Leo’s Mane Sew Along

Saturday 7 December 2013

Real Studio Tour, Day One

Vicki Welsh, who blogs at Field Trips in Fiber has issued a challenge for us to show our real studios. Not the fancy magazine style ones, that nobody would ever dare to use and mess up, but our real ones, no clean up allowed. She's going to do it in easy stages over 3 weeks, talking about various aspects of studios and our work spaces. Today's assignment is to talk about a non sewing related,
re- purposed sewing tool.Well, actually, it was yesterday's assignment, but I'm late, as usual.
I didn't even have to think about this one. It is something I have beside me all the time when I am sewing just in case of oopsies.
This is my super dooper, handy dandy, battery powered seam ripper. Also known by its more mundane name of mustache trimmer by Conair, found at Walmart for the whopping price of about $10.00. It might be more than that now. I've had this one for a large number of years. It uses one AA battery, and is the best money I ever spent for a seam ripper.

It's quite simple to use. Simply gently pull the pieces that need to be ripped apart open so that the seam threads are visible. Then just lightly touch the blade end of the trimmer to the threads that you want to cut. If you use the tool to go along the seam and nudge it open with the blade, it is literally done in seconds. The actual moving cutting parts are set far enough back that it will cut the threads, much like it would cut hair, but it won't cut the fabric. It is so much easier than the old version that requires the insertion of a sharp point into a seam to cut the individual thread one at a time. There are quite a few more non-traditional tools to be found at Vicki's.



12 comments:

  1. Brilliant - absolutely brilliant! Hmmm - I wonder - would my DH miss his if it were to suddenly wander into my sewing room??

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  2. Great tip! Unfortunately we all need to rip stitches and this looks like it does make it quick and easy.

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  3. oh boy! This is great but now I have to add 'steal mustache trimmer from hubby' as well as the other useful 'tools' I've picked up on this tour. Yours is another terrific tool! Thanks

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  4. Brilliant!! Don't tell anyone but I use my rotary cutter as a seam ripper. Yikes! ;)

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  5. I have one of these too and it has been a lifesaver! I had to rip out half a quilt's worth of quilting and it was so much faster! Great idea!

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  6. That is freaking brilliant! I will get one of those for myself.

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  7. I have a friend that bought the sewing notion like that, but, her's was $22. I'll have to check that out next time I'm at Walmart. Thanks! I love to re-purpose items.

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  8. This is absolutely fantastic! I'm going to have to get one, and fast!

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  9. I'm so glad to hear that the blades won't cut the fabric - it's what's held me back from trying this method of frogging. Thanks!

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I love reading all your comments, and am grateful for each one. I try very hard to answer them all, but lately I haven’t quite been able to answer all of them.