My DIY Must Haves: Sewing

Today I thought I would share some of my must have sewing tools. I am definitely not an advanced sewer, but here are the basics that have helped me make drapery panels and pillow shams:

1. A sewing machine: Pretty obvious, but here are the details about mine. I have a Brother XL 2600i, and after almost a year it still works great! It is very easy to set up and use. I went with a cheaper model because I wouldn't be using it very often; however, with thicker fabric it does struggle, so keep that in mind. I purchased mine on Amazon

In addition to the standard foot, I also use the zipper foot to sew cording because it is thinner and allows the needle to get close to the cording (zipper foot was included with my machine)

2. An iron: This is so important for getting professional looking results. I always keep the hot iron nearby and press everything prior to pinning and running it through the machine.

3. Fabric scissors: Paper dulls scissors in no time, so it is important to have a pair that is just for fabric. Mine are just nice craft scissors but since I only use them for fabric, they are my fabric scissors. If you have members in your house who may forget which scissor is which, you may want to mark them, fabric only!

4. Pins and needles: Pins are great for holding everything in place prior to sewing. Remember when pinning to always point the round end towards the inside of the machine so you can take them out as you go. And needles are great for areas that need to be hand sewn. 

5. No sew adhesive: I like Heat n' Bond (I found at Joann Fabrics). This can be a great time saver or might be a good solution when sewing with the machine is more difficult, like my ruffled draperies (there was so much fabric on either side of the machine when sewing the ruffles on!)

6. A yard stick: Perfect when measuring cuts for fabric ... much better than a ruler because most cuts are over 12"

A fabric pen (designed to disappear when washed) is great for when marking fabric ... a pencil will work too if you are marking in a spot that won't be seen.

Finally, a cardboard cutting board with a grid perfect for keeping a straight line while cutting (I don't know what I would do without mine!)

and there you have it, my favorite and most used sewing supplies! Click here to see all of My DIY Must Haves

I am off to work on the glass panels ... its a lot of waiting for glue to dry ... Progress photos soon!


  

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My DIY Must Haves: Painting

Painting is one of the easiest ways to transform an outdated piece, so painting and prepping supplies are definitely on my DIY must have list!

Most pieces will need a little TLC before painting, here are some of my basic prep tools:

1. A variety of sandpaper - course, fine and medium grit sanding blocks are great for a lot of surfaces because they bend slightly, sand paper with foam back is good for curved furniture legs, and sheets are good to reload your sanding block or to tear of pieces to get in the little cracks

2. Power sander - a must for large amounts of sanding! Best for flat surfaces, hand sand curved surfaces to avoid taking away detail. I use a Black and Decker Mouse, I like it because it is light and can get into corners easily 

3. Wood filler and putty knife - great for minor repairs

and a microfiber or tack cloth is also needed to make sure the surface is clean prior to painting.

Onto the fun stuff :)

Here are my favorite painting supplies and tips that I've picked up along the way!

1. Invest in good brushes - I use Purdy 1.5" and 2.5" Clearcut glide. This will help the paint to go on smooth and if cleaned thoroughly after each use, they will last a long time!

2. Smooth foam roller - Great for painting flat surfaces, help to reduce brush strokes and speeds up your painting time

3. A good primer - I've tried a few and like SW Premium Wall & Wood Primer I always add a little water to my primer before painting, because it is very thick!

4. Durable paint - For painting furniture, durable paint is a must! I typically use SW Pro Classic which has a hard enamel finish while being latex. The key to this paint is applying it on in thin coats and not over brushing (it will self level when drying) I also like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, it goes on without primer (even on laminate), it is durable, and clean up is a breeze! I like to finish it with clear wax to seal and protect it.

5. Painters tape - Perfect for taping off what you don't want painted!

6. Paint drying extender - I use XIM Extender -  helps reduce brush strokes while painting, I add this every time I paint!

Spray paint can be the fastest and easiest way to paint a piece! Great for painting a something that has a lot of nooks and crannies!

1. Good spray paint - I like to use Rustoleum or Krylon - both get good, even coverage

2. Spray Paint Comfort Grip attachment - great for even coverage and saving your pointer finger! Don't buy the cheap one  - been there, done that, the can drops out of it!

3. Paint Mask/Respirator - SO important to use this every time your spray paint, breathing in all of those paint particles in air = no good!

And there you have it, my must have list for painting! Did I miss anything?

I'll be back soon to share the rest of my DIY must haves! 

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My DIY Must Haves: Power Tools

Last week one of my reader's asked for a list of my must have tools for DIY projects. Since we move every few years (and pay to move most of it) we don't want to have a lot of extra stuff, so we try to keep our DIY supplies to a minimum (which can be hard!)

Today, I thought I would start with power tools, because 1. they are the key to building most things 2. they typically make projects easier and faster!

So here we go!

1. Cordless Drill/Drill Bit Set - We use this for pretty much every project ... for the most part it floats around our home! Cordless is a lot better than corded because it has better mobility. Our drill is a Craftsman from Sears and is still working great after several years ... there are a lot of great drills on the market (I think I would prefer something a little smaller, because it can be a little awkward, but David is fine with the size ...)

2. Jigsaw with wide straight cut blade (on ground in photo) - This is a great compact, versatile saw. Yes, typically used for cutting curves, but with the straight cut blade it can make fairly accurate cuts (not perfect)
 
Another tip for getting straight cuts is screwing a 1x3 or similar board to the what you are cutting and run the jigsaw along for a guide line, when done remove the screws and admire your cut! (make sure to screw into the part that won't be used)

The jigsaw may not be the correct saw for everything, but can get the job done (for most DIY projects) if you don't have a chop saw or table saw.

3. Dremel tool - has lots of great attachments to cut a variety of things, we mostly use ours to cut small amounts of metal, like the brass tube for the pendant light in the bedroom

4. Chop Saw - You can get by without (depending on the project), but if you are making a lot of straight cuts, this will save a lot of time increase precision! Ours is a Dewalt 12" Double-Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw. Since it slides, we can cut up to a 14" board ... we used this to build the sofa table and the tv stand - these projects would of been basically impossible (or taken too much time/not accurate) without it. It is also crucial for cutting 45 angles like the frames for our floating gallery wall (This can be done with a hand saw and miter box, but if doing a large amount, the chop saw will save a lot of time and blisters)

An electric sander is definitely on the list, but I will talk about that with sanding/painting! 

And last but definitely not least, below is the safety equipment that we use on a regular basis with these tools

A respirator (don't want to be breathing wood particles in!), Ear muffs to protect hearing while cutting or using the electric sander , and goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris! Thick gloves are also good when handling wood to prevent splinters

In the future? a table saw would be perfect for long cuts and a finish nailer/compressor would be great for upholstering! (I think my hands are going to be tired after finishing the cane chair!)

I'll be back soon to talk about the rest of my DIY list must haves! 

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I primed the cane chair yesterday ... painting up next!

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