Over the past few years I've been trying to carve out time for myself to slow down. As most of you know, I work full-time as a Brand Manager/Graphic Designer and Sew Fine Thread Gloss is my side hustle. I have two VERY active kids in sports and both myself and my husband are heavily involved in the girls' hockey association. Add in additional family/social things and there's not much time left in a regular week! So my wind-down time is in the evenings (sometimes fairly late evenings) and I spend that time hand-sewing; usually needle-turn appliqué work. This is what I do to relax after a day spent on the computer, and an afternoon/evening spent making thread gloss or running back and forth to a rink. I find hand-sewing meditative; the simple task of holding fabric and stitching it together is, for me, a calming, stress-free activity. It feeds my desire to quilt, but also allows me to slow down after a busy day.
As I'm sure a few of you can agree, when you make your hobby your business it can easily lose some of its shine. It's not "for fun" anymore. I selfishly don't want to design/choose a pattern to dedicate to the sew along this summer because I already have a few needle-turn appliqué patterns on the go (I'm simultaneously working on the Blomma II BOM as well as the original Blomma BOM which is now sold as the full pattern - both by Sand and Stars) and have a quilt top that's been waiting to be hand-quilted for a few years. I DESPERATELY want to hand quilt it on my porch this summer with the nice big free-standing frame I bought off Facebook Marketplace last year. So I'm going to make it work.
This year's Summer Sewalong will be a combination of slow sewing and accountability. All I ask is that on the weekend you share a post on IG with what you've worked on that week and tag me so I can see it. I will cheer you on, as I hope you'll do for me, and at the end of the summer (if I make an official "end date" I'll let you know!) I hope we'll all be happy with what we've accomplished together. No pressure, no hard deadlines, just relaxing, enjoyable hand-sewing.
Carolyn said it perfectly here: "Sewing ... is a real activity, providing real value, and an actual product that we can see, feel, and use. The act of doing it can be this wonderful process if we just let ourselves enjoy it–especially in contrast to all of the other things that crave our attention on a daily basis."
In this blog post Carolyn references a Michael Pollan book, which talks about giving yourself up to a task/project, and while I haven't read this book myself the quote Carolyn pulled out is striking and embodies my desire for myself and all of you:
"It seems to me that one of the great luxuries of life at this point is to be able to do one thing at a time, one thing to which you give yourself wholeheartedly. Unitasking.”
What a concept. Are you in? Leave a comment below and let me know what project(s) you might spend some undivided time with. And when you're posting on IG be sure to tag me (@sewfinethreadgloss) and our hashtag #2023summersewalong.
Happy sewing!
Jenn
Self proclaimed "thread tamer", owner and maker of Sew Fine Thread Gloss. I suppose that's one of the fun things about owning your own small business - you can make up whatever titles seems to fit!
I live, work, and make your lovely little tins just outside Ottawa, Ontario Canada. I'd started making my own thread conditioner long before I launched Sew Fine Thread Gloss after finding used chunks of beeswax in the sewing kits of my grandmother, and hearing about its long use in textile work. And almost 4 years later I still get butterflies when I read all of your social media posts, saying how much you enjoy using it.
But enough of that stuff, we're here to talk about me today! (oh goodness, modesty has gone out the window!)
I thought I'd share a few random things about myself so you can see more about the person behind the brand.
Its been just over 10 years since I noticed a pale white dot of skin on my face and hand. Over those 10 years, my skin has slowly transformed itself into the partial splotchy, snow white canvas you see in my images today. As with any other skin affliction, I wasn't always "okay" with what was happening to me. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease which causes my body to "attack" the melanin cells in my skin, causing them to die off; I'm left with stark white where I once had a deep tan. Being caucasian I obviously have it a lot easier than someone with darker skin tones - their contrast being much more visible. It took a few years, but I came to terms with it; knowing there are worse afflictions and diseases out there in the world made me thankful that mine was only skin deep. Similarly to looking for images in the clouds, I've made a game of finding images in my skin (aside from my tattoos!) - I had a fox head on my collarbone/upper chest and a Ninja Turtle looking splotch on my hand! I make it a point to "hand model" my products as I think its important to show our differences and things that make us unique.
These are my hands back in 2016 - you can see the difference if you look at the header image on the front page of this website - most of the pigment on my hands is now gone.
