Inspiration
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Top 10 Notions from Eric Drexler, Sulky Educator
Eric Drexler’s Top 10 Notions If I was on a deserted island with power and my sewing machine, these are the 10 notions I would need, and why: Collins Sewer’s Aid: It is a silicone lubricant that helps with some speciality threads, and fabrics. What I like the most is it keeps the adhesive off my needle when using any sticky-back product (including fusible webs). Simply put a drop on your finger and rub on the needle. Reapply as you start to see a build up again. Sew Steady Table: Since I first laid eyes on this extension table, I knew I was in love. The square inches of extra work area…
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Free-Motion Fun with Eric Drexler
If you have seen any of Sulky National Educator and Free-Motion Guru, Eric Drexler’s work, then you know what an amazing artist he is. Last summer, he learned how to Zentangle®. The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. When Eric learned it, he immediately thought, “I could do this with thread!” So he did! And he has created some amazing things. (Eric did the above pattern using a FriXion™ pen, but once ironed this amazing pattern is gone! So, he figured out a way to get the pattern on the fabric and yet still keep it – learn his secret.) So…
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Some Inspiration!
Sulky Certified Teacher and Quilt Artist Chris Eichner recently sent me these great pictures of a maple leaf that she thread painted. I was already impressed and then I asked her about how she made these two leaves. She answered, “Those aren’t two separate leaves, that is the front and back on one leaf that I thread painted onto an already quilted wall hanging.” How cool! She said she used Sulky Solvy® as her template. She drew the design onto the Solvy with a pen (I recommend using a FriXion pen), then she stuck the Solvy to the front of the quilted wall hanging with Sulky KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive.…
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Liv is Cancer free!
I just wanted to to a quick post so you can celebrate with me! Do you remember this Chevron Quilt that I made for my little friend who was about to start chemo? Well, her name is Liv and after 8 months of very hard chemo, lots of hospital & doctor visits, huge changes in her physical appearance, but never anything but a positive spirit, I am so happy to let you know that Liv is officially cancer free! I love this little girl and just wanted to share the good news with you. Her parents told me that she still loves her quilt. It has spent every night with her…
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Crossbody Bag with Sulky Blendables Thread
I am so excited to be on Amy Barickman’s Crossroads Denim Blog Tour! I hope you have been following along on the tour. I have the full schedule with links at the bottom of this post. Be sure you head over to Amy’s blog too so you can enter the fabric and pattern giveaway at the end of the tour! A few months ago I got Amy’s Magic Pattern book and fell in love with it. I have made a dress from the book and have started on one of the jackets using some of the Crossroads Denim that I received. I also got a pattern for a Crossbody bag. I love this…
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Advice to Sewists in 2015
Have you noticed this picture making it’s rounds on the internet lately? Since this was the advice given to women who had just purchased a sewing machine in 1949, I wondered what advice we would give today. So a few weeks ago, I asked my eNewsletter readers to send in the advice that they would give to a person who had just purchased a brand new sewing machine. I received over 100 responses! After combing through all the advice: some gave the same advice, some gave funny advice and yet others had conflicting advice! I have sorted through them all, consolidated it and here is what Sulky fans came up with: If…
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Sulky Favorite Things of 2014
Sulky Favorite Things We all have our Sulky favorite things. In 2014, our National Educators listed their Sulky favorite things that they made in 2014. Here are the very cool, very diverse results! Every year since National Educators, Suzy Seed, Nancy Sapin and Lee Fletcher started working Houston Quilt Festival together, they have done round-robin challenge vests. It was Suzy’s idea that Nancy and Lee needed to expand their embellishment skills fast and what better way than with a challenge! It has worked wonders and it is interesting to see the progression from the first year to now. This year they incorporated a lot of techniques from the new “Embellish…
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The Color of the Year 2015 Project Inspiration: Marsala
Since the year 2000, the experts at Pantone have been choosing a color of the year every year. Last year was Radiant Orchid (Sulky Color: #1032, Medium Purple). This year Pantone has picked Marsala and I for one, could not be more thrilled with this choice for color of the year 2015! I love this rich earthy color. I love the warm tone and sense of home it invokes in me. In Sulky threads, it matches several of our colors. For Rayon, it is color #1237 Deep Mauve, in Sulky Cotton Thread it is #1190 Medium Burgundy, in Sulky Metallic Thread it is color #7010 Dark Copper but in Sulky…
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Free-Motion Quilting With Sulky Metallic Threads – Practice Makes Perfect
The question I get asked the very most is how I am able to sew and quilt, especially free-motion, with Sulky Metallic Threads so easily. Since I have learned how to use metallic threads, I use them in almost every project that I do. I have always been a girl who loves bling, so really, this is not a surprise! One of the things I love about Sulky Metallic Thread is it isn’t rough or stiff, so I am able to use it on just about anything and not worry that it will make my project too stiff. There is a secret to using metallic threads. Do you want to…
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Same Quilt Blocks, Very Different Quilts
Last year my mom, my friend Donna and I did a block of the month at a local quilt shop, Cottontail Quilts. This is where you pay a fee (some shops have a one-time fee, others have a monthly fee) and you go every month for your next block. At the end of the year, you have 12 different blocks that are a great base for a sampler quilt. Some times, the shop will give you a pattern for finishing the quilt a certain way, but they are not the boss of you, so you can finish it any way you would like. What I love about these kinds of…
