Crafting Without Stress: Guide to Choosing the Right Sewing Tools – Part 1

Sewing tools are important for any craft project. From quilting rulers to scissors and rotary cutters, these tools play an HUGE role in helping you achieve the results you want. The right sewing tools can make a big difference when it comes to crafting without stress. They help make sure that your projects turn out the way you intended, with clean lines and accurate measurements.

Quilting Rulers

There are so many options when it comes to quilting rulers, and the real secret is…they all will work! Whether fancy and expensive or cheap and simple a quilter’s ruler is like a good man – sturdy and useful. Sewing rulers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose the one that is best suited to your project. The most common type of ruler used in quilting is the standard 6-inch

by 12-inch ruler – I use a Quilters Select Ruler in this size. The Quilter’s Select ruler has a rubbery back which helps it to grip on the fabric and not slip around. It is the perfect size for sitting next to your sewing machine on a small mat. A fancy and fabulous ruler like the Grace Company’s True Cut series will change your life…for the better! The holes in the ruler allow it to be flexible and mark on the fabric for measurements. There is a channel or lip on the edge allows the Grace Company True Cut rotary cutter to hoo

k in on the side and be secure without risking your fingers. It’s amazing. I got mine on SewingPartsOnline. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Specialty Rulers come in various shapes and perform special functions. For example, a ruler that you simply must have is the Strip Cut June Tailor Rulers that I picked up from The Quilted Cow. The large square “strip” ruler allows you to cut fabric in strips, but wait there is more….you can also cut blocks, triangles, and diamonds with it! It is so flexible. That is why you should love specialty rulers. June Tailor also has a fantastic hexagon ruler that will make cutting easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Rotary Cutters

Some women collect shoes and some women collect rotary cutters. I am the latter….well that and sewing machines, but that is a blog for another day. Rotary cutters can be used to cut straight lines or for the people who like to take the life of their fingers into their own hands…you can free form cut on your fabric. (I recommend using a small rotary cutter to cut free form) Rotary Cutters come in various sizes, shapes

and blades to accommodate different types of fabrics, from thin cottons to thick leathers. The most common type is the 45 mm rotary cutter which features a round blade with a handle that can be easily held in one hand while you guide your fabric with the other. Other popular options include 28 mm mini-cutters, 60 mm jumbo-cutters and specialty cutters such as pinking shears or wave blades for decorative effects.

My favorites are:

• The Olfa 45mm because it has a safety grip that only engages the blade when you squeeze the grip.

• The Grace Company True Cut 45mm is ergonomically created to save your wrist. It also has a unique function to fit into the channel of the true cut ruler mentioned above.

• The Quilter Select rotary cutter has a nice heavy weight, and it keeps you from having to press very hard to cut. It is balanced and has a safety mechanism to keep the blade closed when not cutting.

Caring for your rotary cutter is also important since these tools are prone to rust if not kept properly maintained; after each use make sure that any excess fabric is cleaned off its surface before storing away in a dry place out of direct sunlight or heat sources. If necessary lubricate the blade occasionally with light machine oil (avoid petroleum based products) as this will help keep it from dulling too quickly over time as well as reduce friction when cutting through tough materials like denim or canvas. Additionally, always ensure that children are supervised around these sharp objects! This is one of the reasons I advocate for the Olfa since it automatically closes when not in use.

Conclusion

When choosing sewing tools it pays to invest in quality items – they may cost more initially but will last much longer than cheaper alternatives, so you won’t have to replace them as often.

Visit my friends at SewingPartsOnline for more information!

Put Your Best Foot Forward: Picking the Right One for the Job

Introduction

Just like every car has wheels, every sewing machine has a presser foot. The presser foot is what presses the fabric down to the machine and holds it in place against the feed dogs. (Feed dogs are the little grippy things - they look like teeth - that sit on the base of your machine and pull the fabric through.) Like a car's wheels, sewing machine feet can be changed out according to the project. Different stitches and tasks require different feet.

The Foot...and how to change it?

Most sewing machines will come with a little key that can loosen the screws of not only the baseplate but also the screw holding the sewing foot shank in place. (If you can't find the key then you can also use a small flat head screwdriver) In some machines, the foot is attached to a shank - like my sewing machine who is named Jolene. She is a Juki TL2010Q. However, in some machines, the foot can be removed from the shank with the press of a button like my Juki Dx7. How does your machine work?

