2nd Annual On-Line Workshop - Victorian Santa Pt. 2

Phyllis, you are so right about the curling iron. Recently found that out and certainly don't want to do it no time soon. I had know idea that thing was still on and laid my arm right down on it. Almost swallow my tooth brush!

"Low melt" glue guns hurt if you get the glue on your fingers--but HOT melt literally burn!

For the crafts you all will be doing--you do not need the HOT melt sticks! They are more for fabrics and certain other things. I hope you are planning to use the LOW melt....Besides--you cannot use a low melt stick in a hot melt gun, and vice versa!

For novices at using glue guns, remember NOT to be tempted to touch the place you just applied glue to or to try and hold it down in place with your fingers! You have to work fast also--as the glue cools off very quickly....Apply and stick it on--that is the rule! Also--sometimes it is easier to apply the glue to the item you are putting on--like the stem of a flower--and not to the place you want to put it on to--if that makes any sense....

To hold things in place--as needed--I use wood toothpicks...Fleurs idea of the small floral picks is also good.

I shall be following you all along as you do this! I did last year, and it was fascinating to see photoe of everyone's Santas taking shape.

Gita

Oh no, Gita, I didn't know that about the Hot Melt Guns. Mine is an industrial strength one. Thank you for these tips. I'll need to pick up a small low melt one at WM. I guess it would say that on the package? I was wondering if my gun would be too hot for the styrofoam. I'm sure it would be. You probably just save my project and from getting me behind in the lesson.

Deborah♥

Great info Gita...have several guns to use different temps..the guns will be used for hair/beard!

Anyone who has a sewing machine, please use it..going to check my patterns for more specifics and will post..

Deborah ...LOL..not laughing at you getting burned but at the fact I just did it this last week and have a nice pink line now on my right arm.
The one I picked up at walley world is a 2 temp one.

something I just thought of too about glue guns for those using for the first time make sure you have something under it ...piece of newspaper or cardboard...so when it is sitting there between gluing as sometimes they dripunless you pull the stick up a lil when you set it down.

oh cool I can use my sewing machine

Also with glue guns, I always put a dish of cold water nearby..just incase I burn myself, once dropped in on my finger and brought it to my mouth, not good...so learnt a lesson during those pinecone tree days and pinecone wreaths...

Wasn't going to do much today but think I'll head over to Home Depot and pick up wood that I need for armiture frames, all heads are poured, going to bring all the unpainted ones to work next week to do so if I get the frames done, as soon as hair arrives I can box them up...

Betty, "not do much today"??? Have you ever had a day when you didn't do much? You get more done in one day than most of us get done in a week.

I use an old cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil to set my glue gun on. It's big enough so if I'm really concentrating and working fast on making a wreath I don't have to aim for a tiny spot to set it down. Anywhere inside the cookie sheet is good - even if it falls over it's still inside the sheet. When the glue drips build up you just toss the foil and put down a fresh layer.

Lots of good ideas being posted here. For newbies and oldbies (?) alike. Hope ya'll will keep 'em coming. Betty, definitely good advice not to put finger in mouth while it has hot glue stuck to it! Ouch!

Lordy, yes I plan 'off' days but somehow it just doesn't work out that way, what time did I post the last post 9:02 DG Time and here it is 9:13 and son Greg called, had their entire kitchen redone, he picked up stone and slate and did back splash, so asked me to come over and see, THEN I said, oh wooo is me, grandma gave me grey slate tiles to do the back of my kitchen cupboard and I've not done th;em, and in one quick breath he says, I've the glue and grout, saw, come over and look at mine and you can do yours today before I have to bring the saw back...then in the 2nd breathe, 'what are you doing for the rest of the day mom? - Melanie and I were invited to an afternoon birthday party for Sue and it starts at 2:00' so I say 'bring the boys over' to which he says 'one problem mom, Noah has to be in Midland for 5pm - he's the goalie and hockey game so can you go watch the hockey game???' so that stay in jammies and do nothing day just does not work for me..so I'm off to Greg's, have to stop and pick up cough medicine for Kyle, have coffee and come back and start my project...fun city, know what that will mean, I'll want to change the wallpaper after won't I???? drats and more drats!

Off to the races...

ROTFL! Yep, your day filled up in a hurry. Enjoy your grandkids and good luck with your project. We will be anxious to see the finished product!

Phyllis, my arm isn't heal yet either LOL

Betty, I will have a lot of busy days to look forward to with grandkids if mine are as active as yours on weekend days. LOL

I use 6" clay saucers to rest my glue gun in. If you have a bigger gun--use 8" saucers.
Heat proof----heave enough not to tip over--Stuck on hard glue fairly easy to remove---and......cheap!!!!!

Gita

Great ideas!


...GITA...Hi! Haven't seen you in days,
Hope all is well...running home to see if you posted~ How did the King Hibiscus transfer go??
Will check to see if you told us and I just don't recall.

