Category: Tools
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More markless marking: tape
I thought I’d show you some of I what I did while I was visiting my dad last week. I started hand quilting the Cosmic Jewels quilt. “Cosmic Jewels” is the name of the Debbie Maddy pattern I used, but I need to think of a good name for my own quilt. I’m thinking I’ll…
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Big rotary cutting mat
I earned some unexpected money (Thanks for the suggestion, Ed!) so I celebrated by finally buying myself a really big rotary cutting mat. It is 36″ by 60″ and it pretty much covers all of the usable area on my work table. Before, I had two 24″ by 36″ mats side by side and they…
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Favorite tools: I love my library
This is what I’ve been doing yesterday and today. The books stacked up while I was feverishly working on “Windblown.” I realized I desperately needed to glean and weed when I went to the library yesterday to pick up more books and the self-serve check out computer said I had already reached my limit for…
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Tutorial: Do you clean your machine?
How often do you clean your machine? I know I’m supposed to do it fairly frequently, but I usually forget. After I had a couple threads break this morning, I decided it was time to see what was going on in the bobbin area. Yuk! Look at what was down there. My sewing machine has…
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Favorite tools: crockpot
I realized I forgot to mention one of my favorite quilt tools: my crockpot! I’ve had a nice little three quart, blue crockpot for more than ten years, which I use all the time to make wonderful homemade yogurt, but I’ve been wanting a larger one. I’ve been casually looking online when I think of…
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Product review: SewSlip
I love free motion quilting. In fact, almost all of my quilting is free motion. Last Saturday I decided to use my even feed foot and I had to go searching for it and dust it off. One tool I really like that makes free motion quilting easier is this SewSlip silicon-coated sheet. The quilt…
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Favorite tools: markless marking
In most cases, I avoid marking quilting lines on my quilt tops. I’m basically lazy, and I don’t like trying to remove pencil marks after I’m done quilting. I’m suspicious of those disappearing markers, so I don’t use those either. I’m sure there must be some that work well, but I’ve heard too many horror…
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Product review: Pinmoor
If I’m quilting something that is fairly small, I typically use straight pins to baste the top, batting, and backing together. Granted, I also get poked with the pins a lot, too, and sometimes they fall out before I’m ready to remove them. When I saw the Pinmoor system, I thought it looked like a…
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Favorite tools: Qube Cart
It’s true. I’m a homebody at heart. Even though I really enjoyed speaking and teaching at the North Coast Needlers this week, it’s so nice to be back in my own little nest. This speaking and teaching trip was the first time I was able to use my new Qube Carts (on the right). I…