Sewing Chronicles

Sewing is the use of a thread and needle to stitch two pieces together forming one piece. Sewing has been around since the Prehistoric ages. I'm sure we are quite familiar with the fashions of the Homo sapiens neandertalensis, Cro magnon, Ardipithicus ramidus, Homo habilis and other homonids listed in the standard taxonomy of human evolution. We can always visit our local museum.

The types of 'thread' used varied from fibres, sinew, veins, and plants. Fibres were gathered from different parts of a plant such as bark, stem, leaf, husk, seeds, and even grass. Sinew and veins were gathered from animals. Unfortunately, very few samples from ancient civilisations have survived since natural fibers are perishable.

Needles were made with bone, ivory, wood, and thorns. They served only utilitarian purposes only. Some were made to serve more like awls and most likely to puncture tough materials such as bark and hides. Eyes in needles would not be invented until about 17,500 BC.

Today, Threads usually consist of two or more plys of yarn and twisted tightly
together. They are spun onto spools or cones and labelled with length, type of fiber, and name of the manufacturer along with the price. Some threads are made of basic cotton while others are used to match the fabric such as silk. Dyes provide us with every color possible but that's a different topic altogether.

Needles have also evolved to serve different functions. We will have beading needles for seed beads, upholstery needles, embroidery needles, yarn needles. Each needle will have their individual manufacturing process to withstand their designated use. Stitching by hand was done for thousands of years till the invention of the sewing machine (1845, Elias Howe & Singer) which changed the whole industry.

The world of Crazy quilts, embroidery evolved from sewing. As we know, sewing is stitching and embroidery is the use of decorative stitching and adding ornamentation. Embroidery adds a sense of quality and durability that no amount of printing or painting can achieve.

Hand embroidery can be expensive because it's time and labor intensive for the artist whereas costs are lower with the machine embroiderer and service is far quicker. The overall value of which type of embroidery is preferable - will be the personal choice of the customer.

I hope you found this article informative. Please feel free to leave your comments, share your own observations, share with others, link to me and give your Vote. Send a Email if you would like to place a Order today.

Fabric Foibles

The world of quilting regardless the type of quilt being assembled starts with notions, a sewing machine, a pattern, fabric and the artist. If you peruse through the many available blogs online or even have a neighbor, who quilts, a common foible can be found with fabric.

As we know, fabric is any woven, knitted or pressed cloth, such as velvet, satin, canvas, linen, silk, felt and flannel, etc. They all have a different texture and quality all their own.
Fabric has been discovered to be around since prehistoric times and has changed over time especially during the industrial age. Read the interesting history of fabric --> here.

Today, fabric can be found in many colors, textures, qualities and designs. For the quilter, fabric is eye candy and wildly stirs the imagination and creativity. Peek into their work room and you may find shelves overflowing with fabrics of one color after another. Why? each one of those fabric pieces may already be a part of a quilt, in the mind of the artist.

Unfortunately the world of fiber art now has it's contraints too. Fabrics can be stamped as a 'Not for Commercial Use' product. A fabric designer has decided their fabric cannot be used towards creating a new product for resale. It will be considered copyright infringement.

The idea of freedom to express oneself with fabric in the quilting world, now forces one to approach with caution when shopping for fabric, to respect the rights of another artist. Many question this practice since it seems to put up a roadblock regarding the fabric. Curious questions arise. On one side is the fabric designer, they will allow for private use only. One can make a dress, curtains or whatever for private use whereas the clothing, home decor or quilting artist cannot use it in their own creations, for resale to the public. What if a client buys the fabric but commissions another artist to create a product? A fine line indeed to consider. All I can suggest is that we double check when shopping for fabric, to prevent finding ourselves in trouble. Just look at the selvage on the bolt of fabric to find out if it's been stamped.

I hope you found this article informative. Please feel free to leave your comments and share your own observations plus give your Vote. Send me a email if you have a request on a topic of interest, place a Order or to say hello. It's FREE to Subscribe by Email or my RSS Feed.

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Care for your Crazy

A Crazy Quilt (and all other quilts) whether vintage or new requires care when handled or stored.  As mentioned earlier - time and love have gone into the creation of the quilt. The final product has captured your imagination and desire to bring it home for display and admiration for you, friends, family and all who gaze upon it.

The purchase of a Crazy quilt is an investment of a product known as Fiber art. As with any piece of Art, knowledge in preservation and care must be gained. Yes, fabric has it's own rules that require careful consideration just the same as paintings.

Do you really want to lose the vibrant colors? One of the best and recommended practices for displaying your quilt will require you to hang it in the shade.  Sunlight will cause premature aging (imagine that!) and fading, disintegration or discoloration of the fabric color.

Humidity can also cause growth of mold and mildew. We don't want those dreaded black spots. Hang the quilt in a well ventilated area with steady temperatures of 60-70 degrees and NOT a outer wall. Storing the quilt is best done using acid-free boxes or papers. Never use a plastic bag since it may capture moisture and encourage growth of mold and mildew.

A problem with folding your quilt for storage is that creases will occur. Creases can be prevented with use of acid - free tissue paper rolled and inserted where corners occur. Another option can be using a plain cotton or well-washed muslin sheet also. Using trunks with wood can cause damage too. Again, wrap your quilt to prevent touching the surface of the wood and preventing transfer of oils.

A favorite method I use is rolling it up and wrapping it in a plain sheet. The quilt is rolled with the back of the quilt showing  on the outside - then wrapped in the plain sheet in a dark, well ventilated area. I find this method space saving too. I also recommend taking the quilt out every few months for airing easily done by letting it lay on the bed a few days, on a sheet and covered with another one on top if you want to place it outside. Again, not in direct sunlight or under trees - one never knows what might 'fall' out of the tree.

Insects and larvae are another consideration we must watch for. The best method to overcome this possibility is to lightly vacuum the quilt and steam cleaning. Caution must be taken with steam since again, this is moisture. Keep this process light and continually moving so not to be in one spot too long. At least the steam will guarantee a end to any unwanted insects and larvae. Once done, let your quilt 'air' out to ensure a drying time.

Cleaning your quilt with water can be a simple process. Soak your quilt in the bath tub,  for 20 mins in luke warm water, with a gentle cleanser. It's recommended that we don't 'wring' the quilt but 'blot' the water out of the quilt with sponges or towels. This is to prevent putting any strain on the fabrics. Once you have as much water blotted off - lay it flat to dry and again, NOT in direct sunlight. I hope these tips prove helpful for the care of your quilt.

I hope you found this article informative. Please feel free to leave your comments, share your own observations and give your Vote. Send me Email if you would like to place a Order today.