The gun I just bought is a 2 temp one, mini dual hi/lo 10 watt. And the sticks say they will work on low, dual, and hi settings.

No sewing machine here. I doubt I have any needle and thread lol! Quite the crafter here!

My dogs are barking so I'm going to take a bath.

I have one of the corning ware cutting board from years ago that I put under my glue guns. Steady and cleans really fast. Good thing it came in useful for something because it was useless as a cutting board--dulled the knives!!

Don't try to take the glue off your hand while it is hot either!! It will actually make a sore if you do!!

There are long tweezers at the fabric stores most commonly used with sergers that really work great with projects like this. I have several pair of them for my sergers and craft boxes! Great investment and not all that expensive.

This message was edited Sep 20, 2008 9:23 PM

Marion, I'm supposed to be getting off the computer but ...... what kind of serger do you have? Beginning to think I need one.

A Bernina and a Baby Lock. Like the Baby Lock the best!

Loved my serger but sold it, with the high tech sewing machines now days much of what a serger does can be done on it...

Yep, for those with no sewing machines OR needle and thread lol (Crissy how do you sew on a button?) just pick up fabric glue..it's the best..

I did promise to give more info yesterday then zappo into tiling the kitchen ... a few hours left to finish my project and then I'll go looking...

That's interesting Betty. I keep hearing different opinions - most say sergers do what sewing machines cannot do in terms of finishing seams. What kind of stitch do you use on your regular machine to finish seams? I'm getting ready to make Christmas stockings and don't want to line them but need a finished seam on the inside so it doesn't ravel. Hope they turn out - say it in a craft book. They will be made out of vintage napkins, tablecloths and other fabrics and trims.

Betty, I've never sewn on a button in my life. Don't even know how. When I said I was new, I meant it lol! Dave knows how though, in fact, he has a whole sewing box, I forgot about it. He also knows how to garden. He's one of the best lawn care maintenance guys I've ever seen!

Judy,

NO! Haven't moved the Hibiscus yet.....Have not had any free time! I need a WHOLE day off--with nothing else planned--to really get into an all-day gardening mode. Tomorrow will be one of those days--AFTER I go at 8AM to the garage to get the oil changed in my car.....
Getting apprehensive now as tthe weather 'could" do a whammy any day....NOT extremely likely here--yet....BUT......

I don't post a lot unless I have something to contribute--remember? Been reading everything--so, I AM staying with you all....
Thanks for missing me!

Gita

wow...sounds like an undertaking...OMG my days get so cannot say screwed up but rather a change in direction..here I am going the finishing of the kitchen tile, turning out beautifully if I may say so myself, doesn't my cousin Linda call, she had all the fixings of a Christmas project for me, now this girl DOES NOT do crafts but she showed me this one and is quite proud of it..she wouldn't take it with her, says it's mine...just what I need to go with another 40 or so shipping boxes of Christmas decorations...lol..but it's adorable..I'll have to try and take photo's for you, the ones I quickly took just now don't do it justice, plus need some decorations for the wreath and am NOT going outside and opening boxes today to find them...but you'll get the drift..

It's done with the glass block that you insert lights into, usually you see them with ribbon on them, pretty in themselves..can see the possibilities of this project..looks so pretty with the light on

cool that wouldn't be hard to make ..very nice looking

Oh Betty, a serger does things a sewing machine doesn't do--not yet. Debra, a serger will cut a nice clean edge (provided you have a good knife in and not one that is dull) plus overcasting using various numbers of threads. No machine that I am aware of is on the market that does that quite yet. You can use zig zag stitch, the blind hem stitch or some similar but they do not put a locked edge of thread on the cut edge of the fabric like a serger does. You can also do flat felt seams by disengaging one of the loopers. Looper are the things that the thread goes through to form the overcast stitch.

Sergers have knives in them? I didn't know that!

Uh yeah. They do the cutting as you sew. Don't worry I have actually tired to cut myself with them and they will stall first--stop sewing. I can hear it now: why would you do that?

When the former Cloth World stores started introducing sergers (Baby Locks) into their stores in the 80's, I was working at one and they sent me to school to learn about the machines. That is one of the things we did so we would know first hand incase a Mom with a child was concerned. If you will look closely at a picture you will see 2 blades, an upper and a lower. They cut off the strings, excessive fabric or whatever while you sew and overcast the edge. Confused you?

Cool! I didn't know that! So you like your Baby Lock better than your Bernina? What do you do with two of them? Do they do something differently? I'd love to have a fancy Bernina sewing machine but can't justify spending that kind of money. Don't sew enough to invest in one. Can't I get a basic serger for not too much? Might need to look into that. I think I would actually use a serger.

