Pen Wrap & Roll: Tutorial and Giveaway

I'm going to have you hopping all over the place today, but I think your finger can handle it and it will be well worth it!

Today, I'm sharing a tutorial over at Living With Punks with Susan where I admit to my snobbish ways when it comes to writing implements.  

I've shared with you before about my infatuation with Hi-Tec C 4.0 pens before, how I found them when we went to Japan a couple of years ago, and how I fell in love with them for their crisp, smooth, vibrant writing abilities, and how I thought I'd never be able to find them again, rationing each drop of ink like it was WWIII, hoarding them in my purse...but that has changed, and I can sleep peacefully knowing they are but a few clicks away.  And today!

Today, I am giving away an entire set of them!  

Go HERE to enter!

And then you can click on over to Living With Punks to learn how to beautifully hang and display your pens for easy access, roll them up and take them with you, and keep track of every single one.  

And you'll have to please excuse my anthropomorphism, but I really do love my pens, as far as inanimate objects are concerned:

Recap: 

• Go to Living with Punks for the Pen Wrap & Roll tutorial
• Go to no big dill reviews for the giveaway
• Thank me for introducing you to the most fabulous pens ;)

Cut with Scissors, not Words or Seam Rippers

Once upon a time, there was a student and sewing teacher.  The teacher's name was Mrs. Price, though be not fooled, for she was truly priceless.  The annual "Make it with Wool" was upon her dear class, all young hands worked feverishly into the evening to complete their exceptional articles, and the light shone brightly from that high school classroom to those passing by in the night.  Sewing machines and sergers hummed, students chattered and scissors snipped.  Upon completion of each project, the fearless leader would summon the support of all those present and a chorus of "BAAAAA, RAAAAM, EWE," would be proclaimed in honor of those who gave their warm coats for the cause.  Suddenly a loud moan was heard, heads turned to see a girl in distress with her head down upon her woolen coat, seam ripper in hand.  She was opening those carefully stitched buttonholes only to slice completely through the edge of that coat.  Mrs. Priceless walked her quick clip, as she was slow in nothing, over to the heartbroken girl and told her she would conjure a way to recover the beautiful piece.  And she did.  She cunningly covered each of those buttonholes with a swatch of leather.  Those judges were none the wiser and awarded the girl great accolades for the very clever addition.

Moral of the story:

NEVER USE SEAM RIPPERS TO OPEN YOUR BUTTONHOLES UNLESS YOU ARE AS CLEVER AS ONE MRS. PRICELESS

Today, I discuss a few of my favorite sharp and pointy objects.  

You would think a seam ripper would certainly be on my list, 

but alas, it would not be on my top 10 list of sewing paraphernalia 

I could take to a deserted island.

PINS:

A very good friend in the sewing world.  

Pins are like a crystal ball, 

giving you a glimpse of the future: 

what your project will look like when it's sewn, 

but still able to adjust if necessary.

When in doubt, use more pins!

And don't go whimpy.  

Use pins you can easily grab, with a spherical head.

BONE FOLDER:

Though allied with the world of paper, 

these little tools make your corners sharp and professional.  

Sure, you could use a pen or pencil, 

but run the risk of marks on your fabric or 

poking all the way through that delicate corner.

SCISSORS:

One pair of scissors I could not sew 

without are my little embroidery scissors.  

These are just fiskars available at most retail establishments, 

but they have a petite end, perfect for clipping threads, 

seams and, you guessed it, opening buttonholes. 

 I have some in purse, on my desk, in my desk, 

and maybe another pair in my purse.

BUTTONHOLE HOW-TO not massacre your garment

1   Open the scissors, and using one of the blades, swivel it back and forth until the tip pokes out through the other side, about 1/4".

2   Make a small clip, making sure you are only cutting fabric, not threads.

3   Continue making small clips until you reach the end of the buttonhole.

4   Turn fabric around and repeat on other half.

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For the post in it's entirety and a chance to win a pair of Gingher Scissors leave your comment here.

