How did I get started on the GADGET LOVE thing...?

I'm just home from teaching an advanced patternmaking for bags class (yes - it's after 10pm). My brain is fried and my words are muddled. It's been a long day.

But I promised a post per day this month, didn't I? Blogtoberfest and all that.

I showed someone this screw punch today and they were a bit impressed. I must say it was gadget-love at first sight the first time I saw one... I forgot to take a photo of it in my post about pattern card (for which it's EXTREMELY USEFUL!), so HERE 'TIS!!

If a picture tells a thousand words... here's just over 3000 words to explain what a screw punch does!

On your (pattern) mark.... Push down.... (Where's my manicurist...?)
Voila - pattern dot marked on cardboard pattern with a lovely neat hole!

You wouldn't need to spend a fortune on a ritzy patternmaking tool unless you're an industrial patternmaker - but if you're making a few cardboard patterns it's good to have something that does the trick. I've seen all sorts of punches like this in the papercrafts sections of Officeworks and Spotlight.

A Pressing Matter..

I'm behind schedule on a project, so I spent an absolutely perfect, blue-skied and sunny, Spring Sunday.... pressing purses!

All that slaving over the ironing board gave me ample opportunity to photograph another tip to share. The ol' MOLESKIN OFFCUT trick!

As I've said, I can't live without my sleeve board. I also couldn't press fiddly little bags and purses without a few scraps of heavy-duty cotton moleskin.

I keep three or four different sized pieces near the ironing board so that they can be folded or rolled into ANY size pressing ham I need.

The purse below is a 75mm (3 inch) frame purse. No space too small for a roll of moleskin!!

Why moleskin? It's SUPER-dense, so heat doesn't penetrate it very quickly - don't want to burn those fingers! It's 100% cotton, so will take high heat. And it has just the right amount of softness - without being too spongey - so it's like a ready-made mini-ironing board. Love it!

Now... before you ask... I don't know where to send you for moleskin fabric. I've had this for about fifteen years. Look in bargain fabric shops where they sell "job lots" of fabrics from manufacturers. Look for the thickest, densest moleskin you can find. Perhaps if you've seen some in a shop near you (or online) you could leave a comment to let us all know...?

Now... what was I saying about being behind schedule on a project...? ...and why am I blogging?

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.

I thought I was the only one who didn't know about this....

Good to hear (in your comments) that I'm not the only one who missed the news when basting spray appeared on the market.
Here it is - all the way from the world of Patchwork and Quilting.... BASTING SPRAY. It's like spray adhesive to hold bits of fabric together while you cut/sew it into place. AMAZING. I usually use it to hold down "feature fabric" overlays on bags before I stitch them into place.

Yesterday I used it to make cutting towelling backing for Fabulous Fifties Bibs a lot easier.... and it was SOOOO easy... ...until I ran out of the red spotty fabric for the neck binding on the second bib (but that's another story).Here's the back of the finished one.
One thing that bothers me.... and perhaps someone from the quilting world can tell me this...? Basting spray is supposed to wash out easily, but does it have any toxic nasties in it that should be washed out before the bib is put on a baby for the first time (for the 10 minutes that it'll be worn before it's slopped all over)??

Everlasting patterns... fashion industry-style!

I couldn't find my Clutch pattern the other day. I mean the ORIGINAL Clutch pattern, which was drafted on card. I decided it'd be quicker to make a new card pattern from a paper print than re-organise my pattern "storage system" (I use the term VERY loosely).

I don't actually like working with paper patterns and pins.... way too slow. It's a bit like sewing on a domestic machine when you're used to an industrial. Cardboard patterns are quicker and more accurate AND THEY LAST LONGER,TOO!!! I still have the original blocks and patterns I made in the final year of my Fashion degree (1989... yikes!), and loads of other patterns since ...hence my inability to find a teeny-tiny little clutch pattern in amongst them!

It made me think - if I didn't know about basting spray until this year (I kid you not, folks!) then maybe there are some home-sewing types who don't know about industrial pattern card....? Some things are easy to miss if you're moving in a different part of the (sewing) world from them.


How to Turn Paper Patterns Into Cardboard Patterns.... which are JUST GREAT!

1. Using spray adhesive or a glue stick (a glue that won't dampen the paper and make it crinkle), stick your pattern print to some pattern card. You can paste down individual pattern pieces that have already been cut out (and used) or you can paste down the new, uncut pattern print.
2. Cut out your pattern pieces and transfer all the pattern markings (notches and dots etc) with HOLES and snips in the cardboard. Any old hole punches, scissors and awls can be used for this. If you have a screw-punch (forgot to take a photo of mine) they're great for marking dart points and other pattern dots.

***Edited to add screw-punch link.****


"Ah HA!" you say, "What's that nifty looking gadget she has there...?" They're pattern notchers... hideously expensive but VERY NIFTY INDEED. They cut lovely slit notches in patterns. That's ALL they do ...and they do it BEAUTIFULLY! (See "top notch" on the pic below). Unless you plan to make a lot of patterns I wouldn't think pattern notchers a very sound investment. You may be able to find a substitute among papercrafts gadgets (?) or you can use scissors - like I did on the bottom notch on the pic above.

3. Hold the pattern pieces down on your fabric - or use weights to hold down larger pattern pieces - and trace around them with tailors chalk. I prefer the accuracy of using a chalk pencil or quilters pencil - a nice fine line is always good.
...and that notch thing? You can draw a line into the notch to show you where to put a 2.5mm snip in the edge of your seam allowance. (That's more accurate than those triangle notches on a lot of big-brand patterns). That's all you need for matching up important points when you're at the sewing machine.4. Unless your fabric is slippery you don't tend to need pins at all. Just CUT out your fabric - and this is even quicker with a rotary cutter.... ooooh... MORE gadget-love (I shouldn't have started this....!!!)

5. You can then cut/punch a hole through each piece and thread them over a wire hook (or loop of string) and hang them up - as in the picture at the top of this post. Correction - it's actually best to hang them up in an ORDERLY system.

(...and I must go back to that pattern in the last picture and punch a hole through that snap placement mark! Oops!).

PS. If you want to make trace-around pattern pieces that you can SEE THROUGH (so you can see the print placement on the fabric), you can use template plastic. It doesn't roll like kitchen paper or crinkle and fly away like tissue paper.