[Nfb-krafters-korner] Quilting article

[Rovig, Lorraine]

Dear Joyce,
I suggest you email this to bpierce at nfb.org as an article for the
Braille Monitor.  I suggest you send it just as it is.

I have printed it out and plan to show it to my local quilt shop, called
Seminole Sampler, which is located in Catonsville, a suburb beside
Baltimore City. 
Lorraine

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Blindhands at aol.com
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 5:24 PM
To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Quilting article

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



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