Pattern Weights

Usually I don't write a post that only contains 2 pictures but tonight I am.  I just wanted to throw out a quick idea for all you sewists out there.  I'm sure that there are things that most people who sew detest doing for each project.  For many it might be ironing but most of the time I kind of like it as long as it isn't a large project like curtain panels.  The biggest thing that annoys me is pinning pattern pieces to fabric.  That is probably one reason why I avoided sewing projects with patterns for a long time.

About a month ago I found some hot air balloon flannel fabric while picking up some flannel to make cloth wipes for a friend.  It was one of those times where I saw the fabric and had to have it but I had no clue how to use.  After some thought I decided that making a boppy cover with it would be the perfect application (post coming soon!).  I found a tutorial that I liked and in one of the tutorials pictures I saw the cute pattern weights that the blogger had made and of course she linked them to that post.  I had pinned how to make some diy pattern weights awhile ago but these were so much easier so I knew I had to make some right away.  Here is the tutorial from the blog Vanilla Joy.

You can read the full tutorial on that blog but they are so easy to make.  You just glue a couple of washers together with hot glue and then wrap them with strips of fabric scraps to add a little color to them.  And then you plop them on top of pattern pieces and use a rotary cutter and mat to cut out the fabric.  It is so much easier than pinning and using fabric sheers.  Well it would be so much easier if I had a better rotary cutter.  I purchased the cheapest one when I bought mine because I didn't imagine I would be using it that much.  But after cutting out 100 cloth wipes with it I realize that a more expensive ergonomic model will easily pay for itself in time saved and avoided hand cramps.

So that is it.  By the way, the pattern I am cutting out in the first picture is a little bohemian top for Lyla that I plan to embroider (my newest hobby).  I also will have some *gasp* house stuff to post on in the near future since we are getting the bonus room redone because it has had water damage the last two springs.  I am excited to share many projects in that room over the summer!