What is it? – Pincushions have been a necessity for about as long as the needle and pin have been used. Picture someone sewing by candlelight in the Middle Ages. She puts her needle down to adjust the fabric or throw another log on the fire and when she reaches for it again . .… Read More Create-a-Pincushion
What is it? – Needle felting is an age old art form that has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and is being enthusiastically embraced by an increasingly wide spectrum of creative expression. Art, jewelry, fashion embellishment, home decor, toys . . . it does them all. Needle felting techniques are applied globally but are adapted… Read More Felting
What is it? – What do you do when you have a hit? That’s a no brainer. You make the sequel. And if you make the sequel well you will have another hit. And that’s exactly what Clover has done. The success of the Hot Hemmer was and is unprecedented. There is nothing like it… Read More Hot Ruler
What is it? – Think how often you need just the basics for a quick repair and you don’t want to, or can’t, sit down at your sewing cabinet to do it. Maybe you don’t have time to go through the drawers and look for the tools you need. Maybe you’re on vacation and the… Read More Compact Sewing Kit
What is it? – Every organization has its all-stars, its MVP’s. These are the people, objects or ideas you go to when it counts, when you need the very best. And Clover is no different. It has its all-stars too. They are our most in demand, time tested and innovative sewing tools. They have… Read More Top 10 Sewing/Quilting
What is it? – It’s the new stuff. No one ever asks us if Clover has any new products. People just ask, “What’s new?” That’s because everyone knows that the creative folks at Clover are always developing something new. Where do we get the ideas? From you of course. And sometimes designers, educators or authors. … Read More New to January 2016
What is it? – The venerable tracing wheel. The first one I ever saw was as a youngster looking through my grandmother’s sewing basket. I thought it was there by mistake. It was obviously a toy. What could a stick and a wheel possibly have to do with sewing? Fast forward a few decades and… Read More Tracing Wheels
What is it? – No tools are more basic to sewing than needles are. They existed even before thread and fabric as our ancient ancestors used pointed objects to perforate hides so they could be laced together with leather cords. Centuries of technology later we have highly advanced, modern hand sewing needles that do basically… Read More Hand Sewing Needles
What is it? – Thimbles in one form or another have been around a long as needles have. Ancient sewing artifacts include “press stones”, the precursor to modern thimbles. Almost 2500 years ago residents of the Mediterranean area were using more familiar shaped bronze thimbles. Why? Well, whether you’re pushing a spike through animal hides… Read More Thimbles
What is it? – Let’s face it, a lot of sewing is just basic construction. You start out with a set of tools, some fabric and an intended pattern. Then you add your own creative expression and that’s what makes it yours. One of the materials used by sewers in virtually every genre is bias… Read More Bias Tape
What is it? – Pressing is an essential part of most sewing and many craft projects. Pressing during sewing construction creates accurate assembled pieces which match up beautifully into quilt, fashion, heirloom or home decor finished projects. Unfortunately, the modern pressing tools available to us do not always provide the specific features and capabilities we… Read More Wedge Iron
What is it? – Almost everything we do in sewing or quilting requires measuring, marking and cutting. Because it is so important to our resulting project, we go to great lengths to make very precise measurements. But once we arrive at that measured point, how do we mark it? How do we identify a… Read More Chalk Marking Tools
What is it? – Interfacing is used in many sewing and craft projects to provide extra support, body, reinforcement or shape. Basically it enhances our creative potential by allowing us to do things beyond the capability of the fabric alone. A fusible interfacing is a specific type of interfacing that has a heat activated… Read More Fusibles
What is it? – Few knitting tools are more useful than a quality interchangeable circular knitting needle assortment. At home or on the road it’s like having a knitting shop in a case. With all the component parts you can create the perfect knitting tool to fit virtually any intended project. To make the… Read More Takumi Interchangeables
What is it? – We take such great care with our sewn projects. Crafts, quilts, fashion, home décor, it doesn’t matter what. We envision exactly what we want to create. Once we have that picture, everything about it has to be just perfect. Patterns, fabrics, threads, and accessories are all selected with great care. … Read More Stick ‘n Stitch Guide
What is it? – As children, many of us went to scout camp or attended other summer activities where beading was a staple activity. It was fun, fast, creative and we were left with something that was uniquely ours. Unknowingly that was our introduction to an art form that was thousands of years old. From… Read More Mini Beading Loom
What is it? – “The devil is in the detail”. It’s a common enough phrase. Perhaps some of us has even used it. But what does it really mean, “the devil in the detail”? How often do we start a project that looks like it’s going to be a snap, only to get bogged… Read More Marking Pens
What is it? – Crochet is cool. There was a time when almost all of the gals and some of us guys grew up learning how to crochet from our moms or grandmothers. It was a necessary skill that seemed to play out as life became more fast-paced. All of a sudden it was… Read More Jumbo Amour Crochet Hooks
