Monday, June 24, 2013

In Praise of Superior Materials

Since last week was my first totally free week (school was over for both myself and Mr. Cation, and end of the year meetings were finally done), I decided to take a little break from blogging and treat myself to a sewcation. You know, it's kind of like a staycation, but instead of going to local tourist spots, I just stayed home and sewed all day. Seriously, it was such. bliss. to be able to sew for hours without interruption! And I needed it, because it was a pretty involved project...but more about that in another blog post.

Here's a sneak peek!

One of my takeaways from my week of sewing (besides the fact that sewcations are awesome for introverts like me) was that it is totally worth it to spend money on quality items. A danger of my Very Thrifty Asian Upbringing is that I tend to think I can get away with the cheapest tools and materials; my  sewing machine is the lowest-of-the-line model I could find on Amazon and for the longest time I just used regular office scissors for cutting fabric (but I only used them for fabric, never for paper!). My threads were all the $0.25/spool ones from SAS, and come on, I sew with old sheets most of the time! Fabric that costs more than $8/yd is usually ruled out as too pricey. But I knew that good tools could revolutionalize my sewing (my rotary cutter and self-healing mat and magnetic pincushion are my favorite examples). So when Jo-ann's had its Firefly Frenzy sale, I took advantage of the deep discounts and flurry of coupons to treat myself to some better stuff:


1) Gingher dressmaking shears: Sewing bloggers I respect are always talking about how awesome these are, and I have to admit -- I scoffed. How awesome could a pair of scissors really be? FRIENDS, I WAS SO WRONG. I cannot get over how much I love these shears! They really do handle multiple layers of fabric beautifully, they cut all the way to the tippy tip, and it is like cutting through hot butter, it's so easy. I can't say it enough -- good tools can make an onerous task (does anyone actually enjoy cutting?) so much more tolerable. Between my rotary cutter and these shears, cutting out pattern pieces is almost borderline enjoyable. Between the coupons and teacher discounts, I got mine for $8, a price even I can stomach!

2) Silk thread and beeswax for hand-sewing: I've always just used cheap polyester all-purpose thread for all my hand-sewing (and machine sewing, for that matter), whether for blind-stitching hems, attaching trim and buttons, or basting (for the rare times I actually take the time to baste). And when it tangled up horribly or snapped, I always assumed that that's what people do!! errr, that's what thread just does. But the historical sewing bloggers I follow all talk about its superiority for hand-sewing, so I gave it a try. It wasn't quite the epiphany that the Gingher shears were, but it was still pretty impressive. I haven't hated hand-sewing for a while, but now I even find it relaxing and fun. Which is good, because there was a ton of hand-sewing involved in my week-long project. 

I love this tumblr and am so sad it's no longer updated.
But hey, I gave sewing with a thimble a try after a particularly painful needle jab!


3) Quality interfacing: I didn't get this at Jo-ann's, but from Fashion Sewing Supply. I've always used the cheap Pellon non-woven interfacing for my projects and would always get frustrated when it bubbled or peeled off or totally changed the hand and drape of my fabric. Honestly, when people talked about how interfacing was necessary for making coats, I just didn't get it. I didn't scoff, like I did with the shears, but I was just confused. How could it really make such a big difference? I finally sucked it up and got myself a couple of yards of Pro-Weft Supreme Medium-Weight Interfacing last year, but hadn't had a reason to use it until now. I was quickly blown away by how beautifully it stabilized my fabric without making it stiff, how much better it fused, and how freaking good it smelled while fusing. Okay, I know that last bit of praise probably concerns some people (I promise I'm not huffing interfacing fumes on purpose!), but seriously, this stuff smelled like an excellent mushroom puff pastry. Yes, I could really smell the umami and buttery flakiness. 

I had to fight the urge to make these instead of finishing my project. 

