Discontinued stock sale ....and Oh, I finished the socks!

The studio showroom was a-buzz and a-rustle today, as stock was rearranged and red stickers were stuck.... 

I want my shelf space back, so we're going to have a serious clearance of all the left-over online shop stock.

That's a 40% off everything with a red sticker sort of serious. 

It includes Clover brand bias tape makers (tutorial HERE), fabric markers and yo-yo-makers (video tutorial below, by yours-truly).

The sale also includes self-cover buttons (school fete coming up, anyone?... hair-ties needed?), zipper pulls, rajah cloths and bag handles.  We're also putting out whatever patterns we have in OLD PACKAGING (old branding) at 40% off, including purse kits and there are some large wire-formed o-rings.

We'll be continuing the sale until next Thursday (6th September) so you'll have time to make arrangements to get in to Northcote.  It's in-store only (you'll find us HERE).

In other news, I finished the socks I've been knitting (for what feels like three years)....

...and they're too big for me.  Rather serendipitously, I was planning to visit my Dad for Father's Day and hadn't otherwise organised a present....  

How thoughtful.... hand-knitted socks.

Yo Yo Maker Tutorial

Here's a remake of the video promised yesterday. It shows how to make yo-yo's (Suffolk Puffs) using the (Clover brand) Quick Yo Yo Maker.

Check yesterday's blog post (if you missed it) for ideas on how to use yo yo's for all sorts of embellishments and hair ornaments.

You may have noticed....

I'm a bit of a fan of a bit of a yo-yo embellishment, especially since I discovered the Clover Yo Yo Maker. Before that, I was calling them Suffolk Puffs and making them with bits of cardboard and lots of fussy edge-turning. Some of them were a bit wonky.

I discovered that with these little gadgets, I could make perfectly uniform, evenly gathered yo-yo's - without having to think about it - and I could stitch them onto everything.

And stitch them, I do.

I also combine them with buttons and hair ties....

...and hairclips.
I particularly like doing lots of arty-farty free-machine embroidery all over the top of them - this time to tart up a simple A-line dress. ( It kind of takes the lolly-sweet out of them and makes them a bit funky, don't you think?)

Until recently, I only stocked the small and the large sizes (but I secretly owned all the other sizes). I've now added the EXTRA large size (which makes 60mm yo-yo's) to the shop.

I promised someone a visual tutorial (yes Chrys - that'd be YOU!) - AND I MADE A VIDEO - but I'm going to have to edit or re-shoot it. I think it could be made better. Stay tuned, folks!

Nothing to be afraid of, folks...

It's just a bit of bias binding.

It's useful stuff for making false hems (especially on heavy fabrics and curved hemlines)....


...doing cute details on twirly skirts for small girls.... or big girls, for that matter. (My usual model had better things to do today. This one is equally headless but a little more compliant).


Bias binding is excellent for binding seams on tricky shaped bags and purses (which means that you can fully line the tricky shaped bag or purse). It's a design feature, to boot.

And you can make quick bibs, pot holders and even mini-oven mitts in no time at all.

This one was a request from the smallest cook in the house. (I'm a bit nervous that it might actually be used to carry something hot, so it comes with a list of rules.... luckily, our cook follows rules... mostly).

So anyway..... I tend to be a bit evangelical about bias tape makers. I was surprised to read that some people buy them and don't try them out. Or some people don't know how to get the most out of them. I've shown this before, but I'll add a bit more detail this time. Complete demystification.

How to use your bias tape maker...

1. To calculate how wide to cut the strip, I double the finished width of the bias tape and then take off a millimetre or two (eg. For an 18mm bias tape maker I cut 35mm wide bias strips). I use my metric quilting ruler and work in millimetres. I'm very sorry - I have absolutely no idea how that works in inches.

The quilting ruler has a bias line (to line up with the selvedge or straight grain) and then a metric grid to measure the width and length of the piece you're cutting. Super-duper quick and accurate.

2. If you need to join two pieces, align them so that they are right sides up and the pointed ends lock in to one another, as shown below.

(It's also a good idea to press your fabric before you start..... I seem to have skipped that step here).

3. With the right sides of fabric facing, match the two strips together along the short edges. Cross the pointed ends with an overlap of about 6mm (anywhere around a quarter of an inch will do the trick).

