Tips Worth Mentioning

Have ya'll discovered YouTube?  Of course you have.  You can find anything and EVERYTHING on YouTube.

Are you sad?  YouTube will make you smile:  Learn to Knit 

Can't sleep?  YouTube can either entertain you watching one of your favorite actors like Katherine Hepburn, or put you to sleep with soothing music.

Keep up with your favorite shows!  e-Bird commentary on 90-Day Fiance.  You don't even have to watch the show....e-Bird will sum it all up for you!

Likewise FaceBook is a wealth of information!  (Hide all the political stuff, that'll just drive you to drink!)  Here are a few of my favorites from each platform.

Facebook:

Turning narrow fabric tubes using an empty Aurifil thread spool.  HERE   This would have been so handy constructing Passiflora this past Christmas.  Look at those skinny arms!

All about bobbins:  The good, the bad and the ugly.  This post is specifically regarding Featherweight bobbins, but I found it helpful. The bottom line seems to be "don't buy cheap."

Finishing the quilt binding!  It drives me crazy!  I always manage to get it twisted up and then I have to employ Jack-the-Ripper.  Karen of Just Get It Done quilts makes it look easy.

YouTube:

The older we get, the smaller the eye on that needle!  Thread the needle using a toothbrush!
Here is an alternative method.  Either way, no spit on the thread!  ick....

 

I didn't even KNOW I was supposed to clean my scissors!

 

 

 

 

An interesting method to mark quilt rulers to make cutting fabric faster and more accurate using Incredible Tape By Marathon Threads.  I found a similar product on Amazon.

 

 

Good quilt block pressing method.  I've seen a tailor's clapper used, as well.

 

 

 

You're welcome and I leave you with the beautiful music of Miss Cynthia Lin.

Row, Row, Row Your .... Boat?

The internet is a WONDERFUL tool, no?  You can find and order just about anything on the internet from Aurifil thread to Zippers and everything in between.  If Amazon doesn't have it, it will be out there...somewhere.
(FYI, Amazon sells Aurifil thread and zippers.)

With all the internet shopping going on, there is understandably less traffic in the shops.

How to get quilters and sewists back into the shops..... hummm ... By jove, I've got it! 

Make a game of it.... have a contest .... win prizes!

Row-By-Row Experience.  

What IS it?  Row by Row was started 8 years ago.  The purpose is to get people off their computers and back out to the quilt shops and fabric stores.

Every year there is a theme.  Individual quilt shops pay a fee to participate and they design a row according to the theme. Beginning in June and running until sometime in September, when you visit a participating shop you'll see a display of that shop's row and you can pick up a free pattern.  Often the shop will make up kits  for purchase with all the fabric and embellishments you'll need for their row.

You then rush home and sew up all your collected rows just as fast as ever you can (neglecting hubby, house work and and all other distractions.) When your R X R quilt is completely finished....quilting, binding and labeling ... be the first to take your finished quilt to any participating  shop and win lots of prizes.  That's it.  It's fun and exciting.

This years R X R is in full swing and the theme is Taste the Experience.  It is not too late to get started.

Here is one winner from Washington State.

                              The creativity of people still amazes me.

Find participating shops in your area, click HERE.

Check out the Inspiration page for more fun, quilty stuff and pictures of other winning quilts.

The last couple of years a R X R Junior has been added to encourage our younger quilters.  And don't stop there.... check out the supplemental patterns for young quilters.... I'm tempted to try some of these, myself.

For the curious folk who would like to see rows and blocks from past years, I found this website, Seams to Be Sew.  Grab a cup of Kicking Horse (or a nice red, depending on the time of day) and take a tour.  There is a lot of stuff on this site.....

If you can stand just one more link, Row by Row Studio on Facebook.  What fun!