Reap What You Sew (32 page)

   Keep a lint roller and clothespins handy in your sewing room. The lint roller tidies up stray threads on an ironing board or sewing mat, and clothespins act as a third hand.

   Don’t have a ruler or tape measure handy? Use a $1 bill—it is six inches long.

   Use a magnet to pick up stray pins—no more sticking yourself!

   Cut your seams with pinking shears so they don’t fray.

   Keep several hand-sewing needles threaded and ready to go, stuck in your pincushion.

   Run the end of your thread across a candle or bar of soap to get the end a bit stiff. This will make it easier to thread a needle.

   Sew in stages to minimize mistakes and maximize your interest.

   Before hemming a dress, a skirt, or pants, let the item hang for a day on a hanger to allow the fabric to settle.

   Thread looks darker on the spool than it will on fabric. Choose thread a shade darker than the material you’ll be using it on.

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Sewing Pattern

Rag Quilt

Fabric suggestions: Homespun, flannel, brushed cotton (size is 42”
×
48”)

Two-color quilt: Two yards of each color

5⁄8 yard of 90” batting

Cut:

56 squares of each color (7” × 7” square)

56 squares of batting (6” × 6” square)

Directions:

With wrong sides together, pin one front to one back and sandwich batting.

Pin together. Stitch diagonally across square in one direction then in the other direction.

Do this to all 56 squares.

Lay out your squares so there are seven blocks across and eight blocks down.

With back sides together, stitch seven squares together at sides with ½-inch seams. Do not trim.

Do this for the next eight rows. Then, start with one row, adding each row as you go. Do not trim.

When all is together, stitch ½ inch around outside edge.

Note: Make sure all seams are ½ inch.

Clip all seams every ¼ inch, being careful not to cut stitching.

Shake throw to remove any loose threads.

Machine wash to fray seams. Remove from washer and shake again before drying.

Machine dry quilt with fabric softener sheet. Shake quilt again when dry.

Note: When drying, clean lint filter frequently.