Sister's Choice Quilts

A Brilliant New Tool You Are Sure to Want

One of my biggest sewing peeves are those little threads that are left behind when you have to rip out your sewing. Sometimes I find myself with the tweezers and a magnifying glass to pick up all the pesky little strays. You all know what I am talking about, right? This is a universal pain in the you-know-what. 

I can't remember where I first heard about this little Seam Fix gadget, but I did buy one from Fatquarter Shop. It is a seam ripper with a special cap that removes those threads. 

How does that work?

Simply rub the rubbery tip over the threads and it somehow picks them up out of the just ripped seam.

The silicone tip is kind of sticky and works great to slough off all those threads. I felt like I was using it in much the same way as I would an eraser. I had to wipe the thread bits off the bulb once or twice but found it very effective. It certainly was way faster than picking threads out with my fingers or tweezers.

Here is a YouTube "tutorial" on how to use it. The seam ripper part is obvious, but the thread removal aspect is brilliant.

Have you tried the Seam Fix? What did you think? If not, do you think you might like it?

Economy Block

Was Sunday not the longest day ever? I swear it felt like that day was 34 hours long instead of 24. When we turn the clocks back, it is always so hard for me to adjust to the time change. In addition, I have come down with a slight cold. Scratchy throat, irritating cough, lots of throat clearing. Hopeful that it will pass quickly.

I did make the next nine foundation pieced blocks for the Petit Four sew-along. This block is called Economy, and to make it I used the 4" sized foundation papers by Fat Quarter Shop. Economy is a variation of the simple square in a square block, which you may recall gave me fits last week because I didn't have papers or a tool to make it in a one-and-a-half-inch finished size. 

In 2020 I made an entire quilt using the Economy block. For these blocks I did not use foundation paper, but rather the Creative Grids Square on a Square ruler, which worked great. It comes in a four, six, or eight-inch size. You use oversized pieces of fabric and trim down to the perfect size. I used brown and red fabrics from my stash for this one. This simple block really does make a spectacular quilt.

Apparently, I really love the Economy block. This next colorful quilt is called Penny Pincher and is made with Primitive Gatherings fabric. This one I think is particularly beautiful. I love how the gold blocks make your eyes travel over the quilt top. I need to get it quilted. I must have used the Creative Grids trim tool for these blocks as well.

What are you working on this week? Hope it's a good one!

More Sampler Spree Blocks and Trick Rulers

Sorry for the spotty posting this week. For once, it wasn't me being lazy, it was Typepad that was down. For two days I couldn't even log in to my account. Seems ok now, but fingers crossed.

I spent my time making more Sampler Spree blocks, and am working my way through the book of over 100 blocks. Two of the blocks required either templates or special rulers. Imagine my happiness when I "shopped at home" and found the exact rulers I needed tucked away in a drawer. 

The block on the left in the middle row (looks kind of like a spool) required a ruler by Darlene Zimmerman called the "Companion Ruler".  Shaped like a triangle, you use it to trim a strip set you have sewn in two contrasting fabrics. My strip sets measured 2.5 inches, so you line up the bottom of the strip set at the 2.5 mark and trim.

The second block that needed a specialty tool is the orange spikey star in the middle of the bottom row. That called for the "Tri Recs" rulers. And I had not just one set, but an extra one still in its package, yellowed with age. 

My plan is to sew through the weekend and spend some time out in the fresh air. We have been remarking on how cool and lovely our weather has been for this time of year. No heat waves, no fires...

Hope you have a great weekend doing exactly as you please!

Triangle Paper

Do you use triangle papers to make your half-square triangles? I think they are great, particularly when you need to make a lot of hsts. This latest project I have embarked upon requires a slew of half-square triangles, and triangle papers have been recommended. They are a wonderful way to ensure accuracy and produce a large number of half-square triangles with a minimum of effort.

I have four varieties of half-square triangle papers that I have used over the years. All of them have umpteen size options for every size hst you could think of. The first to come to my attention, years ago, were "Thangles". These papers come in a strip that produces six half-square triangles. I like to use them when I have narrow strips of fabric because they fit nicely and use up bits that might otherwise not get used.

Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop has her own brand of triangle paper called "Triangles On A Roll". I'm not crazy about having to cut out the amount I need from a large roll, but the quality of the paper is very good. It is thinner than other brands and tears off super easily.

