Instead of working with a dizzying view of camouflage, my “to-do” pile is a very serene, zen white.

Instead of working with industrial zippers, quilted nylon and heavy-duty elastic, I’ve switched to soft, fluffy fabrics and lots of different kinds of cotton.

That change got me thinking – how does your attitude change when your project changes?

Even little things like my music preference will change depending on what I’m sewing.  During my last project, I liked upbeat music with a good beat and lots of energy.  At the moment however, I’m enjoying a more relaxed playlist… or even just quiet.

Do some projects make you feel like scrunching up your shoulders and make you tense?  Or are some projects just too much fun to take seriously?  How about those projects that make you bored… remember to not fall asleep at the sewing machine

Next time you’re sewing, ask yourself – “how do I feel?” – and pay attention to it…

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesdays

I’ve been thinking lately about what sewing tools I use the most… and which ones seem to stay in their drawers and never get used.

So in no particular order, here are my top 10 sewing room essentials:

1. My good fabric shears – I love my Gingher scissors, they make cutting out fabric so much easier… just remember that good scissors and paper, faux leather or fleece should never meet.
2. My sewing machine – it’s sturdy, reliable and can do everything I need from sewing delicate sheers, quilting or mending blue jeans.
3. Task lighting – you don’t need to strain your eyes when you’re being creative.  Adding extra light to your sewing area can really help.
4. A cutting table at the proper height – I’m a couple inches shy of six feet tall, so it improved my life a whole lot to add some extra height to my cutting table.  Voila – no more backaches from cutting out fabric!
5. A thread and notion organizer.  I will freely admit to not being to most organized person ever, but having a small set of drawers – each with their own set of notions – makes my sewing room a happier place.
6. Gridded quilting rulers – they’re not just for traditional quilters, I pull mine out for lots of different projects.
7. A rotary cutter – while I don’t usually use my rotary cutter for cutting out clothing, it’s a handy addition to my sewing tool box.  Just remember that a dull blade is a dangerous blade!
8. A sewing machine cleaning kit – this doesn’t need to be fancy, just a brush and some sewing machine oil.  Keeping your machine clean in between tune-ups will keep it running happily much longer.
9. Safety pins – yes, the lowly safety pin makes the cut for me.  I use a big one for coaxing elastic through waistbands and smaller ones for basting items as I sew them.
10. This one is going to sound a little odd, but I love the knee lift on my sewing machine.  It makes sewing so much quicker and smoother for me.  If you don’t know what one is, it’s a lever that hangs down off the side of your sewing machine.  You drop the needle, press your knee against the lever and it lifts the sewing foot.  No more having to grab the lift on the back of the machine.

So what are your sewing room tool essentials?

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

10 Sewing Room Essentials – For Me…

Because I want to make this jacket warm enough to be useful for the entire winter, I’m actually layering an extra piece of fabric into the middle.

For this particular jacket, I’m using a layer of fleece in between the top layer of cotton twill and the quilted nylon lining.  I simply treat the twill and fleece as one layer of fabric as I stitch the jacket together.

Adding an extra layer of fabric for warmth can be a great way to use up fabric that falls into the “what was I thinking?” category.  It’s going to disappear under the lining, so no one will ever know about it

I’ve “sandwiched” fabrics in several different pieces of clothing now – it’s a win-win situation.  You add an extra layer of warmth and it’s a great stash-buster as well!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesday

Of course, fiber is such a big part of my life that I’m thankful for it too.  Which lead me to thinking about all the things I’m thankful for in my studio…

I’m thankful for sharp scissors and reliable sewing machines…

I’m thankful for fabric stores and pattern designers…

For paint, dye and every little embellishment under the sun…

I’m thankful for pattern designers and book publishers…

For bright lights, hot irons and lots of sturdy shelves…

And I’m thankful that I’ve got such lovely readers!

So what are you thankful for in your studio?  Even if you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend, take a look around your studio or craft area.  What little gifts do you have in your fiber life?  Leave a comment and share them with the rest of us

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Thanksgiving In My Studio

Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something exciting about the first couple of stages of any sewing project.  That little pile of fabric has so much potential…

Of course – as fabric sometimes has a mind of it’s own – it can also turn into something a lot more frustrating too!

