Decal Storage

Almost daily I answer questions about decals.  Questions about application, firing, sealing, availability, etc.  Sometimes I would have to research for answers, other times my 25+ years in the industry and prior experience provided the answers.

Over the next couple of months I'm going to attempt to organize the questions and answers by posting, in depth, one topic at a time.  Today's topic is Decal Storage.

Tried and True Design

Country Goose

 Decals can last indefinitely if stored correctly.  Decals have 3 enemies...Temperature, Moisture and Pressure.

Have you ever put a decal in water and the whole thing fell apart?  Bet you thought it was because it was an old decal.  Nope.

The cover coat more than likely was damaged due to the decal enduring too many temperature variations...hot to cold, cold to hot.  If decals are kept too warm the cover coat and wax paper separator can soften, thereby causing the decals to stick together or for the wax paper to stick to the decal.  Store decals at room temperature (68° F to 74° F).   Extreme temperatures should also be avoided . .. . below freezing or above 90° F.

Horses...always popular

Another Tried and True Design

Humidity should be between 50 and 65% to preserve your decals.  Never get your decals wet unless you are ready to use them.  Even a splash of water on a decal that is then allowed to dry will make the decal stick to the paper forever in the once wet spot, making the decal unusable.

Decals should not be stored in piles as the pressure can force the decals to stick together and may become damaged no matter how carefully you attempt to pull them apart.  The wax paper that usually separates the decals can 'stick' to the decal.  If this happens be sure to peel the wax paper off before soaking the decal in warm water.  You may have to gently scratch some of the wax paper off with your fingernail or dip your finger in a bit of water and gently rub it off.

Photo Box Storage

I store my decals in several places, depending on the size.  Most of the decals I purchase arrive in large sheets that I cut down and resale in small sets.  I store decals that measure 1/2" to 6" in photo boxes.  I fold a piece of paper almost in half, leaving the back of the paper 1/2" taller than the front; this is where I write something about the decal that will help me locate it in a hurry (the name of the decal, the listing number, the design number).  On the front 'flap' of the paper I write any other information that might be useful to me when I need to reorder the decal (distributor, catalog#, size, cost, etc.).  If the sheet had the manufacture or artists name, I'll make a note of that too.  I reinforce the photo boxes by going around them once with clear packing tape and by taping the lid to the bottom of the boxes.  This way the boxes become drawers...I simply pull out a drawer to find what the decals I need.

On slumped wine bottle?

Vibrant Colors

For larger decals, I store them in manila file folders and then put them in a hanging filing system.  For border decals that are extremely long, I've created clear plastic sleeves that fit the decals, then taped the sleeves onto the sides of filing cabinets, shelves, whatever I have available.  If it is not a decal I plan to stock all the time, instead of taping the sleeve onto something, I'll use strong magnets instead of tape to hold them on the metal cabinets.

 

Metal Filing Cabinet from Joann's

Celtic Knot Fused Glass Card

The last place that I store decals is in metal filing cabinets that I purchased from a Joann's Fabric and Craft Store that was closing (because a Super Store was opening).
 
When I was owner/operator of American Heritage Ceramics oh so many years ago, I packaged the decals in clear poly bags and organized them on a pegboard system and in themed 3-ring binders in clear sleeves so that not only was it easy viewing for my customers, but the decals were well protected. 

I have customers that store their decals in recipe boxes, photo albums, shoe boxes, old metal lunch boxes, etc. 

The main thing to remember even when storing decals 'on edge' is not to pack them too tightly; otherwise, you will get the same results as you would from storing them in piles...decals that are stuck together!

Come back in a couple of days to read more about decals.  I've got lots of decal info stored in my head and hope that maybe a bit of it might be useful to you.

If you have specific questions or have a decal topic you would like more information about, please post!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!
              
