Which Sewing Machine Needle? + Bonus Download Worth $1.95 FREE
Ok, so you’ve taken up sewing but you’re still learning the ropes, as they say. When talking about sewing machine needles, people in your sewing circle keep spouting off numbers like 90/14 and 75/11, which makes little to no sense to you…the problem is, you’re just a tad too shy to ask. Well, that’s why we’re here: so you can arrive at that next sew-along date spouting off some useful info of your own, maybe teach the old experts some stuff that even they didn’t know (we won’t tell them if you won’t). Before we get to those blasted numbers though…what about needle types, why the different shapes and when are they appropriate? When it comes to sewing machine needles you’ll have a few needle types from which to choose, namely quilting, topstitch, embroidery, denim, metallic and universal. Topstitch needles are super sharp but have a long eye: this allows you to glide through heavier fabrics with a relatively thick thread…without leaving gaping holes in the fabric.
Free crafts projects and templates for kids children and adults
"Stained Glass" Votive Holders
By Jenny Ryan Many times when I’m at the grocery or drug store, I can’t resist throwing a few scented votive candles in my cart. When I’m ready to burn them, it’s easy enough to sit one on a cute little vintage china saucer, but I recently decided to try and find a fancier display solution for them. I also wanted the project to be inexpensive, and the materials used to be things I already had on hand. I was inspired by memories of making faux-stained glass in elementary school and came up with these fun little glass votive holders. This project is quick and easy, and a great way to whip up custom party décor on the cheap. Materials Tissue paper in your desired colors Mod Podge (matte finish), in a pinch you can also use school gluePaintbrush Scissors Glass containers to fit your candle(s), I used thrifted vases and wine tumblers Paper punches in various shapes Q-tips, optional Directions Step 3: Start affixing the punched-out paper shapes to the glass using your paintbrush. More: Related
How To Make Borax Crystal Ornaments and Sun Catchers
I have wanted to make some borax crystal ornaments for a long while now. I thought it would be timely considering the season but also a fun homeschool project since there is definitely some science going on here. Borax, as we usually buy it in the store, is a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals. We don’t think of crystals when we see it because we see powder. This project is great for helping kids to see the crystallization process as the water cools and molecules clump together. It’s fun, easy, and kids love it. List of Things You Need: Pipe Cleaners Scissors String (we used hemp) Popsicle sticks or pencils Jars or glasses Borax To get started you need to put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Pour the boiling water inside the jars (without the ornaments) and stir in 3-5 Tablespoons of Borax. As the water cools, the molecules that moved apart when the water was hot will now move close together again and form crystals. Don’t they look lovely on our tree?
Quilting in a Straight Line with Walking foot #50
While I’ve been sewing a long time, I’ve only been quilting for a handful of years. Learning how to successfully machine quilt all those layers of pieced fabrics together with batting and backing was quite an experience! I prefer straight line quilting in my quilts as opposed to free-motion quilting, mostly because the straight lines compliment the simple, geometric designs in my quilts. Like the quilting in the Sunrise Baby Quilt (find the free tutorial here), which has straight lines following along the rays out from the center. And the quilting in the Triangle quilt which follows along the leading edges of the shapes. I’ve learned many tips and tricks to help quilt in a straight line, and I’m sharing my top tips with you here today! Meet The BERNINA Walking Foot #50 Hello there little Walking foot #50! There are several methods to use this foot with straight lines, these are the methods I like to use the most. Quilting Half-inch Straight Lines Quilting Randomly Spaced Straight Lines
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Tutorials and Project Downloads
Heads up! Click on the label beneath the photo to go to the tutorial--not the photo.For Baby For Kiddo For House For Purchase
My Adventures In Positive Space
The final projects from this class were so great, but it was a long, hard road of a learning experience to get there! I practiced this class with the girls and found it very troublesome. What surface to work on was a challenge. We tried on wax paper (too flimsy), newsprint (the same and the ink would come off onto everything) and then I pulled out a couple of ceramic floor tiles we had for samples to use in our house. Working with air dry clay was another challenge. I found an entry on an online resource by a clay artist who was asked to try out different products and give his opinion. All in all, the suns were beautiful, and I definitely want to keep clay sculpture in my repertoire.
Demystifying Fabric Weight
By Allie Allie is the co-founder of Indiesew and creator of all things pretty on the site. Follow Allie and receive other Indiesew updates by subscribing to the blog. It wasn’t until we opened the Indiesew Fabric Shop, that I started to understand the intricacies of textiles. Today I thought it would be useful to offer a primer on fabric weight. fabric weight defined Fabric weight is generally listed in the US as ounces per square yard and in the UK as grams per square meter (GSM). This is the standardized way of listing fabric weights because fabric can come in a wide range of widths from the manufacturer. The per square yard/meter weight of the fabric only tells us how much the fabric weighs. Why is fabric weight important? In many sewing patterns, designers will list a suitable fabric weight for the garment. Generally, the less a fabric weighs, the more pliable and drapey it will be, and the more it will breathe in hot weather. But these are not hard and fast rules. Happy sewing!
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