Why do you need more than one rotary cutter?

Rotary cutters are necessary in quilter's world and who doesn't have more than one?! And I don't mean more than one size (although that is true as well!), I mean more than one of the same size cutter! If you are like me, I'm always anxious to try out the newest and greatest rotary cutter and therefore my little drawer that holds all my cutters is rather full.

But it can be an advantage to having more than one rotary cutter. One thing I do is keep one cutter with a sharp blade for cutting fabrics. Another one has a dull blade that I use for cutting paper and plastic templates. When my fabric cutting blade gets dull and hard to cut with fabric, I insert a new blade and recycle the old blade to the paper cutting rotary cutter.

Not only can I get more use out of my blades, but it is much more efficient to cut out paper patterns and templates from template plastic with a rotary cutter than a pair of scissors. But I'm still able to keep my rotary cutter blade sharp for cutting fabric.

So the next time you are quilt shopping and see a brand new rotary cutter, but think to yourself that you already have one and you really don't need another, just consider using a second one for cutting templates. What better excuse for another neat rotary cutter?! :)

Quality Embroidery Stabilizer

FACT 1: You Need Stabilizer
Stabilizer does just exactly what the name says it does, it stabilizes the fabric. The hoop holds the fabric so that it goes to the proper location, and the stabilizer keeps the fabric from moving, puckering or stretching while sewing.

FACT 2: As a Standard Rule
When the fabric you are going to embroider on has stretch to it, such as a knit, use cut away. When the fabric is fairly stable, such as a woven fabric, use tear away. If you don't want any stabilizer left in the garment or embroidery motif, use wash away. OESD's adhesive-backed stabilizers are available for use with hard to hoop items and specialty items that cannot be hooped.

FACT 3: How to Use Stabilizer
Hoop the stabilizer with the fabric wherever possible. If you adhere the stabilizer to the fabric with OESD's HRFive Temporary Spray Adhesive made especially for embroidery, it will be easier to secure the pieces in into the hoop. Make sure the fabric and stabilizer are smooth, but not stretched in the hoop and then tighten the screw.

FACT 4: The Stabilizer for You
OESD stabilizers do not stretch in any direction, ensuring good quality embroidery, even on knits. You'll notice that high quality and consistency of OESD stabilizers, as well as their versatility for a variety of projects. Let OESD stabilizers be the foundation on which you build good embroidery.

Note from Serena: OESD stabilizers are excellent for stitching embroidery designs. They stabilize and hold the stitches for the embroidery very well.

Article courtesy of www.embroideryonline.com

Monday Giveaway: 21 fun fat quarters!!!

Monday Giveaways are back, so be sure to check my blog each Monday for some neat prizes you can win for your sewing room!

Greens, yellows, pinks, blues and whites in florals, stripes and dots! Fun colors in fun prints just waiting to be used!

These 21 fat quarter luscious pieces are from Me & My Sister Designs Strawberry Lemonade collection from Moda fabrics. They would fit beautifully into any quilt and be another great addition to your fabric stash!

--To be entered in this giveaway, just leave a comment on this post with your name.

--Post a link to this giveaway on your blog and leave a second comment with the blog post url and you will be entered twice in the giveaway.

--Comments will be open until next Monday, May 19th and the winner announced that same day.

--This giveaway is only available to US residents.

--You must leave an email address in the comments or link back to a blog so I can contact you if you win. If your name is selected and there is no way to contact you, another name will be chosen.

--You have one week to claim your prize. If the prize is not claimed, another name will be chosen.

Be sure to leave a comment to enter and then check back here next Monday to see if you're the winner!

Hang up those quilt blocks!

written by Serena Smith

original idea by Vivian Goetz

One of the ladies in my classes, Vivian Goetz came up with this great idea and because I thought it was such a good idea, I asked her if I could share it with you! It's a great storage idea!!! :)

It never fails. You just finished a quilt block. All the seams are lying flat. It's pressed and ready to be trimmed down or put into a quilt top. You store it in the end of the table or pack it in a tote and when you get it back out - viola! - there are wrinkles and creases in that once oh-so-flat-and-pressed block!

