Look for the Helpers

One of my favorite quotes is from Fred Rogers.  “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”  That quote seems so appropriate now, with all that the world is going through.  As a member of the staff of Always In Stitches I couldn’t be more proud of the work being done. Always In Stitches has created mask kits that makes 20 masks. The mask kits are available for order on the web page and a pattern has been posted on the Always In Stitches web page (www.alwaysinstitches1.com). Customers and staff members are busy sewing masks to donate to those in need. People who can’t sew are buying the mask kits so others can make them up. These kits can be delivered to your porch anywhere in Hamilton County or you can pick them up from the safe area in the vestibule at the shop even though the shop is closed. There is also an area in the vestibule to drop off completed masks.  All that we ask is that no more than one person at a time is in the safe area.  The completed masks will be delivered safely to places in need. We will get through this if everyone follows a few simple safety precautions.  A friend had a quote on her Facebook page that also rang true to me.  The way you say things makes such a difference.  “You’re not stuck at home, you’re safe at home.  One word can change your attitude.”  Stay safe everyone and remember look for the helpers.

From the Always In Stitches Website

We have communicated with state government officials and medical personnel in an effort to bring you the most accurate information as of March 23, 2020 regarding the sewing of masks. 

In the interest of being effective in our efforts please read the following:

• Use ONLY good quality cotton fabric such as quilting cottons or dense woven cotton - we suggest a layer of cotton and a layer of flannel in each mask.
• Wash all fabric BEFORE making the mask - these need to withstand repeated washings and must be pre-washed prior to making the mask.
• This pattern includes the use of a wire across the nose which we do not recommend - this may limit the potential use of a mask, as wire does not hold up to the repeated washing/sterilization.
• They prefer masks without elastic - if you use elastic it does not hold up to repeated washing/sterilization.
• If you are sick or someone in your home is sick, please do not spread those germs by making/delivering masks to any location.

We have a secure area open to one person walking in at a time at our shop location 1808 East Conner Street. You may leave finished masks and if someone wants to take masks from this area to deliver that is ok too.  We are just creating a central point for drop off and collection.

Please watch our Facebook page for the latest information about this ongoing situation. Together we will manage to get through this health crisis and come out better for it in the end.  Stay safe and keep washing your hands. 

How Do They Choose All That Fabric?

       Have you ever wondered how your favorite craft or fabric store determines what to carry in their shop?  I have been a customer at Always In Stitches for years but recently I became an employee.  It has been an interesting transition to see what goes on behind the scenes in their efforts to ensure the shop offers the classes, fabrics and accessories that are what the customers are looking for.

I was recently invited to sit in on a meeting with one of the fabric reps.  The rep sat down on the opposite side of the table and began laying out swatch after swatch of fabric including patterns as fast as he could pull them from his case and talk about them.  The swatches included the various fabrics included in the line.  When he finished the pile on the table was huge!  Then, they went back through the fabrics more slowly picking and rejecting different lines.  There is no way any shop could handle all the fabric available from each rep.  It was amazing to me to watch Lyneen and Capi pick and chose fabric, not based on their personal likes or dislikes, but on what they knew you, the shop customers, would like.  Decision were made based on what was already in the shop, what was available with the line and what ideas they could rapidly come up with on how a fabric could be used. 

         Fabric that was picked recently won’t be in the shop until early 2020.  The shop works 6 to 8 months ahead on selecting fabrics. Fabrics are printed based on the orders that the reps receive, and designers are working 1 to 2 years ahead so fabrics you see today started as an idea about 2 years ago!

      Do you know what “hand” is in reference to fabric?  I didn’t but quickly learned it was how the fabric feels.  I am very tactile so running my hand over the fabric to see how it felt was so fun!  It was amazing to me how different the fabric felt even with all this from one rep.  I also learned that whether a fabric has a 108 made a difference.  What is “108” you might ask? I did. It is a wide back that goes with the line.  Always In Stitches is carrying more and more wide backs and whether a line had a 108 available was another determining factor in choosing between one line and another.  Patterns available also figured into decisions. 

       The experience Capi and Lyneen have in making these decisions was quickly evident as the entire meeting lasted less than an hour and a half and included visiting and many discussions. It was daunting, at first, to sit in the meeting but it quickly became evident that first and last, the decisions being made were based on you the customer and what they felt would best meet your needs.  Never hesitate to ask if there is something you would like to see that is not in the shop.  We can’t carry everything but maybe you have discovered something that we haven’t thought of yet. 

Slow and Steady

There are times in sewing where going fast does not pay off.  A few years ago, our Row by Row was Slow and Steady. Ruth designed the row thinking that skillful quilters go slowly and carefully through the process.

