Tips and Tutorials
Click here to see our list of Video Tutorials for Westalee Rulers and Templates for Domestic Sewing Machine Free Motion Quilting Click here to see Nifty Notions - Judy's column in "Into Craft", the Community Newsletter from the Organizers of the Shows we attend. Click here to see our list of Tutorials for using Punch with Judy's products Click here to see the index of Judy's articles in Australian Stitches Magazine. Click here to see the index of Judy's products in Machine Embroidery Magazine. Click here to see the index of Judy's products in Australian Country Threads Magazine Click here to see Judy's Hints, Tips and Ideas Archive Maybe you have some hints or tips you have discovered whilst using our products. If you want to share them, we would love to hear from you. Fabric Bowls I made these two bowls as Christmas presents to the delight of the receivers. Using The Sewing Revolution as my tool for the shapes I was able to achieve the pentagon shapes. I did come unstuck though with the fabric chosen for the blue/white bowl as it was a one way design. DON'T. I had to "fussy-cut" each section separately which took a lot longer and more preciseness. Hope my sister appreciates that extra effort every time she uses it!
The Quilt Wizard and the Slash Cutter
They stacked all the fabrics together, drew their bias lines with June Tailor's Grid Marker , sewed them "fairly straight" (for their first effort) using the Quilt Wizard attachment , then cut between the sewn lines using a Slash Cutter which they thought was the best part! When washed and tumble dried, their eyes shone with amazement and excitement seeing the chenille effect come. Reason I am sharing this with you, beside the doting Grandma bit, is to encourage others to teach the boys as well as the girls. By letting them use "tools" they somehow accept sewing as being an interesting project and okay for "tough guys". Quiltsmart Fusible Interfacing Click here for several pages of techniques and photos for using Quiltsmart products. We've also provided a Panel Guide with information about the numbers of panels you will need for specific projects.
Lois won third prize at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney 2002 in the category of Machine Quilted Bed Quilt. Looks great! Teacher is very proud of Lois! She is now teaching these methods at Singleton's Sew n Sew. Quick Quarter Alternatively, when a template has no seam allowance included, place the centre slot along the edge of the template and draw a line along the edge of the quick quarter onto the fabric beneath. Now you have your cutting line. The top end is for marking the "pivot" point for a corner - this is just a bonus, that really works.
Back to us girls! The picture above shows Kirsten learning how to sew her very first quilt using Quiltsmart's Watercolour Printed Fusible Interfacing. The second picture shows the completed quilt which was taken to "show and tell" at school. Can't you just see how proud she was by the look on her face? You could say "as pleased as punch" - pardon the pun. I have shared this delightful story with you for other doting Grandmothers who wish to teach children to sew. With Quiltsmart's Watercolour Panels there is no pinning required, the fabric doesn't move because it is fused into place and there are lines printed on the interfacing upon which they can sew straight. Even if they don't (and Kirsten did) the end result is still very good. See just how easy Quiltsmart's products are. So, if an eight year old can do it, you can too.
Step 1. Place two layers of tear-away stabilizer over the fabric and frame the two together. Embroider the design using white polyester embroidery thread. Step 2. Remove the frame, place the Rainbow Paper over the top of the embroidered design and press with a warm/wool setting iron for 20 seconds. (Cut the Rainbow Paper to the size of the design so as not to waste any) Steps 3 and 4. Remove the Rainbow Paper and the Glad Bake. Now, isn't that great? It would be difficult and time consuming to achieve the same result with changing threads constantly. 40cm x 1 metre $6.95
It dissolves easily using warm water or by spraying without any residue being left. Can be used over and/or under the fabric, is stable, traceable and will not change the fabric characteristics. Some use it for quilting and I bet a lot more will once the word gets around how good it is. There are a host of other useful ideas on the packaging too. Package Contents: 2 sheets - 31" x 21½" $15.95 |
Reece & Nicholas, our two grandsons, were staying with us just before Christmas and they asked me to help them make their parents a Christmas present each. It was a very hot summer day (as you can tell from the sewing photo), but their delight in making a Chenille Cushion was well worth the full day's patience and perseverance in the heat, as you may tell from their pride and happiness shown in the finished project photo.
Must admit, I then made up the cushions for them. This project gives a good result even if the sewing is not truly straight or the cutting not really even, so, is ideal for learners.
Toni Boyce from Orange N.S.W. made this quilt using 
We also have a picture of 
One of the handiest little tools in my quilting bag! I find it fantastic for marking a 6mm (¼") stitching line accurately by placing the edge of the 
Machine or hand stitch the two squares together on the two outside solid marked lines. After stitching, cut apart along the slotted marked centre line. Open and press the seam allowance to one side. Trim off the ends. See Diagram 2. The instructions are also given for Quarter Triangle Squares Piecing. See Diagram 3. 8" version is $6.50 and the 10" version is $8.95
Quiltsmart
So, the six year and eight year old grandsons took turns to cut some of their own!
Rainbow Paper
Design Plus®