Balabustas Out of the Kitchen -- Your Favorite Sources

Fox ↓

Wed, Nov 12 2014, 9:44 am

I never characterize myself as a balabusta-type because I hate, hate, hate to cook. In fact, if I were to suddenly become independently wealthy, there would be no new home, new decorating, new shaitel, new clothes, or even a posh vacation. However, there would be take-out food every single night!

But get me out of the kitchen, and my interest in homemaking increases exponentially. I love sewing and needlecrafts; cardmaking; scrapbooking . . . just about anything.

Over the years, I've developed a number of favorite websites and YouTube channels. Here are a handful of my favs; let's hear yours:

Crafty Gemini
YouTube.com -- search for "Crafty Gemini". Vanessa does everything from fashion sewing to quilting to organic gardening. She also has great tips and recipes for making cleaning products at home. I'm going to try making soap one of these days.

Missouri Star Quilt Company
I mentioned this on another thread about quilting, but even if you're not a quilter, you'll love the videos starring Jenny Doan. She also has videos on quick projects, such as aprons and pincushions. People literally pour into the town of Hamilton, MO, to meet Jenny and take her classes. Missouri Star Quilt Company

The Gourmet Quilter
YouTube.com -- search for "gourmet quilter". If you're in the mood for a soothing, relaxing demonstration of basic techniques, SusanClaire's lilting British accent will leave you feeling like you can quilt the world.

Nancy's Notions
Although this is obviously a retail site, they have tons of great videos demonstrating various products as well as teaching basic fashion and quilting techniques. Nancy's Notions

So let's hear your favorite websites, demos, and what you're planning to do in all your spare time!

Rubber Ducky ↓

Wed, Nov 12 2014, 11:09 am

Despite my propensity to load my posts with product links, my favorite quilting sources are real, brick and mortar stores.

I love Patches Quilting in Mt. Airy, MD, and I live close enough to Amish country to vacation there with DH (who is very tolerant of all my varied interests) every other year or so. We drive some of the back roads in search of Amish fabric stores. Specialty stores are generally staffed by people who love their craft, and are very approachable when you have a question. I even bought my sewing machine at an Amish sewing machine store.

↑ Fox ↓

Wed, Nov 12 2014, 12:35 pm

Iymnok wrote:

Sew 4 home it's so useful and creative, it's also sponsored so skip those posts.

I love this one!

Now, here's a question: what's with all these potluck carriers? I realize that Jews aren't really into the whole potluck scene because of varying kashrus standards. But I've known a lot of non-Jews throughout the course of my life, and I don't recall them running off to potluck dinners all the time? Yet every single home sewing resource makes a big deal about these carriers. Am I missing something?

↑ Rubber Ducky ↓

Wed, Nov 12 2014, 4:50 pm

Fox wrote:

Thank goodness I'm not close to any B&M stores -- I'd spend a fortune. I have enough temptation online, even without feeling the fabric!

Do you ever have unpleasant color surprises when ordering online?

Fox wrote:

Have you taken classes there?

I took the basic sewing machine class at the Amish store where I purchased my sewing machine, but it's a good 1 1/2 hrs each way. Interesting mix of people at the class: frum Amish and Mennonite women, frum me and a friend, and assorted secular ladies.

I haven't taken any classes at Patches Quilting, but maybe I should, as my hand quilting technique could use improvement.

↑ Fox

Thu, Nov 13 2014, 11:40 am

Rubber Ducky wrote:

Do you ever have unpleasant color surprises when ordering online?

I can honestly say I've never had a bad experience. I think most online fabric stores are pretty technologically savvy, and they've figured out how to photograph and describe fabric so I know exactly what I'm getting.

There are the "big guys," like J&O Fabrics (J & O Fabrics) and the Fat Quarter Shop (Fat Quarter Shop), but there are also lots of smaller vendors that I love. Connecting Threads is fantastic for basic fabric and backings (Connecting Threads).

Rubber Ducky wrote:

I haven't taken any classes at Patches Quilting, but maybe I should, as my hand quilting technique could use improvement.

My hand quilting is comparatively atrocious, but I console myself that hand-quilting is a young woman's game. In fact, we're able to pretty accurately date the quilts in my family by the size an precision of the stitches. As you get older, your eyesight worsens incrementally, making it almost impossible to do the kind of hand-quilting that someone in her 20s can do.