The popularity of our new Simply Sixteen long arm quilting machine has made this an important point.  It does apply to all sewing machines. The machine can go really fast; so can a Maserati, but you don’t want to drive it around at 120 mph.  I was quilting using the Pro-Stitcher , and it was taking a long time, so I pushed the speed up. I was so pleased with myself that this was going to just whip through the quilting. But as my block progressed, it was missing all the key places I had lined up. By speeding up, I was not allowing the fabric and batting to return to their place after the needle pushed them out.  Curves and points also begin to pull in at faster speeds.  If you see the top thread pulling the bobbin thread up and in around curves, slow down. On a regular machine, going too fast can distort the fabric when the presser foot and feet dogs push the fabric along for the same reason- it needs a chance to bounce back.

 There are also mechanical reasons for not racing your engine. This is a finely tuned machine we want to last us for years, so we need to treat it gently. I get aggravated at my husband for how many times he gets his oil changed, takes the car in for service etc, but his car is going to last. My little car…probably not since I have only changed the oil once and don’t get that little hesitation checked out.  There is an alarm that goes off when you go faster than the stitch regulator is set for.  At that point, you will lose your even stitches, but you really don’t want to run your machine close to that. 

I used to think it was a compliment when my quilting teacher said,"wow, you sew really fast." Now I know she was trying to tell me to slow down. 

They Want What Color in the Nursery?

Many of us grew up dreaming of baby nurseries in pink or blue

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com

So, when our children share their nursery plans and mention colors like brown or gray

for a baby blanket we are perplexed. But we are here to show you that those colors

make for a lovely baby space.

Still soft and sweet

Still some pink and blue for Grandma, but blended with browns and grays for Mom.

A Quick Tip with Big Results

I learn little quilting tips all the time, working with such experienced quilters. This time it was one co-worker teasing another about whether she slapped her sashing on, or measured the length of the quilt, then cut the sashing to measure.  Just the day before I was discussing why a friend’s sashing had stretched and rippled at her long arm quilter’s. We had discussed placement (putting the longer side on first, then shorter). From the teasing, I picked up that you measure your side, cut the fabric to size, and pin it in place. In fact, pinning figures in to lots of solutions when quilting.

• ·         How do you make points match? Pin.
• ·         How do you keep your blocks the same size? Pin. (trimming to the block size helps, too)
• ·         How do you keep your sashing from rippling? Pin.

Many quilt designs end up with fabric cut on the bias, so it is stretchy. Triangles are especially bad about this.

I admit guilt. As a relatively experienced sewist, I tend not to pin when sewing, but for accurate quilting I cannot wait to see how this tip improves my quilts.

Color Theory

Embrace basic color theory 

By Capi Saxton 

Some people just have a natural ability to put colors together, but for those of us that struggle 

to know the difference between coral and pink, using the color wheel may help.   

First,  it’s important to know some basics of color theory, such as the four primary schemes: 

Monochromatic, Complementary, Analogous and Triad.  

Monochromatic colors are color schemes derived from a single base hue and extended using 

shades, tones and tints. Projects in these tones often have a soothing effect – such as an 

all-blue project that evokes the feeling of water growing deeper in color.  

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that create the strongest contrast. Think about red 

and green for Christmas, or orange and blue for some sport teams. These colors stimulate the 

eye, making projects pop.  

Analogous colors are groups of three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. 

They are best used with warm or cool colors, creating a scheme that is less vibrant than 

complementary ones.  Think about red, orange and tangerine, which allow for a variety of 

tones but stay in the same color family.  

Triadic colors use three colors equally spaced around the color wheel. Triadic color schemes 

tend to be quite vibrant, even when using pale or unsaturated versions of hues. The colors of 

Halloween - orange, purple and green – are a popular triadic scheme because they bounce off 

each other, creating wide visual interest. 

Knowing these things can help you consider what feeling you want your project to encourage. 

When making projects for children or ones where you want to spark creativity, use triadic or 

complementary colors. Use monochromatic or analogous colors when you want to encourage 

calm or soothing environments.   

Fabric designers create entire lines that use these principles.  Whenever possible it is easiest 

to let them do the work and select from the collection they create.  But as always, our great 

staff is available to help you find just the right combination to make your project the best it 

can be.   

We have a color wheel in our shop and all of our staff has been trained to effectively use it 

when creating projects.  Please take a moment to allow us to help you find the right color for 

your project.  

Happy Stitching! 

The Ugly Duckling Turns into a Swan

This weekend, Ruth taught a class on Kaleidoscope quilts. She went to the sale room looking for a print with large repeats in a distinct pattern.

This lovely, but somehow ugly, print jumped out at Ruth. To test how it performs in a Kaleidoscope, She did the mirror test, by using the Magic Mirrors by Marti Michelle.

You won't believe the images. By sliding the mirrors around on the fabric at different angles, or the angle from her pattern, she can tell if the pattern will work with the Kaleidoscope technique.

And now for the results:

The more distinct the fabric, the more different blocks you can make. Next time you are fabric shopping, keep your eye open for fabrics that may not be the prettiest, but which would bloom in a Kaleidoscope quilt.