Brandy's miscellaneous stuff

A NEW WAY TO MAKE OLD TREASURES

Miscellaneous Stuff


Download a free Graphpaper printing program Extract the file to a new folder and run the exe file. Chiclets pattern in pdf format. If you have problems reading the PDF file: Open the Adobe Acrobat Reader, click Edit, click Preferences, select "Internet" in the table on the left, uncheck "Allow Fast Web View.", and click OK to save the changes.

10 STEPS TO SAVE A QUILT
Excerpted from a newsletter published in 1988 by the Austin Area Quilt Guild
1. Each fall and spring on a dry, windy day, air your quilts outdoors out of direct sunlight. 2. Then refold your quilts, if they're to be stored, on different lines than before to minimize dark fold lines. 3. Let your quilts breathe by storing them in a sheet or pillowcase, never in plastic of any kind. 4. Place another sheet or similar barrier between the pillowcase and any wood shelf or cedar chest to protect your quilt from acids in the wood. 5. Show your quilts off - but in indirect light. Direct light will fade your quilts and age them just as it will your skin. 6. Treat your quilts as you like to be treated yourself. Give them a cool, dry climate - don't store them in a hot attic or damp garage. 7. Remember that a stitch in time saves nine, and make all repairs promptly before they get worse. 8. Blot up accidents from babies and pets immediately and wash your (washable) quilts right away to minimize stains. 9. But before you wash, test all fabric and thread colors to be sure they won't run. 10. Avoid drying your quilts in a dryer or draping them over a clothesline to dry. They may shrink or develop a knife-edge line. Instead, dry flat on clean mattress pads or towels placed on the grass in the shade.

Want your scissors to operate smoothly again?
Here's an easy way to make those scissors operate easily without having to worry about grease getting on that designer cloth you spent so much time finding. First of all, clean those scissors carefully. I use denatured alcohol. It does a great job of removing tape adhesive and most other gunk without leaving a residue. Next, go by your local bicycle shop and pick up a bottle of White Lightning bicycle lube. This product contains microscopic particles of parafin and teflon. Many quilters use parafin or bee's wax on their needles and sometimes even thread. This does the same thing for your scissors; making them smooth and easy to use without gumming up. Department stores usually will not have this product; but, any good bike shop will have large and small bottles in stock. Shake the bottle thoroughly and put only 1 drop on the joint of the open scissors. Work the scissors several times. Using a clean paper towel, wick the excess lube from the joint and wipe the inside surface of both sides of the scissors to put a very thin coating of the lube on this surface. Again, work the scissors several times. Be sure to let the scissors sit for a couple of hours to let the carrier solvent evaporate. You will find the scissors much smoother to use. One bottle should last a long time. Be sure to get this brand so you do not put grease or oil on your scissors as it will come off on your cloth. Here's a photo of the bottle. - Charles p.s. It even works great on your kid's bicycle chain!

Please be patient with us. The features missing from the site will be posted as soon as possible. This will include the Shop Search, Freebies, Hints and so forth. The shops page in sitemap is a bit long; but, it does get some information posted for you. More goodies later. Check back often to see what happens.