I press more than I sew when I am piecing, and a narrow board turns that into a wrestling match with the quilt top sliding off both ends. A pressing mat handles blocks at the machine, but a finished top needs a board wide enough to take the whole thing. What is the best quilter’s…
Sewing is a skill often learned by hand before machine. It helps to understand how the pieces of fabric are brought together with thread before using a machine that does this automatically. For those who have already begun their sewing journey and feel comfortable working by hand and on a machine, it makes sense to…
After putting hours upon hours of hard work into creating a handmade quilt, it’s important to store it properly when not in use. The best way is to let it sit folded on an open shelf, but if you’re low on shelf space, you can store it in a bag under your bed. So, what…
Basting the top quilt and backing to batting is many quilters’ least favorite quilting step, especially using thread or pins. That is why those who don’t send their quilts to long armers resort to spray basting as the less tedious and faster option. Shopping for a quilter rather than stocking your own table? My list…
Finding a remarkable woolen item is not so hard. The real challenge is getting one in your preferred shade. You’ll often spot beautiful wool, be it yarn or a sweater, but find the natural or factory-added color unflattering. Do you forgo your project? Absolutely not. If you put your thinking cap on, dyeing is likely…
It seems like everyone is looking for a way to enjoy the summer heat and stay comfortable at the same time. Fortunately, there are fabrics out there that can keep you from overheating during hot summer days. So, what are the best cooling fabrics? Fabrics that can have a cooling effect on your skin include…
You’ve been to the fabric department a couple of times if you are into sewing. And distinguishing fabrics from one another can sometimes be difficult, especially when they look so much alike. A typical scenario is picking up a delicately fluffy soft fabric. In your mind, you ‘re thinking about what beautiful fleece this is,…
Have you ever found yourself cutting out a new pattern, only to find that the resulting garment you sew doesn’t fit properly when using stretchy fabric? Fabric elasticity is a factor that many sewists don’t consider when they’re creating a pattern, but it’s a huge factor that decides how your garment will look. What is…
You probably already know that the secret to keeping warm in the biting cold is layering. Nonetheless, you’ll still end up cold if you are not layering warm fabrics. So then, what are the warmest fabrics for clothing? The warmest fabrics for clothing have poor thermal conductivity and retain body heat. At the same time,…
It’s important to pay attention to the washing instructions in a blended fabric. Some fibers may need to be handwashed while other fibers can be machine washed on hot. If you blend these fibers together, it can be tough to determine the right washing method. One perfect example is a 60% cotton and 40% polyester…