Sewing Notion Essentials

Marking Station

Select the right marker for the job.

Air Erasable Marker: Markings disappear in 2-7 days or immediately with water. A fast way of making placement markings that will go away after construction. Select from:

• Art No. 5030 Extra Fine Purple Marker
• Art No. 5031 Thick Purple Marker
• Art No. 5032 Fine Purple Marker with Eraser

Water Erasable Marker: Markings stay until washed out with water. Great for marking quilting lines, embroidery placement, etc. Select from:

• Art No. 515 Water Erasable Marker (Fine)
• Art No. 516 Water Erasable Marker (Thick)

White Marking Pen: Essential for marking on dark fabric, markings will disappear when ironed. Note: Wait for a minute or two after drawing for the lines to appear.

• Art No. 517 White Marking Pen (Fine)

Chaco Liner Pen Style: Wheel tip powder chalk, delivers accurate markings for straight lines and freehand curves. Select from:

• Art No. 4710 (Blue)
• Art No. 4711 (Pink)
• Art No. 4712 (White)
• Art No. 4713 (Yellow)
• Art No. 4714 (Silver)

Cutting Station

Measure Twice Cut Once! Find an assortment of rulers that are easy for you to read and manage and allow you to cut next to the straight edge…and are accurate!

Rotary Cutter: Cuts fabric clean and easy with just the right amount of blade exposed, whether held standing up or seated. The soft cushion handle is comfortable with a reversible blade cover for left- or right-handed use. The 45mm cutter is the work horse for the majority of cuts, but, again we remind you to select the best tool for your project. Select from:

• Art No. 7500 Rotary Cutter 45mm The standard
• Art No. 7501 Rotary Cutter 28mm Great for curves
• Art No. 7502 Rotary Cutter 60mm Great for lots of layers or flannels
• Art No. 7503 Rotary Cutter 18mm Great for circles and tight turns

Cutting Mat: Required with use of a rotary cutter! These mats are created to receive the acutely sharp rotary blade. The surface has memory and will self heal after a cut has been made with the rotary cutter. Select from:

• Art No. 7520 Cutting Mat (12” x 18”)
• Art No. 7521 Cutting Mat (18” x 24”)
• Art No. 7522 Cutting Mat (24” x 36”) Best coverage.

Scissors: There are scissors and then there are scissors! Scissors need to be comfortable in hand and cut precisely all the way to the tip. You’re paying for the entire blade; make sure it cuts at every increment. You will want a small scissor for close hand work (Embroidery, Appliqué, etc.) a medium size for general cutting and a large size for major extended cutting projects. Select from:

• Art No. 493/CW Patchwork Scissors (Mini) 4 ½”
• Art No. 4932 Clover Ultimate Bent Tip Scissors 5 ¼”
• Art No. 4933 Clover Ultimate Scissors EX-170 6 ¾”
• Art No 4940 NZ (Nancy Zieman) Bordeaux Ultimate Scissors 5 ⅛”
• Art No. 4941 NZ Bordeaux Ultimate Scissor 6 ¾”
• Art No 4942 NZ Bordeaux Ultimate Scissor 7 ¾”

No-Hassle Triangle Gauge: This is essential for anyone needing to cut half- & quarter-square triangles. This guide is for the easy method of cutting squares, drawing a diagonal through the center and sewing a scant ¼” on each side of the diagonal line. The squares must be cut large enough to include the center seam allowances as well as the seam allowance needed on all four sides of the square. The No-Hassle Triangle Gauge has the measurements for the half and quarter square triangles all figured out for a 2”, 3”, 4”, 5”, & 6” finished square. The positioning of the gauge on the square at the diagonal provides for a “spot on” diagonal line every time.

• Art No. 9578 No-Hassle Triangles Gauge

Sewing Station

Ok we make an assumption here that you have a sewing machine, cleaned, oiled, and in great working order! Bobbin is filled and the machine is threaded and from this point you’re ready to sew! Accurate seams and fabric management are helpful here to make sewing and fitting successful.

Seam Allowance Gauge: It is very necessary to have some kind of handy and smallish guide that is right by your machine for easy reference. While a larger ruler may be accurate they are sometimes awkward at the sewing machine site. Both of these items are equally used in the design and marking stations as well. Select from:

• Art No. 9507 Seams Right
• Art No. 9506 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge

Pins: These are necessary for holding pieces of fabric together mainly at key areas where slipping or sliding may occur. Select from:

• Art No. 2506 Flower Head Pins Boxed
• Art No. 2509 Quilting Pins (Fine)

Wonder Clips: This is the clear choice if your project is made out of vinyl, leather, or has multiple layers. Actually the number of ways these clips can be used is piling up daily and is on every sewists must have list. Select from:

• Art No. 3155 Wonder Clips (10 pcs.)*
• Art No. 3156 Wonder Clips (50 pcs.)*
• Art No. 3159 Wonder Clips (100 pcs.)*

*New Assorted and Neon Green colors available now.

Curved Awl: This tool is very helpful with control while ushering fabric up to and under the pressure foot. The curved feature allows a great “site line” between your eye and the pressure foot leading to accurate seam allowances. It is also handy for pulling back a stitch or (six!) that may have crossed over into an area where they are not needed or relive the area where six to eight seams come together to form a star center.

• Art No. 4880 Curved Awl

Seam Ripper: It is going to happen…Clover has the best.

• Art No. 482/W Seam Ripper

Small Scissors: See cutting station recommendations

Hand Work Station

For some of you this will never happen!

For a whole lot more sewists this is an important station and one that has several sewing essentials. From sewing on a button to finishing touches and embellishments you’ll need some supplies to make this easier.

Needles: Black Gold hand sewing needles are revolutionary! Polished vertically along the axis and coated with ultra-thin black plating for anti-rust resistance…astonishing smoothness with every stitch. Select from:

• Art Nos. 4960-4963 Quilting Between Slightly shorter and narrower than a Quilting Needle. (I use these for hand quilting)
• Art Nos. 4970-4973 Appliqué/Sharps A good, all-purpose needle (longest) .
• Art Nos. 4980-4983 Quilting   A good all-purpose needle

Needle Threader: Fast and easy on the eyes!

• Art Nos. 4071-4073 Desk Needle Threader

Scissors: See Cutting Station recommendations

Pressing Station

For years this station has been limited to an ironing board an iron. Our Press Perfect Line offers some items that are now truly essentials to a more convenient and fine finish.

Iron Safe: Your iron may be the top of the line or just barely serviceable, whichever it is, say “good bye” to the nasty soleplate. The iron safe has a non-stick surface where adhesives simply wipe off. Prevents scorch, burn, and shine. I’ve put mine on and don’t plan to ever remove it!

• Art No. 7804 Iron Safe

Point 2 Point Turner: This is a nice hefty tool that is comfortable in the right or left hand. Turns out sharp corners or curved seams without punching through the fabric. Can be used as a Hera marker or finger presser as well.

• Art No. 7803 Point 2 Point Turner

Hot Hemmer: Measure, mark, and press straight hems, round, interior and miter corners. Press directly on the ruler…does not heat up or slip.

• Art No. 706 Hot Hemmer

Ironing Surface for Details: One of the most frustrating moments in pressing is not being able to get into a seam to iron it properly.. Whether the project is a garment, hand bag, quilt, or doll clothes, standard boards do not allow the opportunity to isolate small details or seams. Select from:

• Art No. 7800 2×4 Mighty Mini Board
• Art No. 7802 Iron Finger