Sewing Tips from an Old Sew n’ Sew

Organizing is a forever project…at least it is for me. I will start off with the best intentions and something, Lord knows what, will catch my eye and I am sidetracked. This time I was sidetracked by a little booklet I found in my sewing stash called “Sew News presents Sewing Room Secrets.” Some of the tips are pretty good, others are…..not as good. I thought I’d share some of the best with the blog world before I put them on one of my pages. Here’s five tips that I think are pretty darn good.

To make a cutting table, use a 32” wide unfinished door and covered it with self-adhesive decorative paper. Place the “table” on 2 filing cabinets. You will have a table long enough for 60 inch wide fabrics and 2 cabinets to organize patterns.

Sewing for a child or grandchild? Cut four 4 inch squares of each fabric used and store them in a plastic bag in your sewing area. Soon you’ll have enough for a memory quilt.

After cutting a garment, save two 6 to 8 inch squares of fabric to test iron-on interfacing, buttonholes, check thread color, or topstitching length.

Keep a checkered vinyl tablecloth under your everyday table covering. When you’re ready to cut fabric, pull back the top tablecloth and you’ll have a gridded surface for cutting.

Serge or zig-zag the raw edges of fabric before preshrinking. It will keep the fabric from raveling and save your washer’s agitator from the abuse of the loosened threads.

Post by Miss Eileen aka GoofingOff MissEileen vintage
Goofingoff Etsy Judaic fabrics, sewing patterns
GoofingOff Artfire Sewing patterns, plus size patterns
Metal Woods N Water unusual stuff and metal work

Monday Morning Stuff

Hi, all! Yes, it’s Monday once again. Got plans for today? I am back to work after a week of family fun, grandkids, and creating. I did yoga with my daughter (kept up but couldn’t quite wrap myself into a pretzel like she did), made “Big Bro and Big Sis” T-shirts (tutorial will follow now that I ironed out the wrinkles), made a diaper cake (so cute and so appreciated), and went to a Pomegranate Guild Meeting (Judaic Needle crafters….I am sooo inspired!).

New listings in the GoofingOff shop….just click on the picture for information:

Fabrics:

More fabric listings coming, even new Judaic fabrics.

                                                           Vintage Wool Fabric, 2 yards, 60 inches wide.

                                                               Vintage Concord Farmland, 2 yards, 45 inches wide, all cotton….Great for quilting.

Sewing Patterns

Here’s a few of the sewing patterns I listed this week. More coming.

Crochet Patterns:

Here’s a couple of the crochet patterns I listed. I am making a couple of my own, too. They’ll be ready for purchase soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Notions:

I am now carrying Schmetz sewing needles. Just add them to your order and get free shipping.

Post by Miss Eileen aka GoofingOff
MissEileen vintage
Goofingoff Etsy Judaic fabrics, sewing patterns
GoofingOff Artfire Sewing patterns, plus size patterns
Metal Woods N Water unusual stuff and metal work

Fat Quarter Challenge: What Do You Do With a Fat Quarter?

Just the other day a friend was looking through GoofingOff and asked me “What can you do with a fat quarter?” Hmmm, I thought, what can you do with a fat quarter? Because I quilt a little, I am familiar with fat quarters. They provide me with just the right amount of color that might be lacking in a block.  A fat quarter is a good way to buy a little bit of fabric, more than a sample but less than a yard, especially if the fabric is a budget breaker.

Here’s the challenge: what do you do with a fat quarter? Here’s a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

If you have ideas or just want to show off, post a link in the comments and I will add them, too.

Bibs and Burp Cloths

Bib & Burp Cloth Set - Polka Dots and Swirls by Sew Knot Expected

Mug Rugs

Quilted Mug Rugs by Crafty Stitches

Crafty Stitches also makes these beautiful jewelry rolls using 2 fat quarters.

Camera Strap Cover

I made this (blush).  Not perfect but I love the colors. It feels like my hubby’s giving me a hug every time I use it (he just bought me the camera. Woo Hoo!).

Pot Holders

I made these, too. Love the pattern. Looks like leaves.  Ok, I am not the greater sewist around but you get the point. Sewist, I always wondered what we were called. Sewer didn’t sound right.

Yarmulke or Kippah

  Disney Toy Story Kippah by Maybe Sew

Wallets

 Butterfly Fabric Bifold Wallet by Tracey Lipman

Post by Eileen

MissEileen

Goofingoff Etsy

GoofingOff Artfire

Metal Woods N Water

New Listings in GoofingOff

Here’s some of the patterns and fabrics listed recently in GoofingOff etsy:

Fabrics:

 Skiing Penguins Fat Quarters

 

      Strawberry Shortcake Fat Quarters

      Mah Jong Tiles on Red Fat Quarters

       Alexander Henry Historical Spin Blue and Gold Dreidels on white Fat Quarters

  Chanukkah Dreidels Fat Quarters

   The Wall Fat Quarters

        Ancient City Fat Quarters

Patterns:

Vintage 1941 Sewing Pattern Simplicity 3828 Misses' Robe Bust 38 Complete

Vintage 60s Sewing Pattern Misses' Blouses Butterick 3286 Size 14 Bust 34 Complete

Vintage 1970s Looney Tunes Stuffed Animals Sewing Pattern Butterick 6347

Vintage 1970s Misses' Sundress Sewing Pattern Simplicity 8512 Size 10-12

 Vintage 1950s Sewing Pattern Coat Jacket Vest Straight Skirt Butterick 2849 Size 16 Bust 36

 Vintage 70s Girls' Dress Sewing Pattern Simplicity 8864 Size 4 Breast 23 inches

Don’t forget the big 40% off sale going on now in the GoofingOff Etsy and GoofingOff Artfire shops. Get 40% off all toy, handbag,  and decorating patterns and kits. Just use the coupon code CRAFTY during checkout for the discount. 

