Heart Shaped YoYos

This was a quick and entertaining project to try, just in time for Valentine's Day! I picked up some interesting tools at the thrift store just close to the end of last year. So I really had to try them out and see if they worked! This one is a Clover yoyo tool, specifically for a heart shaped yoyo - apparently there are many of these tools for all different shapes. I had never even heard of such a thing so had to see if this was actually doable. 

The tool took me a minute to adjust to, but once I understood the rhythm of the stitches all went well. It's a pretty quick way to create something that turns out quite uniform. The fabric is placed in the template, you trim the fabric close to the template,  stitch around the edges (there are openings for your thread so you aren't stitching it right in, that's the part that confused me about this concept!) and then carefully remove your fabric from the template and gather it into your shape. And you zhush it a bit to get the shape just right.

I can see the potential uses of this kind of tool - I'll probably keep my eye open for any other kinds of yo-yo makers at the thrift store from now own, to see if other shapes might come in handy for anything I might want to make. If you like your yo-yos to be uniform, this would be a great tool to have. For just basic circles I'm not sure I'd bother, as they are quick to make and I do like the slight variations of making them by hand. But it would be fun to compare, if I found a set of templates at a reasonable price. Maybe some day! 

Thrifted Tools For Stitching

As many of my readers know, I love thrifting. I really love searching for sewing supplies and tools, and have found some interesting bits and bobs lately! I thought I would share some of the tools that are new to me from my recent shopping. 

First off I found this classic Bodkin - I've been wanting one so was happy to find this in its vintage packaging, all ready for me. 

Next, I discovered a retro needle threader. They sure loved reds and oranges with this retro packaging. This little desktop needle threader and cutter is simple - stick a needle in, press down lightly and you're set. It is all plastic, and they warn you in the instructions not to use undue force on the button ;)

I haven't used it yet but am planning on putting it into rotation shortly.

I had to pick up this unusual quilting thimble. It's a heavy-ish piece of steel with a dimpled end to push needles with. So if you don't like wearing a thimble, this one might be just the thing - you just pick it up whenever you need to push through your needle. 

And finally, I picked up two Clover plastic templates for shaped yo-yos. I wouldn't have purchased these new, but there they were for $1.50, so worth a try! The first one is for heart shaped yo-yos, and the second is for larger flower shapes. They both have a sheet of instructions included, which is good because a plastic template with little holes to stitch through confused me greatly - how does it not get stitched to the template? 😄Anyhow, the illustrated instructions really helped. I can't wait to try these out, they look quite fun. I'm not sure what I'll embellish but I'll find something. 

Do you like thrifting? Have you ever found something fabulous to add to your sewing notions?

Lightbox for Easier Embroidery Project Prep!

A different kind of post today - I'm trying out my new lightbox which I bought to help with my embroidery projects! It's a basic style, the size of a regular sheet of paper, with 3 brightness levels and a USB charger. It should be enough for me though. 

I generally trace my patterns by taping the pattern and fabric to a window (ie: my summer Peace for Ukraine project). But in winter it's harder, since my porch is too cold to trace in and my inside windows are harder to use; it's not as bright out and many of my windows have panes. So I splurged on this little lightbox - it was under $30 and should make my life easier.

I got out the next pattern I am planning on using - a floral Tryzub design, also by @EmbroideryArtbyNat. This is a pattern from her Patreon, and I'm happy to support her this way as she is on her refugee journey from Ukraine to Canada. You can too, if you like! 

Anyhow, on to the project. I printed out the Tryzub in various sizes, as I want to use it for a couple of different items. The first one is as an embroidered motif on a blouse, so I made it quite small. And I'm thinking of making a pillow from this design, so I have also printed one as a full page image. Both sizes are easily traceable on this lightbox. 

It's easy to do. The lightbox is designed for tracing so you don't have to worry about damaging it from the pressure of a pen, although a lighter hand is always good. You can change to light levels depending on how thick/dark your fabric is. I imagine there is a limit to this, however, and with very dark or heavy fabrics (such as a denim) you might need to resort to other methods of transferring your pattern to the top of the fabric.

In any case, I used a linen and a Frixion pen.  As I was getting ready I remembered the thrifted linen napkins I picked up recently, just a pair. The smallest image fits beautifully in the corner! It worked out well; I was able to easily see the image, and trace it without much struggle. You will want to secure your image and fabric with some masking or washi tape so that they don't move around while you are tracing. I prefer these kinds of low tack tape so you don't get any residue on your fabric or your device.

 

And there it is, a clear image ready to be stitched, with much less effort than tracing vertically on a window! My arms thank me for this purchase :) I hope to be able to show you one of these projects all stitched up before too long. 