What do you do? How about storing those quilt blocks by hanging them on a skirt/pant hanger! One afternoon, one of the ladies in my classes, Vivian Goetz, came in carrying her quilt blocks hung on such a hanger. What an ingenious idea! It keeps them hanging flat and ready to use without having to press out the wrinkles every time you move the blocks. Plus it's easy to clip onto the back of your chair if you are taking quilt blocks back and forth to class.

Just think: you could devote a whole closet to storing your quilt blocks! That is, if anyone would ever have a free, unoccupied closet! :)

Eliminate Those Scratches!

Embroidery designs are great for stitching on garments, whether it's t-shirts, blouses or jeans. It's especially unique and special stitching those baby and toddler articles of clothing with cute little whimsical designs. But one complaint those little toddlers have of their very fun shirts is the rough threads against their soft skin on the back of the embroidery design.

Those thread ends and little knots are rough against a baby's or toddler's delicate skin. Metallic threads will cause more irritation than polyester or rayon embroidery threads. To eliminate this try fusing a fusible lightweight interfacing such as So Sheer to the back of the embroidery design, covering those thread ends. This will take care of the scratchiness against delicate or sensitive skin.

Yes, I've been working...:)

I've been hard at work this past week working on the new MJE quilt in a color shade of pink. I have a panel of embroidery finished as well as embroidery complete on all of the eight embroidered fan blocks.

But it took a while figuring out what fabric to use for all the fan pieces of the corner fans and dresden plates. But I am more than happy with what I decided on. Now just to decide on decorative stitches...the really tough part! :)

Neither of these blocks are completely finished as far as decorative stitches; they are currently works-in-progress to be completed in hopefully the next two weeks! :)

Sewing room tour - Covering pizza boxes

Covering Pizza Boxes with Fabric
by Serena Smith
www.embtreasures.com

Pizza boxes are quick and easy to cover with fabric and offer great little storage containers to keep in your sewing room. Watch the video for step-by-step directions as well.

Supplies
large pizza box
piece of fabric 38" long x 20-22" wide
1/4 yd Ultra Heat’n’Bond wonderunder or 1 pkg 5/8" roll (needs to be the “no-sew” kind)
8" length of 1/8" or 1/4" ribbon
scissors
Olfa knife to cut slits in box

Let’s get started!
If the pizza box is folded into a box, unfold it so it is laying out flat. You will be fusing the fabric to the outside of the box and then folding the fabric raw edge to the inside.

Starting at the box lid, fuse a piece of wonderunder to the cardboard flap. Peel off the paper backing and lay the fabric on top of the box so the fabric width is centered over the box and there is about 3/4"-1" extension of fabric past the lid flap. The fabric will not quite reach the end of the other side of the box. That is ok; this end will be tucked inside.

Using your iron, fuse wonderunder strips as show below and then fuse the fabric to the box, smoothing the fabric out as you are pressing.

After the fabric is fused to the outside of the box, flip it over and cut out the corners near the flap and cut slits in the fabric in the center and at the bottom of the box where the flaps will turn to the inside to create box. Follow the cardboard slits to cut the fabric.

Fuse the fabric flaps with wonderunder to the cardboard flaps on the sides and end of the box. Then on the sides, fold the fabric to the inside of the box and fuse down. The raw edge of fabric will be inside the box.

Fold the sides and top of the flap fabric to the inside of the box to cover the flap and fuse down in place. Using the Olfa knife, cut slits in the fabric in the bottom of the box so the flaps can fit inside to hold up the box sides. Follow the cardboard cutouts.

Fold the ribbon in half and lay the ends in the center of the flap. Fuse a piece of wonderunder on the ribbon ends to hold in place. Then cut a 1" scrap of fabric and fuse over the ribbon ends.

Fold in the flaps of the box and put the box together. The ribbon should form a little loop to open the box.

Enjoy storing fabrics, notions or other things in your newly decorated pizza box!

For printable directions, click here.


Copyright © 2008 Serena Smith No portion of these directions may be copied or reproduced in any form other than one copy printed for personal use.