   Captive Illusions            Captive Embroidery
            &                                &
    Captive Decals                    Crafty Family

Jewelry Box Make Over

Project of the day – Jewelry Box Make Over

Trinity is 6 years old. She is already a consummate collector…of anything and everything. She thinks everything is good for something and someday she will find a use for it. While she is visiting her maternal grandparents today, her paternal grandma (me, Grandma Cat) will hopefully be turning a broken down, unattractive chipboard sewing or jewelry box (that Trinity found and had to have) into something special.

Gathering Materials

Check my scrap drawers, bins and boxes and found a wonderful piece of purple satiny silky fabric (purchased long ago, have no idea what it actually is) with black flocked flowers. Trinity has seen this fabric before and I know that she loved it. I’m sure I have a bit of black velvet somewhere to line the inside of the box. While hunting for fabric, I also found a bit of black fringe that I might be able to use,. Grabbed my box of glue and fray check, scissors, and I’ll add whatever I have to run and find as the need arises to the list.

Time to Begin

It’s almost 9 am on a Saturday morning. First, I’ll carefully take the box apart. I used a small screwdriver ( yup, already had to find something not on the list…a screwdriver), and gently pried off the hinges so they could be cleaned, painted black, and used again.



After pulling them out I see that I will need a pair of pliers to straighten out the points so the box can be put back together. Once all the hardware is off, I’m left with 3 separate pieces to the box…the top, the bottom and the inside ‘drawer’. It took 8 minutes to find the screwdriver and take all the hardware off. Not too bad.

Covering the Box with Fabric

Couldn't find the velvet, though I know it is here somewhere. My only excuse is that we moved from California to Idaho 6 weeks ago and haven’t exactly gotten everything in its place yet. I did find some black polished cotton that will work for the lining. I started with the ‘drawer’ since it was smallest and would either be the easiest because it was small, or the hardest because it was small. Either way, I would get it out of the way first and be happy it was done. I cut a rectangle ½” larger than the ‘drawer’. Then glued the fabric inside the ‘drawer’ using a flat craft paintbrush to spread Elmer’s white glue over the inside surface .

For the outside of the drawer I cut 1 rectangle 1 ½” larger than the drawer, then glued the fabric to the outside, over the edge of the box making sure the fabric ended slightly over the black lining. I used paperclips to hold everything in place while the glue dries. If you’ve got clothespins handy they will work just as well. After everything dried, I took off the paperclips andI used fray check along the edge of the fabric to prevent stray threads later that Trinity or her boys, as she calls her twin brothers, could pull thus ripping everything apart. The box bottom was done pretty much the same as the ‘drawer’, just had to adjust the measurements as the bottom was bigger than the ‘drawer’.

Okay, now for the top. To give it a little bit of ‘wow’ factor (I hope), I cut two layers of quilt batting slightly smaller than the top and glued them in place, one on top of the other, and then covered as the bottom and ‘drawer’. I glued the bit of black fringe that Trinity liked around the top and held it all in place with straight pins until it dried completely which took about an hour.

Putting the Box Back Together

I painted two coats of black model paint onto all the hardware pieces after scrubbing them with steel wool to make sure they were clean and give the model paint a grip-able surface. Put the hinges on the back, hooked the drawer back on the inside rivets and put the front clasp back on. Done deal.

Until next time, Happy Crafting

Grandma Cat

Box Bottom Tote Bag Instructions

As cute as a nice flat tote may be, they just look that much better, and seem to fit your "stuff" nicer with a box bottom. These directions will work on most flat totes you buy, or you can make your own. There are 2 methods I've used for this, try them both and decide what works best for you. This is the bag I'm starting with.

I normally prefer a 2" cut for a box bottom, I just like that size, but adjusted that to 1 1/2" in these examples, due to a large pocket on the front. This will make about a 3" depth on the tote. Keep in mind that as you gain depth with your box bottom, you will lose that in height and width.

First Method: Turn your bag inside out. Lay your bag flat and measure out a 1 1/2" square on each corner (not including any seams), carefully cut out the square, your bag should look something like this.

Fold the cut ends together and stitch together using a 1/4" seam allowance, reinforce the seam to prevent fraying. Turn your bag right side out.