After I tried out the interfacing, I wrote a thank you note to FSS, because I was that taken with their product. To my surprise, Pam, the owner, personally wrote me back to say how glad she was that I enjoyed the interfacing and even offered to send me a swatch set so that I would have a better idea of the endless horizons of mushroom puff pastry before me types of interfacing they offered for various needs. Readers, in this day and age of anonymous online commerce, it was such a pleasant surprise to hear from Pam and be offered this kind of customer service. Even better, she's offered a swatch set for one of you lucky ducks to try! Seriously, if you've ever wondered what the big deal with interfacing is, or if you're just not sure what feels like what and need to figure out what works for your particular project, here's your chance! Leave a comment below telling me what sewing tool, notion, or material revolutionalized your sewing process, and I'll choose a winner on June 28, Friday night, at 11:59 pm PST. 

For a list of the swatches included, take a look over here. I'll be honest, I petted mine for quite a bit and then spent a good amount of time researching what kinds of projects each would be suited for. 


And if interfacing isn't your thing, stay tuned...I've got another giveaway coming! Gosh, this is the most giveaways I've ever done in a month, but then again, this month marks my second blogiversary and I didn't have my act together enough to make another pattern, so here, have a bunch of lotteries instead. Only it's not the kind where you draw a black spot and get stoned to death. Oops, should I have put a spoiler alert on that? 

78 comments:

  1. This sounds pretty silly to me now, but when I was first getting into sewing frequently for myself, the thing that revolutionized my sewing was a full size ironing board. It was super cheap, given my student budget at the time, but it was amazing how much cleaner my final projects came out after being properly pressed throughout the sewing process. Time goes by and now I'm looking into a fancy iron and sturdier board to take it to the next level!

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  2. The tool that has most revolutionized my sewing experience, is easily, the clover chalk pen marking tool! I have fallen hook, line and sinker for how easy it is to use and how nicely the chalk comes out! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS I TELL YEAH.

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  3. SCISSORS!! Scissors revolutionized my process. I used old, old scissors that I used for everything and it was so difficult. I found myself so irritated by my finished project. I haven't gotten to interfacing yet so it would be great to try it out!!

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  4. I'm not sure if it revolutionized my sewing experience, but certainly my favorite tool has to be the awl. When the pressure of the sewing feet drags the top layer of fabric, I can use the awl to prevent that from happening (plus constantly raising the feet and adjusting... I should probably lower the pressure of the feet, but it's not that big of a problem, so i just deal with it). And when I use teeny seam allowances (like 1/4" for knits mostly), I use the awl to adjust the fabric. Pretty boring tool, but very practical!

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  5. Definitely my rotary cutter. I have decent Fisker scissors, but I still loathed cutting a pattern until I broke down and got the cutter. So much quicker and hassle-free!

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  6. Quality silk pins were my revelation. I love how they slide out when you give them a gentle tug and leave tiny holes that heal up immediately. They make pinning and unpinning so much easier!

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  7. Jersey sewing machine needles, the ball point ones, and a nice big foldout cutting mat to protect my kitchen table.

    I had the same realization about knitting after using crap yarn on a difficult project. Always always use the best you can afford. It is worth it.

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  8. I loved my first rotary cutter. I always found cutting out patterns to be the part of sewing I never looked forward to. Now that I use a rotary cutter and no pins (yay!) It goes so quickly I don't mind anymore.

    Another ah-ha! item would be using beeswax on your handsewing thread.

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  9. Ooooh. Definitely my serger, quality shears and good pins!

    I have been thinking of transitioning from Pellon as my pants I'm working on are almost devoid of their interfacing after doing fit checks :/

    I'd love to win a swatch!

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  10. Ginghers are AH-MAY-ZING. My aunt gifted me a pair last year (the same pair in your photo above, I believe) and I could not believe the difference they made the first time I cut fabric with them. SNICKY-SNACK! Just like Wolverines claws.