But for now, let’s keep on the positive side of things.  Okay, so it’s not quite ready to sew yet.  It needs to be interfaced, marked and pinned.

And let’s not forget reading the instructions too…

The pattern companies include those instructions for a reason – they can be very useful.  How exactly do all those funny markings on the tissue paper fit together?  The instructions should at least point you in the right direction.

And have I mentioned how exciting it is to actually have a cutting table set up again?

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesday

At least in my chilly neck of the woods!

The sun is shining and there’s a light breeze today, so hopefully that’s enough to at least get this heap of fabric started drying:

There’s just something about the smell and feel of fabric that’s had a chance to dry outside in the sunlight and air.

Don’t get me wrong – if it’s fabric that will be made into a garment that will ever go through the dryer, it gets thoroughly machine dried.  I don’t want to take a chance on a garment shrinking after it’s all done.

This taffeta is going to be the lining on a wool jacket, which I can confidently say will never get put through the dryer.  At least if I want to be able to wear it afterwards…

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesday

$1 per yard for a stretch cotton waffle weave!

At that price, how could I resist picking up a couple of yards?  No, I didn’t buy the whole bolt – I restrained myself to two yards, thank you for asking

There was a reason why it was marked down so cheap… there are some odd stains running through the fabric.  They don’t smell and didn’t really change with washing.  It almost looks like someone dropped some dye solution on the fabric.

While I don’t normally recommend trying to cover stains on fabric with dyes – these ones are so light, and the fabric was so cheap that I’m going to try.  I figure, even if it doesn’t turn out the way I’m hoping – it’s still a good learning experience, right?

I’m going to break out my favorite cold water dyes and dye half of the fabric a bright turquoise and the other half orange.  I’ll share the results after I’m finished.

Unless of course, they’re so dreadful that I will never mention it again…

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesdays

How many big events are marked by giving family and friends quilts, blankets – even new clothes?  Kids get new clothes for the first day of school, we give house warming gifts of blankets, sheets and towels.  When I got married, I was given everything from a hand crocheted blanket, a queen size quilt to tea towels.  When someone has a baby they’re usually given basic receiving blankets and decorative baby quilts.

I’m certainly in the thick of those preparations myself…  I’ve got a stack of flannelette receiving blankets all ready to go – and I even tackled a simple crocheted baby blanket.  I knew that  I wanted to make a soft and cuddly blanket, something that can be washed, dragged on the ground and lovely for many years.

After a few false starts and plenty of frogging, I’ve ended up with something that will hopefully last for years.

So how do you commemorate those occasions?  Do you think about the joy and feeling of love that someone can feel when they’re all wrapped up and cozy in a blanket?

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Fiber As a Blessing

There is something so satisfying in seeing a project all sewn and completed – especially when they’re as cute as these are!

One of my habits in the sewing room is to end up with quite a few UFOs (UnFinished Objects) in various states of done-ness.  I’m not sure why, but that just seems to be how to work.  Maybe I just get bored too easily?

I’m trying to get my sewing slate cleaned off before I tackle anything else… and that included getting these blankets hemmed.  I’ve got a few projects on the go that friends, family and myself have all been waiting for.

So it’s time for me to buckle down and get all those UFOs done before I can tackle anything else.  And boy, do I have a list of sewing to get done!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Wordy Wednesday

For me, sewing can be a real labor of love.  I can go to the big discount chain and buy a shirt for a friend for very little money.  Odds are good that it was made in a third-world nation by someone who makes pennies a day.  But it’s inexpensive to buy, and saves me a lot of time…

Or I could take the time and sew something that’s going to mean something – if only to me.

When I take the time to sew a garment or gift for someone, I can pretty much guarantee that it’s going to be higher quality and last longer than most clothing that you can buy in a store.  I hope that whoever is getting my gift appreciates the care and attention that I put into it.

That’s why I take the time to create “labors of love”.

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Sewing As A Labor of Love