Two Tips!

Good morning! Hope all is well with you.

I've been sewing up a storm, but nothing is finished to show you. However, I did learn something new...How to make nice, sharp corners. I wasn't completely satisfied with my corners. Despite poking with a knitting needle, they were, well, blah. I found the answer at about.com. Basically you trim excess fabric very closely and then sew ACROSS the corner a few stitches. I know it sounds like a mistake, but it works. In the photos above the pictures in the left column show the way we regularly do corners, the right column shows the stitching across method.

Tip number 2: You know those little sandpaper dots we purchase to put on the underside of our rulers to keep them from slipping? Well, you can use them for other things. Like sticking one to a button on your machine. This allows you to push that button by touch alone. Your eyes can stay on your sewing. This is very nice for long-arm machines too. I also put one on my house door key so I can tell by touch which one to use. I also put a few on the top of my self-healing mat. It helps hold the fabric still as you cut. And the list goes on. I'm sure you can think of a few good spots to stick one. (by the way, that's my Baby Lock sewing machine. I just love it!)

Have a nice Memorial Day holiday.
Melanie

Forgive a grandma... This is Alex at one month! Can you believe he can hold himself up like that?!