    As odd as this is going to sound, dressmakers pins were a revelation for me. They're shorter and sharper than the run-of-the-mill long pins with the bead-head. They slide in and out with ease and don't leave large holes in delicate fabric like silk or the very expense very beautiful India brocade.

    I would also say a quilters ruler is a must have. I trace all my patterns (I have to make a lot of adjustments) and it helps with that AND helps with finding/adjusting grain AND lining up patterns to the grain line.

    So there you go--my must haves.

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  11. i love my ginghers. i still hate cutting out, but it's better with them!

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  12. My favorite notion is . . . . . a Post It pad. Seriously. Take the backing piece of paper off the pad (it needs to be a square or rectangle shaped, cute hearts or puppy paws just won't work!), then press it down on the bed of your sewing machine and use the pad as a guide when sewing. You butt the fabric up against the pad and voila - straight rows of stitching! It is particularly useful if you are stitching a seam that does not match any of the markings on your machine, and is perfect for double rows of stitching - sew the first row, then move your needle position (or the pad) and sew the second row. It is a lot less frustrating than using a double needle. And when you are done, unstick, and next time you need it, peel off the bottom post it and you are good to go!

    I also agree with the other comments - use good pins, scissors and interfacing!

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  13. Oh my goodness, I had 2 of the same revelations recently! I received Gingher shears as a gift within the past week and holy crap, they are amazing!

    I had a feeling I was using the wrong interfacing so when I was at International Silks and Woolens (have you ever been there? On Beverly near the Beverly Center) I got a recommendation for proper interfacing for shirts. Unfortunately, I didn't catch the brand or type, but it is WAY better than the Pellon variety I had been previously using. I've been meaning to order some interfacing from FSS; Pam's blog has some great tutorials so I don't doubt her product is top notch.

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  14. I 'treated' myself to a Clover seam ripper and I was beside myself with joy, seriously, I was dancing around the living room and my husband announced to the kids that I had finally lost it, but not to worry, we have good health cover :-)

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  15. Oooh -- it sounds so basic, but my rotary cutter CHANGED MY SEWING LIFE. I thought such silliness was only for quilter. Boy, was I wrong. I use that puppy all the darn time!

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  16. My mom introduced me to the miracle of using a hemostat clamp (like for veins) for pulling out corners and turning tubes, I love it so hard now--don't know how I survived without it all the sewing years before,

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  17. My pattern weights are my favorite tool. They are just metal washers I bought at Home Depot!

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  18. Using a rotary cutter for cutting out pattern pieces. I used it for years in quilting and somehow it never occurred to me to use it to cut fashion fabric. Now, I only use my good Ginger scissors to cut out notches and those tricky places the rotary cutter won't quite go.

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  19. Ooh, I've been wanting to order some fancying interfacing from FSS, but I've never got around to it. The latest item I've been in love with is my Chakoner chalk liner. I absolutely hate crumbly chalk and it's inability to hold a point. Chakoner makes this perfectly fine, tiny, dotted line of chalk specks.

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  20. it's not necessarily 'superior quality' but FREEZER PAPER! Tracing my patterns onto it then ironing it onto fabric instead of pinning. Love this so much.

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  21. Everyone who sews needs at LEAST one pair of Ginghers! I have 4 different kinds (including one they sadly don't make the same anymore).

    I have a list of notions I can't live without. But I think I would go most crazy without my magnetic pincushion and grid rulers. I can make do with a lack of tools (and have on some crummy jobs) but I really dislike being without those two items the most.

    I love good interfacing but don't always know the names of the good ones I use at work (because they aren't labeled). Thanks so much for the chance to try a variety - I would love to win!

    ~ Brooke

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  22. I was also raised on a foundation of thrift (Asian and otherwise), and have done some serious skimping in my time. Having a knowledgeable friend shop with me led me to choose a Bernina, which has been nothing but a joy to sew on. It's just a workhouse. I also bought a great pair of Japanese scissors soon after I got my machine, as my hands and wrists weren't appreciating Fiskars.

