Five Sewing Tools that will take your Sewing to the Next Level

Five Sewing Tools that will take your Sewing to the Next Level

I love the feeling of getting sewing packages in the mail, don’t you? This particular box included a new tool that I’ve been excited to try. It is part of my top five sewing tools that will take your sewing to the next level, or at the very least, make your sewing more efficient and enjoyable.

I love the feeling of getting sewing packages in the mail, don’t you?

I love the feeling of getting sewing packages in the mail, don’t you?

1. A sewing mini iron

This is the Clover Mini-Iron. Isn’t it precious? I ordered it from SewingMachinesPlus.com and it is more than just an adorable accessory to your ironing board. A mini iron lets you iron hard-to-get-to seams or helps iron tiny seams on things like mini quilts.

It even comes with a little stand. Awwww.

It even comes with a little stand. Awwww.

It even comes with a little stand. Awwww.

While I know I’ll have many opportunities to use this, I specifically bought it for this current project. My girls and I are working on BFF (best friends forever) quilts and the squares alternate with minky fabric.

My girls & I are working on BFF quilts with alternating minky blocks.

My girls & I are working on BFF quilts with alternating minky blocks.

Using a regular iron to iron over the seams would be a challenge. Hot irons can melt or destroy minky fabric. (For more on how to sew with minky, check out my post here).

Here I folded the cotton fabric seam over the minky fabric and then placed a scrap of fabric over both. Then I ironed the seam down.

That’s what I’m talking about! This mini-iron is worth its weight in gold.

This mini-iron is worth its weight in gold.

This mini-iron is worth its weight in gold.

For fans of mini-quilts, or anyone who wants to iron their seams open, the mini-iron makes short work of it.

For fans of mini-quilts, or anyone who wants to iron their seams open, the mini-iron makes short work of it.

For fans of mini-quilts, or anyone who wants to iron their seams open, the mini-iron makes short work of it.

2. A rotating (rotary) cutting mat

Yep, you heard me correctly. This is a cutting board that rotates on its base. If you’ve ever had a pile of HSTs (half-square triangles) or any other type of project that involved a lot of trimming, you will never look back from making this purchase. SewingMachinesPlus.com sells several different sizes.

This is a cutting board that rotates on its base.

This is a cutting board that rotates on its base.

Here you can see I’ve cut one side of the fabric square. Prior to owning a rotary mat I would have had to move my body or the fabric and the ruler to make the subsequent cuts.

Here you can see I’ve cut one side of the fabric square.

Here you can see I’ve cut one side of the fabric square.

Not anymore. Look how it spins!! The base stays put while the cutting board goes for a walk.

The base stays put while the cutting board goes for a walk.

The base stays put while the cutting board goes for a walk.

Here is my square fully cut. It’s a thing of beauty, no?

Here is my square fully cut.

Here is my square fully cut.

3. Rulers and grids

This is my assortment of rulers and grids. There is nothing like having the right tools for the job. The two square grids were purchases for projects whose final size HSTs needed to be trimmed exactly to the size of the grid.

The large grid on the bottom is 24” long and my primary ruler for measuring and cutting out my fabric. The 2” ruler is my workhorse, everyday ruler.

Lastly, I had to include a classic measuring tape. I have about seven floating around the house and in my backpack and car. You never know when you might need to measure something!

The small, black and silver ruler below the measuring tape is a seam gauge. It helps you mark precise seams at a variety of lengths.

SewingMachinesPlus.com has a wide assortment of rulers and grids: https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/searchresults.php?search_field=omnigrid

SewingMachinesPlus.com has a wide assortment of rulers & grids.

SewingMachinesPlus.com has a wide assortment of rulers & grids.

I also have this heavy, metal, 48” ruler that I use for canvas and large home interior projects, or when cutting very large lengths of fabric.

I also have this heavy, metal, 48” ruler.

I also have this heavy, metal, 48” ruler.

4. A walking foot

I mention my walking foot a lot in my posts here and that’s because I use it a lot. In fact as a rule, I have it installed as my go-to sewing foot and only switch out to other feet as needed. Your machine probably came with one and you tucked it away not knowing what the strange, Star Wars-like contraption was.

Get it out of the box and learn to use it! If you quilt or work with thicker fabric, your walking foot will be your best friend.

