Claire Kennedy Design

My iron

My iron has to work like 24/7 and not complain, need any service, come on fast, stay on strong, for a long time.  I would hate to be my own iron.

But the great thing is I don't hafta.  I have a great iron.

A Reliable i300 which is the medium sized-boiler steam model.  Here's a little video on the iron, what it does for me, you can tell why I like it, but also why I recommend it.

One caveat - it's expensive, but every time you use it, you're thankful you spent the money.  Also for the home sewist, I suspect the iron would last around 20 years - for me it's about 10 years (probably more for the home sewist).  Divide $400 by 20 and you get $20/year, for an outstanding quality appliance that works way beyond what the home appliance models can do.  For those of you who have good sewing machines, I really recommend looking into this model.

I purchased my iron through Atlanta Thread, but they are available widely.  Make sure you get the iron AND the steamer/boiler.  Some sellers are only selling the iron, or the boiler.  For the first setup you will only need both.  BTW, the old one is fixed (with a part about $20 from Reliable) so it's a stand by, and as a surprise (although I don't think it will be a surprise now), I'm taking it to my September class so my students can have a real treat when ironing.  

BTW, I don't get a commission or break or anything.  This is just a good product that I have used for a long time that works and like to pass on info like that as much as info of products that don't work to save you all the headaches and anxiety of wondering, "Is it me or the iron?!"  Most of the time, I'll bet it's the iron!!!

Here are some links to some of the tools in my work space.

Clover Awl
Big and small Needles - embroidery which has the long eye, where you are able to get many threads through one hole of a small needle.
Point Turner
Orange stick push
Clover chalk marker
Suede brush
Sewline marker
Clover fabric pencil
Soft Ticondaroga Pencils
Tweezerman Tweezers
Knife Edge Ginger Scissors
Clover needle Cleaner
Needle threader (most of the time it's free in a large assorted sized needle package)

Gadget Radar - Rotary Cutters

A class at the local Bernina store gives me a chance to peruse the notion wall and exchange some comments and ideas about new products.  And although I've been perfectly happy with  my Fiskars rotary cutter and Olfa cutting mats - and if you haven't tried rotary cutters & a good cutting mat, you're missing out.  But it's always good to try new things.

But lately there's been some new products - one is the Gingher rotary cutter

This has a great look and beautiful lines, but it's really hard to use and that large wheel is very difficult to get around tight corners and tight circles.

A True Confession

Well, sorta - I've been thinking about Ann's (of Ann's Fashion Studio fame) move, and in about 2 weeks she's going to have the neatest studio of all of us.  She won't have that fav spot though that we all have....like this.....

 

This is a delicate little piece of china I received from Japan.  It's got a darling pattern in it and is beautiful by itself....

See - this is just beautiful like it is.

But not me.  I need to have a place to put the very technical equipment that is essential to making fine clothing.  You just never know when you're going to need important stuff that's in my misc. dish.

 

See all this important stuff?  Even though I have a perfectly good metal invisible zipper foot, you just never know when I might need this dinky, half-working plastic zipper foot.  And what about that all-purpose tube thingie...those are a necessity in my biz.  And who would be caught dead without a Bahamian coin of the realm!  Not me.  And let's not forget the ever- handy important screw - just never know when that might hold something important together.

So for all of you out there who have these little "places" where you hold your miscellaneous items - Here's to us.

A new gadget

I have this friend who likes to make furniture....fine furniture!  And he uses all sorts of neat gadgets and tools to make his life easier in the making of this fine furniture! 

I find a lot of them are really interesting but of no use to me.

Do NOT put your finger in this thing or.....well....there's just no telling what will happen.  But this gadget is useful for him.  To be honest, I'm not sure how, so don't ask me to explain it.  But he extols the virtues of this thing constantly.  Each to his/her own.

One day, while was admiring his work, and I do admire all of this, he picked up this little thing at Home Depot (which is unfortunately just around the corner from his shop).

A digital fractional caliper.  (Sounds really technical)  This looked interesting, but it only got better.

Look at what this thing does!  On the bottom in measures the outside dimensions, and on the top it measures the inside dimensions. 

My minded flooded with the possibilities of the use of this around my own studio!  Above is just one.

I love this button and have used it on many garments - in my mind at least!  But the problem with these odd shaped jewels is making the correct sized button hole and for that matter even measuring it.

Not one to do things in an inexact manner, the whole idea of this caliper (that's what they call them in the shop world), made me oooo and aaaaah with delight.

So off to Home Depot to purchase my own little jewel.

The measurements can be in fractions,which is what I prefer, or inch decimals or metric decimals, with a measuring stick (excuse my inept and un-techy language there), thingie above in case you can't read the digital layout.

I'm not sure I would recommend this as a "must have" in everyone's studio, but this sort of thing does appeal to me as there are times when I glance at the ruler and think it's 3/8ths or 5/8ths or 3/8ths and then have to start counting...1/8th, 2/8th, 3/8th, etc.  This just prevents any misunderstanding between the ruler and me in the future.

And of course we all want better communication - it's just better for the relationship.

I can see this is the beginning of a long friendship already!