Lisa Bonejean of Primitive Gatherings has her own brand of triangle paper, which comes in super tiny sizes. There is even be a 1/2" size half-square triangle paper, which is ridiculously tiny. Lisa is known for her very small blocks and these papers that produce accurate teeny tiny hsts are a real boon. These are what I reach for when the size of the hsts is less than 1 1/2 inch.

I think my favorite brand of triangle paper is the Star Singles papers by Spinning Star Designs. I've bought them for years from Shabby Fabrics. I was introduced to them by Paula Barnes of Red Crinoline Quilts. I took a class from her at a quilting retreat and she used them. I like the fact that the papers are square in shape and make good use of fabric scraps. You get 8 hsts from a square of paper. The paper is a bit thicker than Kimberly's Triangles On A Roll, but still tears off fairly well, especially if you use a small stitch length when sewing. 

In between writing assignments, I ran upstairs and sewed my triangle papers for the first three blocks of the Summer Memories sew-along. Now I just need to tear off those papers and press the units. Oh, and sew the twelve basket blocks together!

This week I have spent mostly sitting at my desk writing, with the space heater aimed at my legs. Glad I didn't pack away my cashmere sweaters yet. Our weather has turned very chilly and it has been grey and drizzly. Next week promises to be the same, so I don't know what happened to spring. I may be going back to my dad's house this coming weekend, so if you don't hear from me on Monday, that could be why.

What is your favorite method to make a lot of half-square triangles?

Have a great weekend and I hope it is Spring wherever you are! Or Fall for you gals Down Under.

 

Vintage Kite Block and Is It Time to Replace Your Sharps?

How cute is this block? It is called the Vintage Kite block and is made by foundation piecing. Fat Quarter Shop has been coming out with a series of foundation papers that are truly wonderful. They have Square in a Square block papers in several common sizes, which I love to use for that block because it is a tricky one. They also have all kinds of size options for half-square triangle blocks. Paper piecing is great for HSTs when you need to make a lot of them. But I digress.

This block was fairly time-consuming, as you must do it in four sections and then sew the quadrants together to make the block. I love how it turned out though and I will definitely make more of them. This block finishes at 6 inches.

The paper sheets come in a pad of 42. You would need at least two or three pads to make a quilt. Just try one pad and make a table runner and see how you like it!


Is it time to replace some of your "sharp" tools? We all know we need to replace our rotary cutter blades fairly often. You know it's time when your blade skips and won't cut through all your layers of fabric.

But did you know other sharp tools need to be replaced as well? Pins get dull or bent and should be replaced. I toss mine and replace with new ones once a year.

This may come as a shock, but you should be replacing your seam ripper fairly often as well. The business part of a seam ripper is a razor, and it dulls over time. I bet some of you have never replaced your seam ripper. Am I right? I have a drawer full of them that I have acquired over the past 10-15 years and have no idea which are the old ones and which are the new ones. I just dumped them all and bought three new Clover seam rippers. I have one on my cutting table, one next to my sewing machine, and a backup. If I ever went on quilting retreats or took classes anymore, I'd put one in my travel sewing kit for sure. 

I had to rip something last time I sewed and wow, the new seam ripper cut through the threads like nobody's business.

Thank you again for your kind words of comfort over losing our Ozzie. It really meant so much that he touched so many of you over the years! That dog was something else. Gosh, our house feels empty without him. My husband hardly knows what to do with himself early in the morning when he used to walk him around the neighborhood. Ozzie had an inner alarm clock I swear. He always knew when it was 5:30 and time for dinner, and he sure had us trained. Come 5:30 my husband and I are ready to go into the kitchen and fill the food bowls. I know it gets better over time, but whew, it is a sad adjustment for us.

 

Weird Weather and Product Review

Honestly, we are getting some weird weather. It seems like a few weeks ago it was in the 90s. On Tuesday night it hailed, and then snowed! We might get snow at our altitude, but in early November it is pretty unheard of. And my goodness is it ever cold. Like you don't want to forget your jacket when you run out to the store or to pick up the kid at school.

Eva was feeling well enough to go to school, so that is good. She still has a bit of a sore throat but is fine otherwise. 

I am making progress with the square in a square blocks for the Family Reunion quilt. I will be glad to wrap up this project. Not much more to go. 

I have a product review for you all. I am always looking for seam guides I can attach to my sewing surface to help me keep to a scant quarter inch seam. I have tried several with good results and recently saw this advertised somewhere.

