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New Pincushion Cuff

Rose Pincushion Cuff

YLI Jeans Stitch Thread

Hot Pink YLI Jeans Stitch Thread

 

Off White YLI Jeans Stitch Thread

 

Soft Pink YLI Jeans Stitch Thread

Red YLI Jeans Stitch Thread

Petit Fleur Buttons

New - Petit Fleur 1"/26mm Buttons

Sample Sale - Zipper Pouch #2 (Sold)

- - Sold - Thanks! - -

My zipper pouch file is getting slowly getting smaller.  I used up some of the cut out #2 pieces to make this pouch. 

Besides the lace elastic trims used in previous pouches, I have a small collection of other trims--including jumbo ric rac! 

This turned out really sweet, and I have a few colors of jumbo ric rac, so there will probably be more pouches like this one in the future.

The other side is the blue pin dot print (Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie & Camille for Moda).

The lining is pink ticking:

Behold the Joy of the Clear Ruler

Where has this clear ruler been all my sewing life???  At least it's here now.

This is an 18" See-Through Drafting Ruler from Dritz.  It's sort of floppy and bendy, which makes it lightweight and easy to use. 

If you don't have a clear ruler, here is why you might consider getting one at some point:

1. It's very helpful when lining things up.  Combine it with a grid surface, like my beloved Dritz Superboard, or another surface with a grid, and it is very helpful for getting things straight and making accurate marks.  

Here I wanted to mark 0.75" from the top of this piece, so I lined up the fabric with one of the gridlines on my cutting board, and then matched the 0.25" mark on the clear ruler to the bottom of the 1" blue gridline.  Now the top of the ruler is perfectly showing where 0.75" is located.

2. You can use it as compass to make circles and arcs.  There are guide holes every 0.5" down the middle and it's great for drawing perfect circles!

In this picture I have a pin in the center to hold it down, but you really want to use another pen or an awl (I'll talk about this handy sewing tool another day) in the center pivot hole.  The pin doesn't fill in the hole completely so the ruler isn't firmly in held in place, and it can get wobbly as you draw the circle.

I haven't had this very long, so these two benefits are only what I've noticed so far.  Maybe other great uses will turn up as I get more familiar with it.  If you have one, please leave a comment letting us know what you like about yours.

It's very possible the ruler, cutting board, and awl are available at your local fabric store.  If not, they are available several places online.  The links in this post will take you directly to where they can be ordered to on Amazon (disclosure: I'm an Amazon affiliate). 

Anyway, I'm very happy with the clear ruler and wanted to share my experience with this tool. 

Best stitches,

Michelle

More New Notions - Olfa Scissors, My Favorite Interfacings, BobbinSaver

Form-Flex All-Purpose Fusible Woven Interfacing

This is my favorite interfacing.  I'm not sure what exactly makes it different than other interfacings, but think it has to do with the tight weave and excellent adhesive.  Once I apply it, it rarely comes away from the fabric.  I have some interfaced pieces in my scrap bin that have been in there for 2-4 years, and this interfacing is still securely applied to the fabric.  It's not going anywhere...

Pellon Shape-Flex Fusible Woven Interfacing

When I can't find the Form-Flex interfacing, Pellon's Shape-Flex is the one I look for next.  It is very good interfacing, and more economically priced than the Form-Flex. 

BobbinSaver

This BobbinSaver thing is making my sewing life easier.  It holds bobbins neatly and most importantly, it keeps them from unwinding!  I've spilled my bobbins SOOO many times, making a huge and annoying mess. It always happens when I go to pick one up and end up accidentally pulling the unwinding tails of other bobbins. 

The BobbinSaver keeps them from unwinding and even if you drop the whole thing, it might roll around for a bit, but the bobbins aren't coming out!  They slide easily in and out by hand, but are securely held by the rubbery plastic donut shape until you decide take them out.   

Olfa 5" Precision Applique Scissors

These little scissors are fantastic for thread trimming and also clipping/notching curves!  They are super strong and sharp, and easily cut through multiple layers.  The handle is designed so you can get three fingers in the holes for some leverage.  The small size makes them easy to use for detail work. They can be used with either hand, so you lefties aren't left out.