ASG’s popular Sew Fun Tours are a great opportunity for both members and non-members to celebrate their love of sewing, adventure and FUN through one of the many Sew Much Fun tours that ASG offers.
Like most sewing enthusiasts, I have sewing and embroidery supplies that I use over and over because they work well for many different applications. This is especially true for interfacings and embroidery stabilizers. To keep track of my supplies, I normally take the label off the outside of the roll and insert it inside the tube so I know what the product is. I have actually ordered a couple of things on the recommendation of a sales person and found I didn’t care for them and I want to be sure I do not re-order them—that is just as important to know as what I do like.
This morning when I reached for the rolls of my favorite fibrous water soluble and poly-mesh stabilizers to grab the tags to re-order, I found that one roll was missing its label – horror of horrors! I searched the distributor’s website and still couldn’t find the product so now the search is on through packing slips and websites to try to identify the product. I even tried to locate a sample pack, hoping I may find my beloved stabilizer within it, but no luck.
That action though, gave me an idea. Right then and there, I vowed to prevent this sewing malfunction from happening to me again by making my own sample pack. I cut large pieces of each product and stapled the label to the corresponding sample. While I still have to find the one product with the missing label, luckily it is not something I need to re-order immediately.
I also plan on doing the same with my favorite interfacings. I’m working on two series right now that require a lot of interfacing and, because I use so much, I tend to purchase my favorites by the bolt. Of course, there are no labels to peel off packaging to save so I can do one of two things:
Knowing me, chances are by the time I get to the end of the bolt I’ll forget to save a piece and keep the label so I’ll probably opt for option 1. Another good thing to do is save a piece of the instructions that come on the interfacing bolt. Read and check them each time you purchase the product. Occasionally, as technology is updated, products may change slightly (think better glue) and instructions will be updated. If the interfacing is a specialty item like Hymo, then also attach information about where the product was purchased and any other identifying information
We always think we’ll remember what we did or where we purchased something, but we often don’t. Start making another type of reminder for sewing. Put information in a binder or even just clip things together like in this sample pack. Save yourself a lot of remembering and searching time which, of course, leaves more time for our favorite pastime—STITCHING!
Sew ‘til next time….enjoy the journey of sewing!
~Ramona
Wow! Part 2 of the Fabric Design contest has generated so much excitement and interest that it has exceeded our expectations. We have received multiple questions, and I love the way we as sewers think… out of the box. So this update will serve as a reminder of the contest and address some of those questions again.
Entries have already started coming in. I know that there will be many others as the deadline approaches. To comply with the many requests we have received, the deadline for submissions has been extended to May 31, 2018. Yes, you now have an additional two months to work on your fabulous entries.
Now with this information, I just know that your scissors will be clipping and your machines humming to make wonderful creations as contest entries. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Joi Bostic
When reading sewing pattern instructions, it will say to “intersect” or “cross” seams. This short video shows you how to intersect seams.
Last week I told you I’d share my final blog of the year with another new sewing technique I’ll be sharing with members.
I have been frustrated all my sewing life with the way cuffs are done. The intersection between the placket and cuff are not smooth and even. This, and the collar stand, had been my sewing nemesis for many years. Sometimes patterns would come out with new techniques which would be better—like the “burrito” technique—but I still wasn’t happy with the results. Have you been happy with your results? Was the transition smooth with the way you’ve been doing them?
It took a lot of trial and error many years ago, long before I came on board with ASG, but I came up with a method of sewing these garment areas that finally made me happy. I’ve never put either into writing until now.
I’m working on finalizing the instruction and in the beginning of 2018 ASG members will get my full instructions. I’m hoping this will be a game-changer for beginning and advanced sewers alike. I think part of our problem with sewing is not getting really pretty results which scream homemade. Why, even ready-to-wear garments don’t have a smooth transition though better quality and custom ones are much, much better but they still don’t use the technique I developed.
I’ve not seen the way I do a collar band/stand and cuff written anywhere. I’m hoping by putting these in writing for our members it will be my little way of changing the sewing world and the way sewing is done in these areas giving sewers better outcomes in their construction.
If you would like these instructions, please join ASG and you can get them online in our educational videos.
Here’s to a happy journey of sewing in 2018!
~Ramona
