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fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Finish your Quilt With Tying

Finish your Quilt With Tying

Sometimes tying a quilt seems like the very last resort to getting a quilt finished.

While hand quilters love the look of a skillfully hand quilted quilt, and machine quilters appreciate the beauty and complexity of fine machine quilting, tying a quilt can be equally rewarding. And those ties don’t need to be simple yarn knots with tails tied every 6 inches.

For example, take a look at some of the particularly ornate Crazy Quilts from more than 100 years ago. These gorgeous Crezy Quilts were tied, but it isn’t obvious how they were tied, since you can’t see the ties on the front; thus didn’t distract from the exquisite embroidery stitches.

On the back side of these quilts there are simple double thread tacks holding the quilt together. To achieve this, the patchwork quilt top was sewn to a foundation fabric, securing the top to the inner layer.

The backing layer is also attached to the foundation fabric in the center of the quilt, but the ties do not come through to the quilt top. By carefully pulling the needle and thread through only the backing and the foundation, the double threads could be tied on the back.

Extra work, to be certain, but clearly worth the effort in order to preserve the quality and beauty of the Crazy Quilt top.

But, What About the Patchwork Quilts of Today?

Everyone agrees that tying a quilt is much faster and generally easier than either machine or hand quilting.

Basically anyone who can hold a needle can tie a quilt and get a sense of accomplishment. All members of a congregation are invited to tie a knot in the prayer quilt, no sewing ability needed. Yarn, perle cotton or embroidery thread tied in a simple knot is perfect for that kind of quilt. When the quilts are made, the quilters place the ties in the quilts, and then the members of the congregation finish the quilts by tying the knots.

Other quilts would be ruined by either hand or machine quilting. Anyone who has seen a moderately heavily quilted quilt understands that the quilting tends to reduce the puffiness in a quilt.

If you want a puffy, fluffy quilt, using thick batting will give you that look. And tying the quilt will keep the layers together while maintaining the puffiness you want. Hand or machine quilting this type of quilt would significantly reduce the puffiness, and completely change the look of your quilt.

Many tied quilts are simply tied in the corners between the blocks, leaving the blocks as open space. Other quilts are tied in the center of each block with either yarn or perle cotton.

But, tying a quilt doesn’t need to be boring!

The best ties are washable, won’t unravel, will stay tied, and are strong enough to hold together when they are tied. Even with those considerations, why not add a little flair? Using embroidery floss or cording might be a possibility. And instead of using yarn or perle cotton, try a ribbon.

And what about adding something interesting in the tie? Sew a cute shaped button – say a train or fire truck – onto your quilt, and then tie the knot on the back of the quilt. Simply pull your thread from the back of the quilt, attach the button, and knot the thread, just as you would sew a button on a shirt.

Another possibility is a bow. Instead of just knotting your quilt tie, finish it off with a bow. Add a large button under the bow for an even more interesting look. As added safety against the bow coming untied, double knot it.

And speaking of trains, trucks and other things with wheels, make double-sided circles of fabric and sew them on to your quilt as wheels of your vehicle, attaching them just in the center. You might even add a button on top, and make the fabric circle wheel able to spin around.

If you have a lattice on your quilt top, maybe you could lay down a narrow ribbon and tie it in place with ribbon ties every few inches along the way. If you will wash the quilt or wall hanging, the ribbon strips might need additional stitching to secure them to the quilt top.

Where you place the ties on your quilt can be interesting, too. Just as quilters stitch their quilting to make a design, your ties can add to the design of your quilt.

If your quilt has an ocean flavor, your ties can be like birds in the sky or whiskers on a seal. A basket quilt might have bows along the handles of the baskets. And your Sunbonnet Sue might have ribbons on her hat.