I'm mildly obsessed with textile history. If I had the opportunity to go back to school and go down a completely different path, it would be towards textile conservation and/or history. I find the origins of weaving and textile creation so fascinating and have read quite a few books on related topics, such as Women's Work: The first 20,000 years and The Golden Thread: How fabric changed history, and my most recent addition that I'm excited to delve into is The Pocket: A hidden history of women's lives. (*Not affiliate links*) Unsure if anyone else finds the history of pockets interesting, but honestly, the inequalities in gendered clothing is ridiculous, and historically embody patriarchal systems and sexist histories. Not to mention pockets being the secret places cunning folk would carry their charms and hexes ;)
Isn't this embroidered pocket stunning!? And for something that would be worn under layers of petticoats and hidden from sight - its a work of art!
I intentionally "put myself out there" so to speak. I used to do quite a lot of community theatre before my second daughter was born, as a way to reduce my crippling fear of public speaking. Even now, if I don't have a plan for what I'm going to say, getting up in front of people (be it a small group, or a larger crowd) sets off the anxiety alarms. While the anxiety has never gone away, it has gotten easier over the years, especially when I regularly put myself into these types of situations. Theatre, hosting zoom calls, IG lives, teaching, or presenting at guilds - if you see me nervous laughing, just know I'm trying my best!
Here's a photo of me (center floor) back in 2012 with my local theatre group.
If you've made it this far thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed learning a few random facts about me! I find knowing more about the people behind the brand gives a better appreciation for the products. And WOW do I appreciate your love for my thread gloss!
xo - Jenn
]]>Have you ever wanted to learn how to needle-turn appliqué but didn't know where to start? Worried about how to turn different shapes/corners? Well have I got a shape for you!
The Squircle!
A squircle is an organic blend of a square and a circle - essentially a rounded corner square - that is meant to be free cut and have its own personality. It rose to fame as part of the Aerial Grove Quilt by Carolyn Friedlander (in Savor Each Stitch) but is perfect on its own as well!
As part of the 100 Day Summer Sew-along I created this little video showing how I make a squircle! They're super easy, and quite addictive to sew! And by working on a shape with smooth curves you can get the hang of the technique without stressing about any sharp corners or concave curves.
I hope this helps those who are wanting to try needle-turn appliquéing!
xo - Jenn
]]>I've put together some examples below of current quilt patterns and block ideas that might help you decide on a direction for your project. I know some people might prefer to have a set block or pattern to work with, but consider this an opportunity to freely create, or set yourself some guidelines to follow.
When creating my Naive Melody blocks earlier this year, I started with a set palette of very saturated, bold colours for the background blocks, and then cut extra strips of the same fabrics and pulled a few scraps of similar saturated colours from my stash and placed them all in a large ziplock bag. I worked exclusively from that bag and didn't add any additional fabrics; this ensured that my palette remained consistent and all of the blocks would "work" well together when it came to the final layout.
Here are some examples I pulled and linked from the Interwebs on blocks or quilt patterns that could be incorporated into a 100 Day project, or made into stand-alone blocks.
The flower blocks in the Folk Flower Quilt pattern by Anna Maria Horner is a great example of appliqué shapes as single blocks.
Folk Flower Quilt Pattern – Anna Maria Horner
Ebb is one of my favourite needle-turn appliqué patterns (by Carolyn Friedlander) and they'd look great with one or two shapes overlapped on a block. And the gradient of shape colours on the neutral background work well for this project! Also, Carolyn has tons of great needle-turn appliqué patterns on her website that could be used on single blocks.
Ebb Quilt Pattern – Carolyn Friedlander
Do you have any blocks laying around in your WIP pile that you haven't used yet? Would adding an appliqué shape on top of it help push you to completing the quilt top? Below is an example of how Anna Maria Horner added an appliqué shape to a pieced quilt block.
via Anna Maria Horner's Instagram
Is appliqué not your thing? Not a problem! A wonderful skill building project (and very fun at the same time) might be Jen Carlton-Bailly's Itty Bitty Hand-Sewn Curves!
Kits available here – via Jen Carlton-Bailly
Temperature quilts are also an excellent example of making one block per day (following your own set rules for how each block should be created). Anorina Morris hand appliquéd these orange peel shapes onto her blocks (and pre-quilted them as well) before putting the final quilt top together.
Jo Avery has also recently made a temperature quilt using free cut circles.
