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Jewelry Tools 101: Comparing Pliers And Tweezers

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Having the right tools for jewelry making is key to your success. The right tools and jewelry making techniques will help you get the results you want while also saving you time and a whole lot of frustration. You can also avoid wasting materials that get broken or lost because the tools you are using don’t have the right grip or strength.

Jewelry tweezers are relatively straightforward. Jewelry tweezers have a very fine tip that comes to a sharp point. They are used to pick up tiny gems and beads, as well as to get into tight spaces when you are positioning beads, threading wire, or wrapping wire.

tips-for-finding-best-tools-for-jewelry-making

Tweezers come in different material types to offer different strength and longevity. They can also be magnetized so that it is easier to pick up and hold onto certain jewelry findings.

Jewelry pliers, on the other hand, come in a much wider variety of options. They are larger and stronger, allowing you to grip beads tighter or to twist and manipulate thick wire. Here’s a look at some of the different types of jewelry pliers that you might need:

1) Round Nose Pliers

Round nose pliers are some of the most commonly used jewelry pliers. They have round tips all the way around, including inside the jaws. You can use them to make perfectly rounded pieces of wire, such as for closing head pins, jump rings, or other closures. You can also use them to create beautiful wire creations.

Round nose pliers can be purchased in different sizes and different materials to accommodate the type of project you are working on. For example, you might need stronger pliers if you are working with a heavier weight of wire.

2) Chain Nose Pliers

Chain nose pliers are the standard pliers. You will find these in any handy man’s toolbox, and they are a basic tool for jewelry makers.

Chain nose pliers typically have a serrated jaw, which makes it easier for them to grip things. You can also get them with a smooth jaw. You can use them for all-purpose work, but they are typically not small enough for fine details. You can buy smaller sizes for more detailed work, but you’ll need a pair of tweezers or other specialty pliers to get into really tight spaces.

3) Bent Nose Pliers

You can’t always tackle your project head on. Sometimes, there are beads, wire or other findings blocking your way, or sometimes the area you are trying to reach is so recessed that even holding the pliers in your hand can block it.

Bent nose pliers allow you to get into spaces at any angle, giving you a clear view and letting you access hard-to-reach places on your design. You’ll need to get a few sizes to make sure you can get into the smallest spaces when needed. The finer the tip, the more delicate the work you can do.

4) Flat Nose Pliers

Most pliers have a relatively narrow nose or even a round nose. Flat nose pliers have a wider nose that works almost like a clamp. The flat nose allows for a wider grip, and it can be used to create some interesting shapes when bending wire.

Guest post from Nina Blaicher of Tronex Tools

What tools do you like to work with?

How to Write a Quilt Tutorial

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You love tutorials. We love tutorials. Everybody loves quilt tutorials! The internet is an incredible resource for free, step-by-step instruction on how to do … well, pretty much anything. But not all tutorials for how to make a quilt are created equal. There’s nothing more frustrating than a beautiful quilt with an unclear or sub-par quilt pattern tutorial.

As a curator and self-declared experts in the art of hunting down high-quality tutorials for our readers, we’ve noticed a few trends and and criteria that we like to look for when we’re trying to find the best tutorials. So, with no further ado, here are just a few things to keep mind as you’re writing your quilt tutorial! Give your blog its best chance to get noticed.

1. Include a materials list.

This is one of the most important pieces of  tutorial, but it’s something that a lot of bloggers overlook. It is so important that you remember to include a list of the materials needed in order to make a quilt block or full quilt. This includes the size of the finished quilt and any special notes about the materials (if you used a specific type of fabric or pre-cuts, etc), so that your readers can go into the quilt making process fully prepared.

Here’s a great example of a materials list from our Garden District Picnic Quilt.

materials etc

materials2

Note that this list includes the size of the finished quilt, a rough idea of how long the quilt will take, and a brief explanation of what fabrics were used as well as a special note about measurement particularities. It may seem like you’re giving too much information, but always err on the side of too much, rather than too little. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared!

2.  Don’t assume your readers are as skilled as you are.

Adding Zippers the Lazy Way

It’s easy to forget that quilters of all skill levels and experience may be reading your tutorial, but don’t assume your readers will automatically know what you mean when you say something like, “Now just bind your quilt and you’re finished!”