A majority of machines will come with a standard 5/8" seam foot. This is a common foot for sewing clothing. It is important to locate the 1/4" seam marking on your machine if you are a quilter and not rely on the foot. (Unless it is a 1/4" seam foot....see below)

Other presser feet that may come with sewing machines are a Walking Foot, Zipper Foot, and buttonhole foot. Make sure to check when you are picking a machine what feet are included! If you purchase a secondhand sewing machine or you have an older sewing machine and don't have some of these cool presser feet, visit my friends at SewingPartsOnline they have an incredible selection!

1/4 Inch Seam Foot

The 1/4 Inch Seam Foot is a specialized presser foot used to create perfect 1/4-inch seams for your quilt or sewing project. One of the greatest challenges for quilters or project sewers is cutting fabric accurately and

keeping the seam straight. The seam allowance can impact the overall size of the pieced materials once stitched together.

A 1/4-inch seam foot often has a small metal guide on the side of the foot that has a lip that keeps the fabric lined up to the quarter inch line. Its narrow size also makes it well-suited for stitching around curves or in tight spaces, such as between collars and lapels.

Zipper Foot

The Zipper Foot is an invaluable tool for any sewer who wants to add zippers to their projects. This specialized foot helps sewers install zippers quickly and accurately by allowing the needle to get close to the zipper teeth while stitching, creating a neat seam. It features a narrow groove in its toe that perfectly lines up with the zipper’s coils, ensuring even stitch placement along each zip side. The foot can be used with both regular and invisible zips and for attaching piping or special decorative trims.

Some of your machines will come with a zipper foot, but even if you have an older machine, you can get one from my friends at SewingPartsOnline.

Walking Foot

This foot is made for walking, and that's just what it will do! A walking foot is specifically designed to feed bulky layers

of fabric through your machine. It is made to pull the top of the fabric through in alignment with

the feed dogs on the bottom so that layers can be fed through simultaneously. The walking foot has feed dogs that mirror the feed dogs on your machine. When you are purchasing a walking foot, make sure to see what the inner workings are made of by flipping it upside down. Some walking feet are made with plastic inner workings, and some are made with metal. There is a stark difference in sewing with metal versus plastic; the metal feet will last longer.

The walking foot can look intimidating as it is larger and attaches to more than one location on the sewing machine. It attaches not only to the shank but also to the needle shank.

Conclusion

Having the right presser foot is important for any sewing project, no matter how small or large. Having a variety of feet available can help make your work easier and more efficient by enabling you to tackle different kinds of tasks quickly and accurately. With so many types of presser feet available, choosing the right one for each job may seem daunting at first, but just have fun! Try it out!

Check out my friends at SewingPartsOnline for the absolute largest selection for types, brands, and more!

Unraveling the Mysteries of Thread Weight

I will be honest….I had NO IDEA What Thread Weight meant when I started sewing I sewed with whatever thread my mom handed me or I found at a garage sale. Thread weight and thread quality was a mystery to me. What I have learned is that thread weight and thread quality matter, and it matters a lot! My friends at SewingPartsOnline sent me a few different types to try and hands down my favorite has been Aurifil. The quality and the color are phenomenal.

Thread Quality impacts how often you must clean your sewing machine. Higher quality thread creates less fuzz bunnies in your machine. Quality impacts the stitch strength and durability. How can you tell if it’s good quality? Aurifil, for example, is 100% Egyptian Cotton made with long staple, or long lengths of cotton fibers. This means it is high quality.

Another important consideration is thread weight, and in this case a bigger number does not mean better. The bigger the number the thinner. For example, the best weight for sewing your quilt pieces together or piecing is 50wt/2ply. That means that the weight is 50 or what is considered a mid-weight. It has 2 ply or two strands in it, but I will tell you it’s so fine that you won’t notice it’s two strands. It just means that it is a big stronger. The 50wt/2ply t is a nice thin thread that is

strong enough to be used on projects that will be used every day. You could use a 50wt/2ply to piece a quilt, make a hot pad, sew a bag, or even make a headband. The 50wt/2ply allows your pieces to lay flatter because of their thinness. I recommend a 100% cotton thread, while you can use a polyester or other type, my preference is cotton. Check out all the options on SewingPartsOnline.

If you are quilting (aka sewing the top, batting, and backing together) then you can use a number of different weights to allow for different details. In general, a 40wt thread provides stitch definition and lets the pattern jump out. If you are hand quilting consider using a 28wt thread or even a 12wt for a big stitch.

I recommend checking out Aurifil Thread from my friends at SewingPartsOnline