Category: Tools

  • My Indy shop hop

    My Indy shop hop

    I’ve been to Indianapolis many times, but we never managed to make time to visit any quilt stores. I know, shocking! Well, when sweet hubby and I were there earlier this month, he suggested we take a day to drive around town and do some exploring. I picked out three that were not too far…

  • Tutorial: hammers for flat corners

    Tutorial: hammers for flat corners

    I finished quilting my little quilt, Requisite Red. George behaved admirably once I put in Magnifico by Superior Threads. Magnifico is a 40 weight polyester thread specifically designed to stand up to the tension requirements of a machine like George. I used prewound bobbins of Bottom Line thread. I was able to achieve an acceptable…

  • Product review: Mat Smoother

    Product review: Mat Smoother

    I’ve had my big rotary cutting mat for about three years now, and I’ve noticed that it was getting rather scarred, probably because I don’t change my blades often enough. There are certain spots that get more than their share of attention, too. For instance, right around the 36″ line. I think that is because…

  • Improving my foot pedal, Part 2

    Improving my foot pedal, Part 2

    A couple weeks ago I told you how I tried to improve my sewing machine’s foot pedal by adding some self-adhesive, rubbery feet. Unfortunately, this didn’t last very long. I must put a lot of hard, forward pressure on my foot pedal because the rubbery feet all slid off. I realized I needed to find…

  • Product Review: Steady Betty

    Product Review: Steady Betty

    I haven’t mentioned it on my blog, but I’ve been testing out a new-to-me product for six months or more now. It’s called Steady Betty, and it is a special pressing surface. It is especially good for pressing lots of seams after piecing blocks. It sort of grabs the fabric so it can’t slip around…

  • Improving my foot pedal, Part 1

    Improving my foot pedal, Part 1

    While I’m in problem-solving gear, I started thinking of ways to improve the foot pedal for my sewing machine. It likes moving around on my tile floor, and it is always getting away from me. I’m always searching for it with my foot. A month ago, I got this little mat, called a Pedal Stay,…

  • Improving my sewing table

    Improving my sewing table

    One thing I don’t like about my new SewEzi table is how there is a gap to the right of the clear acrylic insert, right in front of the machine. There was a gap with my other table, too, and I was always dropping things into it. And sometimes, when I put down my seam…

  • Product Review: SewEzi Sewing Table

    Product Review: SewEzi Sewing Table

    I finally broke down and got a new sewing table for my Janome. This time around, I bought a SewEzi Portable Table. In December 2011, when George came to live with us, my Janome needed a new home so I got a portable sewing table. In many respects, I really like that table. At 40″…

  • Tupperware in my studio: part 7

    Tupperware in my studio: part 7

    I saved this one for Valentine’s Day because I ❤ my Modular Mates! Let me just say up front that I think they are the best line Tupperware ever invented; followed closely by their Square Rounds. Sorry, there can be no debate. Modular Mates are the whole reason I started selling Tupperware to begin with.…

  • Tupperware in my studio: part 6

    Tupperware in my studio: part 6

    It’s a gimmick, I admit. These little gadgets are the kind of things your Tupperware representative gives away as prizes at Tupperware parties. These are little Tupperware pencil sharpeners, made to look like one of their line of tumblers. I could have found something similar at a local store, and it may have been cheaper,…