I really love Vilene's G700 interlining. I use it in almost everything I sew these days. Sometimes I combine it with fusible fleece to provide an extra plushnes but not always.
It comes in both white and black colourways and is 90cm wide. It is described as giving a medium amount of support (by Vilene.). And it's a medium amount of support which still leaves your fabric nice and soft and drapey. It feels nice and soft... on one side anyway the adhesive side is a bit more granular feeling.
It may be useful to know that this is Vilene's equivalent to Pellon Shape-flex fusible woven SF-101.
It's a woven interlining which means that it has a straight of grain in the same way that fabric has. This means two things; one that if you match the straight of grain of the interlining with that of the fabric that you apply it to, it results in a soft, but supported drape. Secondly, if you place the straight of grain of the interlining across the straight of grain of the fabric you can limit the amount of movement in the fabric.... should you wish to. I can't think of a reason why you'd want to do that other than on fabrics where rough handling can stretch it out of shape. Any other reasons you can come up with, then please share.
As this interlining is fusible on one side you can iron it onto your fabric and it will stay put. Just follow the instructions and you shouldn't get into any trouble. One thing you should be wary off though is ensuring that there are no 'lint' or thread bits trapped between the interlining and the fabric or the outcome will be potentially 'sad'. It will be there forever a little lumpy bit of imperfection that you learn to live with. Otherwise, you can try to carefully peel the interlining off of the fabric (and if it's really had time to 'set' it may not cooperate) and retrieve it ... sometimes it will fuse back down successfully and sometimes it won't.
A really neat trick I picked up somewhere a while ago is to iron the fabric onto the fusible interlining before cutting out the pattern pieces. This way you get really neat edges so that the interlining isn't in danger of disguising your sewing edge leading to inaccurate matching and sewing of seams (shock, horror). However, sometimes when I'm sewing bags or pouches I don't want even this lovely interlining left in the seams as it can prevent them laying as 'flat' as I'd like them to. So then I cut the interlining separately and without the required seam allowance needed when cutting out the fabric. For example; if the seam allowance for the fabric pieces are 1/4 inch then I'd cut the interlining with an approximate 1/8th of an inch seam allowance. That way it is still sewn into the seams but isn't trying to push the fabric in ways I just don't want.
The vital statistics of G700 are as follows;
How to apply the interlining
I used this interlining in this metal frame purse... just saying... I really do use it :)
Well it's summer or June at least and it's time to make space for all the new and exciting fabric ranges there are about.
So, as I don't have a work space with expanding walls I've decided to have a massive clear out and reduce the cost of the designer fabric collections, layer cakes, charm squares and jelly rolls as well as the sewing patterns so that I can find the space to indulge in some of these new collections.
Looking for some summer sewing? Then please take a look. (Link to Gone to Earth) What do you think? Anything appeal?
I’m longing for spring and longer days of light and (hopefully warmth and some dryness would also be greatly appreciated). My dear husband (equally as 'growing' obsessed as I am) bought me these seeds and I can’t wait to get them in the ground.
Higgledy seeds (lovely, helpful blog and lots of gorgeous seeds to buy) ... flowers in a mix of beautiful, coordinating colours and forms. So, rustic bouquets of gorgeousness are planned for - can’t wait.
It’s a fairly straightforward flower with a centre made from a zip. I love the texture that the metal teeth give. Be a great project to upcycle zips from discarded jeans. But, where ever the zip comes from it makes a fantastic accessory for a jacket, bag, hair slides and bands, all kinds of things.
What do you think?
I sent out my first shop newsletter on Friday...
If you'd like to see the whole thing and there's a 10% off voucher included, the link is here; Newsletter link
Best wishes,
Jx
Well, would you? I posted this on Facebook yesterday but I didn't want anyone to miss out so here's a little blog post to make sure that everyone gets the opportunity. This is afterall a very busy 'crafting' time of year, so just in case you need to stock up on a little fabric, interlining or habby bits and bobs bear this in mind.
Receive a FREE copy of Simply Homemade Issue 23 (RRP £4.99), which is full of Christmas ideas.
