Tips for Having a Successful Retreat
Greetings from Cedar Shores Resort in Chamberlain, SD! This weekend 37 people enjoyed 3 days of sewing, fun and relaxation. I asked a few people what they did to prepare for having a successful three days of sewing.
1. Pre-Cut. Having projects pre-cut allows you to enjoy sewing and conversing with friends without having to figure cutting sizes or quantities. It is always good to know you have enough fabric before leaving town.
2. Have sewing machine cleaned and serviced before the trip.
3. Take smaller tools if possible pack the smallest rotary cutting mat and ruler that you will need.
4. If traveling with a friend or two, make a check list ahead of time and plan on sharing items. Example: One person packs a large rotary cutting mat and ruler to share between you.
5. Cups with lids. Have your beverage at choice near by at all times without worrying about spilling.
6. Bring your favorite snacks.
7. If you do not want to carry the book you are working from, copy the needed pages to reduce the load.
8. Know your limitations. If you are easily distracted within a group, take simpler projects to work on like 9-patches.
9. Bring projects you know you will have time to work on. Try not to overload yourself with what you want to get completed. But do bring extra projects in case you get bored with one project or realize that you need more fabric before continuing.
10. Bring a portable light and iron if allowed.
11. Label all tool. This will allow for sharing if needed.
12. Wind bobbins before packing.
13. Buy new or sharpen rotary cutter blades.
14. Always have extra needles.
15. Know your accommodations. Ask about sleeping rooms, distance from sleeping rooms to sewing retreat, retreat lighting, and items included within sleeping rooms.
Thank you everyone who was able to attend the weekend Mystery Sewing Retreat. It was a pleasure having all of you aboard!
Come to Sewtopia and Thimbleberries Club in February to see pictures from the 2007 Mystery Sewing Retreat.
© 2007 SewSara, Sioux Falls, SD. All Rights Reserved.
Can I Use Any Bobbin In My Machine?
Sewing machine accessories, like bobbins, seem to have a way of being held over from machine to machine. Often a box of bobbins wound with glamorous colors finds its way into a new sewing machines bobbin collection. The size of a bobbin must match precisely with the machine’s bobbin area. Just because a bobbin seems to be a similar size, the slightest difference can wreck havoc for its owner. A sewing machines bobbin case tension is properly set based on the machine’s correct bobbin type. If a machine uses plastic bobbins, the tension will be set differently than to a machine that uses a metal or heavier bobbin. Switching between plastic and metal bobbins will result in an unbalanced tension.
Bobbins that are too tall will interfere with the stitch formation especially for machines with drop in bobbins. When a stitch is taken, thread will not be able to clear the top of the bobbin resulting in a wound up mess in the bobbin area.
To avoid unnecessary headaches, ALWAYS use the bobbin specified by the sewing machine manufacture. If you are unsure, which bobbins are the correct fit for your machine, stop by our service window with your machine’s make and model and a sampling of some of your bobbins.
© 2007 SewSara, Sioux Falls, SD. All Rights Reserved.
Sewing for Charity
A quilt has become a warm and uplifting gift that can make some of the most unthinkable situations a little less traumatic. The soft fabric around ones shoulders can bring comfort to both children and adults. Police cars often keep quilts in their trunks, hospitals stock pile quilts for children and the Red Cross delivers quilts and blankets where ever they are needed.When donating quilts to different charities, think about who might be receiving the quilts. If the quilt or blanket is for a children’s organization, think about what fun colors and patterns would interest a child and help take their minds off their current situation. If the quilt is for general warmth, select fabrics, batting and thread that can withstand washings and heavy use.
Sewing in the name of love offers a feelings that fill the heart. Take some time to sort out fabrics that are just hanging out in the sewing room. Create a box or drawer that fabric extras can be stored for future charity quilts. Cut fabric leftovers into 3 inch strips or 5 or 6 inch squares to quick sew together when you are in the mood to sew for a local group. Buy a king size batting for your next quilt and save the extra length for one of these special quilts.
If you do not have time to sew quilts yourself, there are many people who do have the time. By donating fabric, batting, or even quilt tops, others can take these resources and help complete quilts for many local and national charities. If everyone took time to help in their own small way, just think how much warmer the world would be.
Since January 2005, Heirloom Creations has taken part in being a drop off location as well as an avid supporter of Project Linus. Remember Linus from the Peanuts gang? He always carried his blanket with him. Project Linus is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization that provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans.
If you would like to participate in a National Sewing Day for Project Linus, please join us for Make-A-Blanket Day, Saturday, February 17, 2008.
© 2007 SewSara, Sioux Falls, SD. All Rights Reserved.
Stacked Thread vs Cross-Wound Thread
Thread is wound onto spools in one of two ways – stacked or cross-wound. Stacked thread is when the thread lays parallel to itself around the spool. Cross-wound thread is forms an X around the spool. So what is the big deal you ask?
There are a couple things to know about how to position the spool on the sewing machine to achieve the best results. Stacked thread typically comes off the spool best if it is placed on a vertical spool pin. This will result in the spool needing to twist or spin to release the thread. This allows the thread to come off the spool in the smoothest manor. By placing stacked threads properly on a vertical spool pin will also allow the thread to not get caught in those pesky thread holder grooves carved into the ends of some spools. Cross-wound thread unwinds best if it is placed on a horizontal spool pin making the thread pull away from the thread core smoothly as each X is unwound.
Spool caps are designed to hold cross-wound spools in place on the horizontal spool pin. Match up the correct spool cap size with the spool cone end. Spool caps need to be positioned so that no thread can sneak between the cap and the spool and tangle. This will result usually with a broken needle or snapped thread as it becomes super tight. There are a few times when it is best to place a stacked spool on a horizontal spool pin. Some stacked slippery decorative threads such as rayon or polyesters sometimes what to puddle or fall off the spool resulting is a tangled mess while the spool is spinning. Again this tangling will lead to a broken needle or snapped thread. Change these unruly spools to a horizontal spool pin with the proper spool cap.
Thread stands are a wonderful addition to anyones sewing room. These stands allows users to use the larger cones of thread. Most larger thread cones are cross-wound. When placing this cone on a thread stand, the thread will travel upward to the guide at the top of the stand and over to the first guide on the sewing machine. Though this looks like it is on a vertical spool pin, the thread is actually still unwinding in the same way as it would on a horizontal spool pin. The thread is still being pulled off the spool releasing each of the cross-wound x’s very smoothly.
Thread stands are also good for fussy threads like metallics and nylon monofilaments. By placing these types of threads on a thread stand, it allows time for the thread to relax before it enters the first guide of the sewing machine.
© 2007 SewSara, Sioux Falls, SD. All Rights Reserved.
Healthy Sewing Habit – January 2007
Start each new project with a new needle and a clean and oiled machine.
Healthy Sewing Habits Introduction
Each month our Sewtopia Club members receive a special Healthy Sewing Habit to remind them throughout the year of ways to enjoy sewing more.