March Sewing Blog

Proms, weddings, Easter and springtime are just ahead and this year we will celebrate the season with plenty of lemon yellow, seashore blues and accents of salmon rose.

March is National Crafting Month and the perfect time to get together with all of our crafting friends. There are many things we all have in common. 1) We enjoy the satisfaction of making things ourselves. 2) We’re coordinated and work well with our hands. 3) We’re visual, tactile learners. 4) We need a creative outlet. 5) We like to think out of the box and HAVE FUN!

Crafting is an adventure. I remember when my husband George and our son George lV and I decided to make plaster face masks for Christmas presents one year when we had no money. George lV was only six years old when we covered the living room floor with newspapers and put straws wrapped in cotton up our noses. Then we took turns covering our faces with Vaseline, sprinkling them with powder, and lay quiet and still while the plaster mold heated up and set on our faces. (My over enthusiastic husband had to cut my bangs and sideburns away to get my mask off!) What a scary messy memory of family crafting time!!!

The results captured a moment in time in 1995 and I’m thrilled that I have a three dimensional face of our (now age 20) son George lV when he was a little boy.

Anyway, I’ll keep my day job~ and continue to sew.

There are many ways to marry sewing and crafting. Sewing a tote and then stamping it, making napkins and then painting them, completing a new machine embroidery design and adding Glamour Gems iron-on rhinestones, etc…. Challenge yourself to come up with something new by expanding your world of creativity to crafting. Stitch a few scrapbook pages, sew a few postcards or make a scrapbook quilt or pillow.

PINWEAVING TABLERUNNER:

This is a home décor project that can interest crafters and sewers alike. Made with inexpensive ribbon purchased by the spool, a little hand manipulation and one sewing machine stitch, the unique table runner will definitely add surface interest to any table-scape.

SUPPLIES:

• 12 rolls of ribbon ( 2 each of six assorted sizes and colors)
• Straight pins
• One package of Satin Blanket Binding
• Melrose Polyester Thread (matching or contrasting—your choice!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Lay eight or nine ribbons side by side in the length that you would like your table runner to be. Starting in the center and working your way to each end, Use a bodkin or safety pin or your fingers to weave the shorter, horizontal ribbon pieces over and under the longer strips of ribbon. This is a basic basket weave pattern. After ‘weaving’ four or five rows, snuggle the ribbons close to one another so that no surface can be seen underneath. Pin the ribbons in place along the outside edge. Continue to do this until the entire length is woven, snug and pinned. Sew ¼” from the edge to secure all the ribbons in place. Sandwich the pin weaving between the blanket binding along both long edges and pin. Use a decorative stitch and top stitch the blanket binding to the pin weaving. Repeat pinning the blanket binding to the shorter ends. Be careful to cut at least an extra inch on both ends to tuck in. Stitch in place.

Enjoy your new Runner! It’s amazing what one stitch and a little assembling can accomplish!

EMBROIDERY TIPS:

Stabilizer:

There are many types and weights of stabilizer and the choice you make will be determined by the type and weight of the fabric that you are using and the embroidery design. Listed are four of the basics to get you started. SULKY offers a nice value on a variety pack that will get you started and keep you going! Item # 257-815

Tear-Away – This stabilizer comes in light, medium and heavy and is used with woven fabrics to make a sturdy foundation that will stay with the item for the life of the design. It should tear away from the main design easily. For best results, use on a substantial fabric (nothing too flimsy) with a medium design (not too many holes and spaces—they don’t tear out well)

Cut-Away – Comes in a variety of weights from light polymesh to heavy and white, beige and black. Use the lightest one that will work without changing the hand of the fabric. Cut-Away should be trimmed to within ¼” from the design edges. Choose the cut-away color that will least likely show through.

Heat-Away – Best for delicates and sheers that are non-washable. There are several versions. The film type is great as a topper, (monogramming towels so they terry doesn’t poke through the stitches) while the woven version is good when making lace or creating a fabric with only threads. It will crumble when heated with a dry iron.

Wash-Away -This magic stabilizer can be used as a backing and a topper. It is available in many forms such as woven, paper, plastic film and liquid. All of these will wash away with water so the item must be washable. Manufacturers call for different water temperatures so read the instructions carefully.

Thread – MELROSE tri-lobal 40 wt. Polyester thread is a superb choice for embroidering with the Futura. It is durable, strong, colors won’t run or fade and it won’t shrink and distort your designs. Check it out on our website.
24 pack – Item# 342-115
24 pack – Item# 342-104

SEWING TIPS:

1. When sewing sheers this spring, choose an interfacing that is flesh toned. When it backs your facing, both the facing and the interfacing will seem to disappear!
2. If you do not have a serger, consider using bias tape for binding all your high end seam finishes inside a dress, shirt, jacket or skirt that are unlined. We offer single fold 7/8” bias tape (which actually has two folded edges) in a variety of colors. Sew along one folded edge, roll over to cover the seam and hand or top stitch the second edge closed. Item # 257-815 will get you there.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Q: Why do I need special embroidery scissors?
A: When you change threads while stitching out a design, there are often tiny thread tails to clip. Melrose double bent embroidery scissors are made to go down into the hoop and trim threads without poking sharp scissor tips into the sewn design which can break stitches. Melrose duck bill appliqué scissors, do double duty trimming extra fabrics around satin stitching and also snipping away excess stabilizer while diminishing the likelihood of unintentionally nicking the fabric. The Melrose seam ripper can remove unwanted stitching by isolating and slicing through the bobbin thread. The Melrose tweezers can help you manipulate threads in tight areas such as bobbin housing. All four Melrose tools are available now in a storage box suitable for gift giving.
Item #375-590

WHEN TO WATCH:

March 1—2am, 4pm and 11pm
March 3—6am, 11am, 3pm, 10pm
March 27—8am
March 31—11am, 4pm

I’m looking forward to seeing your creations posted in our SHARE section on the crafting page. Look for the pink box and upload your finished project today!!

Continue to Sew Your Dreams,