Second Method: Turn your bag inside out. Fold the bottom corners of your bag into a triangle. Make sure the side seam and bottom seam line up (or if there is no seam at th bottom, then the crease). Measure 1 1/2" in from the point (not including the seam), making sure your line is perpendicular to the seam, sew a line straight across.

Cut off the extra fabric, reinforce the seam. Turn right side out.

Now, slip in your notebook and latest craft project, and you're ready to sport your stylish new box bottom tote bag.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

De'Anna

Quick and Easy Bulletin Board

It's time to get organized. Now that we've moved and settled in, it's time for some serious organization. I've been finding green ways to organize, reusing boxes and such. Also make for a very inexpensive organization project.

My first organizational project was a simple bulletin board. You can vary your finished product widely with a little of your own style. Here's the basic instructions and variation ideas.

Materials : Foam Board

Batting (optional)

Fabric, minimum 4 inches linger & wider than your foam board

Scissors

Fabric Spray (optional)

Start with a foam board whatever size you want your finished board to be. I like foam boards because they are light, and easy to cut down if you want a specific sized board. Here you can make your first variation, I elected not to use batting on my board because I was going to use cubicle clips, and wanted to be able to slip them into the foam board itself, but you can add batting for a softer look to your board.

(A)

Pick out your fabric. Anything you have around will do, I used some suiting material left over from a previous project. You'll want the fabric to be a couple inches bigger all around than your board is (A). To use a quilt fat (18" x 22"), you would need a board no bigger than 14" x 18", or to use a half yard (36" x 44"), your board would have to be 32" x 40" or smaller. I chose a board 20" by 30" so a half yard is plenty of fabric, with a little left over. Being that I wanted to make this quick & easy, and knowing the left over fabric wouldn't be big enough for anything, I chose to leave it on.

(B)

For a cleaner looking finished product, iron your fabric before you begin. Lay your board on top of your fabric (if you are using batting, the batting should be sandwiched in the middle). Here I like hot glue, it's fast and easy and holds well. Start in the middle of each of the four sides, and tack down the fabric, being sure to pull it taught (but not so tight you warp the foam board). If you are using a fabric that frays, you may want to fold it under as shown (B) so it doesn't unravel (there's another option for this I'll go over later). Once all four sides are tacked down, work your way around the board with a generous helping of hot glue (I went through 3 sticks), folding and sticking and keeping the fabric taught. You may want to clip your corners (I did due to the thickness of the fabric I chose), and fold them nicely as you glue them down.

Once you have glued it all down, I like to run one more bead of hot glue all around the edges, to make sure it is nice and secure. If you decided not to fold the fabric under, you can run that bead of glue right along the edge of the fabric. It gives it extra hold, and locks it in place to prevent fraying.

When the glue is cool (should only take a minute), flip your board over and you are done. Now, add your own personal creative touches. I added some cubicle wall clips to mine (since this one was for my home office) to hold notes and papers. You can also crisscross ribbons, and secure with buttons, to make a board that you can slip cards and pictures in (great for young girls who want a fun way to display their friends' photos).

Stay tuned, as I'll be doing an organization board for my sewing table soon with pockets and will post those instructions as soon as I figure it out.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

De'Anna

Craft Tip: Storing Cotton Fabric

Whether you are a quilter, seamstress or occasional crafter your fabric needs tender loving care to prevent fiber damage.  Fabric can fade if exposed to fluorescent lights and ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.  Folded fabric can begin to weaken along the creases or develop permanent creases that will not iron out.  Acid is damaging to plant-derived fabrics such as cotton and linen.

If you ask 10 quilters, seamstresses or crafters how to store fabric, you will probably get 10 different answers.  Some of them might be:

In a dresser drawer
In pizza boxes
In Pendaflex files
On a bookshelf
In shoe boxes
In cardboard boxes

While these all sound like great ideas, personally, I wouldn't use any of those methods, mostly due to acid release.  The best way to store large piece of fabric is wrapped in muslin or in a white, cotton pillowcase.  Of course those methods are not see-through.  To solve that problem I either cut a swatch and stitch it to the outside or scan the fabric and pin the scan to the outside of the bag.  Acid free boxes are a great way to store small pieces of fabric, but you will want to make sure the boxes are actually acid free and not just lined with acid free paper.  You can also roll fabric in acid free tissue paper which prevents creasing while protecting the fabric.