Feeling adventurous? Jo Avery has some of the most adorable needle-turn appliqué bird patterns!
Bullfinch needle-turn appliqué pattern – Jo Avery (photo via her Instagram)
Wainwright by Carolyn Friedlander is another block based needle-turn appliqué quilt pattern that would be perfect for this project!
Wainwright pattern found here - photo via Carolyn Friedlander
And lastly, my blocks are simple squircles! I took 6.5" low-volume background squares, and 4" bright scraps. I free cut all of the corners off the squares - the beauty of squircles is that they're not perfect! This also helps if you're new to needle-turn appliqué - there's no stress to make them any perfect shape. I'll be posting a tutorial on how I needle-turn appliqué before May for those who want to try the technique. Its pretty addictive!
I hope these gorgeous quilty examples have sparked your imagination and creativity and have helped you to determine how you're going to complete your 100 hand-sewn blocks! As always, feel free to leave a comment or email me at jenn(at)sewfine(dot)ca if you have any questions.
xo – Jenn
]]>I'm so excited that you've decided to join in on 100 days of hand-sewing with me. This is the first stop and main info page for the sew-along so feel free to bookmark this page if you need to check back at any time.
Most of you probably know my love of hand-work (hence the product specifically made for hand-sewing) – and I enjoyed my time sewing my Naive Melody blocks so much earlier this year that I want to do another 100 day project! I've written a few blog posts in advance to help you with inspiration, and have gathered some fantastic prizes to help motivate you to complete your 100 blocks.
After a dreary winter working from home, I'm looking to spend as much time outside as possible this spring and summer. I'm also the type of person that needs to be doing something with her hands. I still want to create, but don't want to be confined to my basement sewing room. Therefore, a simple block-at-a-time project will be perfect and easy to bring along wherever my day takes me.
This is a project that you decide on - I don't have a pattern for you to follow but will be providing some inspiration to help you choose your path. My project will consist of 100 6.5" low volume background squares and free-cut needle-turn appliqué squircles using bright and bold scraps from my stash. I'll be posting a big inspiration blog post at the start of May to help provide some guidance and inspiration for your own project. A block based hand-work project is a good way to keep yourself organized and accountable.
We'll do a check in every 10 days (see explanation below) via Instagram post. You can definitely post your block every day, but to qualify for the grand prize you'll only need to complete the 10 check in posts. Life happens, so feel free to work ahead of schedule if you've got the time; I do that sometimes as well and it is perfectly acceptable!
UPDATE - new link posted below! If you had originally signed up on Google Form, please use this new form.
Registration: please fill out this form with basic contact details and a public IG account so I can see your check in posts. You'll be added to a sew-along specific mailing list so we can keep in touch throughout the sew-along. I'll be posting regularly on Instagram, but this email series will be your official reminders about posting your check-ins, blog post links related to the sew-along, and will more than likely include some discounts from Sew Fine Thread Gloss and our prize sponsors! Save jenn@sewfine.ca to your safe sender list so these emails don't go to spam!
The sew-along is open internationally - I will ship the winning prize package, using the most cost effective means possible (I'm taking on this expense) so that everyone who would like to participate is included.
Prep work: the entire month of May. During May if you want to post your prep pile, organization tips, inspiration, colour pulls, etc. that would be amazing! We all love seeing the before and afters, especially after all of the work you'll be putting into your blocks! The reason I'm giving the entire month for prep work is for those who might need the extra time depending on their project they're committing to.
Kick off: Tuesday June 1st!
Check ins: every 10 blocks (I know 10 blocks doesn't fit nicely onto a square IG flat lay, so just overlap one please - 10 divides into 100 nicely for equal check ins!)
June 10th, June 20th, June 30th, July 10th, July 20th, July 30th, August 9th, August 19th, August 29th & September 8th. Please note: these dates are North American based (I'm Eastern Central Time, in Canada), so if you are participating from another time zone that is considerably different, please try to post your check-ins in advance.
There may also be a few check-in prizes along the way - another incentive to stay on track!
Please post using the #100daysummersewalong hashtag, and please tag @sewfinethreadgloss so I can see your posts. Feel free to follow that hashtag so you can see and admire everyone else's blocks as well! You're also welcome to post daily using #100daysummersewalong, but only the above check-ins will be required for prize qualification.
