Also showing at Spring Quilt Market!

We are also showing these beauties at Spring Quilt Market!

"The Place Setting" P215 Place mats, napkins with napkin rings, and bread basket!

"Basket Liners" P213 Customize any square or rectangle basket with the  Basket Liner formula!

"Sew ImPressed" P209 Pressing boards with a pocket to hold and carry your grid rulers!

Best Press - maybe my favorite notion of all times!

Okay, maybe Mary Ellen's Best Press Clear Starch Alternative is my favorite notion of this whole series. I use it every time I sew - 'cause I press every time I sew. It is very simple. The starch makes the pressing faster and more crisp. Especially those times when a cotton just doesn't want to press a crease. This does the job! And it smells fabulous -- at least 'Tea Rose Garden'. There are other scents but I don't know what they are since I love the rose scent so much, I haven't bought the others. But smelled them at the store and they smelled good too!

Mary Ellen's Best Press Clear Starch Alternative

Bonnie Christine on CreativeLive.

So I spent three days with Bonnie Christine talking about 'Surface Pattern Design' on CreativeLive. Bonnie did a great job and I love CreativeLive.
Bonnie is a fabric designer for Art Gallery, and her fabric is featured in our pattern 'Sew ImPressed' (P209). She obviously has a whole range of talents which are very impressive. Watch out Martha Stewart!

Bonnie Christine's online class for Surface Pattern Design

Iron cleaner - a must!

I can't tell you how many projects I have ruined or almost ruined because of a dirty iron. The ONLY thing I have found to clean them is Iron-off. You put about a 1/2 teaspoon (in a line) on an old dish towel. Then rub your hot iron on the goo - for quite awhile, back and forth really hard. You will be surprised how much dirt comes off the iron and onto the towel!

Iron-off [Hot Iron Cleaner}

Cordless Iron - love it!

Just have to tell you about the new iron I acquired recently. Brewer and Vanilla House teamed up at Quilt Market -- I demonstrated a new cordless Panasonic iron they are selling and they demonstrated my new pressing boards [P209 Sew ImPressed]. In the end, Panasonic gave me the iron. It is cordless, which is great for taking it a ways away from the wall plug. But mostly, just great not have to drag the cord around. It is pointed on both ends, so it forces you to put it back in the charger instead of standing it upright on the ironing board like you normally do. It doesn't take long to get used to that. I am finding I don't want to use my other iron since this one heats up very quickly, presses fabulously, and is easy to add water [the tank separates from the iron and you take that to the sink - so great]. I would give the iron 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Panasonic Cordless Iron NI-WL600

[Bias] Tape Makers, etc......

There is a lot going on here -- let me explain . . . . . . .

I love putting trim on projects - always looks good. Bias trim that goes around edges that are curved, like my Pot Pinchers (P156), (takes more fabric since it is cut on the bias) and regular trim (not cut on the bias) can go on straight edges (uses a lot less fabric to make). Using tape makers, the trim can exactly coordinate with the fabric of your project (versus buying the closest possibility from ready-made trims). 
There are different sizes for different widths of trim. The pastels can attach the fusible Steam-a-seam as your press your trim. The basic colors like the red one doesn't! If you are going to buy a tape maker, go ahead and buy a pastel just in case you ever want to attach Steam-a-seam to your trim.

The tape is by The Warm Company and the tape makers by Clover.

 

Pot Pinchers have coordinating bias trim around the edges. This trim uses the 50mm tape maker and is folded again after the pressing in the tape maker.

The trim on the top of the pockets is straight and does not need to be cut on the bias.

Sew ImPressed - best seller! (P209)

Our Market guests loved the idea that you can carry your grid ruler protected in a pressing board. It is a really great combination.

This is a great collection in Heather Bailey fabric!

Cute sewing fabric looks good too!

This is our largest one -- 18" x 24".

Sew Im-pressed!

For a long time, I have been using custom pressing boards in my sewing studio. A large pressing board sits next to my machine and I just reach over to iron something. I use smaller pressing boards when I make things like doll clothes or hem a pair of pants. They are indispensable. I like having them covered in pretty prints -- why not?!!
So our new pattern, "Sew Im-pressed" is based on this concept (P209). And I added a handle on the top so you can take the board to your sewing class, group, or even your cruise. So why not include a pocket on the back side also so you can carry your grid rulers also -- which are always so difficult to tote along, much less so breakable. It all works so perfect!!

This is Art Gallery's Bonnie Christine's spring line, "Sweet as Honey". Isn't it pretty?!!

I have already made 21 of these boards -- it's insane -- I can't quite! I need a pressing board addiction recovery group! I know you are thinking this is crazy -- but make one -- and see how easy it is to get hooked. Before you know it, you will be making one for everyone you know! in every size imaginable!