You are, of course, not obligated to explain (for example) how to bind a quilt every time you post a tutorial, but if you have done so in the past, make sure to link that segment of the tutorial to the more in-depth explanation. Remember that every blogger and teacher brings their own special experiences and techniques to the process, and maybe your insider information will be the final key to helping a novice unlock the secrets of binding without ending up in tears, swearing an oath never to quilt again.

The best tutorials are the ones that take special care to explain specifics and techniques — especially if you have a special way of doing it! Tammie from CraftyTammie has a great tutorial on Adding Zippers the Lazy Way that is a great, fresh look at one of the trickiest parts of sewing.

3. Take lots of photos during the process.

This is always true, but especially when you’re describing a tricky process. Don’t be afraid to have more than one photo per step! The truth is that you may never be able to explain quite as well as a picture can, and of course a little of both is best. A great technique for this is to explain the steps in words and then show a series of photos that demonstrates what you’ve just said. A great example is the Four Hour Lasagna Quilt from Stacey at the Tilted Quilt. She describes the steps of how to piece her jelly roll quilt pattern and then includes demonstrative photos:

Step by Step

It’s helpful to your readers to be able to read the tutorial and then see the steps as you’ve described them. So don’t scrimp on photographs!

4. TAKE GOOD PHOTOS!

The quality of your photos is hugely important to the quality of your quilt tutorial. Keep in mind factors like light, clarity, and photo size when you are making your tutorial. Make sure that your photographs have plenty of light and are of high resolution. Presentation is half the battle! You could have the best tutorial for how to make a quilt in the whole world, but if you have low-resolution, dark photographs you’ll lose readers at first glance. Here are a few great examples:

See how nice the photographs for these tutorials look? Don’t you just want to click on them, even if you aren’t quite sure what some of them are for? That’s the photo quality you want in your tutorial. Luckily for you, the cameras on things like iPads and smartphones are getting better and better, so if you don’t have a fancy camera you don’t necessarily have to buy one. Just do the best you can!

5. Always tag accordingly.

This is one of the best pieces of advice that we can give you. If you don’t have a designated “Tutorials” page, be sure that you have tagged all your tutorials as “tutorials”! It may seem like a tiny detail, but if there isn’t an easy way to find and navigate your tutorials, they’ll get buried in your blog and never see the light of day. If we can’t find it, we can’t feature it. So be sure that all your posts are tagged with consistent, intuitive, easy-to-guess tags (“quilt tutorial” is a good example, or “my tutorials” if you don’t want to limit yourself).

Have you ever made a quilt tutorial?

Quilting HappinessPSST! Don’t forget to check out Quilting Happiness, the amazing feel-good quilt book that we’re giving away right now on FaveQuilts! According to Quilting Happiness, the key to finding joy in your quilting lies in getting to know yourself and your creative tendencies. Co-authors Diane Gilleland and Christina Lane hope to help you accomplish this through a variety of quilting projects, full-color illustrations, and personal reflections on quilting. You’ll also learn original techniques for backing and finishing as well as some new stitches.

What are you waiting for? Enter to win today!

Sewing Dresses & Apparel Tips from Suzannah: National Sewing Month 2013

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It’s Day Seven of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

National Sewing Month 2013

Today we welcome guest blogger, Suzannah from Adventures in Dressmaking who is sharing tips on her specialty: dressmaking/apparel sewing!

For a couple years now I’ve had a feature on my blog called”Sewing Circle.” It started when a reader sent me a question about how to choose patterns to go with a few fabrics she’d collected. It’s sometimes hard to imagine how you can make a sewing pattern on your own, so we had fun talking about styles she was interested and how she could make them out of her fabrics. I posted about it on my blog and the series was born. Since then I’ve gotten a lot of questions from readers about how to copy a dress they’ve seen in a magazine or even a store window, and a lot of general questions from sewing beginners.

I thought I’d summarize a few of my favorite sewing techniques and tips based on some top Sewing Circle questions I’ve received.

How to Cut Out the Right Pattern Size

Using patterns can be confusing, but before you even cut them out, you have to choose the right size — which can be even trickier! I can lend some insight into how to choose the right size and cut out the right fit.