Site-wide discount code (provided after registration) |
Site-wide discount code (provided after registration)
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Prize: Applipops Pro Plus Set
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Prize: Hand-sewing thread collection including one spool each of Efina, Decobob, Konfetti and Invisafil. |
Prize: Printed patterns including Hearts, Clay, Wildabon, Wainwright, Ebb, Circles, Catenary, CF Handy Guide & more!
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Prize: Midnight Edition Thread Snips
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Discount: 25% off long arming services |
(joint pattern design company between Kristin Esser from Simple Handmade Everyday and Patty Dudek from Elm Street Quilts)
Prize: PDF download of 2 hand-piecing quilt patterns, Harmony and Book Club
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Prize: Tula Pink SewTites 5-pack (main prize) & SewTites Mixer 3-pack (check-in prize!)
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Prize: Deluxe Curvelet set
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Prize: Aviatrix Summer Solids Bundle
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Prize: “It’s all Rainbows + Picnics” FQ Bundle –
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Prize: $25 Gift Card (CDN) & site-wide discount code (provided after registration)! |
Prize: Peaceful Whimsy Embroidery Pattern and Kit
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Prize: January 2021 EPP Quilty Box
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Grand Prize: Yazzii Crafters Companion
Check-in Prize: Oval Sewing Box |
Here are some graphics to share on IG - tag @sewfinethreadgloss and let everyone know you're participating in the 100 Day Summer Sew-along!
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But a bad "feeling" – call it intuition, or just knowledge from past experiences - made me not want to use essential oils (EOs for short) when making my own thread conditioner, even before I officially started Sew Fine Thread Gloss. I've used EOs for a long time – for a variety of purposes – and I've had some last a long time, and some go bad, rancid, thicken, stain, etc. When making a product that I intended to use on threads and would come in contact with fabrics, on sewn items that I hoped would last for quite a while, the thought of using a potentially unstable substance, even in small quantities mixed with beeswax, made me worry.
I was asked to help finish an antique quilt – it had been started 39 years prior but never finished, by a woman whom I had never met, but I knew her husband from the local theatre group we were members of. He wanted to have it finished for their 40th wedding anniversary. All that was left was a little bit of hand quilting and binding, but when he brought it to me, there was noticeable staining from an unknown source. We have a wealth of textile and mill history in the surrounding areas that I live in, and through the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, I was able to get in touch with someone who could help direct me with how to proceed (clean first then finish, finish first then clean, etc.).
With a background that ranges from kitchen management to auto restoration, Lizz has an unusual mix of technical and artistic skills. She formally trained in conservation and arts administration at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Peterborough, ON. Since starting her career as a conservator and museum professional, Lizz has worked in a variety of heritage institutions, including the Canada Museum of Science and Technology and The Klondike National Historic Site. Building on her skills as a sewist and knitter, she has cultivated an interest in historic textiles and textile conservation. In this capacity she has had the pleasure of working on objects from the City of Ottawa collection, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, and private collections.
Some of you may remember me posting this photo of the blast tunnel at The Diefenbunker in Carp, ON – the weirdest place I've ever went to chat quilting! Lizz works for The Diefenbunker as a member of their curatorial team, and it just happens to be close to my home, so I stopped in there with the antique quilt to get her professional opinion.
I've seen Lizz a few times over the years, most recently when the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum did a quilt conservation presentation to the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild. And when I wanted to get a knowledgable opinion on my hypothesis on using essential oils in thread conditioners, she was the first person to come to mind.
I got in touch with Lizz and asked if she'd be willing to answer some of my questions (which would allow me to eventually publish this post). She obviously agreed, and I've outlined her answers below in a sort of Q&A form, as our conversation happened over a few back and forth emails.
Here's how our conversation progressed.
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I've always stayed away from using essential oils in [Sew Fine Thread Gloss] for fear that there might be some (be it minute) degradation of the fabric/thread one would be sewing with because essentials oils are (or were) a biological substance and degrade over time. In your experience, do you know of any studies, etc. that have "proof" that this may happen? ...any help/direction you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
As far as I am aware, there really isn't a definitive study on the exact question "Do essential oils break down and affect adjacent textiles?", but there is a good bit of general conservation knowledge on aging oils.
There are existing samples of oils that have survived from Ancient Egypt and elsewhere and we can offer some understanding of how they behave over time.
