My Favorite Notions

my favorite notions

Washable Wonder Marker™

Okay you all have heard scary stories about this pen, how it changes the colour of solid fabrics, that it will deteriorate the fabric over time and how shadows of this pen can mysteriously reappear.

Well, by far this is my favorite marker. I have used it on cotton and on silk with wonderful results. Don't push the limits of by ironing it, tossing a marked quilt into the dryer, leaving a marked top in a sunny window or a hot car. Remove ALL the markings with cold water first and then you may launder it with soap. Always read the directions on the packaging.

YLI Wash-A-Way Thread
I use this for machine trapunto done Hari Walner style. This thread is now sold on new and improved spools and works very well. I store this thread in a metal tin, one drop of water will ruin the entire spool! Lower your top thread tension and sew slow.

Silk Fabric
The dupioni for quilts 1,2 and 3 were 42" - 45" wide and purchased through local fabric stores. When I found Fabric.Com on the web I was ecstatic! They sell silk dupioni in 54" wide widths, they have 27 reorderable colors and have a grouping of promotionally priced dupioni's with fabulous prices. They also are very generous with how they measure out a yard. I am very pleased with the quality and the service I have received from this company.

Soft & Bright™
This is the batting I use for my trapunto layer. I have tried many brands over the years and use this product exclusively now. It is easy to handle, not too thick and not too thin. It stays together well and trims up nicely. Available thorough the Warm Company.

Soft & Black™
I use this when I trapunto dark fabrics. Nothing beards quite as bad as white poly batting under dark fabrics! I once used a grey poly bat for trapunto and it had a "sticky" feel to it. I had great difficulty moving my piece under the sewing machine, it was sticking to the extension table. It also was very difficult to trim. After clipping a small hole in my quilt top while trimming the trapunto layer, I removed all the grey bat and replaced it with the Soft & Black™. Available thorough the Warm Company.

Warm & Natural™
95% of all the quilts I have ever made have been constructed with this batting. Some say it is too "stiff" and does not have as nice a drape as some other brands. The majority of my quilts are wall hangings and I like the qualities the "stiffness" adds to a quilt displayed vertically. Heavy machine quilting does not distort this batting. Available thorough the Warm Company.

Sewing machine needles

With metallic threads I use Metallica needles.
Cotton or polyester thread I use Sharps.
Rayon or silk I use Embroidery needles.
I use the smallest sized needle that the thread will go through without shredding.
The lower the number, the smaller the needle.
A 60/8 is smaller than a 90/14.
I start each quilting project with a brand new needle and change needles often.

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