It comes with 3 free gifts worth £7.99 (I know this 'cos it says so on the cover.), which include Jolly Jingle bells, braid and wire.
On receipt, make the beverage of choice, sit back, enjoy a good read and be inspired to stitch, cut, stick, knit and bead. (This offer is available only to UK customers while stocks last.)
Happy Crafting!
Julia x
Art Gallery Fabrics feel wonderful, drape beautifully, are lovely to work with and to wear. (It's all down to the higher than usual thread count.)
Poetica is one of their recent collections designed by Pat Bravo.
This is a link to a Poetica video from Art Gallery Fabrics (I hope it works.)
OK - did you see it? Feel inspired?
These fabrics are full of and I quote "passionate purples, cascading blues and serene greens" with a little pink thrown in for good measure. It's a gorgeous mix of large and small florals with some geometric designs. Fabrics from the Oval Elements range (or any of the Art Gallery Fabric blender rangers) can be used to emphasize certain colours and bring a little balance to the whole thing.
Using the darker lilac's creates quite a strong palette with a lot of movement in the flowing floral designs.
Prefer a softer colour palette? Then by introducing a lighter lilac fabric from the oval elements fabric blenders results in a combination that looks like this.
OR...
Really immerse yourself .... look at these amazing colours in combination.
Hi,
Well, today is the day we're beginning to delve, learn and experiment with free-motion quilting with the help of the quilting designs in Angela Walters book
We have a few folk who are going to stitch along and others who are willing to keep an eye on us and hopefully add advice, hints, tips ( please... :) ) to keep rest of us on the right track so that we can make a success of this. (If you wish to join in there's a Facebook group over here where we're going to share this journey, warts and all.)
I was thinking that as a general structure to this 'free-motion' a-long, it would be good to start with a design, practice it, practice a little more and then practice maybe still more until it feels natural and flows, a little like to learning to write I suppose. Then, as we progress, experiment with mixing the quilting designs and motifs to achieve almost endless effects (and droolworthy gorgeousness.) as you can see in some of the quilts in the photos below. When we come to an end it might be good to conclude with a real live quilted piece, either an existing piece or a small design that we can all make. What do you think?
These are a couple of examples of quilts that Angela has quilted...
and this is another modern improvisational quilt which I think has been made stunning by the quilting.
This is a smaller detail of it;
(Note the swirls...)
I'm not brave enough to do all this experimenting on a real live, pieced quilt top (not yet anyway - you'll see why shortly.) so I'm going to use some largish squares of calico sandwiched in-between with some wadding or other scraps so they're just like a mini quilt. I've also lots of pieces of fabric left from dyeing experiments which I can use for this.
My mini quilted pieces (the better ones anyway) I can keep as examples for future reference, to spark new ideas perhaps ? ( I have ambition.)
I'm definitely going for stitching scraps ('cos I'm a coward :) ), but I'd love to know whether you decide to go straight for a quilt top or scraps first?
As it's the first design in the book I thought this week we could learn and practice the 'swirls'.
Angela stresses that there are no rules and that practice makes perfect. That isn't new advice but it is important advice. So, Step 1 for me is to to do as I'm told and draw out the design before setting needle and thread to fabric. That way I should get to understand how the design works across a quilt top, how not to get myself hedged into corners and how to avoid any unquilted spaces. I'll be able to do this 'cos I'll have worked it out on paper beforehand. Easy!
That's what I've been working on! (Step 2 ?)
It's definitely easier said than done but I'm being brave.
I've begun. Swirls, is a nice rounded design with a nice organic flow to it... oh how I have practiced this on paper.
My scrap paper pile is shrinking... the bin is filling up....
It's working though, I can see how to cover the area, get into the corners and fill in the spaces...
I think I'm ready to try this for real on fabric... I'm probably making too big a deal about this...
Ok - remembering to sit properly at the machine, sort out the feed dogs and the appropriate feet (the machines not mine :) ) I've had a first attempt (and a second and a third). It's not best but it's a beginning. You can see just how honest I'm being at saying that I am a total novice at this.
