I'm sure that's why I didn't really find any actual tutorials online about the gluestick, just references to using it. I didn't like it at all. You're right, it did stretch my fabric and the batting especially. I'm sure at least part of it was technique, but it just seemed like a technique that wasn't for me. I watched a great series of youtube videos this weekend about how to FMQ (guess what my next project is going revolve around
) and she demoed the 505 basting spray, and I saw several people on the QB that liked it. I picked some up at Fabricland (our version of Joanne's) when I went there for buttons to finish the project I started this post about. I figured it was a good time to get the spray when some fabric magically jumped into my basket too. It's a good thing I liked it.
When I first started sewing 28 years ago, I did it very poorly with no guidance. I'm moderately better now (took lessons 2 years ago, still belong to a sewing circle), but having had some pins and needles throw bits at me early on made me start wearing glasses to sew (even though I don't need them prescriptively), it made me that nervous. I still "yip" if I get too close to one before I pull it out.
Here are the photos of the projects.
The first started out as cover for my little "tabletop" ironing board.
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It's a Ikea board, and the batting was just too thin. I started out with the plan of just making another cover and adding batting. Then I decided to make it a stand alone, and thus more portable. [ATTACH=CONFIG]385469[/ATTACH]
When I went to "quilt" it, I found the layers shifted too much, so I changed the pattern, and did it a different way. All of the work that stayed in the final project was done on the 411G. Gee, I'm liking that machine, just like Miriam predicted.
The second is an Iron Caddy that folds out into an ironing mat.
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It's not "news", it's been done all over the internet. I found a free pattern that was reasonably close to what I liked and modified.
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I also added the ties on the side, so that I could corral the cord without putting it in with a potentially hot iron.
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Things I learned:
- binding - bias and on grain, mitered and curved bindings. It looked a lot better before I washed it. I suspect it was a little too loose.
- I still can't sew straight
- washing your fabric before starting the project is mandatory, sometimes it doesn't shrink, sometimes it grows!
- I can't glue straight
- washing afterward will definitely bring to light some spots to be touched up
- I still can't cut straight.
- modifying the patterns isn't so hard, and can be fun
- I don't always have to use blacks and neutral tones.
- Pour the water out of the iron before using the caddy, it's not water tight.
Hey Muv,.. that's a fantastic tip, thanks! I was looking at my binder clips thinking the same thing.
How do you find so much time to blog? I always want to, but it just doesn't happen a lot of the time, and I'm an insomniac, I get more hours to the day than most.
It looks like you get one in virtually everyday!