    I also started sewing on thrifted sheets, and still use them for muslins, but have really come around to high-quality fabrics for the right project. I'm starting to learn that the quality of my materials should match how much time (which is a lot) that I invest in sewing a garment. I want it to last!

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  23. I especially value those high quality tools that, if I take care of them, won't really wear out or need replacing. I'm very slowly accumulating a set of these. Having learned to sew on a series of partially-broken sewing machines (mostly found at church jumble sales for $15-$25), getting one that actually worked consistently was a revelation. That machine (a gift from my mom after college graduation, probably cost a few hundred dollars at the time) is still serving me perfectly six years later. SO WORTH IT. Same thing with good shears (Ginghers, also a gift) - I get them sharpened occasionally, and they'll basically last forever. So while I don't buy tools too often, I do try to get ones that are high quality and timeless.

    In terms of materials, I'm definitely coming around to the idea that at this phase of my life the limiting factor in my sewing is really my time more than my money, and have been using that as an excuse to buy nicer fabric (and interfacing, buttons etc.) I just have to be careful not to buy it faster than I sew it! The stashbusting sewalong's been great for keeping me disciplined about that. But as long as I'm not accumulating fabric, it's pretty hard to break the bank on the projects I actually want to sew. Super fancy fabrics are too fiddly to wear most of the time, so it's not like I'm spending hundreds of dollars on silk on a regular basis. And I have thus far avoided developing a Liberty habit.

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  24. Love these revelations! It's actually refreshing to meet someone who is thrifty with sewing supplies... (a lot of us think we're thrifty but actually we're fabric collectors at heart) but it's good to know you've branched out and found some exciting new tools.
    My biggest sewing revelation was my rotary cutter. I read about it on pattern review or somewhere and now I use it for all knits and most other things. I suspect my next revelation, is going to be a new blade in the rotary cutter. And, of course, patternreview, which is a tool but not a notion.

    My non-sewing tool revelation was my ratchet screwdriver. Leaves the crappy old 2 dollar screwdrivers for dead.

    Happy summer!

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  25. I love my Gingher's, but use my rotary cutter for straight lines (a lot faster, plus hurts my carpal tunnel less). I know if I got another self-healing mat it would be way more awesome, and also a bigger cutting table is something I need. Someone mentioned a serger and it's so true, I have only sewn a few things for my kids, yet it went pretty fast and they have been washed over and over and still fine. I have used Pam's interfacing before and it surprised me how damn soft it is!

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  26. The Internet changed the way I sew. I do think it's an awesome tool. And I love my serger and my industrial straight stitcher and my cutting mat and rotary. I just love tools.

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  27. I'm possibly almost as stingy as you are, so for the first two years or so that I started seriously sewing my own clothes, I was using an iron I found at the back of my friend's closet when she was moving out. The water reservoir was broken so it was only good as a Very Hot Flat Thing—there were some drawback. I had my mom give me a nice T-Fal iron for my birthday about a year ago, and it was a revelation! I think I go a little overboard with the steam now, but it's so much fun! I have to iron things without my glasses...

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  28. A couple of things changed my sewing life, first the biggest cutting mat I could find/afford and leave that on my sewing table as it great for cutting out on, measuring and protecting my table! The other is more a technique than a tool, having watched Susan Khalje's Craftsy Course, I mark all the sewing lines on my pattern pieces and match them rather than the edges of the seam allowances. This means I don't have to quite so accurate about cutting which I hate even though I have great scissors and a rotary cutter! I can then handle the smaller pattern pieces and mark the sewing lines with a better level of accuracy, which the cutting mat also helps with and now has lines of carbon paper marking it all over! Since I've been doing this my fit is much better as I'm lining up the part that actually matters rather than the seam allowance.
    I've yet to have the revelation about interfacing although I'm nearly there, like you I've been using the non-woven interface for a long time but recently discovered my local sewing shop has some hidden under the counter, so my next step will be to get some but I've never been sure what to ask for! To have a sample of what they all feel like and what they are called would be a great help!

