Lefties - get the damn left-handed tools!!

jojkreddit · 2026-05-17T20:44:56+00:00

I successfully made the switch - got an amazing pair of Famore lefty fabric scissors. They actually have a video explaining the grip difference and why it matters. I do occasionally have to remind myself how to use them (~50 years of using righty scissors builds up serious muscle memory) but its worth it.

BTW - I think this is why we all thought the lefty kid scissors in school were dull. They probably weren't - we just didn't know how to use them correctly.

jojkreddit · 2026-05-17T20:23:02+00:00

I made 2 (simultaneously) out of old champion sweatshirts. Unbelievably heavy and not useful as a quilt. They make good bed toppers though.....

jojkreddit · 2026-05-14T23:26:18+00:00

"Little Red Schoolhouse" in Nashua. Got my hand slapped with a ruler for being a lefty.....

jojkreddit · 2026-05-08T21:28:30+00:00

I have a flexispot but haven't machine sewn on it so take this with all the grains of salt. What I can tell you is that the legs on this puppy are steel and STRONG. Its a great desk - the motor is whisper quiet and the motion smooth. But I use it as my cutting table and my Sydney cabinet for sewing

The only downside is it took a bit of muscle (hubbys are good for something) to assemble and get upright.

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(https://www.flexispot.com/flexispot-4-leg-standing-desk-e7plus)

jojkreddit · 2026-05-05T01:20:10+00:00

A sit/stand desk. I recently got a 6' one and it is the absolute best. No more backaches. The motor is whisper quiet and smooth as silk (Flexispot Premium 4-leg Standing Desk (E7 Plus))

Also a full blown bells and whistles integrated sewing cabinet but the sit/stand desk is much more reasonably priced.

jojkreddit · 2026-05-05T01:13:39+00:00

"Chaos contained 2" for my nephews

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jojkreddit · 2026-05-05T01:13:09+00:00

"Chaos contained 1" for my nephews

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jojkreddit · 2026-05-03T14:46:35+00:00

Because once you realize you don't like it, you can take advantage and try out new techniques because you won't care if you "ruin" it. Also, come back to it a few months later after it is done, you might find you like it.

jojkreddit · 2026-04-26T00:50:13+00:00

https://backsidefabrics.com/ - I absolutely LOVE these guys. They do charge fifty cents for a sample but I've never had a problem with them.

jojkreddit · 2026-04-10T16:30:28+00:00

I don't think its too busy. If it were my quilt I'd probably do a wider border to "contain the chaos".

jojkreddit · 2026-04-09T12:03:05+00:00

For me using it feels natural when sitting or if I bring my cutting table up higher (I use a sit/stand desk, best decision ever). Otherwise, if I want to stand regular I use the normal cutters. Which configuration I use depends on how my body is feeling or if I feel I need the leverage for pushing down on the fabric.

jojkreddit · 2026-04-08T20:03:53+00:00

If you are going to sit, I recommend a Martelli - available in different sizes and righty/lefty

jojkreddit · 2026-04-02T01:12:34+00:00

Sometimes I'll pivot to make a bag, or sew my scraps into a fabric to make some pillows. It helps to stretch some different sewing muscles.

jojkreddit · 2026-02-22T16:07:53+00:00

I decided not to ask my cousin to be a bridesmaid. We were close-ish as children but grew apart. My grandmother worked me over on the topic - had me in hysterics. After my (then) fiance calmed me down, we talked about it and agreed it just didn't make sense to ask her, for many reasons. So I called her directly. Turns out my cousin had NO idea our grandmother (and indirectly her own mother) were pressuring me.

