A Vision to Remember All Things Handmade Blog: July 2022

How to Thread a Juki DDL-8700 Sewing Machine

When I first began sewing rag quilts for a living, I went through so many needles. I could have bought stock in Schmetz!

No joke!

I bought the thickest needles I could find in my local big box craft stores. The typical Universal 90/14.

But I still broke needles.

Every time I broke a needle I would:

Stop sewing (duh)
Change needle
Clean out anywhere the broken part of the needle could have ended up
Checked the seam in the quilt for any remnants of needle.
Began sewing again

This process could take several minutes each time. I knew exactly where I would break the needles (always where 4 seams would cross at). Rag quilts can be bulky to sew through as they are made by sewing quilt back, flannel batting, and quilt top together at the same time. So where seams would meet I could be sewing through 6 layers of fabric, 4 of which were flannel. That is a lot of material!

So after a few years, and many quilts later, we decided to add to my sewing machine collection and get a Juki DDL 8700.

We picked it for several reasons. But I am guessing that if you are trying to figure out how to thread the darn thing like I did when I first bought it, you already know you need it.

Once you figure it out, it is really easy to rethread and takes just a second

Follow the video below and you'll be set in no time!

How to Clean A Sewing Machine or Serger from Dust Bunnies

{affiliate links below}

I don't know about you, but I sew enough that I am constantly combating the dreaded dust bunnies that accompany fabric.

I have "heard" from my Bernina dealership to not use canned air as it can put moisture on the metal. Moisture and metal create corrosion.

Plus, a canned air is plenty expensive for my taste and it never lasted long enough

So, I tried a vacuum

When that didn't work, I would blow my own air

Counterintuitive much?

Yes, moisture and metal create corrosion.

So we I came across a handy dandy tool on amazon.

Its a compressed air duster.

No canned air required.

So now, when I need to clean out my sewing machine, serger, laser, or whatever else that has pesky dust bunnies. A quick little treatment with the compressed air duster, and I am set!

Watch the short video below to see it in action.

Personalized Gifts for Mother's, Grandma's, or the Special Gardener in your Life

Beautiful engraved wall art for grandmas garden. We love memorializing grandmas posterity with this unique plaque.

We can also change grandma to other wording as well

We’ve done mom, nana, aunt, grandmas great, and custom names for mom and grandma.

You can purchase and learn more about this beautifully customized wall art in our shop.

We also have the file available for those that have their own laser cutting machine

We sell a wide variety of rag quilts, kitchen linens, crib bedding, large quilts made from your clothing, ruffle valances and crib skirts, and rag quilt patterns

Chinese Checkers Game Board

Watch as we give you a behind the scenes look at the creation process of the fun and unique Chinese Checkers board game.

Chinese Checkers is a fun board game. Up to 6 players. Its simple enough that my 4 and 7 year olds love to play it with me.

The object of Chinese checkers is to get your marbles to the opposite star point before the competition. Strategies include lining up your marbles so that there is only a space in between so that you can jump. Thereby greatly decreasing the number of turns required to get the marbles all the way across.

It is seriously a simple game, with hours and hours of entertainment.

Chinese checkers are the perfect gift for birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day.

We leave ours out on the end table, and often as we are hanging out on our phones, someone will ask to play. Its a great way we have found to build our family bond.

Strip Rag Quilt

Rag quilts are traditionally made with squares. Here at AVTR, we like to think outside of the rag quilt box. Instead we're thinking about simple quilt patterns that are made in a strip rag quilt.

Unique? Yes!

Fun? Yes!

Most importantly...

Quick? Absolutely!

Enjoy the following strip rag quilt patterns (click on the picture for more information on each quilt)