Handy & Unusual Sewing Tools

At the last meeting of our local Stratford Garment Guild, we shared some of the more unusual sewing tools found in our sewing rooms.

This got me thinking about some of the more unusual things I use, and I thought I'd make a short list here showing off some of the oddball tools that serve me well!

1. Telescoping magnetic wand

These magnetic pick-up tools can also come with a light (like mine) and can be easily found in the automotive department of your local hardware store. Handy for dropped and missing pins that end up under your sewing table. And for getting in between the wall and your cabinets!

2. Plant cover fabric

I buy huge packages of this at Dollarama to trace my pdf & Burda patterns -- it's cheap, easy to see through, and takes a ballpoint pen nicely. It is a little harder to see your pattern notations on this than it is on tissue, but on the other hand this stuff is sturdy! It reminds me of interfacing. You can't iron it unless you use low heat and a press cloth though - it will melt on to your iron otherwise. Heads up.

3. Crayola Washable Markers

Even though I do have a Frixion pen or two, these wide Washable Markers are handy for marking pattern notations on the wrong side of fabric. I like how quick and easy they are to use with basic cottons or any smooth fabric. And they almost always wash out well (NB: Test First!) They are helpful with darts, notches, etc. Even with embroidery!

And in new & strange tools that I don't have yet  -- I want to add a tape dispenser clip to my arsenal soon: my husband saw one at Michaels, though they are also available at Staples. It should make taping together pdfs much quicker, if the tape stays put on the edge of the table.

Do you have any unexpected items that make your sewing life easier? Do tell!

Tuesday Pattern Thoughts

A quick catch-up for a Tuesday! I have been so busy I haven't finished much sewing this month, but I certainly do have a lot of plans. I've pulled out some Indie patterns that I need to trace before I can cut them; I print them and store them in envelopes until I can trace them off so have a very large stack of manila envelopes in my sewing room currently.

I also have lots of new ideas thanks to a trip to the city that netted me the May issue of Burda magazine and a simple Simplicity pattern (that one was unexpected since Simplicity is not sold in Canada...) I'm hoping to get to at least ONE of these plans before the end of May! How does time go by so quickly?

I also had a good thrifting week. I found this amazing patternmaker's ruler for $7 and couldn't say no. 

And I also came across two patterns from first gen Indie pattern companies: the "Flounce About Jacket" by Saf-T-Pockets, and the "Kusamba Dress etc" by the Batik Butik, for $1 each. I'd never heard of the second company so when I eventually get around to trying these out I'll have to see if they're worth exploring further! I like finding unusual things when I'm thrifting and changing up my sewing room a little.

Hope you've been having a wonderfully creative sewing week as well. 

Scrapbusting with Bias Tape

I found this little gadget in the sale bin at my local Fabricland this week -- at 90% off it was a no-brainer to pick it up!

I do love bias tape and have always meant to use up my random dressmaking scraps -- the ones that are too large to chuck but too small to do much else with -- in making loads of bias tape. Now that I have this handy little helper, I had to finally give it a go.

I refreshed my memory of how to do this in the round with this video:




Doing it this way is quick and easy...even easier with a handy tool! You can do it with a pin stuck into your ironing board, apparently, but I never found that very easy to manage.

In any case, I used a scrap left over from the dress I have just finished (love this fabric!) and now have a nice colourful bit of cotton bias tape. Though I must admit it did take me longer than 5 minutes.

For this 1/2"Bias tape maker, I had to cut a 1" strip. I had one that I'd trimmed -- not really bias but this fabric is quite stretchy so I thought I'd use this as my first quick experiment.

You just need a pin to pull the fabric through to start, and then a hot iron to press the fabric as it comes out of the nose of the thingy as you pull the little handle. I found that I had to use my hand to keep the curled form as I pressed it, but it really helped to have the device holding the form even if a bit loosely.

Voila -- a strip of bias(ish) tape! I found that the finished tape was quite narrow,so left it as single fold tape. Another solid press to flatten it out well, and then it was stored on an empty thread spool -- handy, that. 

But then I wanted to try it again with it all done properly, so cut a 12 x 12 square of cotton check, and then remembered that somewhere in my stash I had a 1" tape maker. After a bit of searching, I found it, and so cut the bias strips 2" wide for a finish of 1". I used a Frixion pen to draw on the bias lines. 

Then I cut the strips, ran it through the tape maker and secured it to the end of the ironing board and kept going.

I had quite a bit of bias tape when I was done. And I really like how the check looks on the bias. I think I might use up the rest of that old apron front to make more! When I had run it all through, I then pressed it again to make a double fold bias tape in the finished width I wanted, with one edge just barely meeting the other. It looks great, and will be very useful!

Let's see how much more I can get out of my scrap bag!