Going at a reasonable speed seems to help. If I go too slowly the stitches get a bit jerky and frankly just plain ugly. Please do not compare my swirls with the swirls on Angela's quilts above because really that would be just unfair ...
My homework this week is to keep practicing this design until I can get it to flow. I'd pretty much succeeded on paper with getting the flow of the design going, keeping it fairly consistent and managing not to get empty spaces. This didn't quite happen for me once I transferred to the sewing machine. But I recognise that I just need more practice and it didn't help that I forgotten the cardinal rule about checking the bobbin thread. (face, palm) I'll keep at this and show you how I get on. Hopefully they'll be a vast improvement to show you.
Please show me yours? Be brave and share your swirls. You can post them to the Facebook group so that we can share each others successes and failures and perhaps just help each other along.
I will leave you with an expert via the Sew Cal Gal blog. This is a gorgeous 'use' of the swirls design.
Dear Blog,
You know how I yearn to be a better quilter. You know how I'd love to confidently set out and create some of the beautiful free motion quilting designs that you see on the web, in books and on other peoples quilts? You probably also know how often I have watched video's on You Tube on how these marvellous little designs get carried out. How often I've sat and read and watched the designs on blogs in pure astonishment and awe.
Have I ever really relaxed enough to get stuck in ? That would be a big No! How many books have I acquired, how many patterns have I collected and admired? All of them nicely organised on my computer. How many quilt tops are there upstairs just waiting?
This has to end!
I've bought all the threads that have been recommended...(and that's a few) I've bought calico so I don't have to be concerned about how much fabric I may destroy... but have I actually really started and got stuck in ? err! That would be a big NO!
But then I acquired this book (yes - another book) but it's entirely fitting to where I am right now.
This is Free-Motion Quilting by Angela Walters of Quilting is my Therapy.
I want to actually DO something, otherwise I'm going to be stuck in this place forever ... always wanting to and never actually doing. Yes, I know that it's only practice that will make perfect and it's only practice that will give me the confidence to just get stuck in. But I also need a little bit of hand holding...
That's is where this book resonates with me. I love the designs ... the swirls, the hooks, the leaves, the 'squarey' designs and the circles. I love the way this book is written and presented
OK - so the instructions are static (It's a book, so no surprise there.), but the little diagrams show quite clearly where to go next... how to develop the design across a quilt top and that's actually really helpful because you're not being distracted by anything else that may be going on.
Angela stresses the part about trying the design out on paper or a magna-doodle in her case, until you understand the pattern, the way it joins to it's neigbours, how to avoid getting trapped in corners. You've probably read that before but have I actually tried it ... not with any real conviction.
So, dear blog, this time I feel inspired enough to start and I am going to make this work. Each week I'm going to tackle one of these designs, practicing it until it feels fluent enough for me to claim it as part of a free-motion quilting repertoire. (My 'free-motion quilting repertoire' now doesn't that sound grand - but definitely exciting :) )
Any one want to join me? You will need the book and some fabric that isn't too precious plus threads and obviously a sewing machine with a darning foot and the ability to lower the feed dogs so that you can free motion stitch.
See you here on Friday?
I'm working on a little flower ... well maybe not so little it's approximately 13 centimetres across.
It's not quite finished... I can see that the button (38mm self cover button) is the right size but it isn't the right fabric. I could use a manufactured button of a similar size instead I suppose, but I think I'll stick with the cover button.
It's a brilliant make for using up all those scraps of fabric... can be used to adorn a bag, embellish a hat or as an addition to the thick, warm snuggly 'summer' cardie you are probably wearing just now. You could use them in to fill in empty spaces on tables at your next craft fair and they don't take very long to make.
I've used some Kaffe Fassett off-cuts for this one... and in this next one I'm using Fresh Blooms in vanilla and a Freespirit Beads fabric.
I'm writing up a little 'how to', for my shop newsletter as I'm slightly terrified that I'll issue my first newsletter and promptly everyone will unsubscirbe so this is by way of little bribe to say 'please stay'.
What do you think to it/them?
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