Tuesday 30 June 2020

Top Tip Tuesday

Give your machine some regular TLC!

Tomorrow is the 1st of the month so, if you are not a regular cleaner of your machine, mark on your diary on the 1st of each month to give it a mini spa day!


Your machine should have come with a screwdriver to remove the needle plate and a small brush for cleaning.  The best tip I came across several years ago was to also use a pipe cleaner.  The one in the picture started out white so you can see it's had some use!  It is great because the lint gets stuck to it so it is easy to actually remove from the bobbin area rather than just move it around.  Also because it bends it gets into all the nooks and crannies.  Be sure to clean the bottom of the needle plate too because you can get lint build up there aswell.

One thing that is not in the picture is oil - my machine does not require oiling apart from at its service but be sure to know if you should oil yours, what oil to use, where it should go and how much.  How much is really important because more is not always a good thing.  Too much lubrication means it can get in the wrong places and worst of all work its way down onto your sewing!


Tuesday 23 June 2020

Top Tip Tuesday


Please ensure that whatever you use to mark your fabric that you TEST it first on the fabric you will be marking.

I will repeat "on the fabric you will be marking" because it is really important - just because it came out of one fabric easily does not mean that will hold true for every fabric!

Tuesday 9 June 2020

Top Tip Tuesday

Here’s another tip from me for Top Tip Tuesday ....


Clean up your blocks and quilts as you go. Nobody wants to spend ages trimming threads from a whole quilt and so sometimes they don’t!! 

If you check each block as you make it and then each seam as you piece the top together, it really doesn’t take very long and it really does make a difference to the finished quilt ðŸ˜ŠðŸ˜Š 

This is a longstanding WIP which I am now making progress on - which makes me very happy!

Saturday 6 June 2020

It's All About the Thread ....

I was recently asked to do a guest blog post for Pinhole Quilting on the subject of thread, Glide 40wt and 60wt in particular.  Both of these are my go-to threads so if you want to know more then head on over to their website for a read....





Tuesday 2 June 2020

Top Tip Tuesday

I have often thought about making a note of tips that help me with my sewing but often think everyone knows them all.  However, I know that's not the case so I have decided to start a Top Tip Tuesday over here on the blog.  Hopefully you might learn something you didn't already know and it might help you as it helped me when I learnt them.  I am also very happy to hear your Top Tips too!


Today's Top Tip is about a little tool .... this one is by Clover and is called a Soft Touch Thread Pic.

I was sorting through some samples last week and noticed a dark thread quilted under the fabric ....


If you work with low volume fabric then you'll know that this happens no matter how careful you have been with trimming threads and checking whilst basting your quilt.  This tool is like a tiny crochet hook that you can insert between the strands of fabric .....
 

then you carefully wiggle it about under there until you have snagged the thread ....


and slowly bring it up back through the hole you went down ....


and there it is!


I have to say there's something very satisfying about doing this!!

What little tool or gadget do you use that makes your quilting/sewing life easier?


Monday 1 June 2020

CUSTOMER QUILT :: FLORENCE FLAMINGO


This was another recent customer quilt which  made me smile all the way through!








Quilt Pattern:
Florence Flamingo by Elizabeth Hartman

Quilting Pattern:
Miami Mingo by Urban Elementz 

Wadding:
Warm & Natural by The Warm Company 

Thread:
Magnifico 2004 by Superior Threads
Decobo Antique white by Wonderfil

Quilted on:
Handi Quilt Amara with Pro-Stitcher using Size 16 needle

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED!!

I am so pleased to announce that my new website has been launched.  It's taken me some time to build and it's not all finished yet b...