New Tool Monday- A Source for Inspiration

When coming up with today's "new tool", we pondered all the things that are out there just waiting for quilters/sewers/crafters to try. There is one thing, however, that helps us to find and figure out how to use these things. That, of course, is the amazing number of websites, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc. that we find on the internet. What we decided to share today is the some of the sources we like to use in helping us in our creativity. Here's a short list of things we like to peruse whilst seeking inspiration on the internet:



1) PINTEREST
This is a great place to start if you need to give your creative energies a boost. For those of you who haven't visited Pinterest before, it can seem a bit daunting at first. Once you realize it's just a place to store photos of projects, recipes, photos and other things that inspire you, you can get a cup of your favorite hot drink or glass of wine and start pinning.
You can also follow other folks idea boards to see the kind of things that they like. Jeanette's Pinterest can be found here. You can also see what Nanci's Pinterest likes are here.
You can also get sucked into the "Pinterest Vortex" (meaning you lose all track of time and space- or at least making you forget to get dinner started). For these occasions, we recommend that you set a timer, so as not to help you remember there is life outside of your Pinterest boards.


2) BLOGS
Of course, we hope you read our OTS Blog, but we also want to remind you there are as many quilting/sewing blogs as there as there are patterns. So, search around and find some quilters/sewers whose stuff you like and start to read their blogs. You'll get insight and maybe even some fresh ideas to help your creative journey!

3)YOUTUBE VIDEOS
We are pretty sure you can find how to make almost anything on YouTube. When Nanci had forgotten how to corner binding when she was first quilting (and she wasn't with Jeanette to show her), she found a plethora of videos on how to do it. You do need to realize that anyone can make a YouTube video, so sometimes you may watch a few before finding just what would be helpful, but we promise, they are out there!

4) PODCASTS
These are terrific shows that you can listen to while you are busy quilting (or cleaning house if that would help). The best part of podcasts is that you can download them on your phone or iPad and still listen anytime and anywhere. 
Here are a couple that we enjoy:

American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast with Pat Sloan
Such fun as she interviews quilters, historians, designers and shares some great stories.

Thread Cult with Christine Cyr Clisset
Nanci's favorite sewing podcast as it has wonderful interviews with amazing guests from all over the sewing world.

So, there you have it. Some of our favorite ways to use the internet as a source for inspiration. What are some ways the internet helps you utilize your creativity? We'd love to hear your ideas!!

Flashback Friday- Camping It Up

We shared a few posts back about how Jeanette is doing another summer full of Quilt Camps; this year at Will-N-Bee'z Quilt And Coffee Shoppe in Salem. Today's Flashback Friday features some terrific quilts that kids made at last summer's Quilt Camp at Whitlock's Sew and Vac. Jeanette's been the intrepid Quilt Camp director for quite a number of years as she has helped hundreds of boys and girls make a quilt in just a week. Enjoy the look back at the quilts and kids having a great time making them! 

Monday-New Tool Review

A plethora of threads

Obviously, every quilter knows how important good thread is to their craft. At OTS, this is no exception. We use Superior Threads for all of our machine quilting. The selection of their "Sew Fine" threads cannot be beat in color, stitching and wear. They also make the quilting easier as they leave almost no lint and are great for all batting, whether cotton, polyester or wool.

Besides helping to choose quilting designs, choosing the right thread color is another favorite task. So many people just choose thread that matches the backing or front of a quilt, but we like to put a lot of thought into our choices.

Here are some questions we ask when choosing thread:

~Would a blending color or pop-out color look better on the pieced design?

Some quilts are very simple while others have a wide variety of colors. Sometimes the quilting looks better when blended while other quilts look fantastic with a bold color choice of thread.

~What quilting design are we using and which color would highlight that?

The color can matter if we are using a unique or custom quilting design.

~What style of quilt is this?

This one's especially important as more quilters are doing vintage-styled quilts but want a modern quilt design or vice versa.

