Hera Marker
We consider this a must have for your “tool box”. It marks while making a crease simultaneously. There is no residue left on fabrics. Markings can be seen on light and dark fabric as well as both the front and back of the fabric. Two different styles, each one fitting comfortably in the palm of the hand. One style has a pointed end for use when appliqueing or as an awl to gude fabric toward the pressure foot.
Non-Slip Finger
Convenient for hand surface control of fabric while machine sewing or quilting. The stick-shaped container makes applyng to your fingers and/or palms most convenient, preventing your fingser or palms from sliding, making it easy to control the fabric.
A Primer on Bats
Let us take the mystery out of quilt batts. The following lists the main features and uses for quilt batt products that are available in our store.
Warm & Natural
100 % cotton fibres are punched by hundreds of needles through a strong thin base material to prevent tearing shifting and migration. The evenly layered fibres stay in place even after a lifetime of washings. No resins or glue makes for ease of fine hand or machine quilting, and results in no beading. It is sold 90″ wide and shrinkage is about 3″ with the first washing only. It may be pre-washed following the recommended instructions.
Hobbs Heirloom Cotton
Hobbs Heirloom Cotton is made of 80 % long staple cotton fibres and 20 % polyester. This combination creates a strong, longwearing batt and is easy to hand or machine quilt. Light needle punctures and a soft resin provide stability and prevent polyester fibres from bearding. This batt is slightly thinner than Warm & Natural. TM It is available sized from double to king and from the roll that is 96″ wide.
Hobbs Poly Down
Slick hollow fibres create the down-like softness of this machine washable non-allergenic batting. Sized from crib to king, it is excellent for hand quilting and fair for machine quilting. Quilting lines can be spaced up to 4 inches apart with no shrinkage experienced. Available in white and charcoal.
Quilter’s Dream Cotton
Quilter’s Dream Cotton is 100 % pure cotton batting without scrim glue or binders. Hand and machine needles glide smoothly through this fine consistent and even batt. Finished quilts may be gently washed and dried. Sizes range from craft to super queen while thickness is from ‘Thinnest Request’ to ‘Comforter Loft Supreme.’ Colours are white and beige.
Machingers
These soft, form-fitting, seamless gloves with flexible fingertip grip, giving you full control with less resistance and drag on fabric. The breathable fabric helps retain skin’s natural moisture while the enhanced hand and wrist support reduces fatigue and tension in hands, arms, shoulders, and neck. Sizes S/M and M/L
Glow-Line Tape:
This is transparent fluorescent tape for highlighting lines and shapes on rulers. It is low tack so it will not leave a residue on your ruler. Can be moved from ruler to ruler if necessary. Comes with three colours in the package: pink, orange & yellow. Each roll is 1/4″ x 21 yards. Makes “previewing” or “auditioning” a snap.
Use Medium Gray Thread
Use a medium gray thread if possible for your machine piecing even for black fabric. It blends with almost any colour tone. Using a single colour eliminates the need to buy many different colours, as well as eliminating the need to rethread your sewing machine as often.
Sparkle Up Your Quilts
If you want to use gold, silver, etc. lame to sparkle up your work, but you find this fabric too difficult to work with – press iron-on WOVEN interfacing to the back of the lame and this will make the lame behave as if it were cotton and much easier to work with.
What to do with Broken Needles
Keep an old small throwaway container (Flavour Coffee cans are good) in your Sewing Room to dispose of any broken/used needles, pins, rotary blades, etc. so no harm comes to anyone or any animals.
Threading the Needle
When threading a needle, cut end of thread from spool at an angle, try moistening it slightly, bring needle to thread, and insert thread. It is also easier to see the eye of the needle if you hold it up against a WHITE background. This works with hand needles and machine needles.
Rotary Cutter Blades
You can tell your Rotary Cutter Blade is dull if- it does not cut through all layers of your fabric (approx. 4 layers). This can affect the accuracy of your strips.
If you are leaving little fuzzies on your cutting mat, this also indicates that your blade is dull. It should be changed immediately, or sharpened with the special rotary blade sharpener.
The Seam Allowance
An accurate seam allowance is very important in achieving a well made quilt top. When you mark a line for your seam allowance on your machine, make sure that it includes the actual width of your stitching line. If it doesn’t include the stitching line, you may, inadvertently, substantially change the intended dimensions of your quilt.