Templates

For a while, I thought templates were for weenies. Turns out, TEMPLATES ARE TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!! My totally sweet mama got me hexagon templates for my "grandmothers flower garden." Templates, as I now know, are for smart people who want to save time.

The templates are clear, so hard to see in a photo, but so
 nice when you're cutting the fabric.

The other tool you see here is for marking 1/4 inch in from your corner, whatever the shape. I used the Hex to mark every corner of every bit of fabric. That sounds tedious, BUT I knew exactly where to start and stop my stitching. No tucks or folds. They all came together beautifully on my machine. I think the traditional way to do this design is by hand with paper cutouts. This method saved me loads of time!! Besides my hand-stitching isn't very straight or even.

Have you used templates before? Did you like them?

By Cassie Grace

Quilting Across Texas

Apparently, we aren't the only ones who like to quilt! The "Quilt Across Texas" Shop Hop is coming! It is going on the whole month of September because... well... TEXAS IS HUGE!!! It would take a whole month to go to every shop. Anyway, when you come to our shop, you enter to win a gift certificate for $50. **You can also enter to win the Grand Prize with $1400 worth of merchandize. The big prize includes:

All the prizes, but the Sewing Machine.

• 2 large thread
• 1 small binding clip
• Bias maker
• Purple thang
• Bobbin bikini
• Window decal
• Add a quarter
• Bloc-loc
• Quilt pins
• Needles
• Fusible bias
• Swatch buddies
• Rotary cutter
• Caddy
• Pins
• Appliqué pressing sheet
• LED light kitMarking pencil
• Pin magnet
• Sewers aid

• Bohin needles
• Turn it all
• Press bar
• Snap n store
• Gypsy gripper
• Gypsy cutting gizmo
• Ruby beholde
• Shop hop kit
• Basting spray
• Best press
• Scissors
• Ripper
• Iron
• Caddy pad
• Cutting edge ruler 6 1/2x12 1/2
• Mat
• Tutto
• Featherweight Machine

**Please check out the website to be sure you understand the rules for the prizes.

http://www.quiltacrosstexas.com/

I don't know about you ladies, but I want that Featherweight Sewing Machine!!! Will you be going to all the shops in our region, or are you shooting for all of Texas?

By Cassie Grace

I'm a fool for my tools!

The right tools can make all the difference. Of course there are "froo-froo" tools that look cool, but you never end up really using, but had fun trying out. Well, we have come across a gadget that can be a huge time saver if you mess up as often as I do. ~wink wink~ 

"The Quick Ripper" 

It's basically a mustache trimmer, but it works great on ripping seams. It biggest brownie-point for me is how fast it is! Raise you hand if you've spent close to an hour picking out something that took you THREE seconds to sew. Yeah, I know you've done it too! Something to be aware of though, it can nip your fabric a bit if your not careful, but I messed up my fabric on occasion just with my seam ripper. I've got a video of how it works here, but you can definitely ask Kim to let you give it a go and test it out on some of your scraps. 

Do you have any tools that you just can't live without now you have them?

By Cassie Grace