What is it? – Bodkins. Only someone who sews would know what a bodkin is. Simply put, a bodkin is a tool that is used to pull various thin materials through a sewn fabric casing. Elastic, ribbon, cording or other “drawstring” type materials can all be pulled through the casing to serve any desired… Read More Nancy Zieman Bodkins
What is it? – In some of the oldest archeological digs around the world you can find ancient straight pins. They’ve been around that long and probably always will be. There are so many uses for them and in many cases there really is no substitute. We use them to hold patterns in place… Read More Straight Pins
What is it? – Takumi, Stradivarius, Cartier. Their legendary quality of performance defies all attempts of description. The name alone is iconic and imbues a sense of artistry. Pretenders and imitators come and go but never stay. Clover has long prided itself in the production of Takumi premium bamboo knitting needles. Production quantity has… Read More Takumi Bamboo Knitting Needles
What is it? – Chances are either you or someone you know has a box full of fabric yo-yo’s under the bed or in a closet. And chances are either you made them or they were given to you by your grandmother or an aunt. It’s surprising how many people tell the same story. But… Read More Quick Yo-Yo Maker
What is it? – How do you make a Kanzashi flower? First you get some fabric that’s cut into perfect squares, a lighter, a hot glue gun, pair of sharp scissors and a couple of hair pins to hold the individual pieces together. Then you fold each one of those perfect fabric squares in… Read More Kanzashi Flower Maker
What is it? – Time. Space. Cash flow. Rare commodities. One of the most important functions of any shop owner is to select and maintain a profitable product line. Knitting, sewing and, crafts there are thousands of variations and combinations for store owners. You only have so much floor space, shelf space, counter space and… Read More Clover Vision
What is it? – Stick weaving is a traditional art form made modern by Clover with Weaving Sticks. Just how old it is no one can truly say. Not even Wikipedia knows for sure when or where it came to be. There is little doubt that this simple method of weaving was initially utilitarian… Read More Weaving Sticks
What is it? – Check out “stiletto” in the unabridged dictionary and you start reading about stylish heels or a long narrow knife with a sharp point. Look it up in the Clover dictionary and you read about something entirely different. The Hold It Precision Stiletto is an incredibly useful sewing tool designed by Clover… Read More Hold It Precision Stilleto
Steve Butler reviews Clover’s Mini Irons and their unique uses from quilting to crafting and more. Learn More
Steve Butler talks about the many uses of Press Perfect’s Iron Finger by Joan Hawley from Clover. This is a multi-purpose, heat resistant pressing tool to use in place of your finger at the iron. It has a spatula end for finger pressing, point turning and gripping fabric to hold in place. Use the handle… Read More Iron Finger
This video demonstrates a revolutionary technique of making curved and circular blocks perfectly every time using Nancy Zieman’s Carefree Curves. Learn More
This video introduces the Point 2 Point Turner. Learn More
Tool School’s Steve Butler demonstrates the use of Clover’s Fabric Folding Pen. Fabric folding has never been easier with the help of Clover’s new Fabric Folding Pen. Simply add water with a mixture of 4 drops of Clover’s concentrated marking solution into the pen, draw lines on the fabric, then fold. No pressing required! Makes… Read More Fabric Folding Pen
Tool School on the desk needle threader: Steve Butler explains about the workings of the Desk Needle Threader. Learn More
Wonder Clips are perhaps the most versatile and useful sewing tool ever devised. For years sewers have used binder clips, hair pins or even clothes pins for any number of sewing applications where an alternative to pins is desired. The Wonder Clip, designed and manufactured by Clover, is the first clip developed specifically for the… Read More Wonder Clips
Steve Butler of Clover’s Tool School, teaches you about Clover’s Rotary Cutter program. Learn More
Steve Butler talks about the wonderful uses of Nancy Zieman’s “No-Hassle Triangles Gauge” create 2-1/2″, 3-1/2″, 4-1/2″, 5-1/2″ and 6-1/2″ half-square and quarter-square triangles from squares. That’s right, there’s no hassle and no need to cut a single triangle! See more Nancy Zieman at http://www.nancyzieman.com Learn More
Steve Butler teaches you all about the Hot Hemmer by Joan Hawley. Tool School is all about education on Clover’s tools, join us every two weeks for a new tool. Sign-up for Tool School at www.clover-usa.com or text “CLOVERUSA” to 22828 to get instantly signed-up for the Tool School email blast! Also stay tuned to… Read More Hot Hemmer by Joan Hawley
I’ve cut it twice and it’s still too short. Been there? Ever heard the old saying, “Measure it twice and cut it once”? Quaint. How about just measure it once and cut it once? Measuring is vitally important to everything we do in sewing. Quilting, fashion, home decor, heirloom, it really doesn’t matter what. Being… Read More Nancy Zieman’s 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge
We want to welcome you to Clover Tool School. Our teachers have been working all summer to prepare an interesting and productive year for you. We’ve selected our top sewing, knitting and crafts tools and prepared individual classes just for you. Each class will describe one quality Clover manufactured tool, tell you what it does… Read More Intro