Old dog, new trick

Nel, Nel. Whatever are we going to do with you? Go get the step stool,
reach up to the top shelf in the kitchen and get down one of those 'gift'
coffee mugs that you don't know why in the world you're keeping. Set it
somewhere in your sewing room. Put all of those neat things that you SHOULD
be using for turning in the mug.
I am blessed (?) with 8 mugs and they keep my good tools neatly sorted.
One for markers, one for turners, one for brushes - even have a mug of puppy
biscuits and another with Tootsie Pops. You can't throw the mugs away;
might as well put them to some good use. Polly

"Sartorresartus"
Thanks, that makes sense. I usually use the pinking shears method of
snipping wedges ('cos I is too lazy to snip each one individually).
But I never thought of doing one snip then going back to do the
other. (Headslap!) Makes all the sense in the world when it's
pointed out!

And I am always poking something sharp through the seams. I swear
I'll do it properly, then, when it comes to it, I can't find a
suitable pokative (I have dozens of special gizmos for doing this
'easily'; I swear they hold a party) so I end up using scissors or a
knitting needle. And then... too late! Poo!

I look at commercial coasters, collars and things, and wonder how they
do it. What's more they must do it quickly and right-first-time. I
would be lousy in a sweat shop.

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

OK, OK, I'll try. I have just been a naughty girl and ordered a few
more gadgets, too. Can't wait till they arrive, hopefully tomorrow.
There's a binding tool, a pressing thingy, a leather thimble (which I
hope will replace the finger cots) ,a spare Aunt Becky and some glue.
Oh and some insul-fleece to make a teapot cover for DD. I shall be
good and turn that out properly. Deal?

I'm a little more organized than I used to be, but I always seem to be
in the wrong place somehow. I have most of my gadgets tamed, but just
once in a while they play hide-and-seek, especially if I am in a hurry
to get something finished. I take them out, put them down, and they
run away and hide. I find them weeks later in the cutlery drawer, or
in the bathroom cabinet. They do it on purpose, you know!

Nel
(Gadget Queen)

As has been said here..... for a smooth, round, faced circle, pinking
shears work great (at least for a quarter inch seam allowance.)
I find that when notches are too close to the seam line they tend to
form "corners" instead of a smooth seam. (YMMV G)
Another tool that really helps--- "That Purple Thang". Yep that is
the name of it. and it is a wonderful gadget at not too high a price.
Buy more than one.
One end is a quarter inch "square" that is flat and can help with
things like getting the bobbin out of the machine and all sorts of
other things. There is a slot, supposedly so you can put it on a
ribbon and wear it, or hang it. But it could also be used as a bodkin
to pull whatever through a casing.
The other end is sort of pointy, but not too much so. And........
Curved. It is sort of flattish and is a dream to use for smoothing out
the inside of any curved seam. Because you are not pushing at the seam
with the pointy part not much danger of poking through. and the curve
just helps "press" that seam beautifully.

ANd thanks to all for the comments. This is one of the tips I give
over and over again in my classes. Never see it written down anywhere,
but is logical. And yes I have called it "stay stitching" but then
some garment sewist will stitch inside the seam line, not on the line.
You really want to stitch on the seam line to get that smooth edge for
finishing, especially on curves.

Have fun,
Pati, in Phx




On May 8, 1:13*am, Sartorresartus wrote:
What I have always wanted to know, are tips about turning cicles. *I
sew a straight (circular) seam, turn it through and it looks like the
wavy-navy. *I find it so frustrating. *I would love to make mats and
things, but they always turn out skewiff. *I've tried understitching,
and lots of other things, but still, in the final pressing (not
ironing) they are just not round. *Bleah!

How do you get a circle round?

Nel
(Gadget Queen)