Have fun with every aspect of your quilt – from sewing the blocks together to quilting the top – whether you hand quilt, machine quilt or tie your quilt, finish it so someone you love can enjoy using it.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient

fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Custom Cut Mat: Sandy Schmitz Of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery Still Hand Cuts Mats In Her Studio

Custom Cut Mat: Sandy Schmitz Of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery Still Hand Cuts Mats In Her Studio

When you are framing a picture there are various things that you would require to complete the job. The frame would have to be decided and then the quality of glass. The glass could be normal quality or high quality which is used in the museums. The other important thing that is used is picture mats or cut mats. These mats are added around the picture or artwork to make it look more attractive and like an added frame. These mats can be bought as pre cut mats which are ready to use or you can also pu rchase custom cut mats to suit your own requirements. A custom mat can be prepared according to your desire and you can also choose the color or design which will make your artwork look best. Sandy Schmitz, the owner of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery still hand cuts mats in her own studio to give it a stylish look.

Before you start looking for your cutting cut frame, you have to take in consideration, the size of your picture or artwork. Then you must think about how the frame would complement your picture and what should be its shape, size, and color. If you have a white artwork, a midnight blue picture mat would complement it even further. It also depends on the theme and topic of your picture as how the picture mat should be.

Professional photographers, family members at family reunions, or even offices and organizations have a requirement for these precut mats. An added advantage of precut mats is that they are much cheaper than the custom mats. Precut mats are bought in bulk and hence their prices are much lower. You will notice that most photographers use metal frames for their photographs along with white mat boards. This helps in focusing the viewer’s attention to the photograph and also makes it stand out more prominently. White mat boards are used by museum curators too, along with simple black frames so that the artwork or photographs get maximum attention.

Along with beautifying the artwork, mat boards are also helpful in preserving the quality of the artwork. If an artwork or photograph is being framed, it means it is very precious and mat boards allow them to stay in good condition. It keeps the corners and edges from curling and also prevents moisture from damaging the photograph. The cut mat keeps the photograph right in the middle and acts as a protection from all sides. If you want to know more about picture mats and buy them online, you can visit http://www.documounts.com.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient

fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Sewing Machines For Beginners