Oils first undergo oxidation, in which the material is broken down due to the effect of oxygen in the air. This causes a range of changes, including making the oil darker or changing its consistency. In cooking oils, this causes rancidity. If the oil is combined with other materials (including beeswax) this can change how well the mixture stays combined, and it can lead to the oil separating or changing the consistency of the mixture of which it is a part.
The second problem associated with oils is polymerization and crosslinking. After undergoing oxidation, some oils become polymerized, and dry out, taking on a rubbery or solid texture. The best example of this [is] the way in which natural oils are used to create oil paints in fine art: pigments and natural oils dry together to become solid layers. Crosslinking occurs when the long chains of molecules made by dried materials break apart due to the effects of oxidation and reconnect in different directions. This makes the material even tougher. Crosslinked materials are often very difficult to remove, and can be quite a problem on delicate surfaces.
If used in a thread conditioner: essential oils could cause the beeswax mixture to darken, separate or become gummy or sticky. These changes would also take place on the surface of the thread that had been coated. Over further time, the degraded thread conditioner could move into the sewn object and deposit onto the fabric itself, leaving stains. These stains will eventually become difficult, if not impossible to remove, and are often resistant to strong solvents.
By contrast, pure beeswax stays mostly stable for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It is unlikely to shift from the treated thread and is unlikely to cause staining. If there is a need to remove beeswax, it can be treated with chemical solvents and be removed from the fabric.
This is such a fantastic and thorough answer! Thank you so much! Last technical question – aside from essential oils, I do include a small amount of Phthalate & Paraben free fragrance oil (bath & body safe) in the "scented" versions - no IFRA [International Fragrance Association] restrictions in terms of it blending with beeswax/separation, and no restrictions in terms of adding it to laundry detergents, fabric softeners, or including in fabric sprays. What are your thoughts on that?
A fragrance is composed of two main parts: a carrier material and volatile compounds. Volatile compounds are let off into the air, creating the desired scent. The carrier keeps the scent in place, and can be a solid (like scented candles) or a liquid (like perfume). The nature of the carrier controls the rate at which scent is given off, creating scents that dissipate either very rapidly or very slowly. Scented candles smell for a very long time, while the scent of perfume can be gone in hours.
While commercially produced fragrances and essential oils are both scented products, using purpose-made fragrances differs from using essential oils in a couple of ways.
Let's take lavender, for instance. The lavender essential oil contains a number of compounds, in addition to the volatile compounds that make up the scent that we identify as "lavender". Fragrance companies isolate or synthesize these compounds to create a lavender scent that is recognizable and consistent in a way that "natural oils" cannot duplicate. In a natural oil, the quality of the flowers, the distillation process, and even the time of harvest can affect the quality and the scent of the oil.
This is why commercially produced fragrances are carefully built using compounds and materials that are known to behave in set ways. A batch of "Lavender Sachet Fragrance" will always smell and behave the same way every time because it is purposely made to do so. As we discussed earlier, an essential oil does not have this advantage, and can contain unwanted or even harmful materials.
Since the fragrances you are using are designed to be safe for skin and contact purposes, they contain regulated amounts of scent producing compounds. Additionally, these are designed to be soluble in water, or in water and detergent. This is another way that fragrances differ entirely from essential oils. Essential oils can be completely insoluble in water or in water and detergent.
In conservation, we tend to avoid using scented products for treatments, since some compounds in fragrances can breakdown and leave components that cause staining or other damage. This is mainly of concern in detergents and fabric treatments used in washing or in preparing for long term storage.
Using a thread conditioner prepared with commercial fragrance in textile is a very minor exposure, and from a quick look at the Safety Data Sheets, and dilution rates for use in your application, there would be very limited amounts of fragrance that could theoretically transfer to a textile, and even then, these are designed to wash away.
So my recommendation as a conservator would be:
For absolutely heirloom pieces that you do not plan to wash or dry clean: use an unscented beeswax conditioner.
For any project that will be washed or dry-cleaned? Enjoy whatever [non EO] scent you like.
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I'm so fortunate that Lizz shared her knowledge and expertise with me and reaffirmed my decision to not use EOs in Sew Fine Thread Gloss. Knowing that all of you use a product that I create on your treasured quilts, garments and sewn makes is something that I don't take lightly.
While a long read, I hope that this post has been interesting for you!
xo – Jenn
]]>This passion most recently developed into Thimble and Snip – curated kits that include everything one would need (fabric, patterns and notions) to hand sew selected garments and accessories. I wanted to share a link to Alexis' blog as she published a fantastic overview of thimbles (and a few of the different types she uses/owns) and beeswax in her Handsewing 101 series.
