Sunday, February 20, 2011

Got Questions?


It is that time again. Time to answer the questions that have piled up in the comments. I choose to answer them here for many reasons.
  1. If you are like me, you have forgotten what post you asked the question under and therefore don't know where to go back and see if the blogger answered there.
  2. Also, if one person has asked a question, then several others had the same question but didn't ask.
  3. There are lots of visitors/commenters that don't have a blogger profile link to be able to contact the person who asked.
  4. Last reason is, I often get questions emailed to me.
  • Aunt Honey asked about the cover on my pleater in this picture from this post. My father is a woodworker and made that for me. He let me know he would never be making another because those angles on the top were a boogabear to do. It is much prettier in person. I can tell from this picture it needs to be oiled.
  • Sara, tongue in cheek I think, asked where she could sign up for my "village" also in the post mentioned above. Not telling for for anything! No, just kidding. To be honest. I asked. My daughter had expressed a desire for more bishops than I could produce last fall when I was feverishly working on the baby's christening gown. So I humbly asked a couple of friends. They came through in spades and have continued to do so. If you need a village. Just ask around. Sewing friends are the best.
  • Lisa asked if I pre-wash my embroidery threads. No, I do not. The only exception to that is if I am using overdyed flosses in a really strong color. Like reds. Other than that I do not. Mass manufacturers USUALLY treat their threads to make them colorfast. Now if you are using floss that you inherited from Great Aunt Myra who died in 1960, I would test them before I used them. Wet the floss and let air dry on a white towel or white paper towel. If you see color bleed, set your color with either a hot water and vinegar mix or I have heard salt. I have never used the salt method. I have used the vinegar. My preferred suggestion would be to put Aunt Myra's floss in a pretty glass jar and set it on a shelf in your sewing room to admire and buy new for your project. It is a small investment and worth not having the worry.
  • I was asked by both Val and birdymommy, if I made the cute bunnies in this post.  No, I did not. I just stumbled across them surfing google images one day. I couldn't even find the blog where they were originally posted.
  • Lois asked if I had ever done a tutorial on the madiera applique featured on the above Wee Care gown in this post. Yes Lois I did, you can find it here.
  • Roxann asked where I got the buttons for the jacket in this post. Since this was a class project, the buttons came in the kit. But Gail did tell us that she has gotten them from Hancock's and Joann's I believe. They are by JHB. I have been able to find every color but the yellow. You can also contact Gail Doane through her blog Lulu and Annie through her etsy shop here.
  • Finally ztasewer asked if I ever sleep. Yes I do, what I don't do is cook, clean or do laundry. Now of course that is not 100% true but it is much more true than my husband would like. And when the mojo is on, you have to run with it. Once the mojo leaves, a vast howling wind can blow through sewing room for months. It's on, I'm going with it.
There are sometimes specific techniques from certain teachers that I have been asked to do a tutorial on. Out of respect to those teachers, I have not done so. There have been a couple of instances that a teacher has specifically asked me not to feature a tutorial on a technique. If there is a technique you would like to see done as a tutorial, don't hesitate to ask. If it is a standard practice I would be happy to develop one to share. Otherwise I would have to contact that teacher and ask their permission. We all want to help one another increase our skills. At the same time, teaching is the bread and butter for some and I don't want to take away from them.

Thanks as always, faithful reader, for your comments and questions. I thrive on them. Thank you too for your kind comments about the most beautiful baby in the world. At least our world.

And because I can

4 comments:

  1. Yes, martha, totally "TIC"!!!! LOL You have some wonderful friends!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love reading the questions and answers. Of course, many of us have the same questions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Do you preshrink your fabric before sewing?

    Do you use fabrics with different fiber content on the same garment with no problems with uneven shrinkage? For example----would you use a 100% cotton cordoroy with a poly/cotton Imperial broadcloth lining it?

    Do you have a pattern suggestion for an A line jumper that accomodates a smocked insert? I am having trouble finding one.

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Martha,

    I LOVE your blog. I am disappointed when you get busy and don't post. I am a southern girl as well. I just became a grandmother for the first time in November to the most beautiful baby in our area. Because I work more than full-time (accounting) I do not have the time to stich like you. (I wish I did.) Thank you so much for your helpful hints. I love seeing the pictures of your beautiful baby. God Bless you!

    mharrison@cricpa.com

    ReplyDelete

Welcome, I am so glad you chose to leave a comment. I love getting comments, questions and even just a friendly hello. I may not respond to every comment, but rest assured I read them all. Sometimes the comments and questions fuel new posts. So comment away!

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