Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Is your New Year's Resolution to be more organized in 2014?

 

If so you've come to right blog. Each week in January, starting tomorrow, I'll be posting tips on organizing your sewing space.

 Let's face it, our sewing spaces can get out of hand really fast. These tips will help keep your room organized and clean as you go!

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year!!!

- Kat

Monday, December 30, 2013

Supreme Slider Review

Before I bought it, I'd been thinking about getting the supreme slider for a while. But to be honest the price tag had me holding off. Then one day I was watching a tutorial by Leah Day (I adore her) and she talked about the slider and raved about how good it is. The slider moved up a bit in my 'must have it'.

I was hoping to find one at the AQS show where I could try it before I bought it. Once at the show I overheard classmates talking about how great it was. My interest heightened. But I still had not found a booth with a demo.

Finally I saw a vendor removing halos from her machine. I asked her if I could try them. I'd seen them around and was curious about them. I sat down at her machine to demo the halos. Immediately I thought "Wow. This fabric moves so well, it's practically gliding across the table." I stopped sewing. I lifted the fabric. Yup! There was a supreme slider underneath. I was in LOVE. I left that booth with the queen size slider and two halos. Yes 2. This lady recommended stacking the halo's for more grip, and better control/comfort.

Even though I had heard all these great things about the slider, and I had inadvertently tried it, I was still a bit nervous about using it once I got home. Would it really stick to my machine? Especially after removing and replacing it many times?  Would the fabric still glide? Or was the vendor using some kind of magic fabric. We've all been there...a product looks great in a demonstration....but once you get it home, you just can't seem to get it to work as well as the demo.

All my worries were for nothing. The slider is amazing! It does stick even after removing it many times. I always store it in the plastic tube that it came in when I'm not using it. After a while the fabric and thread dust builds up on the bottom and you have to clean it, but it's been really simple to clean by rinsing under water and letting it air dry. It always sticks again once dry.

I use my Supreme Slider every time I free motion quilt. I can't imagine quilting with out it.  I give it an A++++

Happy Sewing..and Happy New Year! May your year be filled with many fun quilting, sewing and embroidery projects.

Monday, December 23, 2013

S is for Staple

Our remodel is coming along. Now that the cabinets are done, we are moving onto the floor.

We had already ripped out the carpet before we painted the walls. And now we tore out old vinyl floor, and spent most of the day removing staples from the subfloor.
Staples, staples and more staples.


Here are some shots of the current floor. S is also for subfloor cause that's what we are living with right now.
Whooops. Guess I forgot to bring in my patio furniture.

Photo bombed by DH, sweeping up staples.

Such a glamorous kitchen floor.

We haven't decided what to do about these columns yet.

Can't wait to install the new hardwood floor! We'll get there. Eventually.

It' would be great to never see another staple again for a while. 
-Kat  :)







Monday, December 16, 2013

Want new cabinets??

Are you looking for an inexpensive way to refinish your cabinets? We've lived in our house for about 10 years. I've never liked the oak cabinets. And since we are remodeling the first floor of the house, DH finally agreed to paint them (which was much cheaper than buying new cabinets).

We used a product by RUST-OLEUM called Cabinet Transformations. It's fabulous (This is my personal opinion, they are not paying me review this product). It was about $60 per kit and we used two kits. So for $120 dollars (plus new hardware) we got amazing 'new' cabinets.

The first step in the kit is the de-gloser. You wash all the cabinets with the de-glosser. BONUS: No Sanding!


Next up you apply the paint/stain. We used two coats of the paint/stain.
This is what it looks like after only one coat of the paint/stain.

The 3rd step is a glaze that makes the grain pop.
The final step is the sealer, it seals everything and makes the cabinets shiny.


Bye bye oak cabinets....
Here is the BEFORE photo    



 Hello new fabulous cabinets!!!

The finished cabinets.

Love love this color.

Someday this remodel will be finished and my countertops will be clean again.




Overall we felt the process was very easy, I loved that we didn't have to do any sanding. And now one month later that cabinets still look great. So far the paint/stain is holding up really well. Let me know if you have used this product on your cabinets and what you thought of the entire process.

-Happy painting! Kat  :)

Friday, December 6, 2013

Birthday Sale!!

Sat is my birthday and I'm
celebrating with a weekend long sale! Now through Monday 12/9/13 use the coupon code below and save. 

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Last Christmas present...done!


I made a goal to be done with Christmas shopping and gift making by Dec 1st. And today is 12/1/13 and I just meet my goal. The final gift of the sewing season was ties for my 7 yr old nephew. He likes to wear ties to school, which I think is wicked cool. So naturally I 'had' to make him some cool ties. 

Of course I tried to use the pattern from one person and directions from another. That didn't work out so well. I ended up sewing and un-sewing each step multiple times. What should've been a quick project took me over 4 hours. Lesson learned. 

I also discovered I can't tie a tie knot. So I faked it and hand stitched the knots in place. I think they look great. And I can't wait to see C open them on Christmas Day. 



About Me

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I love all things crafty! Visit my website www.calicocali.com for tutorials, longarm quilting, svg designs, embroidery designs, nail decals, notions and more. Let’s Be Friends! Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/calicocalidesigns/ Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/calicocalidesigns/ Subscribe to our Youtube channel so that you don’t miss out on any of our fun tutorials! I hope you love our designs as much as I enjoy creating them. Happy Sewing Everyone!!! – Kat 🙂