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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: golo on May 25, 2008, 08:32:01 PM
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Don't forget to share some of those lovely little shortcuts that you do or nice hints on making something easier or better.............. :smiley6600:
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: Grandma Chris on May 26, 2008, 05:24:16 PM
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If I am doing a quick fuse and need something over the ironing board I use a piece of freezer paper ironed onto the suface. Place the shiney side down to the ironing board and press. Then do you fusing like putting layered pieces together and do it over the freezer paper. Then when done pull off and throw away.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: sallyandtilly on May 27, 2008, 01:19:36 PM
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I recently read to use tin foil to sharpen you rotary cutter. Just take a piece, fold it and run the cutter through it several times. I have done this twice and so far I don't need to replace my blade. I'm sure I won't be able to do it too often, but even a little extra blade life is appreciated.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: Pawstoquilt on May 27, 2008, 01:38:57 PM
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A while back, there was a guy on Simply Quilts talking about tools. He said when your rotary cutter gets dull,
to turn the blade over in the holder. I think it works. Of course, it's not going to work if you have run over pins or the edge of your ruler.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: jessie s on May 27, 2008, 01:53:38 PM
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Cleaned my sewing room last week and of course want to keep it neat for a while. When sewing and cut off threads some miss the garbage can. Have one of those rollers that take lint up so just roll it around the floor near garbage can and my chair. When full just rip sheets off and new one ready. Great for getting cut threads that stick to material when sewing. jessie s
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: golo on May 27, 2008, 03:05:51 PM
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What wonderful hints you are giving... keep them coming... :afro:
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: finisher on May 27, 2008, 03:23:58 PM
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Sally..I haven't tried the foil trick..but recently I was looking at fancy punches for cutting shapes for scrap booking and the package said to cut through foil several times if it seemed the blade was getting dull. It must take off the smallest of burrs..or something? I'm all for extending blade life too.
I have DH sharpen mine every once in a while with the Dritz sharpener.. I'm a little scared to handle them.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: gimpy cat on May 27, 2008, 05:32:38 PM
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I have used the foil and it does work ;-) not for ever but helps give it an edge back, best to do it before its totally blunt though, also turning htem over certainly does work too ;-) Once I have one totally dulled for fabric I put it in a container for re-use, great for cutting paper etc, template plastic
I keep empty kleenex boxes by the machine and all thread offcuts etc go into that, kitties cant get them out and they take heaps then can be emptied out for the birds in spring and summer
When safety pin basting use a teaspoon and save your fingers. A lovely gentleman at a quilt store shared the hint with me. Slide the pin through the three layers then put the teaspoon onto the fabric top where its going to pop through, the spoon angled with force the pin point up through the fabric and hold it while you simply clip it closed, saves using your fingers to guide the point of hte pin through the layers
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: Texasmusicmom on June 01, 2008, 06:45:51 PM
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I have a kwik klip thingy that works for that, but before I got it...I used a grapefruit spoon...has a serrated edge that helped catch the pin...worked well.
I have started labeling my bobbins with the little round stickers that sometimes people use for garage sale (boot sale) pricing...they are just the size of the bobbin.....keeps my different types of thread that are the same color organized....when I put the bobbin in the case, I stick the sticker right next to the bobbin door...to stick back on when I'm finished.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: quilton on June 02, 2008, 12:07:49 PM
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Quote from: Pawstoquilt on May 27, 2008, 01:38:57 PM
A while back, there was a guy on Simply Quilts talking about tools. He said when your rotary cutter gets dull,
to turn the blade over in the holder. I think it works. Of course, it's not going to work if you have run over pins or the edge of your ruler.
I thought I was the only one who ran over pins!!! Today I cut a 3 1/2" square, left it on the cutting table, cut more fabric and cut my square sort of in half :1087: When will I learn?
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: Pawstoquilt on June 02, 2008, 12:11:46 PM
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The same time I learn NOT to sew blocks together wrong. I am un-sewing two blocks I turned the wrong way.
Hate it when that happens!!! Just glad I saw it befor the quilt was put together. Gotta love those designs
walls
.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: quiltermarynel on June 02, 2008, 10:13:15 PM
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Quilton, been there, done that. Also had cut out pieces manage to insert themselves under the area where I a quilting. I try not to let DH see that, because his response is always that my sewing room needs cleaning. He's alwys right, too.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: FiberBabble on June 03, 2008, 08:44:37 AM
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One of the things I use daily (maybe hourly) in my sewing room is a stick.
I have one that I paid $6 for at JoAnn's that's pointy on one end and really pointy on the other end... when I'm teaching, I always make fun of myself for paying that much for a dowel that was stuck in pencil sharpener.
I also have a handful of something like orangewood sticks - the kinds that are used in nail salons. You can get about a zillion of them at a beauty supply place (Sally's, around here) for next to no $$.
I have scary long fingernails, so a lot of what other people would use a stick for, I do with my nails. But occasionally even I break a nail (http://fiberbabble.blogspot.com/2006/08/horror-of-horrors.html)... that's oversimplifying things, though.
I use the sticks for holding or folding bindings while ironing, making sure that the skinny points of triangles go under the needle and not into the feed dogs, holding onto the bottom fabric while easing a larger top fabric, all kinds of things that I can't even remember, because it's so natural now. It's almost like having a couple of extra fingers.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: quilton on June 04, 2008, 04:53:51 PM
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I had read this tip somewhere but I had never tried it. Now I have so I'll post it here.
When you are sewing dark fabrics to light, stitch the dark fabric side. When you go to press it, you will find the fabric just falls to the dark side.
Don't know why, but it worked for me and my girlfriend.
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: golo on June 04, 2008, 06:18:01 PM
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Good tips, gals.... keep them coming... :smiley6600:
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Title: Re: hints and tips
Post by: quiltermarynel on June 11, 2008, 08:24:47 PM
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Quilton, I have not tried that, but I was told to press both together first, to "set" the seam. It does sem to help. I put the dark over the light on the ironing board, then "open" it up so when I press to the side, the seam can only go to the dark
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