  • Sewing patterns use standard body measurements developed by the US Department of Standards during WWII. These are fairly outdated now, so many of us feel may need to cut out a size 3-5 sizes bigger than our current ready-to-wear dress size!
  • But, most people don’t have the exact bust, waist, and hip measurements of any particular size. When cutting out a dress or top, the bust measurement is probably most important. Use the size that matches your bust measurement, and taper at the waist (angle in or out when cutting after measuring) to fit. On a dress with a gathered skirt, for example, the hip measurement doesn’t matter at all, and even for the A-line skirts, it’s not as important as waist and bust, so you may be able to ignore that number and cut out the right size for your bust and waist. For pants or skirts, use the pattern that matches your hip measurement and make the waist fit. Or, if the numbers are pretty close, I usually use the average size. If your bust is an 8, your waist a 12, and your hips a 10, for example, use the size 10 pattern as a base.
  • Unfortunately, modern sewing patterns are not designed to fit as snugly as some of us might like for tailored garments. You may find you cut out what is supposed to be the right size in something, only to be swimming in it once you put it together. There are a couple possible reasons for this: 1) most sewing patterns are not high fashion and are not often made for trendy juniors’ sizes and snug fits. 2) most patterns are intended for a 5/8” seam allowance, and if you use a 1/2″ or smaller, it actually makes a big difference in fit.
  • Also note: patterns will usually tell you the “finished garment” measurements as well as the bust, waist, etc. to use when picking out your size. If your bust is 36″, the dress’s bust may be 38″ or 39″ to allow for movement and wearing ease. If you see these measurements and want something snugger, check the finished garment measurements for the smaller size down — maybe you should cut out that one.
  • If you want to test out a pattern, make a “muslin” out of whatever cheap fabric you can find — an old sheet, a thrift store find, or a fabric that you got on sale would be great! This way you can test out the pattern without spending too much time or expensive fabric. You don’t have to finish the edges of the muslin or add fastenings or anything.

You can custom-make patterns for your size, by measuring the pattern pieces as you cut.

  • The first thing you should do when cutting out a new pattern (when you don’t know how tightly or loosely it will fit) is measure the pieces and how large it will be when you sew them together. To do this, you need to lay them out taking into account the seam allowances (if you use 5/8″, overlap them 1 1/4″ at each seam) and measure across the bust and waist.
  • Try on the garment before you assemble to fashion fabric to the lining–it’s way easier to take in seams before you have two layers and a join at the top edge, for example. Pin the bodice closed where the zipper will be and look in the mirror. Use pins and a fabric marker if you like to pinch in where it’s too big or mark where it’s too small.
  • If all that fails and the garment is still too big, take it in some at the sides as well as the back—you don’t want your side seams to be so far off your sides. It’ll look kind of funky if anyone sees, and it may pull weirdly at the waist since the bodice is curved for the smallest part. You don’t have to take the bodice all the way apart, just 3-4″ or so on each side at the top, then go in and take it in.

It may sound like a lot, but once you get started with a muslin or simple pattern to start with, you’ll get more comfortable tailoring clothes for your shape and style!

Good Fabrics for Beginning Sewers

Some fabrics are better than others if you’re just getting comfortable with making your own clothes.

First, almost all clothing patterns will tell you on the back what the recommended fabrics are, although they’re not always helpful. Always read the back of the pattern if you’re concerned, and look at those types of fabrics while you’re in the fabric store.

The biggest differences in fabric are in weight — you can’t make a heavy coat out of a sheer chiffon. So think about fabrics in terms of the garment you’d make out of them, and stick to that. Some fabrics, like “shirtings,” are great for blouses and tops, but not great for pants or shorts. A nice linen with an embroidered pattern is good for a skirt or maybe a dress, but too heavy for a shirt. And, of course, a knit fabric is best for patterns that are meant for knits (they will tell you on the pattern). And alternatively, don’t make a pattern that’s meant for a woven fabric out of a stretchy one. It won’t work.

Generally, the fabrics that are best for apparel are in the front of the fabric store. They are often seasonal colors or named for the types of things they’re best for (“suitings,” “bottomweights,”…). You can take the recommendations of the store displays!

