Hoppo Bumpo (n): A children's game. Played by folding one's arms and hopping on one leg. Aim is to bump opponents, so that they lose their balance. Last person standing wins.


August 25, 2009

A week of lists: 5 consumables that make sewing easier



Do you like lists? I love them. The ever delightful Pip at Meet Me At Mike's is hosting a Week of Lists and I am jumping right on board.

Here is my list of 5 consumables that I find make life easier when I am sewing.
  1. Tracing paper
    Save your expensive original patterns printed on that perilously thin paper ... trace and alter your pattern pieces using sturdier tracing paper. lf you live in Australia, Spotlight sells well-priced rolls of a medium-weight tracing paper. I also like Burda's lighter-weight Tissue Paper (pictured), as its sold folded and easy to store.


  2. Fusible webbing
    Iron-on fusible webbing which is very handy for fabric crafts such as applique. I was previously a fan of Vliesofix's Wonder-Under, but am a recent convert to Applifix after picking some up at a craft show. Its by far the best webbing I have tried. It handles so well - the paper has a really nice weight and the webbing does not flake away from the backing. Its manufactured in Australia by applique specialists The Craft Cubby.


  3. Seam sealant
    Liquid adhesive that permanently binds fibres. I use it to secure the ends of overlocking. Its also great for preventing fabric edges and ribbon ends from fraying. I use a Australian-manufactured brand called Helmar's Fray Stoppa, but have read excellent reviews of the USA-manufactured Dritz Fray Check.


  4. Quilt basting spray
    Spray-on adhesive that can temporarily be used to stick layers of fabric together while you are sewing. As long as you are not overcome by fumes, this is a very effective way of stopping layers from shifting. The adhesive can be laundered out. I use an excellent odourless spray - Helmar's 101 Quilt Basting Spray.


  5. Tailor's chalk in a pencil
    It has to be Clover brand Water Soluble Pencils! You will generally find these sold with quilting supplies. They are available in white, pink and blue and have a pleasingly soft lead that won't brush off before you have finished sewing. You just need to make sure you don't drop these pencils too often as the chalk tends to break throughout the pencil. I have found that the light blue pencil is a pretty good universal colour (except on some blues of course!).

Do you have all-time favourite that belongs on this list? (Maybe there is something I need to go an buy!)

Later in the week, I will add more lists, including my favourite sewing tools and publications.

For more lists, head over to Meet Me At Mike's.

9 comments:

  1. My other must have is hairclips that I use instead of pins. They're not great for every project, but great for clumsy people like me who always seem to jab themselves.

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  2. This is a great list Hoppo. You're an excellent resource methinks.

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  3. That is a very fancy pants list. Way more interesting, exciting and inspiring than pins, pin cushion, cotton, scissors and a cup of tea! Thanks for sharing what you know.

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  4. Love the hairclip suggestion, Curlypops. I must get some - I am forever sticking pins into myself!

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  5. Such a great list it is more things that I add to my ever growing list of 'must haves'.

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  6. Helpful list for newbie sewers like me! I'm in the process of tracing a bag pattern onto greaseproof paper. It's easy to see through, but needs to be stuck together with tape when you need bigger pieces, and it's pretty light - not sure if that's a good or a bad thing yet!

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  7. Thats a great list! thanks! I use appliex from craft cubby too!

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  8. Thanks Liesl - I bought some fray stoppa and am going to give it a burl asap. Thanks for the tip :)

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  9. Oh, gadget-girl.... you're a woman after my own heart!

    I wonder how I survived so long without basting spray - I only discovered it a year or so ago and it's changed my life.

    Bias tape makers, clover seam rippers and sleeve boards all rate pretty highly at my place.

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