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  29. I think my rotary cutter is da bomb! But air erasable markers really revolutionised my sewing :-)

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  30. Scissors/shears are my favorite as well! They really do make life so much easier. Also a loop turner, as unnecessary as it may seem, when it comes to belt loops or feeding elastic, i love it!

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  31. I agree completely about the scissors. I was using sub-par scissors for quite a while and could not cut properly. I now have a pair of Westcotts that I like. Will have to look at my fabric shop to see if they have ginghers. And, interfacing does make a world of difference. Problem is, the interfacing I found at a lovely but upscake fabric store here was more than 3 X as expensive as the fabric. Crazy! But it was so soft and silky and stayed put for good.

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  32. I agree about the scissors, but since I hate marking so much, the Chakoner totally changed the way that I sew!

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  33. I love the FFS interfacings. Like you, I was dubious; but they really are better!

    The notion I'm loving lately is fusible web for quickly basting things and keeping them in place until I sew them down. I learned about this from Sunni's Craftsy class, and I sort of can't shut up about it!

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  34. Congratulations on the sewcation! I've been dreaming about having one of those for about two years now . . . some day! Getting a rotary cutter and mat definitely helped revolutionize my sewing, as did a good iron. My good iron broke last year and I've been making do with an ebay one until I have the money to buy another good one, and it's so disappointing! Discovering the world of non-Hancock's interfacing was also a big treat for me. And I got a Martha Stewart screw punch tool for Christmas last year and it has come in super handy for marking patterns (and for crafts with the kids).

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  35. Probably my most used tool is my large, see-through quilter's ruler - especially as I use it when measuring and cutting paper too. I also really enjoy using my Clover "wonder clips" - mini pegs for holding layers together that are too thick for pinning - or holding bias tape in place. Still trying to get my head around the interfacing thing, not helped by the fact that my local fabric shop has several rolls all in together, with minimal labelling or info. Hmm.

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  36. I haven't had much luck using a rotary cuttern and mat for garment sewing. I'm scared that my unsteady hand will jerk inward and slice up my pattern. But reading your blog and comments makes me thinks it's time to do some research.

    I agree on the interfacing - you get what you pay for. I always got the cheapest available at JoAnn's until I started taking a sewing class. The teacher recommended going up a few rungs on the interfacing ladder. I scoffed inwardly, but I did it anyways because she can be a little scary (in a good way), and now I appreciate the use of interfacing.

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  37. Thanks for your blog and your giveaway. It was helpful. I have never bought great interfacing until this week because I want to start sewing with knits. The knit I ordered was thinner that I would like. So I am trying a French tricot to interface the entire skirt. I will have to finish to let you know if it works. I would love the chance to see other kinds of interfacing.

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  38. I've been having interfacing issues and may just have to splurge on the good stuff...

    My mom bought me my sewing machine and I definitely think it avoids the problems I read about from many sewists. She had those Gingher scissors growing up and they were amazing! She kept them in the box they came from and I had to state my purpose anytime I wanted to use them.

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  39. My grandma's little metal seam gauge changed my sewing life. I use it for every single project I work on, and not just for seams. It's small and portable, so I use it for measuring alterations when I try on a muslin, drafting changes to a pattern, etc. I don't sew without it close to hand anymore, and there's turmoil at the sewing table every time it gets lost under mounds of fabric or behind the sewing machine. :)

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  40. The tracing wheel!!! I use it to mark, to transfer patterns, etc. Thanks for the giveaway, I need to try the real interfacing (not the one that bubbles)

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  41. What a great giveaway! My overlocker would be a main one - dont' know how I went for so long without one. Also a tracing wheel for patternmaking, and a silk organza press cloth.

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  42. I started sewing on the faker so a sewing machine that was all mine was such a revelation.
    Heh, but in a smaller way, I recently got proper fusible stay tape and all I can say is that I will never, ever, twill tape again. Having the tape stay in place with a simple iron while you're trying to quickly stabilize your knit is just precious.

