MORE Cute Skirts!

This just in!

We've added two sessions of the Cute Skirts class to the schedule at bolt!

Classes will be held TUESDAYS, 7pm-9pm on May 20th/27th and June 10th/17th. So you can sign up for class in May or you can sign up for class in June. Or you could sign up for both, but that would be a little selfish, don't you think? If you were previously on the waiting list for the class that starts this Sunday, you get first dibs at the new classes. Which is why I say to ALWAYS get on the waiting list!!!

And since the frantic whirl of newly added classes does cause some people to sign up now and cancel later, I still really recommend GETTING ON THE WAITING LIST if you can't get the class you want!

See you in class!
Now you don't have an excuse!

Scissors and things that cut

I have a good sized collection of things that cut and I love them all! By my cutting table, I have the rotary cutters and large scissors and by my machines, I have the small scissors. As you can see by all the blue ribbons, I label my scissors, etc as MINE with the same blue ribbon. That way, when I travel to the super fun Sisters Gig and other places where someone else might have the same tool, I know which one is mine!

The scissors I use are all Ginghers. Back in the day, they were made in Germany and Italy, and were stamped with that information. I've heard that the company has been recently bought by Fiskars and the scissors are now being made in Mexico. Mine are all old enough that I haven't had any experience with "new" ones to know if quality has been compromised. I will say (and I tell this to all my students) that although a pair of Gingher shears cost twice as much as Fiskars, they will last 10 times longer. My 7" shears were a gift when I turned 13, I've never had to have them sharpened, and they still cut fabric like it's butter. My 8" shears were a Christmas gift a few years ago and are noticibily sharper, and can cut through much thicker layers with ease. Since my hands are quite small, I really like owning both pairs. That way I only tire my hands with the big ones when I really need to.

But why tire the hands and induce carpal tunnal when there is the good friend the rotary cutter? I also have an assortment of those - one just for cutting fabric, one for cutting paper, and one with a "pinking" blade. I don't really recommend the pinking blade, because I find it really damages my self-healing mat when I try to cut curves with it. When the blade gets dull on my regular fabric cutter, I switch the blade to the paper cutter, saving on the cost of replacement blades. In addition to my 45mm rotary cutters, I also have the 18mm cutter, which is great for cutting curves. It handles better, twisting and curving around garment patterns (think armholes and neckholes) without marring the mat or skipping over fibers.

In addition to a rotary cutter, you also have to invest in a good self-healing mat and some clear rulers. The biggest issue I find with the mats is storage. Unless you have a cutting table where the mat can always lie flat, I recommend buying a medium size mat (18"x24"). That way it can easily be tucked behind a bookshelf when it isn't being used. If they aren't stored totally flat, they buckle and warp and can't be used.

Happy Sewing!

One spot left in the Anna Tunic class at Bolt

This just in: We just had a cancellation for the Anna Tunic class, meaning there is ONE SPOT AVAILABLE! This is seriously the cutest top that we'll be offering all summer, so hop to it and call the shop to sign up! Class will be held Sundays, April 13th and 20th, 4:30pm-6:30pm. Call bolt at 503-287-2658.