[Nfb-krafters-korner] Quilting article

[Blindhands at aol.com]

I am a quilter, too.  I am a little more creative then just plain  square 
blocks.
 
I would like to add a little note here regarding keeping track of the right  
side of fabric when quilting or other sewing.
 
When I am working on such things as quilt blocks or should I say small  
project pieces, I use 1/4 inch masking tape that you can purchase in the  quilting 
stores.  I take diaper pins and have a sighted person first  identify the 
right side for me on the piece of fabruc before I first start  cutting the pieces 
or strips out.  [I have no light perception, just  totally black]  
 
Next as I cut things I take a piece of the tape and put it on the right  side 
of each piece I cut and pin it to the diaper pin all facing up.  I  have 
pinned them to my shirt in order that I will sew them at times to keep  track.  No 
way of pushing them off a table or mixing them up that  way.
 
They do use this 1/4 inch masking tape to be seam guides in quilting, but I  
have not ever used that for that purpose.  I will explain later what I use  
for a seam guide on my sewing machine.
 
Now if I am sewing Clothing for my Granddaughters I have a wide roll of  
masking tape [the ones you use for packing].  As I lay out my patterns I  will put 
a large enough piece of tape on the right side of the fabric.  If  I can't 
tell by touch wen I am starting off the right side, I seek sighted help  to 
start off with.
 
Now for my seam guide.  You know all of those plastic creditcards you  get in 
the mail.  Well I used one of them and taped it down with the old  masking 
tape to the bed of my sewing machine.  I had my sighted husband  help me to be 
sure I got it exactly 1/4 inch from the needle.  It extends a  couple of inches 
toward me parallel  with the needle. With this I can  put the edge of the 
fabric I have pinned with those long quilting, sharp pins  and butt it against 
the plastic card edge.  I feed the fabric up and pull  the pins out before they 
get to the needle.  I have a magnetic pin cushion  right near the bed of the 
sewing machine so I kinda toss the pins in that  direction and the magnet 
attracts them.  If I miss I have a telescopic  magnet that I can just reach down to 
get any that hit the floor easily.
 
I have learned to use a rotory cutter[you need to be very careful with this  
little baby] and I enjoy doing strip quilting and have learned some clever  
tricks how to make half square triangles.  The patterns are endless using  these 
few things.
 
Joyce



**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
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I am a quilter, too.  I am a little more creative then just plain square blocks.
 
I would like to add a little note here regarding keeping track of the right side of fabric when quilting or other sewing.
 
When I am working on such things as quilt blocks or should I say small project pieces, I use 1/4 inch masking tape that you can purchase in the quilting stores.  I take diaper pins and have a sighted person first identify the right side for me on the piece of fabruc before I first start cutting the pieces or strips out.  [I have no light perception, just totally black] 
 
Next as I cut things I take a piece of the tape and put it on the right side of each piece I cut and pin it to the diaper pin all facing up.  I have pinned them to my shirt in order that I will sew them at times to keep track.  No way of pushing them off a table or mixing them up that way.
 
They do use this 1/4 inch masking tape to be seam guides in quilting, but I have not ever used that for that purpose.  I will explain later what I use for a seam guide on my sewing machine.
 
Now if I am sewing Clothing for my Granddaughters I have a wide roll of masking tape [the ones you use for packing].  As I lay out my patterns I will put a large enough piece of tape on the right side of the fabric.  If I can't tell by touch wen I am starting off the right side, I seek sighted help to start off with.
 
Now for my seam guide.  You know all of those plastic creditcards you get in the mail.  Well I used one of them and taped it down with the old masking tape to the bed of my sewing machine.  I had my sighted husband help me to be sure I got it exactly 1/4 inch from the needle.  It extends a couple of inches toward me parallel  with the needle. With this I can put the edge of the fabric I have pinned with those long quilting, sharp pins and butt it against the plastic card edge.  I feed the fabric up and pull the pins out before they get to the needle.  I have a magnetic pin cushion right near the bed of the sewing machine so I kinda toss the pins in that direction and the magnet attracts them.  If I miss I have a telescopic magnet that I can just reach down to get any that hit the floor easily.
 
I have learned to use a rotory cutter[you need to be very careful with this little baby] and I enjoy doing strip quilting and have learned some clever tricks how to make half square triangles.  The patterns are endless using these few things.
 
Joyce
Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598 Watch the video on AOL Living.