Sewing Machines For Beginners

Sewing Machines for BeginnersSewing is not only a great hobby and fantastic ceative past time it can even earn you some extra money. developing sewing skills is well worthwhile because they are a skill base which is growing in demand. As the old corner shop taylors have virtually disappeared people are finding it difficult to get basic sewing alterations done to their clothes. this is a market you can easily fill if you develop some sewing skills.
Learning to sew will also give you the ability to totally transform your home furnishings and allow you to sew yopur own personality into them.
You’ll be able to take an ordinary pair of curtains and transform them into how you want, just adding small touches makes a huge difference. As well as home furnishings you’ll be able to create shirts or dresses for yourself and your family, with sewing skills you can virtually transform any piece of material directly into how you like. It’s really satisfying to produce your own clothes and to dress your children in clothes you have produced.
The problem that confronts people new to sewing is which is the best sewing machine to start with. I have been asked this question hundreds if not thousands of times over the years from friends and students. And to be honest I can’t pick out one machine and say this is the best sewing machine for beginners. it’s just not possible, it can only be subjective.There’s so many wonderful sewing machines to choose from on the market.Singer, Janome and brother to name merely three superb sewing machines. Which is the best sewing machine for beginners can only be a matter of opinion and we all have our views and opinions about just what is the best sewing machine. I can give you a number pointers to guide you in the right way, but in the end the choice will have to fall with you.
To begin with I’d select a computerized sewing machine. These are the basic standard at this time and I firmly believe in staying up with technology. I really don’t see the reason for training with older machines when you’re able to learn on modern-day computerized machines.Some people would reason that it’s far better to learn on older machines and move up little by little. This may be a sensible point, but is not one I agree with. If you’re beginning from a blank canvas you might as well learn on a new computerized sewing machine with all the mod cons on it.If you learned on an older machine you’d quickly prefer to move to a much more sophisticated machine and take advantage of all of the computerized capabilities that simplify many tasks. So you may as well start on a computerized model. You wouldn’t want to learn to drive in a 1920s ford would you? So why would you want to learn to sew on an old machine?The good news is that the price ranges for a good machine are really reasonable at the moment, and the features these machines have are amazing. You can do things on a small machine in your house today that needed much bigger machines not so long ago.Nearly all today’s new sewing machines are computerized, whatever you can perform on a sewing machine is made easier due to computerization. You can even get embroidery machines that will instruct you step-by-step on the way to make things. The instruction occurs on the LED display screen.You need to be looking for a sewing machine that doesn’t cost too much to start with. If you are just taking sewing up you can check out a second hand machine. The argument for getting a second hand sewing machine is that it’s safer to shell out 0.00 on a second hand high-priced sewing machine than to invest 0.00 on a completely new but far inferior machine.This is an excellent strategy, although not one I agree with. A few years ago this might have been a very good method, however, the price of sewing machines has come down a lot and I think looking for a brand-new sewing machine is the best option. As you become a more knowledgeable sewer you will come to love particular sewing machines. The best way to select a sewing machine is always to ask yourself a number of questions.A newcomer will require a sewing machine with a number of fundamental stitches; every machine available will give you this. Typically the more stitches the sewing machine has got the more costly it will be.Think about what you are looking to do with the machine. Are you looking to create outfits, home furnishings, repairs, quilting or other homemade projects? For garments for instance you will want machine with a “free arm” this will make sewing sleeves and things like a whole lot of easier. Should you be looking to do quilt-making you will want a machine with a broader variety of stitches. If you are searching to do upholstery you will require a strong high quality machine. A low cost machine is not going to handle upholstery.How frequently do you think you will use the machine? If you plan to get into sewing in a major way you will need to purchase a more expensive machine that will endure heavy use. It’s extremely hard to name a sewing machine and say this is the best one. I know people who swear by Janome sewing machines, stating they’re the best sewing machines available on the market, others may swear by singer sewing machines, we all have our personal favourites.You can get an outstanding sewing machine for between 0 to 0. The more you’re happy to commit the more you’re going to get. The first thing you need to do is get familiar with what a sewing machine does and learn about all the parts on the machine and what they do. Do your homework, possibly download some manuals. Singer has superb manuals that you can download and read. These will familiarize yourself with the parts of sewing machines.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient day!
One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric!

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With more than 200,000 copies in print, Storey’s One-Skein Wonders series is an unqualified success. Now, for the first time in the series, fabric takes center stage! And the timing couldn’t be better. Sewing machine sales have doubled over the past 10 years, and crafters are discovering the joy of another kind of stitching.One-Yard Wonders will delight anyone who has ever fallen for fabric – from the novice sewing enthusiast to the lifelong seamstress. The book presents a delightful arr

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fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Quilting Rotary Cutter