4. The crossover point of the seam allowances will form right angles on both sides of the tape. Backtack and seam from one crossover point to the other.

5. Press the seam allowances OPEN and then trim them down to about 2.5mm. Trim the ends of the seam allowances to points, as shown below.

6. Cut the end of the tape to a point and thread it through the bias tape maker (cutting it to a point makes it thread more easily).

7. As the point peeps through the end of the bias tape maker, put your iron straight onto it! Hold the little handle and pull the bias tape maker gently with one hand while you follow close behind with the iron in the other hand. Steam works a treat here.

Slow motion replay...Use the pressure of the iron to hold the tape in place while you pull the bias tape maker a centimetre or two. Then move the iron up to the very end of the bias tape maker. Joosh it with steam. Pull another centimetre on the bias tape maker and then move the iron up to the bias tape maker.... that sort of thing...).

You will now have beautiful bias binding.

7. When you sew the bias tape to the edge of your fabric, lay the tape right side down on the underside of the edge you're binding. Sew along the crease on the bias tape.

8. Trim the seam allowances so the bias binding will be able to fold easily over the edge and sit on top of the stitches (seen in red, below) on the other side.

9. Press the bias tape into place over the stitch line, and then topstitch it about 1mm from the edge.

I hope that takes a bit of the mystery out of it and encourages you to go forth and bind everything you can. Like I do. Honestly, I really do.

If you have a bias tape maker and haven't used it, please try it. It really will open up a whole new world of possibilities for sewing all sorts of things. If you haven't got one, we have a special going at the moment that might be right up your alley. The patterns that are on sale with the bias tape makers also include a few more tricks (like a clever way of finishing a bound edge with an undetectable join).

I took more photos of the twirly denim skirt detail being constructed but this post is already too image heavy. Does it warrant a quick tutorial or can you get the idea from the photo (at the top of this post)?

I'd also love to hear from anyone who LOVES their bias tape maker. I'm feeling a bit lonely and geeky here right now. The only people who commented on my last post about them were the non-users.... Please tell me I'm not alone (I accept the fact that I'm a geek... it's just the no-mates-Mallalieu tag that irks me).

How to REALLY QUICK unpick...

I've taught sewing to a lot of people - beginners through to advanced level. One thing I've noticed is that the same amount of unpicking is done at any level... but only beginners feel bad about having to do it.

The more experienced one is with a sewing machine, the more accepting one is of the need to sometimes unpick and re-do. Practise making perfect (and it's not because we practise for the fun of it!)... experienced sewers are FASTER at unpicking.

Here is one trick I've discovered that a lot of people DON'T know....

1. Get a good seam ripper - fine-point and super-sharp. I think I may have mentioned that I'm in love with my Clover Seam Rippers...

2. Unpick any backtacking/backstitching or multiple rows of stitching with care - don't rip through them as shown below. Cut through a few of the individual stitches and pull the threads out.

3. On a straight seam - ONLY IF YOU HAVE A GOOD SEAM RIPPER - you can gently slice through the stitches as shown below. The longer spike on the seam ripper goes to the top and the little ball on the underside. You shouldn't need to use any force to cut the stitches.

BEWARE cheap or blunt seam rippers! If you don't immediately slice through the stitches then DON'T FORCE IT!!! You can slip and slice through your fabric!

So.... what do you do with all the little bits of thread left in the fabric? Pick them out with your fingers...?

4. No... get a lint roller to do the work for you! (Sticky tape will also work, but is slower). I'm a big fan of the $1.95 lint roller from Ikea, or you can buy similar things in most sewing shops and even supermarkets.

Roll it on the right side of fabric...

5. ...and on the wrong side of fabric.

6. Then pull out any stray bits of thread left behind. There won't be many.

Super-duper quick, and relatively painless ...but don't use any old unpicker or there'll be tears!

Sewing up a storm...

...of the force-9 variety. I've been having a lovely time with an old fashion-industry friend in my studio. We both have lots of projects on the go and have done ABSOLUTELY NO TIDYING since before xmas!!! It's a whirlwind of ideas and a flurry of cutting and sewing action. Garments are appearing as if by magic (...and the studio looks like it's been hit by two hurricanes).