Superior Threads also has a great website and monthly thread club which we love being a part of as we get to try new colors each month. Like we've said before, we don't get any money from sharing our tools with you, but we want your machine quilting and sewing to be the best it can. Enjoy your Monday and stay sew happy!

Flashback Friday- Custom Waves

Many of the requests we get at OTS are for custom quilting. These are always a bit challenging, but we enjoy trying new things. The grey quilt with wavy line quilting was made by Heather Costello from Greenbaum's Quilted Forest. Heather had shown us a photo of another quilt with a wavy design that had been done freehand. We put our Pro-Stitcher to work and designed our own Wavy Lines. The quilt turned out so well and has graced the front window of Greenbaum's since it was finished.

Another one of Heather's quilts feature these great rectangles on grey as well. While the quilting design we used wasn't one we designed, we ended up reshaping and resizing the design to fit the quilt just the way she wanted it.



Flashback Friday- Babies, Boxers and Motorcycle Pigs

We were busy with some fun quilts a few weeks back. 

Here they are for Flashback Friday-

Jungle Buddies- quilted with jungle leaves
 for a happy new Grandma

A close up of the Boxer quilt. It was quilted
with a dog bone design in brown.

The Boxer quilt- it's doggone awesome!

Motorcycle Pigs- The back was out of flame
fabric. It turned out great!

I couldn't resist a close-up of the flame quilt design

Monday- New Tool Review

 "If you cannot measure it, you cannot control it." ~ Lord Kelvin
"Measure twice, cut once." ~ English Proverb
"Measure seven times, cut once." ~ Russian Proverb
"Better measure short of seven, than spoil all at once." ~ Gaelic Expression

As you can tell from the above quotes, measuring has been an important part of creating for a very long time. Here at OTS, we use a few different ways to measure, and always follow one of the above adages. Today, I'll share some of those measuring tools with you.

A standard 120 inch tape

The tape that gets used the most is this standard 12-inch measuring tape. The length is important as many of the quilt tops we get run from 90-110 inches in length. We always measure the quilt top and back as well as the batting when we receive a quilt and then re-measure before it goes up on the frame. Everything is written down on our intake paper, but it's always good to be sure.

  

The second tape we use is this 14' centering tape. It is really helpful when having to adjust the size of quilt backs before they go on the frame as well as making sure everything is centered once it's ready to be quilted.

The spring tape measure

Another tape measure that we don't use a lot in quilting but in other sewing is the little spring tape measure. These generally aren't very long, but they're similar to a construction tape measure in that they will stay at a chosen length once pulled out. You simply retract the tape when you're all finished.

The FabriCalc

Jeanette has had one of these Quilter's FabriCalc for a while in the studio. It's a huge help for figuring out how much fabric you need for backing, binding, etc. when you're putting a quilt together. 

The Robert Kaufman Quilter's Little Helper

Nanci's newest favorite measuring tool is this quilting calculator from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. It's a free app (available on the app store) that helps do the same sort of thing the FabriCalc does, but it is much more user friendly. 

We're sew happy we were able to share some of our favorite ways to measure with you today. Thanks for stopping by On The Stitch!

Monday- New Tool Review

So last week we went over some of the small but mighty tools we use at OTS. This week we're bringing in the big guns...or rather big tools, that we use in the studio. Of course, you've read about our new "baby", the HandiQuilter Infinity quilting machine that we use on a daily basis, but we also have three other sewing machines that get quite a workout. 

First, I'd like to introduce you to the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 15000. This is my favorite to work with, but Jeanette also is learning to enjoy it as well. It has a number of features that make it just right for OTS.  In the technology department, I really likes the four apps that come with it that you can use with your iPad or iPhone. Practically, I have big hands and appreciate the actual work space. You can read more about it here.

The Janome

Of course, Jeanette's studios have always have at least one Viking sewing machine in them. I can remember going out to the garage "studio" when I was growing up and getting to sew a bit on her Viking machine she has way back when. Well, just like most of us, it seems as Viking has grown up and now has the Designer Epic. I've enjoyed this although I still tend to prefer the Janome, but Jeanette totally favors the Epic. It also has a touchscreen and lots of very cool features. You can learn more about it here.