Miss Eileen’s Etsy Picks 7.15.11 Summer Entertaining

Summer’s here in the northern hemisphere and according to the weather people, it’s been a hot one. Down here in FLA we are finally into our rainy season, which we have sorely needed. The daily (yes, just about every day we have thunderstorms) showers are keeping our volunteer garden alive. We have tomatoes, melons, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydews, on the vine. Talk about a bonus. Very exciting, especially when you realize it is a freebie benefit.

So, how do you stay cool in the heat? Do you stay inside and take a luscious afternoon nap in the AC or go for a dip in the pool? Movies in the AC? Is it too hot to garden when the temp reaches over 100? Do you have parties and cookouts in the evening when it cools off? Maybe a picnic or poolside luncheon? Decorate in style!

           Waverly Sun N Shade Jewel of the Sea Indoor Outdoor 18"x18"  Pillow Cover by SewSusie1 Pretty enough for inside the house and ready to use poolside or in the hammock.

 

                            Mossy Green Pottery Rhubarb Leaf Plate by NancyBloklandPottery  What a lovely serving plate! Imagine this on the table. Even hot dogs will look elegant!

       Personalized Custom Wine Stave Tray by Rock Creek Furniture Co Fabulous way to carry the goodies out to the barbecue! It would make a wonderful wedding or hostess gift, too.

       Glass Pitcher and Glasses with Painted Poppy by Crafts n Nat Elegant (and gorgeous) way to serve lemonade or even ice water. Beautiful.

     Large Red Oak Platter with Carved Sections by Amie Jean Original Love the use of reclaimed wood. Imagine this on your summer table, indoors or outdoors.

     Fabric bowls - set of 2, teal, yellow, orange, purple by Textile Gifts. Fill these babies with snacks or bread. Pretty and summery!

           Turquoise Triangle Cocktail Veil by Cocktail Veils Fantastic idea to keep those pesky insects from dive bombing into your drink. Looks much better than a napkin and the turquoise holds it in place.

          Palm Trees Screen print cotton flour sack towel by Ms Veronicas Love the color (and the look).  These are gorgeous! I use  fabric napkins all the time. Wash, dry, fold, and put away and use again. Better than work, shop, buy, use, throw away.

OK, that’s the eight for the week. What do you think? Good ways to make the summer barbecue the “place to be?” Vote for your favorite. Poll will be in the upper left corner. Winner gets a feature blog interview.

Post by Miss Eileen aka Goofing Off.

Check out our shops: MissEileen Vintage fun, fashion, decor

GoofingOff Etsy GoofingOff Artfire Sewing supplies, patterns, fabrics, Judaic fabric

MetalWoodsnWater Etsy MetalWoodsnWater Artfire Unique, weird, supplies, bones, metal work.

Vintage Pattern Rescues

Finding vintage patterns is often like finding a needle in a haystack. Sometimes it is pretty obvious, the patterns are out front for all the world to see. Other times the patterns are hidden from sight, down in a box of what looks to be junk, ready to be cast aside. Snoopy me, I often notice the boxes sitting off to the side and just poke around out of curiosity. Sometimes it really is trash. Other times it is fabric cut up with the patterns carefully pinned in place, the pieces waiting to be sewn  together. I was lucky enough to find a couple of these boxes of “junk.” For the longest time they sat in my house looking like they were waiting for the trash man until one day I decided to really look through them.

My patience and efforts were rewarded for in these boxes was a treasure trove of vintage fabric that had never seen the light of day in over 30 years. The patterns were cut from some of the prettiest calicos, tweeds, and wools I had ever seen. In one box was beautiful silky fabric from Merry Mary, a beautiful polyester blend with brilliant red hibiscus on black that shimmers in the light, a full three yards of it.

Merry Mary Fabric, Red Hibiscus

There was little red roses on black, red roses on yellow, and white flowers on purple, all cotton calico, all in big enough pieces for fat quarters. True vintage calico! The quilter in me rejoices!

Vintage Calico, Red Roses on Black

Vintage Calico, Red Roses on Yellow

Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.Etsy.com and GoofingOff.Artfire.com where every day is a good day to goof off. :)

Sewing for the Home

When looking for patterns to sew, I often think of clothing patterns. With every seasonal change there are new patterns and styles that come off the runways and having a guide is almost a necessity for me as I try to make fashionable clothes. Yet there are patterns available to guide a person through home decorating that make the curtain or bedspread project a success. I often forget about these patterns and dive into a project head first with great intentions only to be disappointed by my project that doesn't come out quite right. Here are two fantastic patterns from my Artfire shop for home decor sewing. Imagine having a storage ottoman in your living room to stash the afghan when company comes? Extra seating with storage, perfect for an apartment or small house. The window treatments could spruce up a kitchen quick. Shades and valances don't take a lot of fabric or time to make, yet the effect goes far. Happy Sewing! http://www.GoofingOff.etsy.com http://www.artfire.com/users/GoofingOff