Quilting Rotary Cutter

A quilter uses a rotary cutter, which is a tool that is used to cut pieces of cloth or materials. These rotary cutters are available in various different sizes, though the basic rotary cutter, consists of a circular blade. Generally for quilting, smaller blades are used to cut the corners, and the larger ones are used to cut straight lines. With the help of rotary cutters, quilters are able to cut large quantities of materials quickly and more accurately. In order to carry out rotary cutting, you would need a rotary cutter, a mat on which you can lay out the material to cut, and a heavy plastic or wooden ruler. As mentioned earlier there are two main types of rotary cutters, while the smaller one is generally used for trimming, for complete rotary cutting, the large one is recommended. You get different types of rotary cutters, these have different types of blades and handles, as well as a wide variety of protective covers. Most often its is a large rotary balde that is used to cut a number of fabrics or layers of fabrics at one shot. Sometimes, the cutting is not too accurate when too many layers of fabric are cut at once. It’s essential that a quilting rotary cutter, have a lot of patience, more so when cutting many pieces of fabric at one time. Rotary cutters also need to be careful and mindful while cutting, as these cutters are extremely sharp, and if proper care is not taken, one can injure themselves. For any quilter, a rotary cutter is a not only a useful tool, but an essential one as well. With these cutters, a quilter is able to cut many layers of fabric, and get smooth edges. Most often a large rotary cutter is used for this purpose. A cutting mat is also needed when a quilter is cutting, in order to protect the surface of the blade while cutting. You find various different types of cutting mats available in the market. These cutting mats have marking, and its advisable to go in for a 22 inch wide mat, as with this mat, you can fold the width of this fabric and cut it in half. You need to follow some basic safety precautions while using a rotary cutter for quilting. Whenever the cutter is not in use, it’s important that the blade is closed. Thus you can avoid unnecessary accidents with the sharp blade. A special cutting mat should be used along with the rotary cutter in order to avoid spoiling the surface or the cutter blades. Moreover this mat will also prevent the fabric from slipping, while cutting. A ruler is also necessary so that one can make appropriate markings. A quilter some focus completely on cutting and pay special attention to the rotary cutter, or else serious mishaps can occur. The rotary cutter, should also be kept clean, and at a safe place, out of reach of children. One of the main skills required for a quilter is rotary cutting. Once this art of rotary cutting is mastered, it saves a lot of time and effort. If done properly, the accuracy is also pretty amazing.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient

fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Finish your Quilt With Tying

Finish your Quilt With Tying

Sometimes tying a quilt seems like the very last resort to getting a quilt finished.

While hand quilters love the look of a skillfully hand quilted quilt, and machine quilters appreciate the beauty and complexity of fine machine quilting, tying a quilt can be equally rewarding. And those ties don’t need to be simple yarn knots with tails tied every 6 inches.

For example, take a look at some of the particularly ornate Crazy Quilts from more than 100 years ago. These gorgeous Crezy Quilts were tied, but it isn’t obvious how they were tied, since you can’t see the ties on the front; thus didn’t distract from the exquisite embroidery stitches.

On the back side of these quilts there are simple double thread tacks holding the quilt together. To achieve this, the patchwork quilt top was sewn to a foundation fabric, securing the top to the inner layer.

The backing layer is also attached to the foundation fabric in the center of the quilt, but the ties do not come through to the quilt top. By carefully pulling the needle and thread through only the backing and the foundation, the double threads could be tied on the back.

Extra work, to be certain, but clearly worth the effort in order to preserve the quality and beauty of the Crazy Quilt top.

But, What About the Patchwork Quilts of Today?

Everyone agrees that tying a quilt is much faster and generally easier than either machine or hand quilting.

Basically anyone who can hold a needle can tie a quilt and get a sense of accomplishment. All members of a congregation are invited to tie a knot in the prayer quilt, no sewing ability needed. Yarn, perle cotton or embroidery thread tied in a simple knot is perfect for that kind of quilt. When the quilts are made, the quilters place the ties in the quilts, and then the members of the congregation finish the quilts by tying the knots.

Other quilts would be ruined by either hand or machine quilting. Anyone who has seen a moderately heavily quilted quilt understands that the quilting tends to reduce the puffiness in a quilt.

If you want a puffy, fluffy quilt, using thick batting will give you that look. And tying the quilt will keep the layers together while maintaining the puffiness you want. Hand or machine quilting this type of quilt would significantly reduce the puffiness, and completely change the look of your quilt.

Many tied quilts are simply tied in the corners between the blocks, leaving the blocks as open space. Other quilts are tied in the center of each block with either yarn or perle cotton.

But, tying a quilt doesn’t need to be boring!

The best ties are washable, won’t unravel, will stay tied, and are strong enough to hold together when they are tied. Even with those considerations, why not add a little flair? Using embroidery floss or cording might be a possibility. And instead of using yarn or perle cotton, try a ribbon.

