Busy, busy!

Wow!  So much has happened!  We've been all birthdays and company and traveling and Air Force duty, not to mention QuiltWest, which continues to progress.  Nearly all the quilt tops are in from our hard-working sewistas, and I've completed long arm quilting on two of them!  Check out these rockin' paisleys, yo.

I bet you think I've totally let the shark costume drop off the map, but I haven't.  I'm in the process of revising some of the pieces and steps to make it WAY easier with far better results.  Might be a few days yet, but HOORAY for easier/better!

Speaking of sharks, here's a quick preview of Big Boy's birthday cake.  More to come on that...

So on to some BIG NEWS:

Top 10 Tips for Working with Silky Furry Fleece

1.  Accept that sewing with Silky Furry Fleece will turn your house into a Muppet barber shop.  The mess won't stay contained to your sewing space either -- you'll track it all over the house.  If you would never shave Chewbacca in your living room just for the joy of the thing, this is probably not your fabric of choice.

Okay, now that we're over that hurdle, read on.  (Take comfort in knowing I'm a classic Type-A freak.  If I can work with it, anyone can.)

Best Practices: Before you walk away...

Most people sew in spurts:  They work on a project, finish it and store their machines until the next big project comes along.  When you set your machine aside, you can spend three seconds doing three ridiculously simple things to extend the life of your machine and prevent problems.  (I even do this when I walk away from my machine for a few hours...)

Best Practices: Working with Fusible Interfacing

Fusible interfacing can do wonderful things for your sewing.  Depending on the type you choose, it can add stability, structure and even padding to your creation.  The varieties are endless:  Fusibles range in thickness...some are tissue-like and tear easily, some stretch with your knits, yet others have no foundation at all.  Instead, they're little more than glue pressed in a misty weblike sheet used to applique one fabric to another for quilting.  Though most fusible interfacings are manufactured in white, some also come in gray and black. 

As wonderful as fusible interfacing is, it can be a total pain to work with.  Here are some tips for avoiding common pitfalls and making things a little easier...

Best Practices: Stabilize That Machine!

If you've had the pleasure pleasure of owning an antique machine and then purchased a new sewing machine, you may have noticed one major difference as soon as you picked up the box:  New machines are generally much lighter than their ancestors.  Older machines were typically cast iron beneath the surface, while new machines are filled with many more plastic parts.  Newer machines aren't quite the workhorses that their predecessors were, but if you're taking lessons or classes that require you to drag your machine around, you may not mind so much.  Lightweight = Easier to transport.  However, the first time said machine tips over or your serger goes dancing off the table and crashing onto Rover, you'll see the obvious downside.  (Ask me how I know...)