Get it out of the box & learn to use it!

Get it out of the box & learn to use it!

If your machine didn’t come with one, I guarantee the maker of your machine sells one as an accessory. Check out all the options available on SewingMachinesPlus.com here.

Image via The Seasoned Homemaker.

Image via The Seasoned Homemaker.

5. A bias tape maker

There will come a point in your sewing career when the pre-made bias tape available in stores and online just doesn’t meet your needs. When you get to that point, grab a bias tape maker, in fact, grab a few (they make different sizes of tape). With one of these humble tools you can make both single and double-fold bias tape and the sky is pretty much the limit as far as your creativity goes.

When you get to that point, grab a bias tape maker, in fact, grab a few (they make different sizes of tape).

When you get to that point, grab a bias tape maker, in fact, grab a few (they make different sizes of tape).

You can make coordinating, contrasting, or complimenting colors of bias tape to match your projects and the process is extremely quick. It won’t be as fast as using premade, but I promise it will be worth it.

Image via Made Everyday with Dana.

Image via Made Everyday with Dana.

Do you use any of these tools already in your sewing projects? What other tools would you add to a list like this? Let us know in comments!

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.
How to Quilt a Quilt

How to Quilt a Quilt

In English, the word quilt is both a noun and a verb. You can make a quilt, and you can quilt one. When I was first learning about quilting, several times I tried the search phrase ‘how to quilt a quilt’ but I rarely got the information I was looking for. I’m hoping this post will find its way to others who were looking for the information I couldn’t find as a new quilter.

It took me awhile to discover all the methods of quilting and I’m still learning more to this day. If there is another technique you are aware of that isn’t in this article, please share in the comments!

Quilting by hand

The two methods of finishing a quilt sandwich (the term for the classic three layers of a quilt: top, batting, bottom) by hand are hand tying and hand stitching. Quilts have been around since the dawn of time but for a large portion of our recorded history they were highly functional, as opposed to decorative, or a form of art or hobby. Hand tying and hand stitching were quick and effective ways of completing a quilt sandwich.

Hand tying

 

Images via Quilting in the Rain, WikiHow, Selvage Blog, Craftsy.

Images via Quilting in the Rain, WikiHow, Selvage Blog, Craftsy.

Hand tying or tufting a quilt is a method of spacing out knots every 4” to 8”across a quilt’s surface. While a square knot is the most common method of tying, quilters can get as creative as they like, using a Sheath stitch, for example, or other forms of embroidery knots.

Hand stitching

 

Images via Jennifer Causey, Shiny Happy World, Tied With a Ribbon, and The Sewing Directory.

Images via Jennifer Causey, Shiny Happy World, Tied With a Ribbon, and The Sewing Directory.

Even after sewing machines began to be used for creating quilts, hand stitching remained the preferred method for finishing a quilt for a long time. Today even modern quilters love this method and value the hand crafted look it gives finished quilts.

Machine quilting

 

Machine quilting with a walking foot. Image via charlottekaufman.com.

Machine quilting with a walking foot. Image via charlottekaufman.com.

Machine quilting generally comes in three forms, quilting done with a walking foot, free motion quilting (FMQ), and long arm quilting (a variation of FMQ).

Walking foot

 

Images via charlottekaufman.com.

Images via charlottekaufman.com.

While a regular foot can be used to finish a quilt, walking feet are preferred because of their method of allowing all three layers of the quilt sandwich to travel evenly under the needle at the same time. The only limitation to quilting with a walking foot is that the needle always moves forward so you must move the quilt on your own and unless you have a machine with a long neck, and this can be cumbersome. I’ve been eyeing this Janome at Sewing Machines Plus because of how much neck room it gives. Oh to quilt with such a lovely machine!

Free Motion Quilting (FMQ)

 

Images via Charlotte Kaufman of SewSewSewYourBoat.com.

Images via Charlotte Kaufman of SewSewSewYourBoat.com.

Free motion quilting (FMQ) is a ton of fun. In this style of quilting you can move the fabric in any direction you’d like as you sew. This allows for beautiful curves and detailed designs that a walking foot just can’t give you. A special foot is connected to the presser foot and you must lower the feed dogs of your machine in order for FMQ to work. Here are some examples of my own FMQ. You would be very hard pressed to do this kind of work with a walking foot.