Fabric swap update

Here's an update on the February fabric swap packages:

Smorgasbord envelope: Karen should have it at the moment and be ready or have already sent it on th Cheri.

Solids envelope: Sandy just mailed it out this week, so Cleary should be getting it in the next couple of days.

Smorgasbord box 1: Carolyn mailed it to Lillian last week, so she has it at the moment and soon it will be on it's way to CeCelia.

Smorgasbord box 2: Donna should have the box at the moment. Pat, soon it should be on its way to you.

Thanks for all your emails to me letting me know where the fabric packages are at. If you have received it or are ready to send it on, please email me (infoATembtreasures.com) and let me know. It is much easier to track down that way! Thanks and enjoy swapping fabrics!

Our next fabric swap starts in June! Discover more details here! Check out our new International swap and Fat Quarter swap! You won't want to miss out!

pssst!!!....a clue as to the changes to come

If you want a little clue as to some of the changes to come in the next month, take a peek at this post and the graphic posted.

More to come....:)

Recycled Fabric Swap - June 2008

Do you have fabric in your sewing room that you haven't used for a while? Maybe you no longer need it for the project you had planned or it has just lost its creativity in your eyes. Perhaps it doesn't blend with most of the other fabrics in your stash or you are tired of looking at it! You need to join our Recycled Fabric Swap!

Join one or all of the following swaps:
fat quarter swap
solids envelope swap
smorgasbord envelope swap
smorgasbord box swap
international envelope swap

Deadline to sign up is Friday, May 30, 2008!

See more info here...

Sandbags, sandbags and more sandbags...

Last week I stitched sandbags and sandbags galore! I was responsible for our Miss Kitty's quilt guild meeting last Thursday evening and we had a "Progressive Make It & Take It Project" night!

Everyone or just about everyone made a thread catcher with a pincushion to set beside their sewing machine. It was a little crazy with everyone running around cutting, stitching, pressing and stuffing, but loads of fun! Something we will have to do again!

We had a cutting station for cutting the pieces. Then a sewing station for sewing the bag together. The pressing station for pressing what needed to be done. Then the stuffing station for inserting the sandbag into the cover, which is the reason for the 45 sandbags I made.

Monday giveaways taking a break until May!

Congratulations to deb for winning last week's giveaway!

I'm going to be taking a break with Monday Giveaways until May, with the exception of one terrific prize that can be won on April 21st! My time has been absorbed with the changes I am making online and I need to concentrate on that.

I have some neat prizes lined up that you could win and will be posting Monday Giveaways again, starting in May. So be sure to come back on April 21st and then in May to resume winning the fun prizes!!

New & Exciting Changes Coming Soon!!!

There are new and exciting changes happening here at Embroidery Treasures! I'm doing some updating and adding some new features online, so if you encounter some missing links or some crazy layout pages, just check back in a few days and things will improve!

Thanks for stopping by!
Serena :)

Monday Giveaway: Cottagewood Quilts

Congratulations to Jodi for winning last week's giveaway!

Large florals, prints, plaids, and ticking stripes that evoke a cottage feeling are used in 8 projects in this 40 page book - Cottagewood Quilts by Lynette Jensen for Thimbleberries. Quilts are simple to make, some have applique. A yo-yo-table topper is included along with bed quilts, wall quilts, curtain, tie-back, and pillow sham -- all in cottage style that give a room that feeling.

--To be entered in this giveaway, just leave a comment on this post with your name.

--Post a link to this giveaway on your blog and leave a second comment with the blog post url and you will be entered twice in the giveaway.

--Comments will be open until next Monday, April 7th and the winner announced that same day.

--This giveaway is only available to US residents.

--You must leave an email address in the comments or link back to a blog so I can contact you if you win. If your name is selected and there is no way to contact you, another name will be chosen.

--You have one week to claim your prize. If the prize is not claimed, another name will be chosen.

Be sure to leave a comment to enter and then check back here next Monday to see if you're the winner and enter in another fun giveaway!

This giveaway has ended!