any old thing from your stash or what was on sale at the fabric store. It’s important to use the same quality backing fabric as you did for the top.

Some other quilt backing tips:
- Cut the backing at least 4″ wider than the top on all sides
- When seaming your backing fabric, use vertical or horizontal seams, whichever requires less fabric
- Be sure to press your backing seams open

That is the question. Should you starch your quilting fabric?

First, it’s important to prewash your fabric, so you don’t have any shrinking, fading, etc after you have it all put together. Prewashing removes the finish that is part of the manufacturing process. Starching your fabrics after washing makes them more stable. If you decided to starch, keep in the mind the following tips.

1. Don’t mix starched and non-starched in the same project
2. Press your fabric — don’t iron!
3. Allow the starch to dry before pressing to reduce flaking
4. Be careful not to scorch your fabric
5. Starch right before use — don’t starch and store (it can create deep creases and attract silverfish)
6. Don’t starch your backing fabric — it will make it harder to move the layered quilt through the machine.
7. Wash the starch out when finished to soften your quilt and keep bugs away!

Have you ever had pieces of quilt batting too big to throw out yet to short or too narrow for your project? You can still use the batting by piecing it together. First using two pieces of the same weight, color and type of batting, cut the edges you want to sew together so they are straight. You do not want different types, textures, or colors of batting as they can handle and launder differently. The batting also should not overlap or gap as this would be noticeable in the finished project as the quilt would appear uneven or lumpy. Second attach the edge joining foot to your machine. Select a fairly wide zigzag stitch 6.0 with a longer length 3.0. Align the batting pieces on each side of the center guide of the edge joining foot and sew. Make sure you use a thread color that matches your batting so the seam does not show through the fabrics on the quilt project.

I hate ironing. I specifically buy clothes that don’t need to be ironed. However, when it comes to quilting you can’t get away from it — pressing your seams is key when sewing your quilt top. And, don’t be fooled, pressing is not the same as ironing — I guess that is why I can tolerate it.

If you’re like me, and just starting out, then you might not have your pressing tools in the same area as your sewing machine. I live in a small, older home that I love, but my laundry/ironing area is in the basement and my sewing machine is in the spare bedroom. I enjoy a workout as much as the next person, but all this up and down the steps after each seam is for the birds.

To solve this stepping quandry, I crafted together a little ironing table. I hijacked one of the TV trays and covered it with batting and fabric (tephlon fabric would have been nice too). Viola! An instant ironing board. So long steps, hello productivity!

One of the very first crafty/sewing projects I learned do do when I was younger was cross stitch. My mom would get me those little 3″x3″ designs with it’s own little plastic frame to proudly display it in. I still love to cross stitch, especially when I am stressed. I find the rythmic motion of making each of those little “x”s relaxing and the end result it so satisfying. I really like how putting together colors you can create a pretty picture that can even include shading and has this wonderful texture with all of the thread.
While I still love the look of vintage patterns, just like any tried and true craft passed down, I was able to find a modern twist on cross stitch. Crafter Ruby Khan has made a Minipop Sampler which features all kinds movie and rock stars. Just a few featured are; Edward Scissorhands, George Lucas, Royal Tenenbaums family (my personal favorite), and Alfred Hitchcock. Visit her Flickr page and you can see all of the wonderful threaded xs in detail.

Here is a great sewing time saver. This little ring holds your wound and unwound bobbins so they are ready and easy to find when you need them. Wind several bobbins before you start a larger project and you will not have to stop to wind a bobbin! Wind a bobbin in several basic colors and you are ready in the event of a needed quick repair too!

Check them out Here

At the beginning of time, people were creating clothing based on a “one size fits all” mentality.  This was all that they knew how to do.  Once style became a huge concern, people decided that they needed to follow that trend, and with this idea came the need for shape in their clothing.  This was made possible by patterns.  By the early 19th century, magazines started inserting little picture patterns for women to follow.  These were very difficult to use since they were an inch in size.  In 1850, life-sized patterns were made and being placed into magazines so people could  actually use them.  This idea sparked many young pattern entrepreneurs, who are still successful companies today.  Thanks to these bright minds, we have the luxury of guidelines to our most complicated projects!

With Halloween coming, we all know that we need to start thinking about what costumes the kids will be begging us to make.  The most annoying part of making anything is finishing it.  Halloween costumes can be finished without all of the detail and work involved in a piece that will be worn many times.  Using ribbon, fur, or any other decorative edging can be used to finish the project.  It is an easy step and adds a great eye-catching edge to the costume!