Sewing Tip

 

A water soluble stabilizer topper is a must when embroidering fabrics such as towels, velvets, or anything with a nap. You can also hoop a couple of sheets of soluble and use as a backing for projects such as lace. If necessary, for added stability you can sew together 2 sheets of water soluble using water soluble thread.

 

Water soluble thread and stabilizers should be kept in a sealed plastic container when not in use, otherwise you'll return and find that your solubles have turned to hard, unusuable lumps.  

 

And be sure to mark that bobbin of water soluble and place it in the plastic container---wouldn't want to confuse water soluble with usual thread.

 

Notion of Note

This week's notion of note is Inspira Stabilizer. If you've used others, you will notice immediately that Inspira is consistantly higher quality, making it the brand you'll want to reach for for that machine embroidery. Nothing prevents puckering like the right high quality stabilizer.
And right now, for a limited time, all in stock Inspira Stabilizers are 20% off. I'll be needing some for all those Christmas presents I plan to sew and that harvest quilt I'm going to embroider. For more info on Inspira Stabilizers click here. 

Tiny Touches from the Bride

We went net combing to try to uncover some great and unique gifts from the bride to all those who help make her day special:

**Wouldn't these sleep masks be original gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen alike? See the sewing center for the how to's and design software for these great masks.

**You just can't go wrong with a special clutch or purse for those bridesmaids. Why not embroider each with a name or monogram to make it personal for your special gals? A couple of the patterns that I like are here and here.

**Then don't forget those groomsmen with a wallet. A monogram would look great on this pattern also.

**Don't forget the moms either; they'll need a special kit to get through the day. Why not fill this special bag with all the essentials they will need: hankie for those tears, aspirin, mints, sewing kit, a lip gloss, maybe even a tiny snack.

**Another idea I love are these beautiful fabric callas. Maybe give as mementos to all the guests or just the Grandma's?

**And, finally, I just love this ring bearer's pillow. So delicately beautiful!

Here's hoping your day is wonderful!

 May thy life be long and happy,
Thy cares and sorrows few;
And the many friends around thee
Prove faithful, fond and true.
May your voyage through life be as happy and as free
As the dancing waves on the deep blue sea

     

Notable Notion

Making a skirt with elastic? An apron with ties? Then this notion can help you out. Put away those safety pins you're using to thread that elastic with and get one of these elastic threaders and finish the job in half the time---for around $3.

Get one today.   

Tip of the Week

Those slick, shiny new vinyls that are available today make me dream of a springtime April shower and dancing in the rain sporting bright yellow rain coats or shiny rain ponchos.

The vinyls can be a bit tricky to sew---you must get the stitches right the first time otherwise your project will be full of holes that are impossible to get rid of in all the wrong places.

Use some painters tape instead of pins and you'll have accurate stitches without pin holes.  

Tip of the Week

The other day a sewing enthusiast dropped by the sewing center looking for answers. She had recently retired and was finally enjoying her sewing machine that had spent many a long year in a dark closet of her home. This lady was making doll clothes for her granddaughters.  She just wasn't happy with the results. She blamed the less than optimal results on herself and her rusty sewing skills.

After listening to the reasons the clothes were not quite right we started researching the potential problems. One stood out among the rest---fabric. Whether you quilt, decorate your home, or sew fashions, one thing you need to watch out for is fabric grain.

Fabric grain that is off will result in crooked garments, garments that start out relatively straight but then become disheveled upon washing, home furnishings, and, yes, even doll clothes that don't hang or drape correctly.

Woven fabrics have a lengthwise grain running along the selvage edge. And fabrics have crosswise grain running along the cut edge of the fabric as it comes off of the bolt. Then there's a bias----that's crosswise across both the grains.

So what does this all have to do with the crooked clothes? Well, fabric has the least stretch along the lengthwise grain, a little more stretch on the crosswise grain, and along the bias---well unless you want a curvature effect you want to stay away from the super stretch of the bias.

In addition, the grain on fabrics aren't always straight right off the bolt. You'll know if you have a crooked grain if you join the selvages and the fold doesn't lay straight. Sometimes you can fix the grain---sometimes you can't. Grains that are crooked on fabrics with printed on stripes or plaids can't usually be fixed. You'll know if your fabric is printed if the wrong side of the fabric doesn't match the rightside---if it does, the fabric was woven with colored threads instead of printed after weaving.

So how do you fix?

•   Wash and press your fabric. Fold so that selvages are together and stretch on the bias. If that does the trick the fold will become straight and neat when the selvages are together.
• Cut through the selvage and pull a crosswise thread all the way through from selvage to selvage adjusting the fabric as you pull the thread. You can then cut along the trail that your missing thread has made in the fabric and you will have a squared, crosswise grain. (I've had the best luck with this method.)
• You can simply cut through the selvage and rip tear the fabric. The fabric will tear along the crossgrain, giving you a nice squared grain.

Again, nothing much will help a fabric that has printed on stripes or clear diagonal lines---you'll have to catch this type of problem at point of purchase and not purchase faulty fabric no matter how much you fall in love with it.

So before you start your next project take a look at that fabric and make sure its grain is straight and your masterpiece will be a masterpiece.

Tip of the Week

Curious about the different types of sewing machine needles and why you would ever step past that package of assorted size Universals?