The Viking Designer Epic

The one machine we both agree on is the Viking Huskylock 936 Serger. There have been a few bad reviews on the internet, but both Jeanette and I really like it. As a matter of fact, we both own one. These are great for both regular sewing- they're perfect for knits- and they are a terrific help in piecing large quilt tops. I just finished a quilt top on my serger because my other machine was in the shop, and it turned out really well. Viking has come out with a newer Huskylock, and you can read about it here. We would suggest, if you are needing a new machine, to look for the 936 model as it's got everything you'd need in a serger.

The Viking Huskylock 936

Hope this was a little helpful. There are a lot of sewing machines on the market, and these happen to be the ones we both use and recommend. Feel free to comment with questions about any of these machines, and we'll be happy to help. Thanks for stopping by, and have a sew-tastic day!

Flashback Friday- Facebook Challenge Edition

Did you know that both Jeanette and On The Stitch are on Facebook?  One of Jeanette's crafty friends gave her a 7-Day FB challenge about sharing quilts that she's quilted. She posted some great pics. We thought we'd share a few of the beautiful quilts for you.

Day 1- Stained Glass Quilted for Customer

Day 2- One of her first ProStitcher quilts

Day #- Quilt of Valor by Jamie
in honor of Jeanette's Dad

Day 4- Quilt made by Carol Kurth,
Applique by Pam More. One of the
first free motion quilts by Jeanette. 

Day 5- Quilt by Terry K &
quilted by Jeanette

Day 6- Quilt made and quilted by
Jeanette for grandson Ashton

Jeanette quilted this for Kaye L for her kids

Be sure to visit and like us on Facebook.

Monday- New Tool Review

One of the cartoons I grew up with was Mighty Mouse. I was always amazed when he saved the day even though he was so small. Here at On The Stitch, we have a number of small things that can be a mighty big help. Today's New Tool Review will focus on three of those small things that are super helpful.

First will be this small bottle of Fray Check by Dritz. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but once opened, it can be a huge help for any quilter. We tend to use it mostly when there is thread that needs to stay where it is or when something needs to not come unravelled. The best part is you only need to use one of two drops. Here's a little hint: after using it on your project, iron it immediately to keep the fabric soft and pliable. It's also terrific for other sewing and crafting, and at only around $5 per bottle, it's well worth having a bottle on hand.

The next little item is batting seam tape by Bosal. This may seem a bit excessive (pardon the pun), but I can assure you it is a valuable part of the OTS arsenal.  There has been many a time where a customer has given us the wrong size batting, and we need to adjust in order for it to work with the quilt they gave us. That's where this comes in handy. Simply butt two pieces of batting together and cover the seam with this tape cut to size. Iron the tape on the batting and voila, you have a perfect size batt               ready to be on put on the frame!

Our final tool to share are these Wonder clips by Clover. While we don't always use clips with our binding, sometimes it's good to have a little help. These are especially on curved binding. I also like to use them when designing quilt tops as they make changing blocks around a lot easier than pins. I think they're super!

Thanks for checking out our new tool review. Next week we'll look at a few of the bigger items that help us here at OTS. Happy quilting and see you soon!

Our New Machine Has a Name

Well, we have a winner in the 

"Name the New Machine" 

that has joined the OTS family! 

Congratulations to Charlene from Arkansas 

 name was drawn in the contest. 

We're sending a package of OTS goodies 

 to help her with her quilting.

And now for the name of our new "baby"...   

                                Ivy Perpetua

She has been a joy to work with so far. 

We are realizing there is a learning curve, 

but a few of the new features are amazing. 

We'll definitely be sharing more on what we think 

about our new Handiquilter Infinity, 

"Ivy Perpetua" in future blogs!