My Studio

OK - a lot of people having been wanting a tour of my studio - so while I'm in the middle of my teaching class and no time to sew - here's what it looks like.

First before you enter, you have to understand I'm a person driven by faith and so entering into my studio is a not only a place to create, but I think of it as a spiritual place too.  It's very weird to describe, but for years I felt as though there were two Claires:  one that lived outside my studio, and then the other Claire that worked, created and was artistic and incredibly talented inside my studio.  Sounds weird, but that's how I felt.

My studio was also a place that lost time....I would go in about 8 or 9 a.m. and then next time I looked up it was 4:30 p.m. and would wonder where the day went - why didn't I get another 3 or 4 hours?....where did the time go?  Yes, I got a lot done, but I want to do more - where had the time gone?  I understand from people who study these sorts of things, that this is good and it what's called getting into the artist's zone:  you're having so much fun that time flies - that sort of thing.

Anyway, to make sure my studio has just the right karma, I have a wonderful little card a client sent me:

Yep, St. Clare of Assisi is the patron saint of needle-workers & embroiderers!  How about that!!!  Now St. Clare advocated a life of poverty and abstinence, and I can not say I have that in common with her, but I do love needle-working.....

and love having it above the entrance to my studio.

So here's my little video of my studio.

Enjoy.




Sewing Machine Reviews

Beth made an interesting request on her blog about review of sewing machines.  This can be very helpful for newbies.  I remember first starting out and having to fight through a lot of machine isssues, that I came to believe were just because I was inexperienced, when it was really that the machine was of poor quality and really didn't work half the time.  Having a good machine that suited to your  needs is key...so here goes my reivew of my machines:

What brand and model do you have?

I have five machines (OK no funny comments...but I use all of them!!!)

• Bernina 1630 - my main squeeze.
• Bernina Artista 180 - Wow - the embroidery I can do!
• Bernina 930 - my backup and also teaching machine.
• Bernette Serger 203 - almost exclusively for finishing seams.
• Omni machine - sews in many directions.
  

How long have you had it?
Bernina 930- about 30 years
Bernina 1630 - for 15 years
Bernina Artista - about 10 years

How much does that machine cost (approximately)?
Bernina 930 - around $700
Bernina 1630 about $3,000
Bernina Artista - about $7,000

What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)?
Formal Wear:  Debutante, Wedding, After Five and Ball Gowns.

How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get?
Every day.

Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name?
I love all my machines, or I wouldn't have them.  The work under the most extreme conditions:  I abuse my machines I don't use them!  I would highly recommend Bernina, but honestly I have bought them for so long because of the great service and support that comes from my local Bernina Shop.

What features does your machine have that work well for you?
- The key to the "wow" features of the Berninas are the feet - the rolled hemmer works beautifully, the binder is fabulous, the blind stitch foot is versatile in many different stitches, sew-on button (with adjustable thread shanks), automatic buttonholer. 
- The second is the automatic tension - this is something that should come as an automatic on every machine!

Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine?
The little blade on the side cutter slides away from the slot which means sometimes the threads don't get cut, which can be maddening when I slide the threads to cut them, and they don't cut, I'm pulling a lot of thread out of the machine.  But this is so minor that it's hardly worth mentioning.

Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? We want to hear it!
My first Bernina:  My mother, after I started taking serious courses in sewing, asked if I wanted a machine and I told her a Bernina (the 930 at the time), but that it was expensive.  When she found out the price, she agreed, never being a person who understood or supported artistic endeavors or people, and I am an artist with my machine.  So I reconciled myself that I would just have to sew on the Berninas in class.  On day my mother called and said that she and my aunt would buy me the machine.  Later I found out that my aunt really bought it - paid for most of it, but I never knew till after she died, but at least she got to see me build my wardrobe and use the daylights out of that machine.  And I'm sure she took great joy in that.  This machine I still have today and I use it for my classes and new students.

Would you recommend the machine to others? Why?
Absolutely - but part of it because of the wonderful local support and service I get through my local shop, but another is because the darned machine is built beautifully - it works.  If Bernina says it will do something, it's not something that has to be looked at just a certain way to work - it really works!

What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine?

• Must have automatic tension - too many new students are turned away and turned off by mess-ups with the tension and think it's them when in reality it's really the machine
• As hard as this may seem - you get what you pay for.  If you want to borrow a machine to see if you have an interest or aptitude for this art and skill, great:  then buy a good machine.
• For your first machine the basics like 1.) forward stitch (duh!), 2.) reverse stitch, 3.) zig zag, and maybe 4.) some (a very few) decorative stitches, is all you need to do some remarkably beautiful clothing.  As you become more expert, then you can expand into more expensive and elaborate machines. I'm a formal wear designer - so I design and these basic stitches are my mainstay in the execution of those designs.
  

Do you have a dream machine?
There is a professional embroidery machine at my local Bernina shop that is dreamy:  multi-thread/color, fast, detailed, hoops caps, any type of fabrics - it's really fabulous and would be too much fun to have.  I'm also an artist and see a lot of my designs in embroidery!!  Yum yum!