Monday, August 22, 2011

It's Like Magic!

My mind works kinda weird sometimes and here lately it's been bonkers!  I've been cutting a lot of fabrics! 



How many of you remember Joan Rivers and her famous comedy line....."Can we talk?"  

Well, let's talk a bit about the progression of the quilting and sewing industry. 

When I stop to think and reflect on how many years I've been sewing it rattles my poor little pea-sized brain.  (yes...I think my brain has been shrinking a size or two.  Remember, I'm still on my new eating plan for losing weight).

Let's talk!   What that's you say??   you want pictures??   

Ok, ok, don't nag me.......we'll get to that.   You can go ahead and skip all "this talk" if you want to and just look at pictures....it doesn't matter to me.  You might learn something if you read all of this.  I didn't just type to keep my fingers limber, ya know!  (Boy, I'm feeling a bit sassy today!)

1.  Fabrics - oh my how they've changed; the fiber content, the colors, the prints, the manufactures, artistic designers, fabrics made from recycled plastic, organic??    I remember sewing with cotton (organic)  fabrics that weren't color fast and they faded when you washed them.  Also used left over feed sack scraps for my dolls. 

2.  Patterns - did you know that tissue paper patterns were not always "printed" and there were little holes in them for your markings?  Clothing sizes....you had to really measure and adjust the patterns a lot.  Quilt patterns that were simple compared to what's available for today's busy sewers?  That was yesteryear....for sure! 

3.  Sewing machines - we all know about the treadle machines, right?  I loved sitting on the floor watching my Mom work that floor pedal with her feet.  Yes, I learned to sew on a treadle machine.  Now, we have machines that embroider, cut your threads, have built-in fancy stitches, thread your needles for you....just push a button. (I like my modern sewing machines!)

4.  Threads -  wooden spools, mercerized cotton, boilfast.  mmmmh! now we have every color, kind, fiber, size....even invisible and wash away thread, and we have to have special storage racks and thread bins to hold it all.  (When I used to shorten a store bought skirt or dress, I remember saving the thread from the hem seam to re-sew the shorter hemline....what?)


Do you ever stop and take a look at all your tools and gadgets we have today for our sewing and quilting?   How about your rulers? 



I've been on a "cutting frenzy" the last couple weeks.  I think there needs to be a number 5 on my list up there; rulers and templates.    I don't even use 90% of those rulers in that picture anymore, and forget templates.....yikes!   

Talk about progress in the quilting world?  How about this for Magic? 




Me and my AccuQuilt GO cutter......cranking out 6 fabric strips at a time.... magical progress at its finest!   And it doesn't even use any electricity.

Here's a peek into the Magic my GO cutter does for me.  It can turn yards and yards of fabrics ......





into this..................




Time Saver Kits for  my Etsy Shop.




or this.....




or this........




Or even this......




and this.......





Sorry, I can't "talk with you" anymore.   Gotta GO cut some more fabrics!



Thanks for visiting.

5 comments:

  1. Just like our updated kitchens, I sure enjoy the way we can do our projects today...no more cardboard templates!
    :-}pokey

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  2. yes, since I got my GO my rulers seem to be getting awfully dusty...and where did I put that rotary cutter

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  3. So many great inventions in the quilting world!!!!

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  4. I love the way things have progressed! I especially love the way the quilting community has embraced technology and social media. I really feel 'connected' with the quilting/sewing world again.

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