Your tips & techniques

Memories are made of this...

Don't throw small pieces of leftover fabrics away, each piece tells a story... From every item I ever made, or any fabric I ever had, I collected small pieces of fabric. I then made other items like a patchwork cushion or a cute little patchwork dress for my 2 year old, a handbag, an apron and many other things. Each time I look at these patchwork items they remind me of years gone by and projects I made but may have otherwise forgotten, because I had given them away as gifts.

Remove wax and chewing gum from your fabric

Read on to discover how to remove wax and chewing gum from your favourite fabrics the easy way... Scrape off as much as you can, then put the item in the freezer until what's left goes hard and you can pick it off. For stubborn wax, put the stain between two pieces of clean white paper towel and carefully press it with a hot iron. For persistant chewing gum, soak the area with harispray - you'll find it much easier to remove. (Make sure you test the hairspray on a hidden sample of fabric before trying this!)

Textile Stain Removal

Learn how to remove persistant stains like blood, coffee, fruit juice, wine and vomit from your favourite fabrics... First mop up the residual liquid, then try washing it in cold salted water. If the stain persists - as it usually does - sprinkle it with a thick paste of corn starch and water. Let the mixture dry, then dust it off and repeat the process if neccessary. Airing quilts on a summer's day is a great way to get rid of musty smells. If that doesn't work, pop the quilt in a plastic bag with a cake of antibacterial soap to absorb the odour.

Make Sewing Machine lightbulbs last longer

Make your Sewing Machine light bulb last longer by placing the machine on a mouse mat. It helps reduce the vibrations and lengthens the life of your bulbs. I have had one under my machine and overlocker for over 4 years!

One woman's trash is another's ... New handbag?

Make your projects using second-hand fabric on the cheap... Do you find yourself spending all day in fabric stores trying to locate that one piece of material that will pull your project together? Well, think outside the box. When time is a factor and online shopping is not possible, consider looking in your local Op Shop, $2 shop or raid your family's closet. Second-hand skirts, blankets, shirts, tablecloths and napkins can come in a huge range of great prints, are cheap to buy and often add that special one-of-a-kind touch to any project.

Having trouble finding fabric in the right shade of colour or material?

Is finding fabric in the correct colour or material proving difficult? When making patchwork items, if a fabric colour seems impossible to obtain try the second-hand clothes shops, I made a whole coat using wool fabrics obtained from cast-off clothing. It saved me heaps of money and I still have leftover bits to make other items with.

Never Stick!

Never stick again... I have discovered that when you need to spray clear gloss or paint over a project that if you lay it on baking paper it will not stick, it doesn't matter how many coats you put on either it just lifts straight up when dried with no sticking whatsoever.