Sewing Tools
When I was working on my bag the other night, I was kind of fascinated by all the tools I was using. Sewing, I have to say, is one of the most intensive tool-based crafts I do. And I have a lot of tools and gadgets, but there are so many more out there that you can buy that the array is just stunning. Sewing implements seems to be kind of a personal thing. People have definite preferences about what sorts of pins, irons, machines, needles, etc work for them best. Things they can’t live without.
Due to school, I took a five-year hiatus from crafting because my work/school schedule was so crap-tastic I didn’t have a choice. I missed it a lot. It’s actually been fun over the past months to get involved in machine sewing in particular again. I get to see what tools I used to prefer before I packed ‘em all away, and look at how my skills have changed and what I prefer these days.
I’ve realized I was either missing things because I avoided some part of sewing (hello, zippers?) or that my tools needed some care, updating and replacement. So I’ve been in the process of buying various new things. My next couple of buys will be new fabric scissors, but good scissors are not cheap! Plus my sewing machine is squeaking (horrid noise!) and it needs a tuneup as well. So here’s the tools I can’t live without, and for those of you without a machine sewing addiction, I’ll even tell you what the hell these things are. I’ve spend literally hours on websites and in craft stores figuring out what all the gadgets do. I don’t have nearly enough of them.
Top - Measuring things: Omnigrid ruler, curve ruler, my trusty retractable measuring tape from the Container store and my cutting mat that I found on sale for 75% off. Nice!
Right - Cutting implements: Rotary cutter with 2 settings for fabric thickness (needs new blade, maybe I should get a new daisy cutter?), one pair of nice scissors (not so nice now), a pair of stork embroidery scissors (very sharp, from Jeff’s grandmother) and one with one flat, blunt side from his grandma that I’m not exactly sure what it’s for except probably embroidery - if you have an idea, let me know! I also have a larger pair of shears and pinking shears, and some folding scissors (one pair of which I actually got on the plane with!).
Left Top - Marking, Pinning: 3 different pin holders, one for regular pins, the one with an M is what I made while trying out the Berninas at the Maker Faire and it holds big quilting pins, and the other wrist one is one I got because my mom always used one like this. It holds actual needles for sewing & embroidery. Plus I have chalk thing that has interchangeable colored chalk, the inevitable seam ripper for those times when you just have to piss yourself off, and a sewing gauge with slidable guide. That last one - I had to look up its real name just now, and I once believed a ruler was just as good, but - NO.
Left Bottom - Pins and Needles: I have buckets of pins and needles. Seems like every new project needs some sort of different flippin’ needle. I have actually read where people think you ought to change the needle with each new project - no way, Jose. I have to change the durn thing often enough anyway. I do like my different upholstery and special purpose needles, and I have plastic ones for yarn, too. I think I like quilting pins and embroidery needles the best - they’re Huge!
What I don’t have, and am apparently wanting to spend all my money on: good scissors of various sorts, and maybe a circle cutter, bias tape maker and loop turner, different sizes of the omnigrid ruler (mostly a bigger one), fabric grips, a yardstick, and some sort of thing that’s reasonable for basting quilts. Oh, and I need about a metric ton more bobbins. I’m sure there’s more stuff I want, gadgets are the awesomest.
When not in use, the majority gets dumped into a basket for easy access. It also usually holds scraps of thread and some empty bobbins down at the bottom. And rats, didn’t actually mention the 1st and 2nd most important tools of machine sewing - a machine and an iron!
