A 2″ Bias Tape Maker?

Greetings from a very soggy Gulf Coast!  It has been raining nonstop since very early yesterday morning, so after I get the boys to school I have had plenty of time to sew and pull out a few goodies I’ve been wanting to share with you.  Have you seen this?
I had heard that Clover made a 2″ bias tape maker, but had never seen one being used. So I went to my distributor and lucky for me they had them! I ordered one, then spent some time this weekend playing with it.

I really should have taken a different shot of it from the mat, because this thing is big!  The directions that come with it are the same as the others, but just be prepared to use a teeny bit more fabric to make your bias tape.  To achieve a double folded 1″ tape, you will need to cut fabric to 98mm or 3 7/8″.

I can see a lot of use for this for crafting and bag making. I do not sew clothes, but think it would be great for hems of a cute little girl’s dress or other skirt accents.  Have you ever used one? What for?

In other fun new news, I finally broke down and bought my first two spools of Aurifil thread.  Sewists have been raving about this stuff for some time now, so when my current cone was running low I ordered a nice soft white and cream color.  Aurifil is made in Italy using 100% Mako Egyptian long staple cotton.  I purchased the 40wt, which is a bit thicker and can sew well with my types of projects. There are other weights available HERE.  I was not sure if I was expecting it to live up to the hype it receives, but the second I started using it…..WOW!  Just on the cone it has a nice feel and appearance.  It works beautifully in my simple Janome and even better if you can believe in my Juki industrial.  Industrials tend to be a little loud and sew really fast, but even my Juki girl ran softer and smoother. So cool!  If you have  chance to give it a try do it. You won’t regret it.

Before I head off to my studio, I have to show you little man T and his new obsession. The Rainbow Loom. Are your kids nutso over this too?  I have to admit it’s fun, but for T, it’s a great tool to help his fine motor skills he struggles with. So a win-win over here.  Have a great day everyone. Today I plan to finish my Anna Maria Horner Right-Turn-Bag I am reviewing and presenting to Purse Palooza in a few weeks.  Thanks for reading! ~Cindy~