Long Arm Quilting

 

Images via Free Range Quilter and Schnigschnag Quilts and More.

Images via Free Range Quilter and Schnigschnag Quilts and More.

Long arm quilting is when a sewing machine can do FMQ on a large scale. In long arm quilting quilts are put on a frame and the quilter than moves the neck of the machine over sections of fabric at a time to create gorgeous and intricate designs. These machines can be prohibitively expensive for some but many long arm quilters find that by offering their services to other quilters they quickly pay off the cost of the machine. Sewing Machines Plus offers monthly payment plans and financing if you are thinking of getting one of these gorgeous machines. I’ve looked longingly at this King Quilter and this Juki Long Arm.

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Charlotte Kaufman is a writer and sewist in Mammoth Lakes, California. She specializes in marine and home interiors and continues to fall more and more in love with quilting. You can follow her at charlottekaufman.com.
My Feet Were Made for Walking

My Feet Were Made for Walking

Hi Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Using the walking foot, means taking off the shank that supports the regular feet and inserting the walking foot unit and the backwards “C” clamp to the screw that holds the needle. Also, the bar inserted behind this walking foot holds down the fabric while the walking foot moves over the fabric as it sews.

Using the walking foot, means taking off the shank that supports the regular feet and inserting the walking foot unit and the backwards “C” clamp to the screw that holds the needle. Also, the bar inserted behind this walking foot holds down the fabric while the walking foot moves over the fabric as it sews.

Perhaps you have had the challenge of trying to sew stretch and non-stretch fabric together? I used to agonize over the idea when I can get two pieces of fabric, one a stretch bamboo and the other quilting cotton, and cut them perfectly the same measurements with my acrylic ruler, and rotary blade cutter, and pin them together matching all sides. When I put them in my machine, it always turns out, the stretch fabric is larger than the non-stretch when I have completed the seam. So, to resolve that, I have to measure the seam line with my ruler, and trim the stretch fabric to 1/4 inch seam line that matches the quilting cotton.

Just keep trimming

I have found that trimming that seam on the inside as perfectly even as possible results in great guide to top-stitch the outside after it has been turned. I also round off the corners rather than cut them straight before turning to the right side of the fabric.

I have sewn the first top-stitch row just using a Type A foot. The row (in progress) close to the edge is done with my walking foot. Using this, if I watch the edge of the sides, as they line up when stitched, my top-stitching turns nice and straight. SLOW AND EASY STITCHING! The bar on the left that stabilizes the fabric is adjustable as well.

I have sewn the first top-stitch row just using a Type A foot. The row (in progress) close to the edge is done with my walking foot. Using this, if I watch the edge of the sides, as they line up when stitched, my top-stitching turns nice and straight. SLOW AND EASY STITCHING! The bar on the left that stabilizes the fabric is adjustable as well.

Many of my projects are top-stitched either with a decorative stitch which is overcast or something that blends with the fabric design. Now with embroidery machines so popular, I seldom see people utilizing the great automatic stitches like those on my Husqvarna Viking 670. With 200 stitches available, one’s creativity can soar! Why not take advantage of it?

Top-notch-stitching

Top-stitching is tricky! To be perfect, it takes a consistent eye to guide the machine in the same place all the way around the project usually very close to the edge. Possibly, an edging foot for quilting may work well for ¼ inch spacing, (although I have not tried that). I most often use that foot to piece guilts. What I have found that does a great job is a walking foot. I use it to sew seams with the different stretch and non-stretch fabric. Again, I trim the seam before turning to the right side.

I also like to make wider stitches for top-stitching using a beautiful premium thread. My favorite is Cotton Mako Auriful, an Egyptian cotton made in Italy. It makes top-stitching look very professional.

I also like to make wider stitches for top-stitching using a beautiful premium thread. My favorite is Cotton Mako Auriful, an Egyptian cotton made in Italy. It makes top-stitching look very professional.

So, I hope you enjoyed learning about the “Walking Foot” today. I enjoy knowing that my products have the professional finishes that make handmade sewing equal to expensive alternatives. I would be happy to hear your comments or things you have discovered on your walk of sewing and fabrics!