Crafting for Charity: The Preemie Project
This post is inspired by a friend of mine, Monique, who recently had a baby. Not so recently, now, Jose was born about three weeks ago now. The thing about Jose is that he was 1.5 lbs, and wasn’t supposed to be born until June 20. For a baby that was born three months early, he’s doing really pretty well. He had a hole in his heart and a hernia, but it could be a lot worse. He started breathing on his own just a day or so after he was born! So in honor of Jose and other preemies, let me introduce you to …
This lovely charity donates handmade items to preemies and critically ill infants at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. Items are donated to the Neonatal ICU and the Pediatric ICU, and include such volunteer-created items as little hats, booties and blankets. The charity was started in 2005 by Iowan and knitter Laura Aker. You can subscribe to their blog and keep up with current news items. They have workgroups (like the June 2007 one pictured here), an annual craft-a-thon and other events.
The Project has expanded over time: there’s a branch in Michigan now and they also collect donations of supplies for children to send home with folks - diapers and clothing and the like. Finally, they have a special project to provide handmade bereavement and remembrance items for families who have suffered a loss.
Some Stats
The site states that they have “received donations from over 250 volunteers totaling over 1,700 hat and bootie sets, over 1,500 blankets, and 300 bereavement packages.” Wow!
Help Out
They have volunteer information, guidelines and accepted items, including a suggested yarn list for those interested in donating some lovely items of your own. DO note the yarn requirements - preemies have very soft, thin, delicate skin, and all yarns much be machine washable and not wool.
You can also choose to donate using their list of needed items. They need not just funds (though appreciated!) but also sewing and crafting items, and some items such as printer cartridges for their fundraisers.
(Must confess, warm fuzzies for the University of Iowa, where both my parents graduated!)
Pieced Bag
So I’ve found that the thing about doing more crafting is that I must do less posting. I’m not averse to this, just this whole time sink up there at my sewing machine is getting crazy. Here’s a finished project, also been working on 2 blankets, a cactus, practicing my Illustrator and … what else? Oh, I have 2 more sewing projects in the works, a little embroidery to do, a couple of jewelry holders nearly done, a large wood project, a painting project … Oh dear, do you think I’ve gone and overdone it?
Well, one project’s done, anyway. This is a bag of my own design, with mirrored front and back piecing, three interior pockets and a self-covered button closure. Sorry about the picture quality: it was night and all.
The fabric: the 2 blue cotton fabrics are remnants my mom gave me. You can tell the patterned one is from the seventies because it features mushrooms. The navy one is actually chambray, which has a nice subtle pattern. I like these dark fabrics with the bright green, it’s a good contrast. The green is a cotton velvet, a recent remnant I bought. Soft, kind of a pain to sew with, needs reinforced edges. Also, doesn’t sew like regular velvet, frays easily, has a tendency to create friction while sewing, which means that if you haven’t pinned things properly, your pieces will quickly derail.
I’ve been wearing this one, see what I think about the design there. The flap was my main issue, ended up crooked after I measured it and everything. Pissed me off what with all the work I put into this. I have to remember - this is a prototype, and I am not perfect, and things happen. A mantra I often disregard. Here’s what an interfaced, lined bag looks like inside out before it’s sewn together. Aren’t those huge pins? They’re my quilting pins, and are about twice the size of normal pins! Fun!
Details … I had fun with the self-covered button, and with the pockets. Bags without interior pockets, for me, are as good as useless, unless it’s a very small bag. I carry lots of junk. I can’t ever find anything without pockets to help. Thus, I made three pleated interior pockets. I think that they are (1) too big and (2) too floppy, but it was a nice first try for what I’m aiming for. Although … these are the first pockets ever to fit all my pens and pencils, and my sunglasses.
This is the wall above my sewing machine. The important bit is that picture that’s right in front of my face, which is a picture from Lisa Lam’s U-Handblog website, from her glasses case tutorial. See, Lisa’s freaking brilliant at bag-making. And I’m completely mentally challenged when it comes to remembering which piece of what to put inside where inside out when sewing together lined bags. This shows me. With this picture in front of me, I do not have to (1) swear, (2) rip seams, (3) search for the tutorial 20 times to make sure I’m doing it right or (4) give up on a bag because I’m so frustrated.
This here is a sneak peek of another project. This is for you, Paula.
