A Good Spritzer Bottle

If you're looking for the perfect spritzer bottle to dampen your fabrics while ironing, you may already have one-- in your refridgerator!

This bottle is a salad dressing spritzer (this one had balsamic vinegar in it). Make sure you clean it well before using. I soaked mine with liquid dishwashing soap and hot water, and made sure I sprayed this through the sprayer as well. I made sure all the oily stuff was GONE before using it, and the smell. I think I washed it a couple times before it was clean enough. Now it is my favorite spritzer at the ironing board! It sprays a very fine spray with no drips!

Stitch and Turn Applique Shapes (Tutorial)

We are going to make some bloomers today! There are many methods to preparing shapes for applique. This tutorial shows you how to do the "Stitch and Turn" method. This is the preferred method for most of the projects in the Hailstorm Creek Press patterns. The photo above shows you the small scissors we use and the bamboo skewer (lightly sanded).
Patterns and finished results using this method. The applique shapes above are from the "Baby Laundry" quilt patterns, but you can use this method for just about any shape you need.
This is freezer paper (Reynolds brand). It has a shiny side and dull side. Draw pattern onto dull side and cut on the drawn line.
This is fusible web. It is an adhesive film that comes stuck to a paper backing. Web adheres fabric to fabric (or paper) using an iron. We will NOT be using this product for these shapes. We just wanted to show you the difference between the two fusibles. Common brands of fusible web are Steam a Seam and Heat 'n Bond.
This is fusible interfacing. This is what we use for our shapes. It has a smooth side, and a side with tiny dots that adhere to fabric with heat. Pellon makes a good brand and it comes on a bolt. We usually use a medium weight for our projects, and sometimes a light weight.
Iron the shiny side of freezer paper pattern to the WRong side of fabric.Place the SMOOTH side of fusible interfacing next to the Right side of fabric with pattern.
Sew along the edge of the paper pattern, all the way around the shape. A short stitch length works best for small applique shapes, especially around curves.
Finished with sewing!
Trim seam allowance.
Trim seam allowance to about 3/16" and clip inner curves only. Clip up to but not in to the stitching line. Remove paper pattern.
Carefully lift up the interfacing, and cut a slit, about 1" in the interfacing only!
Closeup of slit.
Turn the piece right sides out. The fusible dots will now be INSIDE the shape.
Push out the seams using the flat end of skewer. Push carefully so that you don't make a hole in anything!
Pushing out the shape!

Iron the bloomers, following the fusible interfacing manufacturors instrucions.
Here they are: finished bloomers! Now you are ready to sew the shape to your project using whatever method you choose!

They're Talking About Me (Again!)

Peony's #1 and #3 Conversing

~~

They're talking about me again! They're wondering what's cooking in the playroom right now! I think they think I'm on vacation or something. Not so, not so!

~~

Only racking the brain and coming up with a new something. All I'm telling now is that "something's coming up roses!"

A Simple Valance - Saturday Morning (tutorial)

Good Saturday Morning to you all!
Our first tutorial is for this simple valance, that we believe anyone who knows how to measure and use a sewing machine can make. These are especially good if you need something fast to decorate your window, like when you first move in somewhere.

A Simple Valance

Note: Make sure you read through all the instructions before starting. Some knowledge of sewing is required to make this valance, but it is very simple, so a beginner could do it.

This valance was made with a recycled linen curtain that was found in a favorite junk shop. The fabric is nice and “floppy”, so it lays nice next to the window. It was also already hemmed on all sides, so the photos will differ from what you will make. (The hem for the top of our linen curtain was only about 1", but we hem the new valance using 1 1/2" seam allowance.) You can use any fabric for this valance, but we like to look for something that is not stiff. If you can wash your fabric several times before you use it, it might help to take away some of the stiffness, especially if you are using drapery fabric.

We do recommend you use drapery fabric, as it is usually treated somewhat to prevent fading from the sun.

These instructions are for a window with an inside measurement of 34" (measuring the width of the glass, not including the frame around the window), and a curtain rod that measures 41", which does include the framework around the window. You can adjust these measurements to your own windows, by adding 3" to width and 5 1/2" to the length (3" for hems+
2 1/2" for rod pocket) to YOUR DESIRED FINISHED MEASUREMENT.

General Instructions: We started with a piece of fabric that was 65" wide and 25" long. (The width of the fabric will be placed horizontally on your window, of course.) The hems are 1 ½" all the way around. The rod pocket, which is where you place your curtain rod, is 2 ½", and there is approximately 10" on both sides of the rod pocket that are not sewn. This sounds confusing, but you will see a photo below showing what this means.

1. Choose fabric. Wash if necessary. For one valance, cut a rectangular piece that measures 65" wide, by 25" long. Starting with the top and bottom hems, fold over and press 1/4" first, then fold over and press 1 1/4", Wrong Sides Together (WST). Sew hem down, close to the first folded edge.
2. Now sew the side hems in the same manner.

3. Now you have a rectangular piece that measures approximately 62" wide by 22" long.

4. Make the Rod Pocket. Measure 10" in towards the middle of the top from each end. This is your starting and ending points for sewing the pocket. Fold over the top 2 ½" and press, leaving the 10" on each end unpressed. Sew along the edge of the hem, to make the pocket.

5. Insert curtain rod and hang.

Photo above shows right side of valance before hanging
Photo above shows wrong side of valance before hanging

6. We like to tie up the middle with a bow, or as we did with the linen curtain, with a wreath that is tied with a ribbon.