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  43. I'm a bit of a sewing geek - seriously, I love tools and hardware! Definitely my rotary cutter, mat and washers changed my sewing life. But I think that my "discovery" of silk organza was eye opening. You can use it as a pressing cloth, as underlining, to stabilize seams, as facings or sew-in interfacing.... it is a magical material.

    Since you are doing so much hand sewing, you might want to check out Thread Heaven. It's a thread conditioner that helps the thread glide through the fabric and not snarl so much - like bees wax, but easier to use IMHO.

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  44. I had 2 revelations:
    First: a good machine. I switched from a cheap Toyota to a decent Bernette (not even close to top of the line) but it has made such a difference. The stitching is so much nicer, the buttonholes are automatic now and the tread or needle doesn't break as easily as before.
    Second: quality fabric. I used to go to the market and buy the cheapest fabric there was, but now I actually invest in fabric and don't mind spending 15-20€ per meter. The result is clothing that lasts longer and that looks good, even after washing it multiple times.

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  45. Well, the internet and the sewing blogosphere completely changed my life, period. Sewing life just exploded because of it.

    But if we must be rational and measured, the best tool would be my rotary cutter, that thing makes me dangerous, LOL! As a notion, I have to thank Melissa @Fehr Trade for introducing me, after YEARS of reading of it in Burda, to Vilene bias tape. I love it to bits!!! Of course, I live in a country with chronic energy problems so ironing is iffy some times but I am soo addicted it's not even funny.

    And I love this giveaway because I am also addicted to samples. Just love them. Got the Dharma Trading complete set and it's just hours and hours of fun for me, LOL!

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  46. I used to think hand sewing was a four-letter word (other than 'hand'). Beeswax for thread has allowed me to actually enjoy it. I use cotton more often than silk, since I’m mainly a quilter, but even with it, life is so much better.

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  47. Sounds fantastic! I love my rotary cutter and my extra large mat for cutting on. My new favorite tool right now, though is... painters masking tape. Strange I know, but I can explain! ;) I've been using PDF patterns lately and I end up using them once and then throwing them away afterwards because storing a pdf pattern that you have taped together is a pain. With the oainters tape I can untape them and store ther paper in with the rest of my patterns. No paper or ink waste

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  48. Like you, good scissors made all the difference. I started out with a pair of Henkels, and while they weren't terrible, they did hurt my hand a fair bit. After reading about the majesty of Kai scissors, I took the plunge and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD they are absolutely amazing! Then I got a pair of micro serrated Gingher scissors for slippery fabric and they are awesome as well. Not quite as comfortable to hold as the Kai scissors, but they are worth their weight in gold when cutting silk or bemberg rayon.

    Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  49. I've gotten a dozen or more great new ideas just from reading the comments. Mine would have to be my floor stand swing arm magnifying light that I can position over my machine for topstitching. It has made all the difference in the world, especially since I've been doing a lot of shirt making lately. Terrific blog topic!

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    1. Oh yes, and Steam a Seam and my Reliable steam iron!

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  50. Definitely my serger was the first revolution. My second was my Elna 6600- 10 ys later. The third was my overlocker. Life is so much simpler with these machines.

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  51. I haven't really explored the world of interfacing, it would be so useful to have samples and see what different types are like and what projects they might work best with. . .

    My eureka tool is actually the Clover snips that I got to clip threads as I was sewing - suddenly I was actually clipping the threads as they were being made, instead of having to go through the finished garment to see if I'd missed a thread. A tiny thing, but it has really made sewing that much more streamlined and pleasurable

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  52. I'm a chemist too and I love the smell of interfacing (even the cheap stuff), but not as much as I love the smell of LB broth. Mmm...bacteria.

    My revolutionary tool is my rotary cutter. I made a costume for my daughter out of fleece and cut it out by hand. With scissors. Ugh.

