Episode 515: Stitch a Needed Decor Item
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Stitch a Needed Decor Item
Does this situation sound familiar? You need a decor item for your home, so you go to the store to find the item you need. And then you think to yourself: "I can make that myself!" So you don't buy it -- and a week goes by. And then a month. And now it's half a year later and you've never made the item, so you still need it. On this show, Lindsay shares some tips for making decor, including:
- The benefits to making your own decor
- Why you should prioritize making something for yourself
- How to fit these decor projects into your sewing schedule
Sweet, Quilty Home: Week 3
We are so excited to share all these tips about stitching your own decor, because this week's Sweet, Quilty Home challenge is to do just that! This challenge lasts for 10 weeks (July 5-September 12). This program focuses on creating your best home -- a beautiful place to relax and be creative. Each week, we issue a challenge: one small step you can take throughout the week to brighten your home and set your space up for sewing success.
Quilting Changes Everything
Alison shares the story of A Doll Like Me, a non-profit founded by Amy Jandrisevits. The organization creates customized dolls for kids who don't see themselves on store shelves, including kids with limb differences, cancer, scars from burns, birthmarks, facial anomalies, and more. Amy custom-makes each doll to look like the child who will receive it, so every single creation is unique. The families and children who request a doll are never charged, because Amy realizes that medical costs leave little room for extra spending money.
Quilting Mistakes I Made This Month
Alison then talks about a mistake she made straight-line quilting that taught her a valuable lesson. Alison heard that you should alternate directions when straight-line quilting --for one line you'd go from left to right, and then next line you'd go from right to left, and so on. But when you alternate directions after each stitch line, it pulls the fabric in opposite directions, resulting in ripples in the fabric. Alison learn the proper way to straight-line quilt is to stitch each line going in the same direction, and has since been much happier with her results.
UFO Challenge
Lindsay shares tips for what to do when you run out of fabric needed for a project, including:
- Preventative measures to start today
- How to find the fabric you're missing
- What to do if the fabric is unavailable
Get Organized
Quilt retreats are such a fun way to catch up with sewing buddies and make progress on your projects. But if you spend a good chunk of time at your retreat searching for tools or digging through project bags, you may be less productive than you had hoped. Lindsay shares three creative solutions that can make packing for a retreat and organizing your retreat space more efficient.