And what about adding something interesting in the tie? Sew a cute shaped button – say a train or fire truck – onto your quilt, and then tie the knot on the back of the quilt. Simply pull your thread from the back of the quilt, attach the button, and knot the thread, just as you would sew a button on a shirt.

Another possibility is a bow. Instead of just knotting your quilt tie, finish it off with a bow. Add a large button under the bow for an even more interesting look. As added safety against the bow coming untied, double knot it.

And speaking of trains, trucks and other things with wheels, make double-sided circles of fabric and sew them on to your quilt as wheels of your vehicle, attaching them just in the center. You might even add a button on top, and make the fabric circle wheel able to spin around.

If you have a lattice on your quilt top, maybe you could lay down a narrow ribbon and tie it in place with ribbon ties every few inches along the way. If you will wash the quilt or wall hanging, the ribbon strips might need additional stitching to secure them to the quilt top.

Where you place the ties on your quilt can be interesting, too. Just as quilters stitch their quilting to make a design, your ties can add to the design of your quilt.

If your quilt has an ocean flavor, your ties can be like birds in the sky or whiskers on a seal. A basket quilt might have bows along the handles of the baskets. And your Sunbonnet Sue might have ribbons on her hat.

Have fun with every aspect of your quilt – from sewing the blocks together to quilting the top – whether you hand quilt, machine quilt or tie your quilt, finish it so someone you love can enjoy using it.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient day!

www.beverlys.com – Learn how to create your very own rag quilt! Print the written PDF instructions for this how-to at http
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Rag Quilt Instructions
Learn How To Make A Rag Quilt In A Weekend using these easy-to-follow instructions. Three fun and easy patterns, including a heart, a flag, and a 5 patch.
Rag Quilt

fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats

Custom Cut Mat: Sandy Schmitz Of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery Still Hand Cuts Mats In Her Studio

Custom Cut Mat: Sandy Schmitz Of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery Still Hand Cuts Mats In Her Studio

When you are framing a picture there are various things that you would require to complete the job. The frame would have to be decided and then the quality of glass. The glass could be normal quality or high quality which is used in the museums. The other important thing that is used is picture mats or cut mats. These mats are added around the picture or artwork to make it look more attractive and like an added frame. These mats can be bought as pre cut mats which are ready to use or you can also pu rchase custom cut mats to suit your own requirements. A custom mat can be prepared according to your desire and you can also choose the color or design which will make your artwork look best. Sandy Schmitz, the owner of The Cobblestone Ltd. Gallery still hand cuts mats in her own studio to give it a stylish look.

Before you start looking for your cutting cut frame, you have to take in consideration, the size of your picture or artwork. Then you must think about how the frame would complement your picture and what should be its shape, size, and color. If you have a white artwork, a midnight blue picture mat would complement it even further. It also depends on the theme and topic of your picture as how the picture mat should be.

Professional photographers, family members at family reunions, or even offices and organizations have a requirement for these precut mats. An added advantage of precut mats is that they are much cheaper than the custom mats. Precut mats are bought in bulk and hence their prices are much lower. You will notice that most photographers use metal frames for their photographs along with white mat boards. This helps in focusing the viewer’s attention to the photograph and also makes it stand out more prominently. White mat boards are used by museum curators too, along with simple black frames so that the artwork or photographs get maximum attention.

Along with beautifying the artwork, mat boards are also helpful in preserving the quality of the artwork. If an artwork or photograph is being framed, it means it is very precious and mat boards allow them to stay in good condition. It keeps the corners and edges from curling and also prevents moisture from damaging the photograph. The cut mat keeps the photograph right in the middle and acts as a protection from all sides. If you want to know more about picture mats and buy them online, you can visit http://www.documounts.com.
Article Source:rotary cutter Hope you have an efficient

fiskars rotary cutter|rotary cutting mats