Click here to read Alexis' blog article and be sure to follow her personal account as well as Thimble and Snip's account on Instagram for more hand sewing inspiration!
* All above photos c/o Alexis Bailey
xo – Jenn
]]>I had met 2/3 of the hosts earlier in February at QuiltCon in Austin, TX and it was so nice to catch up with them, as so much had changed since I saw them last! Amanda, Wendy and Anna are amazing quilters each in their own right and I love listening to their episodes!
xo – Jenn
]]>Having a small tin helps with applying, as well as helps with keeping it clean and making it a portable addition to your sewing kits.
As the above photo illustrates, here are the simple steps to getting that sweet smelling beeswax onto your thread, as well as some handy tips!
*Here's a tip! Depending on the weight of thread you're using, you'll either use more or less thread gloss, which means another coat or change the pressure of your thumb.
For example, if you're using a 50wt thread, you can use decent thumb pressure and do 2 passes over the tin. The thin weight and tight twist of this thread means that it doesn't pick up as much beeswax per pass. Always feel free to run your fingers over the coated thread to make sure its consistently coated. BUT if you're using a thicker thread, less is best! Because a thicker thread like a 12wt perle cotton has a looser twist, it can actually pick up more beeswax per pass, so I tend to do one pass with VERY light thumb pressure, and then run my fingers over the thread a few times to make sure there isn't any excess.
Because Sew Fine Thread Gloss is a beeswax based thread conditioner, it will not resemble your little gelatinous blue cubes in texture or form. Also due to the consistency of beeswax, its not a product that you scoop out of the tin and apply with your fingers - your nails will not be happy!
I hope that helps give you a simple breakdown and help you use your Sew Fine Thread Gloss effectively!
xo – Jenn
]]>Well hello friends and welcome to another instalment of “holy crap I’m stupid excited!” Why you ask? (Hint… you just read the title of this post, right?!)
Yes!! I have teamed up with an AHHHmazing designer, a Canadian designer at that, to bring you another Sew Fine Thread Gloss collaborative collection. And you’re going to LOVE it!
Some background first. Last year as Program Coordinator for the OMQG, I had the pleasure of organizing and attending Libs’ Embrace the Chaos workshop here in Ottawa. It was such a fun workshop and Libs was a trooper – she was so sick, but stuck with us for the entire day. While we were packing up I shamelessly gave Libs a sample of Sew Fine Thread Gloss to take home and try out. Okay, honestly – I was driving her back to her hotel, so I pretty well had her hostage, and she wasn’t feeling the greatest so she probably just took it to shut me up. LOL! But you know what – that weird hostage product handoff has paid off my friends because LOOK AT THAT TITLE!
*Please note – I do not condone holding sew-lebrities hostage in your car while you force product on them. It worked out okay in this situation but might not in others. Thank you.
Fast forward to a few months ago. I was walking through the grocery store parking lot when I got a message on Instagram from Libs (fangirl moment ensued) wanting to talk about a collaboration! Umm yaasss!
And here we are. Also, what better timing to launch this collaboration than when Libs is the featured artist at Quilt Canada! So without further ado – may I present Libs’ Sew Fine Thread Gloss collection!
In honor of this collection launch I arranged a mini interview with Libs to talk about her reasons behind the collaboration.
Q: Why did you want to partner with Sew Fine Thread Gloss?
L: There are a few reasons I asked to partner with Sew Fine Thread Gloss. Firstly, I’ve been using it for a while and it’s a product I really believe improves my overall sewing experience. The opportunity to curate some of my own scents and share this awesome product with the sewing community was too exciting not to pursue. Secondly, it’s a Canadian and woman-owned business – just like me! – so building partnerships like this helps to lift us both up and find success as women entrepreneurs.
Q: Has using a thread conditioner changed your hand-sewing experience?
L: Yes, it has really changed my experience. Despite keeping my threads fairly short, I constantly ran into issues with thread tangling and knotting up. But with just one or two passes of thread through Sew Fine, that’s no longer an issue. It’s made the whole hand-sewing process so much more enjoyable for me and I find myself looking forward to it more often now. Plus, the pretty scents are definitely a bonus!