Weapon of choice: Sewing Machines

In Junior High I had the choice of taking General Music or Choir.  Since I don't have a strong singing voice, I chose General Music.  I was the only girl, which is a big deal in Junior High.  It was all the skateboarders and computer geeks....and me, timid little me:  together for musical enlightenment.  I remember very few things about that class.  One:  I dreaded it, despite my love for music.  Two:  we watched Westside Story.   Three: We learned some very basic songs on the violin, and played them for the parents.  My mom was the only parent who came [do we see a theme?].  The violins we used were a sight....and a sound.  Understandably, for why would the public school system buy Strativarius Violins for a bunch of kids who, for the most part, couldn't care less about rosin, bows, finger positions, and a bunch of dead composers?  Exactly.  And yet...

You are wondering where the sewing machine photo comes in?  The experience in Junior High taught me that the instrument, or the tool matters.  Ever sat down to a Steinway & Sons baby grand piano and then a $99 keyboard?  I tried to teach piano lessons to a little girl who had a traveling keyboard to practice on.  Was I surprised when she decided "piano" was not for her?  Of course not!  So, when people ask me for my opinion on a good beginners sewing machine I tell them this:

What you start on will turn you on or off to sewing.  If it's the cheapo-on-sale-at-Wal-Mart, I will guarantee you will not have the experience of sewing as it should be.  I know there are many good brands out there.  Like photography, people will side with one manufacturer and stick with it.  My side?  Bernina.  A very wise High School sewing instructor had a whole room full of these, and she had students clamoring to get into her classes.  Yep, wrestlers, football players, all hunched down over their humming sewing machines in order to enter the "Make it With Wool" contest.  How I love Mrs. Price.  She wanted a good experience for each student and fought to get the very best in her classroom so that would happen.


**I have since upgraded to a 440 model, but have my Activa 135 for my girls to use so we don't have spool wars.**

I have a very basic Bernina, an Activa 135 (which I don't think they even make anymore), but it has many many miles on it.  Everything from wedding dresses to a poop bag have been sewn on it.  Why do I profess my love to such a machine?  Read on. 

01  You get to talk to people who actually know how to sew[!].  Go to your local Bernina Dealership and you can test drive many different models, describe to the salesperson what it is you intend to use your machine for and she will "fit" you to a machine that is right for you.

02  Your purchase comes with classes.  When I bought my machine, I thought, "I know how to sew, I don't need to take classes."  But, as they were included in the price of purchase, I thought, why not, a free night of sewing without kids?!  They don't teach you how to sew, they teach you how to use your machine, how to clean and care for it, and how to use MANY different feet.  How to use your edgestitching foot, or your blind hem foot.  Does Wal-Mart do that?  I still refer to my notes on occasion.

03  It just sews like butter.  I used to use my mom's old inexpensive machine and was always having trouble with the bobbin and getting even stitches and and and....  I thought it was just me.  It wasn't.  I can actually make a nice looking buttonhole without spending the whole day.

Cliff's notes version:  Invest in a good machine from the beginning.  It will make the difference.

Love My Dremel

So, I'm getting lots of questions about my Dremel [another lovely surprise from Ryan when I mentioned I needed a dremel for a project].  So glad you are interested in dremelling.  We have my dad to thank.  He made his first lamp [similar to the one below] entirely with an electric drill, you know, when my mom mentioned they needed a lamp [can you imagine carving with a drill?].  I'll make you one, was his reponse.  And he did.  He has since upgraded to using a dremel.

This is the lamp of his I have to keep me company for my evening projects and reading.  Her name is Aunt Bee.  My dad loves a good play on words.

  Anyway, back to the dremel.  This is what I use.  It is a rotary dremel, not just oscillating.  

I've since thrown the packaging away for the tip I most frequently use for wood, but here is a close-up shot.  You can, of course, get many different sizes, depending how thick of a script you are going for.

I'm by no means an expert, but hopefully this might help you dive into your own dremel diversions.

Beehive do.

Quilting Bee.

Clever, eh?
I use her mini quilt as a make-do pin cushion on occasion, though this doesn't please Ryan when he goes to turn off the light and ends up with porcupine pricks.