I made this towelling art smock for the wee one, using the trusty 18mm bias tape maker to make the bound edges.

I also pulled out all the knit fabrics in my stash and made a ton of simple little leggings and shorts for my girl, and a simple t-shirt or two for myself. This little dress was whipped together without a proper pattern - a test run that kind-of worked. (shame I didn't iron it before photographing it!).

In order to make it look less like an accidentally-successful-test-run I did a simple bit of couching (zig-zag over yarn) and discovered something new with yo-yos...

You can pass off a slap-dash attitude as "rustic charm" and machine stitch them roughly into place!!! I really like the textural effect, and will be using this method again. I'll even use it on a properly thought-out project.

Other projects on the to-do list....

Unfortunately I think it's a bit unrealistic to expect to finish all I have ear-marked.

I hope you're all enjoying your holidays and wish everyone a happy and creative 2009!!!

It ain't rocket science....

It's called "embellishment". Easy as pie.

Use a Clover Yo-Yo Maker or two to make flowers. A vintage button or two works a treat.
Or you can keep it simple with a single yo-yo and a NEW button!
You can do a spot of doodle-stitching. As you can see here, a bit of a "naiive" look (read:hasty, bad technique) adds to the charm of a kiddie hat..... If you can't draw or embroider freehand, there are LOADS of really cute embroidery patterns out there.

Failing that, a few well-placed cross-stitches or running stitch in a co-ordinating thread can really work wonders on a hat, bag or garment. Super-quick, low-skill and EFFECTIVE. I LOVE it.

On a girly little hat a bit of leftover bias binding can be made into a simple bow with a button.

I often hear the comment "That's so simple, but I'd never have thought to do it". Now you don't have to think to... because I just told you how! GO FORTH AND EMBELLISH!!! It's heaps of fun. ...And if you're really stuck, come along to one of my Embellishment workshops next year. (The 2009 schedule isn't finalised yet, but you can join the mailing list and we'll keep you posted!).

Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to win a kid's hat pattern. Lara and a few others are testing the patterns as we speak, and we should be drawing a winner early next week.

Oh... and ALSO don't forget we'll be LAUNCHING the hat patterns and having a fun open day/sale/pre-xmas knees-up on the 30th November. DO COME!

More Gadget Love

I'd be lost without my sleeve board. If you look closely enough you'll see it still has its $5 label on it from an op shop.... so long ago I can't remember. Making hats and bags means LOTS OF NOOKS AND CRANNIES and tiny enclosed spaces to press. I'd be absolutely lost without it.

I also have a Clover Mini-iron - which is good for pressing tiny little purse seams open, and pressing seams open on bag straps.

It's something that's handy, but not essential for me. (I think if I did stained glass applique it'd have more use!!). I have more uses for a big steam iron, but for the things that it is good at, the mini-iron works a treat.

I think that Clover are currently re-designing this product. There were a few things in the original design that some people didn't like.

My main problem with it is that the stand is too flimsy, so I use a ceramic plate to rest it on.

Oh Clover, how I love thee...

I'm very intrigued by Sharon's new gadget.I don't know what the gadget is called but now I want one. Of course it's Clover.

Yesterday while I was sewing I took a few photos of what I was doing. Over the next few weeks I thought I'd show a few more tricks of the trade (and a few handy gadgets), so started gathering images. In the process I realised I have an unnatural love for all things CLOVER... and no, I don't have shares in the company. It's just that they do everything so .....PERFECTLY!!

Gadget #1 - Clover White Marking Pen.

Yesterday I used my Clover White Marking Pen to mark a stitching line (to hold Vilene S520 over the back of a magnetic catch). It's fabulous when you need to mark dark fabric, and especially great when you want a line that's finer and more accurate than a chalk pencil... even BETTER when you want to make a mark on the RIGHT SIDE OF FABRIC!!!


HOW TO TOPSTITCH ACCURATELY #2

1. Mark your stitching line with the pen and ruler. It takes a little while for the white line to appear.... don't panic.

2. It APPEARS.... as if by magic!

3. Follow the white line with your sewing machine needle.

4. Iron over the stitches and white line and .... as if by magic....

5. The white lines DISAPPEAR!!!

Ooohhh... gadget love. Clover love.