Q: You’ve curated a selection of amazing scent combinations – what draws you to these scents and/or why did you choose them?
L: I wanted to curate scents that have a balance similar to some of my favourite perfumes that I’ve collected during my travels. I’ve always liked the juxtaposition of florals and citrus against more earthy and woody scents. To me, it feels like a balance between feminine and masculine. Rose Wood, Violet Amber and Orange Lavender are all scents that embody that special combination and spark daydreams of exotic places.
Q: You have some breathtaking EPP patterns – how does using a thread conditioner make these projects easier?
L: When I’m sewing EPP projects, I often thread 3 or 4 needles at a time so that I can sew continuously for longer periods without interruption. Now, I run all loaded threads through the conditioner and they no longer get tangled up while sitting in my needle minder. When I’m sewing, the thread glides through the fabric much more easily and I feel like the stitches stay more firmly in place.
Q: And a non thread gloss related question – what inspires your quilt-making?
L: I’ve always had this notion that objects have stories based on their journeys. I like to think that some parts of the story are known by those who own the object but some parts are only known to the object itself. What motivates and inspires me to quilt is that same notion – that I’ll put my story and stitches into a piece, then release it into the world to have a story and journey of its own. I like the mystery of not knowing where my quilts will end up.
Also a big shout out to Peggy Pirillo who made this mini quilt! She was one of my swap partners for the #libselliottminiswap early last year! Its the perfect backdrop for this launch!
If you happen to be reading this post Friday June 14th, Libs will have the collection with her at Quilt Canada and will be available to purchase for her class attendees. Otherwise, they will be available online at libselliott.com. I’ll be roaming the floor all day Friday, so if you see me say HI! I’ll have lots of Sew Fine Thread Gloss samples to give out!
]]>This past summer I received an email that I NEVER in a million years expected to get. One of my favourite fabric and pattern designers emailed me. Me! First of all, I just about fell off my chair. That was before I read the email. I had a full blown #fangirl, heart pounding, goosebumps moment as I opened the email from Carolyn Friedlander asking if I wanted to collaborate with her.
A bit of backstory. At the start of the year, as I was working on spreading the news about Sew Fine Thread Gloss, I reached out to a few quilters, sewists, and crafters and asked if they wanted to give my new thread gloss a try. No strings attached (pun intended!). At about the same time Carolyn posted on her blog about not having a good alternative to Thread Heaven for her needle turning and big-stitch quilting, as the company had recently closed their doors. Well I wasn’t going to pass this opportunity to tell her about my product, as it wasn’t technically unsolicited! So I got in touch and sent her a few samples back in March.
Fast forward to this summer when out of the clear blue, Carolyn emailed me. She had been using the samples that I had sent her and loved them! So much so, that she wanted to collaborate on a few custom scents that she could carry on her website, and take to teaching engagements for her students. Heck yes I was on board! So we got started. Calls were made, emails exchanged, scent samples made and shipped and finally the collection is ready to share with the world!
This collection consists of three scents that Carolyn specifically chose based on her aesthetic and personal preferences. But I’ll let her speak to the descriptions herself…
Citrus & Sage Sew Fine Thread Gloss – a bright, citrusy scent with mildly herbaceous undertones. As with all of the Sew Fine Thread Glosses, the scents are well-managed and not overpowering.
Tea Flower Sew Fine Thread Gloss – a crisp and complex blend featuring a fresh aroma of green tea with long lasting sweet and citrusy middle notes. Compared to the “Sencha” scent, this one has more of a sweet, floral appeal.
Sencha Sew Fine Thread Gloss – a verdant blend featuring a green tea focus. Sencha is super fresh and has hints to me of gardenia or even orange blossoms (probably why I’m so drawn to it!). Compared to the “Tea Flower” scent, this one has more of a verdant and green-flavored presentation.
It was an absolute pleasure working with Carolyn on these scents. I had a few testers left over during the development and have used them on my hand-quilting a lot! My citrus & sage is well worn in! As a long-standing fan of her fabric designs, I feel as though the scents match the design aesthetic of her brand. Even though we’ve never met in person, I now associate those scents with “Carolyn Friedlander”.
Carolyn did a wonderful blog post talking about her new favourite thread conditioner – you should totally check it out! And to get one for yourself, visit carolynfriedlander.com or ask her on social media if she’ll have any during her upcoming teaching engagements. I really hope you all love them as much as we do!
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