Anodyne Design » Tips

Rotary Cutting

Shannon — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 13:00:17 +0000

Back around Labor Day, I got myself a rotary cutter and self-healing mat (how does it do that?). I’ve been cutting up all sorts of things lately, and I love using the rotary cutter! It’s so much faster, and I’m able to cut much straighter lines. And straight lines for me is a pretty big deal, because I’ve never been so good with the fine motor skills. Just ask my mom. So I’ve been happily cutting away, but I’ve discovered that even rotary cutting takes a little skill. It’s easy for me to stop focusing and have the cutter roll away from the straightedge. So, of course, I did a little internet research on rotary cutting, and here are the fruits of my labor:

Quilt.com has come basic rotary cutting how-to’s, with tips on how to prepare your fabric for rotary cutting, how to cut basic shapes, and how not to cut your finger off. McCall’s Quilting also provides some basic rotary cutting steps, with a particular emphasis on getting your fabric straight (which it never is after being cut at the store, washed, and pressed).

Rotary cutting blades are sharp! Given my clumsiness, I live in fear of the day I roll that wheel of pain over my finger. Which is why I really appreciate About.com’s Top 10 Rotary Cutting Tips for Quilters. Sure, I probably could have figured them out by myself, but now I don’t have to, and hopefully I’ve decreased my odds of injury at least a little bit.

QuiltUniversity.com addressed my specific problem of rolling away from the ruler while I’m cutting. They say, “Keep the rotary cutter’s blade vertical against the edge of the ruler. If the cutter’s blade is tilted either right or left, you’ll get an inaccurate cut. The width of the strip will vary, and the pieced segment will not be the correct size.” Their tips also address how to hold your ruler in place on long strips of fabric (which is useful if you’re like me, and you keep accidentally sliding the ruler around on the fabric!)

I think these links will help me to keep my lines straighter and my fingers attached. I hope they are helpful to you!

Machine Quilting: Some Basics

Shannon — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:00:24 +0000

Last night I got started on putting together a tote bag. A friend of mine bought a kit to make the tote and, not being a seamstress, had some trouble with the directions. I think the finished product is going to be very cute. It’s a patchwork design with some large interior pockets and a cute envelope-style pocket on the outside. The finished tote is quilted, and since quilting is still new for me, I thought some research on machine quilting was in order.

Machine Quilting: Tips and Designs

AllPeopleQuilt.com has all sorts of clear tips to take you through the entire quilting process. In the article Machine Quilting Like a Pro, they provide direct suggestions for the best needle to use when quilting and ways to make the actual work of quilting go more smoothly. While tips are great, I wanted to know more about different quilting designs. Being a general quilting resource, AllPeopleQuilt also listed the common quilting designs:

Stitching in the Ditch: This involves stitching just inside the seam line, and results in stitches that are less noticeable.
Outline Quilting (also called echo quilting): stitching 1/4″ from a seam line, this type results in more visible stitches.
Stipple Quilting: Stitching in a random pattern. Specific shapes, such as flowers or stars, can be added into a stipple design.

Stipple quilting is most appealing to me, as it seems like the most “artistic” approach to quilting. I know many of the quilts I have admired have been stipple quilted. Of course, it also seems like the most challenging quilt design, as there’s no safe straight lines to rely on. Since this tote isn’t for me, I think I’ll resist my urge to experiment with stipple quilting and stick with outline quilting. With a patchwork design, it should be fairly easily to outline the squares.

Helpful Basic Quilting Links

Crafty Business Tips

Shannon — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:00:15 +0000

Adorn magazine’s blog is having a little giveaway. They are giving away Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco to 5 lucky people who comment on the blog entry. The catch? Each commenter must leave a “crafty business tip” in order to enter. What’s cool about this is that Adorn has quickly generated a nice collection of tips for any crafter running a business or planning to start one. Be sure to check out the complete list and enter the giveaway yourself, but here are a few of my favorite tips so far:

Build a lightbox (these can be cheap and easy!) for your photography. Good photographs can make a huge difference in how people see your products, and whether they buy them.
Use or wear your own merchandise. (And keep extras with you, so when someone admires what you’re wearing/using, you’re ready to show them more and sell on the spot!) Plus, why wouldn’t you want to use your own awesome creations?
Communicate promptly and warmly with your customers. Distinguish yourself from other businesses by adding that personal touch that goes hand in hand with handmade goods.
Promote, promote, promote. There are so many crafty businesses out there–how can you get your product seen? Start a blog, join flickr, become active in crafting communities. The bonus here is that (hopefully) you’re becoming involved in communities that are satisfying to you beyond just being a way to get yourself known.
Always carry your business cards with you. You never know when you’ll need one.
Be passionate about what you’re creating, and don’t just follow trends. Make what you love because you love it–that will last longer than what’s in style this season.

Do you have more tips for being/becoming a successful crafty business? I’d love to hear them (and if you want to win that book, you’ll probably want to share them over at Adorn, too.)