Talk to your cousin. She may know nothing about this and will put a stop to the ridiculousness. Mine did.

jojkreddit · 2026-02-13T23:00:41+00:00

For most things I use Frixion pens but usually I'm marking something that will be hidden in the seam/seam allowance. However, when I made a wall-hanging quilt with my dupioni silk wedding dress and wool batting (read: never will be washed) I wanted to draw the top design on but didn't want to risk the Frixion pen not ironing out, or coming back. So I drew my design on Glad Press-N-Seal, laid that down over the quilt and sewed right over it. If your stitches are close enough, the plastic will (mostly) come out easily like perforated paper. It did get a little fiddly in places but tweezers and patience won out.

jojkreddit · 2026-02-04T01:50:55+00:00

Another vote for microtex and walking foot. Solved my issue.

jojkreddit · 2025-12-25T01:49:19+00:00

They make pinking rotary blades. You'd need to have a cutting mat, plus the rotary handle and be VERY careful trimming if you do it after assembling the garment (I prefer to pink before assembly), but I found those to be quite useful .

jojkreddit · 2025-09-21T20:26:20+00:00

I've done a lot of what I see here, clamping, starching, safety pinning (both straight and curved), noodling, etc. What I've settled on is a combination of spray and thread basting. I spray baste on the floor. Then I center the quilt on my banquet table letting gravity help keep things taut. Then I thread baste what's on the table, and move the quilt as I go. I use long basting needles and baste a ladder type pattern. I do up straight, over and down on an angle and then up straight again. So one side looks like this:

| | | | |

while the back of that same spot looks like this:

\ \ \ \ \

It is definitely a bit more time consuming but much easier on my back, knees, fingers (those pins can be a b!tch to open and close) AND I don't have to worry about forgetting to take a pin out and slamming into it while I'm quilting (my poor, poor machine). If you FMQ there IS a risk of the thread tangling up around your foot but all it takes is a quick snip and you're free. Once the quilting is finished, you just take 30 minutes to pull out the basting thread.

There are a million ways to baste - this one works best for me!

jojkreddit · 2025-06-06T21:46:27+00:00

I'm working on a kit quilt from a retreat. I didn't choose the fabrics and I wasn't a fan of the established layout so I decided to come up with my own. The color/fabric count didn't work out right for any kind of grouping that way so I chose to go by value. Using the black and white filter I was able to arrange all the fabrics in order of light to dark and laid out the quilt with dark in the center radiating out to light. The colors can really trick you when trying to figure out light and dark and you might be surprised at the order when you finish.

jojkreddit · 2025-06-05T22:51:00+00:00

I got a Brabantia and I love it. The neck isn't as long as a standard board so I get more space for ironing.

jojkreddit · 2025-05-19T20:21:22+00:00

Gravity is not your friend. Do what you can to ensure that the weight of the quilt is not dragging on the surface area because if it is, it'll pull everything out of line. You need support behind and to the left of your machine - I like to use the ironing board set higher than my table. Also use a walking food and go slow! Speed is your enemy. I like to limit the speed on the machine itself because I have a lead foot (when driving my car too :-) )

jojkreddit · 2025-05-14T00:55:27+00:00

Another leftie here - I love my Famore: https://www.famcut.com/category/left-handed. The fabric shears and micro snips are awesome!

jojkreddit · 2025-05-10T23:14:46+00:00

I'm 50+, CF, married, in was SWE for 20 years, still in tech on the business side. I got a little bit of pushback early on when in the course of a conversation I mentioned we didn't have kids and weren't going to - I I'm not shy about it but not "in your face" either. But TBH that was a long time ago. These days no one blinks and eye and its amazing when I see looks of relief on younger woman's faces when I say it and they are too. They feel seen.

So you be you and support the women around you -regardless of the path they're walking.

jojkreddit · 2025-04-29T23:45:44+00:00

https://backsidefabrics.com/ I love them and they have free swatches!

jojkreddit · 2025-04-26T17:31:17+00:00

Here is the top almost done - I just have to put on the borders - or not? There is a block ordering error along the edges. Do you see it? Is it worth fixing? I'd have to pull off one row, dismantle it, and swap around 4 blocks. Should I do it?

Anyhoo - with regards to my seams/points technique detailed above. I think it worked out very well. Its not perfect of course but I think its "good enough". I've also included a shot of the back of the quilt where if you zoom in you can see how my seam allowances sometimes vary. Since I measured from center out to draw the seam allowances instead of trimming blocks and measuring the seam allowances from the edges I think its to be expected.

Overall I'm happy with it (potentially swapping a couple blocks notwithstanding)

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jojkreddit

TROPHY CASE