May 4, 2012

Textile Arts (Notes to Myself)

Source of photo:  Paddling Experts blog
Silverfish love spray starch so if you want to prolong the life of any textiles, forego the spray starch.

Photo from Gadgetrivia
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I took a class with internationally recognized quilt designer Kathleen Loomis a few years back. She taught us how to do free-hand cutting, saying she used a template twice and didn't like it.  Here are her two rules regarding textile art:
1.  Work on a design wall.
2.  Press well.  (If you can't get a seam to lie perfectly flat, rip it out and re-sew it, because otherwise you'll have permanent bubbles and bumps.)  An item can only stand one serious pressing, for which you must have a hard surface underneath.  The floor will do and has the advantage of being always available.
Incidentally, Kathleen Loomis has a website as well as a brilliant blog, which is always a pleasure to wander through.
Also incidentally, I have two irons, a Black & Decker Digital Evolution, which is weighty and works really well on seams, and a Panasonic NI-C78SR, which is my favorite iron ever.  It offers the technology irons have needed ever since steam was invented:  a removable water tank.  Rather than bringing the spouted cup to the iron and spilling water all over the ironing board, one pushes a button, lifts off the water tank, and takes it to the faucet to be filled.  Brilliant.  I don't know why every iron doesn't include this feature.
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2 comments:

Mail Art Dramas said...

I've been wanting to get a new iron since the two I have are covered in paint and glue. Maybe a new ironing board cover too. I will look for one of the irons you like next time I'm out and about.
My irises are only up to my knees here in PA. It will be a while until I have flowers. My grandma always called irises, flags..not sure why.

Mary Jo Cartledgehayes said...

Hi, Jill! My irons are in good shape, but the ironing board cover is something else again. I remember people call irises flags in Ohio as well.