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More New Notions - Olfa Scissors, My Favorite Interfacings, BobbinSaver

Form-Flex All-Purpose Fusible Woven Interfacing

This is my favorite interfacing.  I'm not sure what exactly makes it different than other interfacings, but think it has to do with the tight weave and excellent adhesive.  Once I apply it, it rarely comes away from the fabric.  I have some interfaced pieces in my scrap bin that have been in there for 2-4 years, and this interfacing is still securely applied to the fabric.  It's not going anywhere...

Pellon Shape-Flex Fusible Woven Interfacing

When I can't find the Form-Flex interfacing, Pellon's Shape-Flex is the one I look for next.  It is very good interfacing, and more economically priced than the Form-Flex. 

BobbinSaver

This BobbinSaver thing is making my sewing life easier.  It holds bobbins neatly and most importantly, it keeps them from unwinding!  I've spilled my bobbins SOOO many times, making a huge and annoying mess. It always happens when I go to pick one up and end up accidentally pulling the unwinding tails of other bobbins. 

The BobbinSaver keeps them from unwinding and even if you drop the whole thing, it might roll around for a bit, but the bobbins aren't coming out!  They slide easily in and out by hand, but are securely held by the rubbery plastic donut shape until you decide take them out.   

Olfa 5" Precision Applique Scissors

These little scissors are fantastic for thread trimming and also clipping/notching curves!  They are super strong and sharp, and easily cut through multiple layers.  The handle is designed so you can get three fingers in the holes for some leverage.  The small size makes them easy to use for detail work. They can be used with either hand, so you lefties aren't left out. 

New Notions! Jumbo Snaps & Plier Kits

Very slowly I've been adding more notions and hardware to my etsy shop.  It is nice to be able to offer some of the things I really appreciate and love using.  Today I have two new things:

 

I'm sort of batty for these snaps lately.  They are pretty, easy and fast to install, and I just really like these size 24 Jumbo ones in particular. 

These are available in 5 different colors (red, black, matte black, antique silver, antique copper) in sets of 10 or sets of 20.    

I also have the pliers for these snaps!  These are the ones I talked about here. 

Chipboard for Pattern Pieces

 

Swatch Book pattern pieces on chipboard, hanging on pin board. 

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Back in April, Arvey Paper, the store where I bought chipboard for my pattern pieces, went out of business.  It was convenient to have a local place I could just stop by and get a few sheets at a time.  I miss that store sometimes! 

So now I buy it in massive quantities, which I admit does give me a bit of a greedy thrill. It's satisfying to know I won't be running out any time soon.  But when "soon" means more like 2 years, it might be too much.  

The moral of this story is there are two sizes available in my etsy shop now--8.5" x 11" and 8.5" x 14". 

Chipboard is fantastic for making pattern pieces.  It is used for other crafts too, but I'm not sure what they are...book making, cards, ??? 

I make all my original pattern pieces with chipboard these days, and for older patterns, I print them out and tape or glue them to the chipboard. 

Then I punch a hole in the pieces and hang them up on one of the many pinboards hanging on my sewing room walls.  The walls and ceiling are all the left over space in the sewing room.  For now, I'll leave the ceiling out of it, but perhaps next year I'll be showing you some pegboard ceiling contraption I've built!

Having the pattern pieces hanging where I can see them has helped with my productivity lately.  It helps me remember they exist, and yet keeps them from being clutter and stacking up in random piles.

Each size of chipboard package comes with 25 pieces.  This is the most I can get in the Priority envelopes and still follow the USPS rules.  They end up weighing a lot, so the Priority Flat Rate envelopes are the only way to ship them that makes sense.    

The 8.5" x 14" size is great for bigger things (used some of it to make grocery bag pattern pieces), but I find myself using the 8.5" x 11" size most.  I think it is the familarity of the size that makes me reach for it more often, and since most things I make are small, the standard paper size works just fine most of the time.

Any left-over scraps are used for my to-do and grocery lists.  Since they are heavier and more substantial than a post-it note, I find I don't lose my list as often! 

New Product Labels!

I went on a cutting spree and there are LOTS of grocery bags cut out and waiting to be sewn.  I sewed a few together, but really wanted to get some new labels before making many more.  These labels from Hobbytime kept popping up on etsy, so I ordered some.  

They are very nice for the price.  Someday it would be good to get woven ones again, but usually you have to order 500, if not 1000 or more.  That is just label overload for me. Hobbytime offers these printed satin ones in a variety of low quantities. 

These look good and I really like that they sew into the seam!  My last ones had to be stitched around all four sides and it was hard to get them on straight.  These were super simple to use. 

It is also great that you get room for text on both sides.  These are really only for the grocery bags, so I put the care info on the back side.

Sewing Pattern Pin Cushion Jar

Sewing Pattern Pin Cushion Jar

A fun and functional way to store needles and other notions. Available at House 406.

Polka Dot Embroidery Thread Storage Cards

Polka Dot Embroidery Thread Storage Cards

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These embroidery thread cards from a place to lay my thread look cute and useful--the very best combination!  

"Looking for something a little different when it comes to storing your embroidery thread collection? How about a fun way to display or photograph your stock? Or maybe, like me, you just covet pretty sewing supplies!"  Read more...