Quilting fabrics, often near the back of the store, come in super cute prints but are not meant for clothing. They can work for clothing, with a lining or appropriate finishing, but they are best for quilts or shower curtains or little home dec projects. I know, some of the prints are sooooo cute, but it is hard to make them durable and wearable. I don’t use them for clothing myself, although some people I know do.

The other very important thing to consider are the accessory fabrics that you’ll need to use: linings and interfacings. A very lightweight but crisp cotton is lovely for a lining, but poly/nylon linings are cheap and easy to find. I use lightweight fusible interfacing on pieces of the garment that need reinforcing. Don’t skip the lining and interfacing! As for my personal preference, I like natural fibers better than nylon, polyester, acrylic, fleece, etc. any day. I do use artificial fibers for many linings, and for some silk tops. But I love a good cotton dress!

How to Combine Patterns to Make Your Own Styles

Now that you’ve got the basics of cutting out your pattern and choosing the fabric, get creative! Some of my favorite dresses feature two different fabrics, one for the bodice and one for the skirt.

The basic idea is, combine two patterns of the same 1) size and 2) fit/shape. So, if your waist is 28″, you could combine the bodice for ANY dress that hits at the natural waistline and has a finished waist measurement of 28″ with ANY skirt pattern that also has a waist of 28″! Or, as I do, you don’t have to use a pattern for the skirt if you pleat or gather it into the waist. Or add a waistband — making sure you make the bodice above it shorter to accommodate it.  The tricky part comes when you use a skirt or bodice that has a scooped front, and you may need to adjust the skirt or bodice to match the skirt or bodice you’re pairing it with.

And, of course, you want to combine patterns of the same fit/shape. What I mean by that is: you can’t combine an empire waist bodice with a skirt that’s meant to hit at the natural waist, obviously (you’d get a weird baby-doll, and unless that’s the look you’re going for, it’s not going to work!). You can’t combine the bodice for a loose, flowy, knit dress with a pencil skirt dress pattern. So look at the finished garment measurements on the pattern package to guide you (if it has anything for the waist or wherever you’re combining) and just use common sense, and you’ll be fine. Here I combined a spaghetti strap fitted bodice with a pencil skirt (and added my own ruffle!) and got…

Sometimes with sleeves or even the waist, there’s a difference of 1/2″ or so, and you can normally stretch or pleat a little to make it fit (as long as you match your center front, back, and sides) or, try on the lining or unfinished bodice and see which pattern you want to cater to — if the armhole is too tight but the sleeve fits fine, cut the armhole a little deeper in the armpit, for example. If the waist is too big on the dress but fine on the skirt, take in the side seam on the dress a little.

These are some of my fave tips on making your own clothes and dresses! Check out my blog, Adventures in Dressmaking, for more of my fave ideas and projects for clothes, home, crafts, food, and more!

 

Have you ever started to make a dress for someone else and then decided to keep it for yourself?

 

 

Craft Rooms Exposed Series: Jenny from Craft Test Dummies

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Welcome to the third issue of the FaveCrafts Craft Rooms Exposed series! As promised in our monthly craft question post, every day this week we’ll be featuring the inside of a famous craft designer’s craft room. Get inside tips from some of our favorite bloggers and designers and find out how they turn their craft rooms into lean, mean crafting machines! And now without further ado, let’s explore our first featured craft room.

Today’s featured designer: Jenny Barnett Rohrs, Craft Test Dummies

How does a board-certified music therapist become a full-time crafter? Find out why Jenny made the switch on her FaveCrafts designer profile.

Craft Room Tips and Tricks:
I like to use recycled/repurposed items when organizing my craft room. For my most-used ribbons, I thread the spools onto a pants hanger. The swing-out arms make it easy to load as well as switch out when I use them up.  For my day-to-day crafting essentials, I use an old library card catalog from a school. They were switching over to a digital system, and these were going to be trashed! Lucky for me, my mother-in-law rescued them for me and now they hold my stamp pads, inks, jewelry-making supplies, and punches- everything I need to keep on-hand for daily crafting!

The Tour:

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty