If you thought I was kidding the other day, I’m not. For the time being, Tuesdays are Tool Tuesdays.
The truth is, I’m really not a gadget person. I don’t own or use many tools or gadgets when I sew, so the tools that I have are important to me. And I know that when you’re a new sewist all those options at the store can be really overwhelming. So over the next month or two I’ll review one of my favorite tools every Tuesday. And we’re going to do our best to carry each of those tools, to make it really easy for you. (I’m still pretty proud of myself for tracking down that precious carbon paper, can you tell? I hope that was the most challenging item to locate!)
Let’s start with the basics, shall we? We’ve already talked about tracing wheels and waxy carbon tracing paper and other fun elements for cross-stitching and applique, but let’s go back to the very beginning: seam rippers!
I mean, let’s be honest; everyone makes mistakes. Need I say more? I reach for my seam ripper far more often than I care to admit. When you have a good seam ripper, it’s not quite as frustrating when you need to use it. And maybe you won’t mind fixing mistakes quite as much and you can allow those perfectionist tendencies to reveal themselves, since ripping isn’t quite so much of a chore. (Or that may just be wishful thinking, but that’s what I’m telling myself at least.)
Seam rippers come in all different forms, but they all basically do the same job: helping you tear out stitches. As long as your seam ripper has a slim metal foot with a sharp spot for cutting the thread, it will work for you.
I didn’t used to care much about seam rippers, but since discovering the Clover Bamboo Notions seam ripper I’ve become quite particular about the seam ripper I use. I like this one because it’s pretty, it’s made of bamboo (bamboo is soft to hold and it’s a sustainable resource), and it matches our fabulous bamboo tracing wheels. You probably have a few seam rippers lying around, but this one is different in that it’s slightly more pleasant to use (if using a seam ripper can ever be considered a pleasant experience). It’s a little luxury that decreases the pain of having to rip out a seam.
And, speaking of bamboo tools, I bet you didn’t know that I wrote this blog post on a bamboo computer. No joke. I use a bamboo computer. I guess I like bamboo tools even more than I realized!
I need one of these little beauties. And a picture of that computer…
Photo of the bamboo computer, please?!
A third request for a photo of the computer!
Ok, sillies. It’s not that exciting to see, but here is a link to an image:
http://www.laptopspec.net/2010/07/asus-u43f-bba5-and-u43jc-bba7-dark-bamboo-14-inch-laptop/
I think I was imagining little bamboo keys with letters carved in them or something. I am a dork.
Me too! I was imagining the Oliver+S studio as looking like Gilligan’s Island!
But I am totally on board with the idea of having matching wood sewing tools. Tempt me with a gift wrapped birthday tool package price!
Do you know I was just thinking about how much I appreciate my seam ripper on way home in the car this evening, (today is Wednesday 21 April 2021 & I am in Sydney) whilst listening to episode 177 Love to Sew podcast when discussion turned to which sewing tools are next to our sewing machine.
And I remembered that I bought my bamboo handled seam ripper (+matching awl & 2 x tracing wheels) after reading this article by Liesl all those years ago…from ebay & shipped here to Australia…still going strong, warm & comfortable to hold, feel so familiar…
Thank you Liesl for sharing all your words of wisdom over the years…one of my sewing regrets is that I did not re-find sewing when my children were young so I did not enjoy the pleasure of using Oliver & S patterns, I found your web-site after returning to sewing as therapy after Breast Cancer in 2011, I have made a few of your Lisette Butterick patterns & have your Bistro pdf pattern…which reminds me I still have to Inst post my B6464 top…its a racy evening top 🙂
Warm Regards
Karen