Here are the top needles and the particulars on why and how they make different jobs easier, more efficient, and give better, professional results:

• Universal needles---the good old stand by. For general purpose sewing these guys are great. Different sizes handle different weights of fabric.These are the needles that handle most sewing jobs but for special situations, when the stitches don't exactly turn out as planned read on.
• Topstitch needle---Did you ever need to thread heavier thread into your machine, whether for decorative topstitching or a speciality, heavy seam. The Topstitch needle has a big eye for that big thread---making it easier to use for this kind of project than that trusty Universal.
• Embroidery needles are used for that delicate embroidery work. Embroidery threads can be more delicate than all purpose thread. To protect your embroidery thread and project the Embroidery needle has a special scarf (the part of the needle that interacts with the bobbin to form the stitch), a bigger eye, and a rounded point.
• Denim needle---while that heavy duty Universal may work just fine for some projects, you may want to include a package of Denim needles in your sewing supplies. Denim needles are super sharp to go through those heavy fabrics---canvas too. A Denim needle simply won't be shoved aside by heavy fibers!
• Quilting needles---sure you can quilt with a heavier Universal, but for some real help for both you and your machine, try a quilting needle. A quilting needle, with it's specially shaped point and ballpoint will absolutely glide through all those layers---even if you decide on a 10 layer quilt like Joan, the manager of our Highland store, made for her Granddaughter.
•  Stretch needle---if you have one kind of  needle besides your Universal/Embroidery needles , grab a package of stretch needles. Stretch fabrics need special handling for good results. These needles have a special scarf that grabs on and eliminates pesky missed stitches. Stretch needles can help out in a pinch with both genuine and synthetic leathers too.
• Ballpoint needles handle specialty knits with ease. With their special ball points they stitch through those knits without snagging the fabric; keeping the stitches and fabric beautiful.
• Leather needles are the best for leathers. Super sharp ---they were made just for this job.

Still curious? There are many great resources on the internet to answer any sewing question that may be needling you. Here are just a few:

•    Husqvarna's Accessory Guide
• About. com's Sewing Parts of a needle
• Singer Sewing's Scoop on needles 

Tip of the Week

 Sewing machines, even the beginner models, come with a lot of different stitches these days. Depending on your model, you may have stitches that can make a variety of projects different, more interesting, or just plain, easier and professional.

I had a quick project for Christmas that involved using a couple of reasonably priced fleece remnants that I cut into squares, added a little embroidery, and with a couple of those decorative and utility stitches I had a simple Christmas gift that cost pennies and was a cute mini quilt.

I used a stretch utility stitch to join my squares and finished the edges with a cute decorative stitch that really looked cute and added a special touch.

So next time you have a project you're working on try one of those other stitches besides the straight stitch or that zigzag. And take a look at your book and find all the uses for your utility stitches. You'll be surprised how much of a difference it makes in your project when you use one of those stitches that came free with your machine---whether when your sewing knits or just want to add a special something to your next project.

Tip of the Week

Only 18 more sewing days to go! Need some inspiration for decorations and last minute gifts?

Point your browser over to these sites for patterns and designs.

And for your sewing supplies come see us with that Friends and Family coupon today for some real savings.

• Viking/Husqvarna
• Singer Sewing
• Coats and Clark
• Embroidery.com    

Tip of the Week

Today there are needles for all different sewing projects. Using the right needle for the job will make sewing easier and you'll get much better results.

For general all purpose sewing, the first thing you need to look at is the type of fabric you are going to sew. What weight is the fabric?

Needles have numbers and there are two types of numbering systems; American and European. The higher the number the heavier the fabric. A great chart comparing the two variations of  numbers can be found here.

What type of project are you working on? Use embroidery needles, stretch needles for stretchy fabrics, needles for leathers, microtex or sharp needles for synthetic leathers, denim needles, topstitching needles, and self threading/handicapped needles. There are quilting needles, and needles for heirloom sewing, and free motion sewing. And finally, there are twin needles and even triple needles for decorative and precise rows of topstitching. 

All these needles have special features that perform the job professionally with ease.

Using the incorrect needle can cause problems such as skipped stitches, breaking or bending of the needle, or snagging and creating large holes in your fabric.

A more detailed online article regarding needles and needle usage can be found here.

And we're always here to help at the Indiana Sewing Centers. If you need assistance or advice, pack up your thread and fabric and come see us in Merrillville or Highland. We'll find the needle that you need for your project.      

Tip of the Week

So many sewing snafu's, from missed stitches to puckered seams, can be traced to an incorrect needle or a needle that should be replaced.

Today there are needles for a variety of uses. We carry needles for different fabric weights. There are also specialty needles for embroidery, sergers and other special uses.

Most importantly, keeping a sharp needle in your machine will help your machine do its best work.

Stop by the sewing center in Merrillville or Highland and we'll be happy to help you find the right needle for your project.     

Tip of the Week

Did you know that thread spooled on a cone should always be taken from a cone standing up and down? If your machine's spool pin is horizontal, you can stand the cone spool on the table rather than your horizontal pin.

As a general rule it is better to place your thread at a distance from the machine rather than on the machine pins to give the thread more distance to work out the twists. Running the thread through a loop can also often knock out the twists; this is why using a thread stand can reduce thread breaks

For added control we have a large variety of spool holders that hold from one to multiple spools of thread for those big projects. Come in and see Joan in Highland or Jan in Merrillville and they'll set you up with the solution for those pesky thread breaks.

This tip was brought to you complements of Managers Jan and Joan. Happy Sewing!