So, I didn't really care for it. I will tell you why, but if any of you use it and like it, please explain why in the comments. My problem with it was that even with the little positioning tool I was not able to line it up properly. Also, the sticky strip guide was too short for my way of thinking. It is hard to see in the photo, but there is a pale blue plastic thing with a hook you wrap around your needle when you position the sticky strip guide. I must have been doing something wrong because I could not get it anywhere near a quarter inch.

This is Lori Holt's Seams So Easy seam guide. I like this one. See how long the seam guidelines are? That's a plus. The cutesy flower petal shape serves no purpose, but that is what Lori Holt does. The cuteness factor is important to her.

This no-frills seam tape by Cluck Cluck Sew works great. It is inexpensive and you get a lot of it. I've used it and once you position it as shown in the photo above it is a great success.

Do you use a seam guide? It is especially helpful when you have to make a lot of half-square triangles and don't want to draw dozens of diagonal lines on your fabric. I use mine a lot and think it is a time saver and leads to better accuracy.

Please share your thoughts on seam guides in the comments!

 

 

A Tip to Speed Up the Block Making Process

As shown in yesterday's post, I have been working on the Granny Square blocks for the Family Reunion sew-along from the Rollin' Along book. For my first block I got up and pressed my seams open for every single seam in those blocks. It took F.O.R.E.V.E.R.

For my second block, I pulled out my old-fashioned little wooden seam presser. I used to it flatten each seam to the side rather than open. I paid attention to the direction my seams went, alternating the direction for each row so that the seams would nest. That little stick did a great job of pressing those seams down.

I used it again to flatten the seams after sewing the block rows together. Honestly, it worked fine. And it was so much better than getting up and going to the ironing station so frequently. The block with opposing seams went together in half the time of the block with the open seams.

After a final press with the iron, to my observation, there was no difference in the flatness of the blocks when comparing open seams to nesting seams. In my book, the time-saving factor of using the little wooden seam press and having the seams nest/oppose wins.

I have had my little seam presser stick for years, and do not recall where I got it. I checked on Fat Quarter Shop and they did not have that exact one, but had some in wood or plastic that would achieve the same results.

Current Favorite Sewing Tools

I thought it might be fun to talk about some quilting/sewing tools I have been using lately. I truly believe they are responsible for making my sewing more accurate.

First up is starch. I buy it by the half dozen cans or more at Walmart, where I have found the best prices. If you haven't discovered the benefits of starching your quilting fabric before cutting it out, it might be time to give it a try. I go through two or three cans of it when I prepare my fabric for a new project. There are loads of YouTube tutorials that extol the benefits of starch and explain how to do it. I like the ones by Kimberley Jolly and Lisa Bongean. Starching gives your fabric a body that really enhances cutting and sewing accuracy.

My new CHI iron. Oh my goodness, I love this iron. It supposedly has 400 steam holes. I didn't count them, but I can tell you that it puts out a lot of steam. And the 30-minute-auto-shut-off feature is easy to love too.

These funny things are called tailor's clappers. Mine are made by Riley Blake and are some kind of hardwood. After pressing a seam you lay one on top of the seam and the heat from the pressed fabric passes to the wood and back to the fabric and somehow all that hot goodness makes the seams lie flatter. It really works. I liked it so much I bought another one. And you know something? One of them is noticeably heavier than the other. Bummer, right? I want two equally heavy clappers.

Some of my favorite quilting tools are trim tools. This clever device is a "Cute Cuts" trim tool by Lori Holt. I bought a set of them in various sizes and don't regret the expense one bit. This little tool is perfect for hourglass blocks or blocks such as the one in the picture above. Those blocks come out wonky 100% of the time unless you make them larger and trim them down. With the center, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines clearly marked on the trim tool, your block units will now come out perfect without fail every time.

Any BLocLoc tool you buy is worth it. Flying Geese, Half Square Triangles, Strip Cut Ruler- they are all excellent. They come in many sizes, but for half-square triangles, you can use a larger one and use the markings on it to trim your unit down to the right size. I am using a 3 1/2" tool to trim my HST down to
2 3/4". For flying geese, it is best to have the exact size you are making.

I love my BlocLoc rulers for half-square triangles, but I use triangle paper too.  Back in the 90s I purchased a ton of Thangles triangle papers, because they were new on the market and I wanted to try them. I have since purchased Star Singles triangle papers and Kimberly Jolly's Triangles On A Roll papers and think I prefer them to the Thangles. However, I have a drawer full of Thangles and decided to use them up on a project I am working on that calls for a lot of 3" hsts. I'm sure they are still sold in stores, but you won't get the price I paid back in 1996!

