What is it? – Open any catalog of sewing notions and you’ll immediately be overwhelmed. There are so many specialty tools with each designed to assist us in our various sewing tasks. But as the “specialty” moniker suggests, they often apply only to a specific niche (or even micro-niche) of a particular sewing operation. But what about the other sewing tools, the ones we use all of the time? What about those sewing notions that have expansive applications to a wide spectrum of sewing requirements? Take tailoring or dressmaking for example. What are the operations common to most tailoring tasks? Well, nothing is more important than making precise measurements. How do we make them? Many of the patterns we use have complex design components. How do we transfer them to our fabric? Most garment designs include button holes. They are easy to sew with most modern sewing machines but how do we cut them open precisely? Manipulation of our fabric, especially at the needle plate can be a very dicey operation. How can we do that with both precision and safety? And what if the worst happens, what if we make that dreaded stitched error? Or maybe we want to repurpose that old hoodie. How do we get those erroneous or unneeded stitches out quickly and without disturbing our other work? I think that in each case you’ll find that you reach for the same favorite tools. They are the ones that make it all so much easier and rewarding and Clover makes them all just for you.
What do they do? – When we think about it there are various tailoring tools that are essential to most everything we do in sewing. Here are just a few of the favorites:
5-in-1 Sliding Gauge – The 5-in-1 is the ultimate measuring device for sewing. It allows us to accurately measure and mark hem depths, draw scallops and circles and evenly space buttonholes, tucks, pleats and seam allowances. It’s essential to every sewing studio.
Clover Tracing Wheels – Clover offers three different tracing wheels, each providing specific applications.
Tracing Wheel Serrated Edges – The serrated edges on this tracing wheel are sharp and are designed to penetrate. They will leave precise, dotted lines on tracing paper or fabric when that is our intent.
Tracing Wheel Blunt Edges – The blunt edges on this tracing wheel are designed to not penetrate and will not damage our fabric or a paper pattern. This wheel is primarily used with some type of transfer paper to leave a broad, well defined line that we can use in the construction process.
Double Tracing Wheel – With dual adjustable tracing wheels we can trace off cut lines and seam allowances in one easy motion. Depending on geographic origin, some patterns are produced without indicated seam allowances. Clover’s double tracing wheel can be used to add any seam allowance and can even be used to increase or decrease the size of a pattern. Distances between the wheels can be set from ¼” to 1 ¼” to meet our tracing requirements.
Clover’s Chacopy Tracing Paper: is a single sided, chalk-based tracing paper that enables us to easily and accurately transfer any paper-based design or mark to our fabric. It is available in 5 colors to contrast with any fabric colors or designs. It works great in conjunction with Clover’s blunt edge tracing wheel.
Clover’s Tailor’s Awl: is an extremely useful tool. It’s great for precision control of heavy or multiple layers of fabric or to manipulate overlapping fabrics when feeding through the presser foot, feeding fabric through a bias tape maker, piercing small marking holes in our fabric when doing darts or pleats, turning curves and even pulling out stitches. There are straight, curved and tapered tailor’s awls available from Clover to meet your personal preferences
Clover’s Buttonhole Cutter: is a precision cutting instrument ideally suited to open button holes or make fabric cuts anywhere they might be needed. Simply place the newly sewn bottom hole or fabric area you need to cut between the cutting blade and block and push or hammer the blade into the receiving block. Produces a clean cut every time.
Clover’s seam ripper: does exactly what the name implies. A good seam ripper is essential to all we do in sewing – correcting mistakes, removing existing seams, opening button holes or removing basting stitches. The Clover Seam Ripper has a smooth point, sharp cutting edge and comfortable handle to make all of that a breeze to accomplish.
How do I share them? – These tailoring tools have such broad applications to dressmaking and tailoring that they can and should be used in virtually all of our classes. Simply show your friends how easy they are to use and what great results they produce and you will have instant converts. Always make sure you have each of these tools available for in-store demonstrations by your sales reps. Make it easy for everyone who visits to try them out. Again, instant converts.