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  53. My sewing indulgence was the cardboard mat with the squares that makes aligning and adjusting the pattern so much easier. Even though, I did use the retailer's discount coupon offer, it was still an expensive item for me --$12(usd)for a large piece of cardboard with lines on it. I have never regretted that purchase. Like you, I have not used the different interfaces. This was a very interesting topic to read.

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  54. Definitely my serger- I know it's not a tool, really but I sew a LOT of knits and it has changed my life! In the realm of a real tool I think I'd go with my gingher shears as well...

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  55. For me, fender washers made my sewing life so much easier. Before them, I didn't really have a good method for holding the tracing paper down while tracing off patterns, and I used to pin the patterns to the fabric, which caused all sorts of problems. Now I just throw down washers for both pattern tracing and fabric cutting and save so much time at both.

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  56. I am jealous that you are done already. Our exams ended last week, but we've still got 3 more days of meetings/clean up/prepping for the fall to go.

    My revolutionizing tool is, seriously, the internet. Before I started reading sewing blogs last year, I sewed occasionally and didn't know what I didn't know. Now it's made a much better and informed sewist. Also one who is going to need more closet space soon, if the pile of recently-bought patterns is anything to go by.

    I mean, look at today alone. There are different kinds of interfacing?!

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  57. My tool that I use again and again is a chopstick..
    I use it like a stiletto-- I used it to pull up the threads from the bobbin... I used it to push fabric into the corners I've sewn... I use it to unwind bobbins.
    But...I'd LOVE some interfacing... I'm always daunted by all the brands, the styles and different applications.

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  58. Quality scissors ... and Pam's interfacing!!

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  59. Living in the Philippines, I can't get good tools as the country is full of thrifty Asians! :) The other side of the coin is that most people just can't afford the good stuff and even professional seamstresses just use the cheapest scissors and stick them back together with tape if the plastic handle falls off. Sharpening scissors is however incredibly cheap and a man comes round the neighborhood and sharpens them on a contraption attached to his bicycle. They use newspaper for patterns (even though they get the printing ink all over their hands and the fabric sometime) and turn all scraps into pillow covers, cleaning rags etc. You can only buy one type of thin polyester thread and unless you go down to the depths of China Town, its only available in a very small range of colors, so I often can't topstitch as the thread color is too far ff. Interfacing is actually the worst problem as the quality available is awful. Either so thin it doesn't do anything except stick to your iron or really hard and nasty. Sewing patterns aren't available here, and that is actually the biggest barrier to people sewing themselves. I made my own patterns for years or used pattern magazines which I would buy whenever I went abroad. However with the availability of downloadable patterns I find that I sew more as I don't have to first have to make a pattern! So basically even though my sewing "devolutionized" when I came here but I certainly had learned to make do with what i available, and you, know, that is OK too!

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  60. A book - Gertie's New Book for better sewing- was /is my favorite notion. It guided me through the importance of making a muslin & now I can make clothes that actually FIT!

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  61. The best tool for me is the multipurpose Point Former and Tube Turner by Design Plus. Its really helped my collars and cuffs. Also great for turning tubes, especially ones that are of a medium wt. fabric. Works great!!!

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  62. One of the first things that revolutionized my sewing was my 1986 purchase of the Pfaff Tiptronic sewing machine!!!!!! I had always sewed on my Singer Stylist. The next thing would be my taking classes with Cynthia Guffey!!! She is the greatest and teaches you to kick it up a notch! Later on after years of sewing, I'd say that purchasing only quality fabrics has revolutionized my sewing. The results are better, the garments hold up better through wear and tear and care (dry cleaning or machine washing).

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  63. Good for you - judiciously choosing the right things to spend more money on is part of the learning curve, I suppose. It's probably better than splurging before you can actually sew! I think the biggest "spend more for quality" decision I made was for interfacing; although, it appears Fashion Sewing Supply's interfacing is actually better-priced. Go figure.

