New Favorite

I just love these sewing caddies.

They are available in two stained timbers. Pine and teak. They have a place for all my little sewing things. Scissors, threads, pins, thimbles, mini hoop and my current applique project.

The large is quite spacious and has a big central storage place that is as deep as the sewing box plus the pull out compartments. It's $125. The small one still has storage for larger bits in the bottom tray but is more compact and the handle slides down to make it even more so. It is $68.95. Think Christmas!

My cunning plan is to put all my bits into one of these, leave it on the coffee table and call it decoration instead of mess!!!

Tales of Wadding

On the third Monday of the month we hold a free layer and baste class. I always start the class with a walk through our wadding corner in the classroom.
There are so many different waddings/battings available that beginner quilters can feel overwhelmed so I try to describe what you will need from a wadding and which wadding will meet the needs. As I have just run through it all this morning, it is fresh in my mind so I thought I'd try to write it down in an orderly manner!

Are you doing "show off" quilting? Wadding comes with loft. The difference in the height of the wadding as it stands normally and then when squeezed between your fingers is the loft. High loft will give your quilting more definition and low loft will give it a flatter profile. High loft tends to be less dense and low loft more dense.

Washing. Some waddings shrink. Some are easy care, throw-them-in-the-machine and others need hand washing. Some need pre-washing before quilting.
I prefer to do the "worst case scenario" to my materials before I assemble the quilt. That way if they fail the test, I have not wasted my time and effort along with my money!
To pre-wash, fill the trough next to your washing machine with warm-hotter water and hand agitate. Lift gently from trough and into the washing machine to spin out the excess water. Hang on the clothes line by draping over several lines. Do not let the whole weight of the wadding and water hanging from one line on the clothesline. Poly waddings do not, in general, need pre-washing except for health reasons.

Bed or wall. Soft finish for beds to snuggle in the cold and firmer for art to hold it square on the wall.

Who is it for? At both age extremes washing and use can dictate the wadding. Easy washing in nursing homes is important and midnight washing machine cycles on Johnny's "nye nye" means you may need it to survive the dryer. Open fires in the home might steer you to a different decision.

Fire: Wool is resistant, cotton burns cleanly and poly is a disaster. If open flames are a consideration then that will guide your choice.

Ease of use? Some of the Pellon products come with the capacity to be ironed on without needing basting.
Some waddings used to beard. That is when the fine fibres of the wadding get pulled through from the middle to the quilt top making an unsightly fuzz. I haven't heard of this happening much lately as brands become more accountable. Even so there are some types that have taken extra measures to combat bearding such as Bond Tight which is available by special order.
Some waddings need more quilting.
You also need to be aware that if you are going to hand quilt, the choice of wadding will be crucial to a happy experience.

Cost. You have to weigh up whether the use it is going to get warrants the expense.

So what have we got?
We have a needlepunched poly. (needlepunching process is to reduce the chance of bearding and to keep the wadding stable after quilting and not break apart and form clumps. It comes in two widths, 115cm and 250cm, and is budget priced. It is a bit stretchy around the edges but settles down with a pat. Unbeatable value. I use it regularly in quilts that are just for fun and not heirloom-status.

Quilter's Low Loft is well priced. It has a low profile but will still offer good definition to your quilting. It is fully machine washable and does not shrink nor need pre-washing. It is firmer wadding and would suit wall quilts.

Cosy Cotton is lovely and soft. It feeds through the sewing machine really well as it squishes in and through the c-section of your machine. It is dense and heavy so if you are prone to sore shoulders you may prefer to use the wool.
Once quilted it is immediately gorgeous to wrap around you as it drapes really nicely. The cotton will shrink by 4% and must be pre-washed. Buy 105cm for every metre you need. It is a much safer fire option that then 100% polys. This is my personal favorite.

Nu Wool is a blend of wool and poly. It is dense and firm when it is new. It makes an ideal wadding for wall hangings as the firmness helps hold it flat and tidy against the wall. With use though, it quickly softens until you can not tell whether there is wool or cotton in the quilt by its draping. The firmness means that quilting is less easy as far as fitting it through the C-section, but on the other hand, it is lighter and less tiring to maneuver.

In addition to these we have three Pellon products. Pellon is dense and stable and a high quality product. Many ladies use it behind their stitcheries and stitch through all layers to give the stitching better definition and quilting it as they go. It comes in one thickness as a sew-in products and in two with the iron-on capacity.

Well! I can imagine I will be back to edit this as there is so much to say about waddings, but this will do as a start!

Meet the Editors Update

http://www.youtube.com./watch?v=A-bu-YMTuxc
This is where you need to go today! Have a look at the special day we shared with the Editors. It was a massive day and so much fun. If you were there, odds are you will see yourself in the footage. Christine Butt, who won the Huskystar is a star herself and I can see Anne Arnold chatting. Plenty of Helen and Pat Godden. The merest fleeting glimpse of me (Cathy). No sign of Najelle though... obviously too busy helping to be swanning around in the limelight!

Managers' Specials

I know a picture paints a thousand words, but I am going to have to make do with a few less as I don't have a photo for you today! But I don't need one to tell you that Najelle had a brain wave! We have set up a table of Manager Specials. Each week we will feature something from the shop that we hope will tempt you and inspire you!
This week we have started with Black and White fabrics. The store has an extensive range of black and whites and for this week only we have reduced them to $17.95pm from $24.50 or $22. The special ends on Friday when we will swap over to the next featured items.
So don't forget to drop in each week to catch up on what is happening! See you there!

When Moda and Benartex Fabrics call your name.....

Have you any idea of the temptations we face , working in a store like Hobbysew Belconnen?

Last night it was Mystery Block of the Month night. So I have 2.5 hours of teaching. I leave with 7 metres of fabric. Put baldy, I do not earn $55 an hour! Do the maths and you can see the predicament I am in!
But yesterday was my birthday and it was time to treat myself. Some our recent arrivals have been calling my name and last night I gave in to their siren's call.
The two ranges I have mostly picked my stash from are from Nancy Halvorsen and Fig Tree Designs.
http://tinyurl.com/2ynbk3
will take you to the Benartex web site where you can see the Winsome Baby Collection as well as other Nancy fabrics that we are passionate about in the store. We have received 4 full ranges of Nancy fabrics plus top ups and it is selling like hot cakes.
http://tinyurl.com/ywvchy
is the Moda website where the Fig Tree designers are based. The range is called "All Spice Tapestry". This is our second range from these talented ladies. Folklorique was our first and in fact it blends very well with this next range. A quilt I made from Folklorique has been hanging on the back wall of the shop for a little while now. Obviously they have struck a chord in me as it seems to be the fabric I can't say "no" to!
My plan for 7 metres of fabric? Applique! Did you realise I haven't made on single needle turn quilt this year? Diabolical! So for the next while, I will be working with pencil and paper. Ask me if I have put needle to freezer paper when you are next in the shop!