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Saturday, August 4, 2018

New Toys :: Tools

Today I want to share with you some new and amazing tools of the trade!  Last week on Instagram I entered a giveaway ... and I won!  Havel's Sewing was having a giveaway and I eagerly with my fingers crossed entered.  I was pleasantly shocked that I was the lucky one picked!  



Look at those new tools and cutting mat!  It was Christmas in August for me!  I often dream of trying new gadgets or replacing old ones, but rarely take the plunge!  But today I get to live the dream!!  



Snips, rips, scissors and a cutter!  Each and every tool is going to be put to good use, there is no doubt about that!



Isn't she a beauty?!  This is probably the tool we use the most in our quilting.  The good old 45mm rotary cutter.  I had to give it a whirl and cut a bunch of scraps to shreds!  After having the same cutter for years and having it feel like part of my hand, it's a bit awkward using something different.  However, I'm anxious to give this one a whirl!  



Snips!  I've seen these Embroidery Snips before and they always fascinated me!  Probably because of how you squeeze them together.  I have a few pairs of scissors that have frustrated me over the years although I still use them!  Receiving these made me very happy and now maybe I can let the others go!

 

The seam ripper!  I don't think there is a quilter out there that doesn't need and use a seam ripper.  I first saw a seam ripper like this a couple years ago and you have to admit...its fascinating and intriguing!  The Ultra-Pro seam ripper glides through the stitches instead of ripping through the stitches.  I'd be lying if I said this one scares me a little bit!  I've been known to have accidents with blades!  My husband thinks I should wear a glove when using this tool!  It'll take some getting use to, but I think I'll learn how to handle it with time!  Yes, I did try it on some scraps and it was amazing and strange all at the same time!  I feel like I should being doing surgery with it!



The last tool is a small pair of Teflon scissors.  Again, who doesn't need a good pair of scissors on hand?  These can be used for fabric or paper.  

But wait...there's more!  I saved the best for last, the cherry on top!



The past couple of weeks I've been seriously thinking about investing in a new cutting mat.  Mine gets a lot of use and I don't care how well you take care of your mat, there comes a point when it is beyond hope and it needs to be replaced.

Because I do a good bit of improv which doesn't require precise cutting, and paper piecing which requires a lot of trimming, I try to use the back of my mats when cutting and trimming.  That way the front is left for the cutting that needs accuracy.



The color got me first!!  It's awful pretty don't you think?!  This mat is huge!  It's a double sided 36" x 24" with a gridded area of 34" x 22".  Huge!  

What really captured my attention was the weight and thickness.  It has 5 layers of PVC!  It feels very industrial and substantial.  There's going to be a learning curve using a new mat.  We become accustom to our mats and intuitively know how to line up and cut using the markings.  I'm pretty sure I'll master it.  I may need to get a new table just to accommodate the mat!

I want to thank Havel's Sewing for their generosity!  I'm very excited to use every tool and still can't believe I was so lucky!

Check out Havel's Sewing to see all that they offer:  Havel's SewingBlog, Instagram

14 comments:

  1. wow! great win! I know you'll love all of those great treasures.

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  2. I want that cutting mat lol - I have one that size on my table and love it. I was given a nice thick mat as a gift on an order I placed last year someplace I think it was AccuQuilt and I like it but it is smaller so I rarely use it but I love the thickness of it. You got some great gifts.

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    1. The color alone on the cutting mat made me very happy! I was surprised at how thick the mat was and can’t wait to start cutting on it!

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  3. Congrats on your win! That seam ripper is excellent for paper piecing. Just slide it between the paper and the fabric; it will cut the stitches but not tear the paper. Since I'm terrible about sewing wrong sides together when paper piecing, I've used mine a lot and I love it.

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    1. I’ve had my fair share of sewing the wrong pieces together with paper piecing too! It’s never fun ripping those stitches out…but maybe with this new seam ripper it won’t be so bad!!

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  4. What a great prize!!! All things we need daily. I am such a klutz I end up getting my fingers stuck in the scissors when trying to remove them! LOL

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  5. I liked my Havel scissors so much, I bought a second pair!

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  6. I bought the seam ripper and cut my finger just taking the top off. I love the snips, though. Just try not to drop them; mine are not working so well now after many falls.

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  7. What a great win! I have the snips and love them When I bought my machine, the girl said get a pair of these you will love them. She was right.

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  8. Woo! So many pointy things! That seam ripper is a serious tool. I love my 24"x36" mat, so much room to cut. Having it in pink is sweet :)

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  9. Lucky you! Enjoy! Nadine Willis N.Cali

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  10. Beautiful package. I like my embroidery snips and if they get too dull, I'll gladly replace them. The cutting board is a great color...not too dark, light enough to see dark fabrics, dark enough to see light fabrics.

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  11. Hurray! I love it when my friends win stuff!

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