Product Review: Clotilde Sewing Edge

Yesterday I was given the gift of practically a whole day to sew, and I was determined to stay focused. Other than a bit of time on Pinterest during lunch, and a few scattered moments to check email, I spent a good seven hours enjoying the process of putting together a simple quilt. And the good news is: the last row was sewn on just in time to make dinner!

(You can see by the picture that it doesn’t even come close to fitting on my design wall. Somehow, I’ve got to come up with a better solution for my tiny space!)

Product Review: Clotilde Sewing Edge

When I was reorganizing my studio a couple weeks ago, I came across a product that is supposed to help maintain even seam allowances. Since I was sewing all those long seams, I thought I’d give it a try. The product is Clotilde Sewing Edge. The package comes with five rubbery, adhesive strips, each 3-5/8″ long by 3/8″ wide and about 1/16″ thick. The idea is to stick one onto the sewing machine so you can run your fabric along the edge to keep the fabric straight as it goes under the presser foot.

I think something like this could be helpful for beginners or for those who are trying to be very precise or if you are sewing at a distance that isn’t already marked on the machine. The problem with this product, however, is two-fold.

First, I think it would have been better if it was thicker. At the present thickness, the fabric just slipped right over the top. If it isn’t thick enough to “catch” the fabric, ordinary blue tape would be just as effective. When I stacked another strip on top, the new thickness seemed to work better.

Second, the adhesive did not keep the strip in place. It kept slipping, so it is pretty much ineffective for maintaining a consistent seam width. So, either they didn’t use a strong enough adhesive or the product that I had was just too old. A quick search of my records tells me that I purchased it in September 2010.

I consider this a “product fail” and now I have one less thing in my studio.