Well then I have taught you something for the day. LOL Yes, I do like my Baby Lock better because it does a much nicer rolled hem. The Bernina does a rolled hem but I want one that looks like the edges you see on very expensive table clothes, runners and napkins. In fact, I use to make custon napkins for a shop in Gainesville. In the olden days!! Why 2? Well my hubby decided I needed a new one when we found out we were going to be grandparents--so I have 2. The BL is about 25 years old but sews like a charm. Bernina is nice too but I just like the BL.

I haven't check prices lately for sergers so I have no idea what they run now. My Bernina was about 800.00 6 years ago and it is a basic model. The BL--well 275.00 but look at the age.

I agree with Marion, there is nothing like a serger. I have had one for about 20 years now, and it still works well. Someday, I would like to hit the lotto, to get a Bernina, but haven't done it yet!!!

If you do any sewing, you should invest in a serger, they are great little machines.

Linda Kay

Yep does have knives, guess what I was saying is that unless you really sew a lot to me it just wasn't worth having..put money into the embroidering machine instead...

It's early girls but I have to go to bed..yep put in 2 days of mega work..not sure where the relaxation weekend went other than finding it easy to do inhouse projects...

Enjoy your evening..

I will say you had a busy weekend Betty. Rest well. I don't think I will burn the midnight oil either tonight. Nice comfy day so worked in the yard most all day. Good feeling to see things finally taking shape.

Betty, get some well deserved rest. Then please show us photos of your new tile sometime this week. Can't wait to see it. that is the cutest mini scene on the glass block. Looks like a mirror on top? and the block is painted? Can you show us a photo with the lights turned on? Bet that will inspire lots of sistahs to purchase glass blocks.

Marion, same to you. You put in a hard day. It does feel good, doesn't it? With DH's help we got the new bed finished and ready to plant iris this week. Just came in myself and getting ready for a bath. The mosquitos are out in force for some reason and were obnoxious. I popped some sweet taters in the oven to bake while we bathe and DH is going to grill a big chunk of fish our neighbor brought us from his monthly deep sea fishing excursions. It's always so good.

Linda Kay, how are you doing? Staying off that foot? Are you keeping it propped up on the pillow like a good girl? Is your family waiting on you like a good family? lol! This talk of sergers makes me want to look at them. Are the less expensive ones worth having? I'm not spending a lot of $$ - just want a basic one to finish seams on craft and decorating projects.

Debra, there ae some I would not put money into: Juki--not to be confused with Juki that makes Baby Lock-Singer, Hufty-if it is even still made. You are way ahead of the game for performance and satisfaction to get a better one. You might be surprised how much you end up using one when you have it. I was very skeptical but was being paid to go learn about them, use, care and service. So I figured since they are going to sell me one at a greatly reduced rate as I was to be the demo person, why not get the best one available at the time. I think if I were to get a new BL now I would look at the Pro line for sure. Of course, this is only my opinion! My sewing machines are one place I do want the best for sure. Call me greedy or a snob but that is they way I am. Besides DH had his top of the line itmes so why couldn't I? Good luck with looking.

Betty--I love that glass block, fishing piece. Could you take a close look and tell us just what is there and how it was made? Maybe some close-up pictures???

--Was the glass block left whole? Or--was there a hole drilled into it for the lights?
--Is the "pond" a round mirror?....I guess, yes.
--What is the small snow man made of? Sprayed Styrofoam balls?
--Where can one get realistic, little people like that?

I could see myself doing that--except for drilling a hole in the glass block.....I remember from a Post last year, that it was not an easy thing to do....besides--you need a diamond drill...

I just made a big Fall centerpiece that i will donate to my HD for the Employee Fund Committee for raffling off. I also made a basket full of stuff to do with baking...Cute!
My way of helping out......

Gita

Here's the Centerpiece....

And--Here's the baking Basket---lots of stuff in there.....

Gita, that is a beautiful center piece. It's sure to sell lots of raffle tickets. Do you make lots of arrangements? That's one of my favorite crafts - wreaths mostly. The baking basket looks yummy. Batman brownies? That's a new one!

Marion, thanks for your advice. I'm sure I know someone with a serger but can't think of anyone now. Wanted to 'try before I buy'.

I make things as I need them.....I have done most any and all kinds of arrangements--fresh and dried and silks.....LOTS of wreaths....Mostly Christmas....

Don't really want to "hijack" this Thread--just wanted to show you all what I have been up to this week...

Gita

Thanks for sharing with us.

Just wanted to tell you that half the stuff in that Fall arrangement is stuff I have picked up off the floor in the floral aisles in Craft Stores.
YES! I shamelessly do that! It will all be swept up and become trash anyway--so why not?

I ask someone in the store if I may--and they say--"Go right ahead! less for me to sweep up!"...

Really pretty centerpiece Gita. Oh my, that basket really looks so good.

I understand completely Debra about trying before buying. It is an investment of sorts.