You know how sometimes when you are making a project, you find yourself repeatedly cutting the same size strips of fabric over and over? These Creative Grids rulers come in 2 1/2" and 3 1/2" widths. There are more sizes available, but those are the two that I got, and I love them. No kidding, I grab either of those rulers non stop when I am cutting out fabric for block units. Of course, you can use a bigger ruler, but I love the accuracy of these that are the exact size I want.

You know those projects where you have to trim dozens of corner triangles? It gets tiring to snip each one individually. So, a little trick I learned is to place a number of them on your cutting mat, and with a ruler with the quarter-inch marking clearly visible, line it up and use your rotary cutter to trim a bunch at once. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of the tools I have been reaching for a lot lately. If you have a special tool or sewing aid you like, please share in the comments! And if your favorite sewing tool is M & M's, that's fine too.

Having the Right Tools for the Job

Well, I did it. I spent another $100 on an iron. As far as I am concerned I will never bring another Rowenta into the house. They have disappointed me hugely over the years with their awful leaking, so no more. I had just about made up my mind to get a cheap iron and be done with it, but recently I got a couple of suggestions for pricier irons that might be worth the expense. One reader suggested the Rowenta ironing station, where the water is stored in a large base that sits under the iron itself. She said she gets great steam, no annoying auto shut off, no leaking, and it's been working great for her. But at $299 I wasn't sure I wanted to throw any more money at Rowenta. 

Another reader told me about her Chi iron. Chi is a company that is known for hair tools. Dryers, straighteners, curling irons, etc. It turns out they make a steam iron priced $60-$100, depending on the model. She loves hers. Great steam, no leaking, and a 30-minute auto-shutoff. In a weak moment, I ordered one, which arrived this weekend.

And I think I love it. It is quite heavy and has 400 steam vent holes, similar to the Rowenta. The steam it puts out is impressive. It also holds a lot more water than my previous irons. I also love the fact that I don't have to "wake it up" every 8 minutes due to the annoying shut-off feature. I will keep you posted, but so far, this seems to be a great iron.

I remade my Moda Blockheads block from last week. The seams on the center area on my block were kind of puckery, and would not lie flat. I don't know if it was better sewing on my part or the new iron, but the center of this second block is behaving much better. I made the bonus block as well, which has a similar construction and that center section came out great too.

Hope you all had a great weekend. Happy sewing this week!

Moda Blockheads 4, Block 6 and a Rowenta Iron Update

Yesterday Moda Blockheads 4 released their 6th block in the sew-along. This one is called Spinning Into Spring designed by Linzee McCray. It is the yellow and grey block on the left. A darker less busy grey print would show up the "spin" factor better, but I kind of like the subtle colors. Last week's bonus block wasn't my cup of tea, so I made a different block, which is on the right. I think it might be called Spinning Star, but who knows. If you think you have a name for it, let me know.

A year or so ago I did a Sentimental Stitches sew-along called Comfort and Blessing, and this was one of the block patterns. At the time, I changed up the size of the sew-along blocks to 6 inches finished when I made my quilt. However, the free Comfort and Blessing patterns were all given in a 9-inch finished size. So, I am good to go with a slew of great 9-inch blocks if I want to replace any of the Blockheads offerings. 

This little trim tool was perfect for trimming up those tricky little units. It is called Cute Cuts by Lori Holt. This is the 3 1/2" unfinished size. I bought a set of them from Fat Quartershop and they have been great. I use them all the time. The markings make it so easy to perfectly center your block units. 

As promised, here is an update on the gazillion-dollar Rowenta iron my husband gave me for Christmas a few months back. What a colossal disappointment that thing has been. It leaks like a son of a gun, and has stained many a piece of white background fabric. I gave up on it a couple of months ago and went back to using my old iron. In a weak moment, I forgave it this week and gave it one more chance to redeem itself. Nope, it leaked all over the place.  Part of the problem is that it auto shuts off way too quick, and has to heat up again. Who has time for that? I am done with it. I love steam. I have to have steam. I do not like a dry iron. At all. I want a steam iron that gets hot, puts out a lot of steam, doesn't leak, and preferably stays on for 20- 30 minutes before it shuts off. I do not know why I cannot have that. One of life's truly terrible disappointments.