Flashback Friday- Springtime Edition

A sweet bird for a raffle quilt

 

Here's a look at some very Springy quilts

that we've made in the past~

Lots of flowers and pinwheels

A close up of a floral quilting design



Springtime stripes

 



A vintage embroidered quilt on the machine

Monday- New Tool Review

So I skipped a couple of weeks on the new tool review, but I'm back with a few basics that have been hanging around the OTS studio for a while. I figured even if they're not new to us, they might be new to some of you.

A Plethora of Small Scissors

One of the most important tools we use here are scissors. Of course, you need to remember that there is a huge variety of cutting implements to enhance your scissoring abilities.
The scissors we tend to use most are the little ones. From trimming thread to clipping corners, there is something for every job. The most important thing about choosing a pair of scissors is not how much or what material they are made of. It is actually how they feel in your hand. Favorites include the little black and green pairs shown on the left side of the photo. Made in Japan by Elan, they are lightweight and great for right and left-handed folks.



Omnigrid Rulers

Omnigrid Rulers

Another common tool of most quilters are the Omnigrid Rulers. These also come in a wide variety of sizes. Besides being used to measure and cut strips and squares, they are terrific for squaring up finished blocks as well as completed quilts. If you are starting up and trying to figure out just what you might need in the Omnigrid department, Jeanette recommends the 6"x 24" and 12 1/2"x 12 1/2". As your collection grows, you can add the various sizes such as the 6 1/2" square and 6"x 12" ruler. You'll need to be sure to have an

Omnigrid Mat to use with the rulers.



Olfa Rotary Cutters

The last item I wanted to mention, especially since I just talked about the Omnigrids rulers and mat, would be rotary cutters. Olfa Rotary Cutters are the brand of choice for OTS. Once again, there is an almost unlimited variety of these to choose from. We tend to use the 45 mm size the most although we have found a number of uses for the different sizes available. Another thing about the 45 mm size is that they now come in purple as well as aqua. Even though they do the same work as the original yellow, these new colors are fun to use!

Next week, I plan on digging through the tool drawers to discover what other things we can share with you. Until then, keep your rulers straight and your cutters sharp!























Flashback Friday- Auction Quilts

Two years ago, we had the opportunity to make a series of auction quilts for Alta Vista Elementary School in California. The teacher in charge of the project sent us the squares that had been drawn on by the different classes. We then found sashing, border, binding and backing fabrics to go with each. After we had sewn the quilt tops together, we then machine quilted each one on the Handi-Quilter using a design to match the theme. Once that was finished, we bound them and sent the completed quilts back down to California for what would prove to be a successful auction.

The process of sashing each square

Sashing completed and top almost sewn



A close up of the Beach Pal Kids

One of the quilts ready to auction off





Our New Arrival

We've got a new arrival here at OTS,

and it doesn't need changing or feeding

unless you're talking thread, oil and needles.

A bit of background~ We've been quilting with a Handi-Quilter Avante longarm machine for a few years. It has been a joy to work with, especially as we've continued to learn more of all the things it can do. It has helped us to design and quilt so many beautiful creations. With the added help of the Pro-Stitcher, there has been almost nothing we haven't been able to accomplish...except for larger quilting designs and multi-rows. From today on, that will be a thing of the past. How, you may ask?

A new arrival appeared at OTS yesterday.

It's larger, it's longer and it's got a new name.

 

The New Arrival in hiding

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you {insert drum roll here}...

The New Arrival revealed

THE HANDI-QUILTER INFINITY!!!!

It's quite an amazing machine. Very similar to the Avante but much bigger. It has a quilting depth of 26 inches! Yes, 26 inches! This means we will be able to do up to 24 inch designs or two rows of design in one swoop on its' 12 foot long frame. Needless to say, we are quite excited around here!

We do have one little problem. We haven't come up with a name for it! What we'd like to propose is a contest. That's right, the first contest in the history of OTS. All you have to do is comment below with a name suggestion for our new arrival. We will then draw a winner at random on April 1st (no, this is not an early April Fool's Day joke). Not only will you get to name the new machine, but we will send you a gift pack of sewing goodies from OTS. So, put your creative thinking cap on, and come up with a great name to help us welcome our new arrival here at On The Stitch!