When making pillows, stuff the corners FIRST and hold the stuffing in place by using a large safety pin on the outside. After completing the stuffing process, remove the safety pins.
Denise H (AL) writes "For the past several years in the fall I go through my drawers and shelves of fabric and take out what I'll probably never use. My sewing friends do the same thing and we get together and have a "fabric swap". We make a morning of it, over coffee and cookies, and by noon each person goes home with "new" fabric that they've gotten in the "swap". We all feel like we've saved a hundred bucks, and are thrilled with the new fabrics we've gotten.
By using "Fray Check" on your buttonholes, the threads won't ravel from use.
Many times fabric sale tables just contain pieces of fabric with no care labels, and also no fabric content labels. One way to tell the type of fabric is to try the following: **Squeeze the corner of the fabric piece. If it bounces back without wrinkles, it's probably polyester, dacron or a combination of synthetic with natural fibers. The more wrinkled it becomes, the more cotton it contains. **Cut off a small scrap and hold a lighted match to it. If it chars into a small plastic ball, it's synthetic. If it turns to ashes, it will be a natural fiber like cotton or silk.
A small scrap of soap can be used instead of beeswax to coat handsewing thread. By running the thread over the soap, it will keep it from knotting and tangling.
Ione H (NE) writes "with 3 small children all wanting to help me sew, I've discovered an easy to keep them occupied while I sew. I have designated a shelf as a "children" shelf where I keep blunt scissors, yarn, large buttons, teach your child to sew sewing cards, etc. Now we can all "sew" and I am able to get so much more sewing done."
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