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  64. A good stock of sewing machine needles is my revolution. It means that when I start a new project I can put in a new needle, without worrying about running out. I rarely have stitch problems as a result and don't have to stop when one breaks to run to the store.

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  65. There are so many neat notions. But Steam a Seam lite 2 in 1/4 inch wide rolls has been a life saver for me.

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  66. I would love to win! I would say that chalk - simple, colored, sticks of blackboard chalk - revolutionized making things. It's so easy to mark fabric for cutting, for tracing, for marking fabric when it's draped on me. It also can mark on any color of fabric, and comes out easily with either dusting with fingers, or the wash if it's stuck in the fabric. So wonderful. ~Kelly

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  67. Weights for cutting out pattern pieces. So simple so wonderful. Cutting goes much quicker now. Fabulous score on the gingher shears. Thanks for this giveaway. I'm interested in hearing that interfacing makes a difference.

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  68. I succumbed to Pam's good interfacing last year sometime, when it became clear that I couldn't avoid patterns that required interfacing forever... I used the Pellon stuff once on a garment and it's terrible! I use her regular light fusible and the knit fusible is great too, but I'd love to see what else is out there before committing to a whole yard!
    I'm also a fan of the clear rulers (I use them as pattern weights too!) along with the rotary cutter, and I've recently discovered cheap brown painter's paper for pattern tracing/making - it's a good weight and it comes in a huge roll.

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  69. Good sheers. My brother-in-law ignored my request for if-a-GC-then-only-from-certain-tack-shop this past Christmas (or more likely, forgot) and got me a gift card to Joanns. Hello nice new sheers and thread nippers (what? you mean thread doesn't need to fray all over the place when you clip it off?) It's made my projects a whole lot tidier! Sewing at my mom's now is a headache because she only has regular scissors- that she also uses on paper!

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  70. My biggest sewing revelation was the rotary cutter--I have 3 sizes for different amounts of curve, and I'd never sew without them. I also really love that fusible interfacing tape from SewKeysE--I have an irrational hatred of using clear elastic for stabilizing seams, so I use the interfacing tape from SewKeysE. It's not very expensive, and you get A LOT. :-) Also, my serger; Babylock FTW. ;-)

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  71. I'm not sure if this counts but my greatest revelationwas finding the blade on a seam ripper and working out how to use one properly. My first 18 months sewing were spent ripping the stitches out like it was a hook or using tweezers. It was awful!

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  72. For me, it's definitely the Pro Seam-Ripper Kit. I don't spend hours undoing my mistakes anymore! ...and I always make mistakes...

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  73. Definitely my dress form. I don't have any sewing friends, so being able to put a skirt on this thing and pin the hem myself - YES PLEASE

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  74. Bias tape makers!
    It's amazing how much of a difference they make. You simply cannot make decent bias tape without one (at least I can't), and the pre-made stuff is just awful. It's usually synthetic and in the wrong colour. Now I can bind the tabs of my stays with nice binding in the colour that I want.
    Bias tape makers rule!

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  75. I'm not sure if "revolutionised" is the correct word, but I sure do like my new old sleeve board! It's much easier to iron those little bits, those tiny hems and such like.
    And I'm getting to like my thimble now.
    And I like my French curve, because I like to make and alter away my own patterns.

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  76. One thing that has made a big difference for me is that I bought 70 yds of muslin when it was really on sale (well under $1/yd). Now when I'm wanting to experiment with a new pattern or technique I already have cheap fabric to play with. This has helped me up my skills without breaking the bank and given me confidence to choose a little better quality fabric when I get to the final make. Now that I'm coming to believe that interfacing is not as skippable as I'd like to think, I'd love to have samples of good quality interfacing.

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  77. I, too had my world rocked by Gingher shears when I got them as a Christmas gift. More recently, I used spray starch to help me out with a chiffon project, and I'll never be without that again.

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