Craft Tip: Solution to Needling Problems

Ever have little white dots pop through your fabric when machine quilting?  Has your sewing machine skipped a stitch or two?  You may be using a dull needle.

Those white dots are called bearding which occurs when batting comes through your fabric during quilting.   A needle too large, dull or one that has a burr or nick in it could be the problem.

If your sewing machine begins to make a popping sound each time the fabric is pierced, you needle is probably dull or damaged.

A dull needle can also cause skipped stitches.  If your needle is too small the front groove of the needle may be too shallow to protect the thread which can also cause stitches to skip.

Shredded thread?  The eye of the needle may be too small for the thread.  Always use metallic needles for metallic thread.  They have a larger eye which reduces the friction and heat caused by the speed of the machine needle piercing the fabric.

Rule of thumb:  Change your needle at the beginning of a large project and again after 8 hours of sewing.

Craft Tip: Craft Fair Info for the Newbie

Craft Fair season is upon us.  For many crafters preparations for holiday fairs begins right after the Christmas decorations are put away.  If you are new to craft fairs, don't despair.  There is still time to prepare and there may be a booth or table at a craft fair near you.   Try calling your local Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, Senior Centers, Community Centers, Churches, etc.  Start small and work you way up to the bigger fairs.

Here are a few quick tips for your first fair:

Cash Box: Make sure to have plenty of change...$1, $5 and $10 bills and an assortment of loose change. Remember most people will draw out of their ATM which dispenses twenty dollar bills.  If you don't have change, another booth will.

Cell Phone: Bring it in case of an emergency, but turn it off. A customer does not want to be interrupted in the middle of a transaction while you answer a call from hubby who has lost the remote control...again.
Apron: With your company name neatly embroidered or silk screened on the front. And preferably with lots of pockets. One for the cell phone that will be turned off. One for business cards that you'll need to hand out as you walk around to the other booths. Another for a couple of pens. And a couple for...well, you never know until you stuff something into it.
Business Cards: Don't leave home without them...ever! Place them prominently on the table. Be sure to hand one to every customer or potential customer. Put one in the bag with every purchase.
Network: Visit with as many other crafters as possible. You'll find out about the latest trends, upcoming fairs, successes and failures. Exchange business cards and utilize other crafters whenever you can.

Craft Tip: What is a Bodkin?

I used to attach a safety pin to a piece of elastic or ribbon to thread it through the casing of my project.  That is until I came across a Bodkin.

A Bodkin lets you thread elastic, ribbon and drawstrings quickly and easily without twisting. Simply clamp the bodkin over the elastic, slide the ring down to lock into place and thread through casing. The Ezy-Pull Bodkin (pictured to the left) has special teeth that grip securely and are held tight with a sliding ring.

This is so much better than using a safety pin.  No worrying that the safety pin might open while in the casing (had that happen several times over the years).  No worrying that you will pull so hard, the safety pin shreds right through the ribbon and you have to start over (yes, had that happen too).  No worrying that the safety pin will find an area where the casing was just a tad narrower than it should have been, and the safety pin simply refuses to squeeze threw (yup, did that a few times!).

Bodkin...odd name, but a great gadget to keep in your sewing box.

Craft Tip: Did you know...?

Did you know that the strawberry attached to a tomato pincushion is filled with emery?

If you've ever done any sewing at all, you probably have a tomato pincushion somewhere in your craft room. They are bright and easy to find even when buried in a drawer filled with bobbins, seam rippers, scissors, tape measures, etc. More than likely it's got a bunch of pins in it - just as it was meant to.

But did you know that the dangling strawberry has a purpose as well? It is filled with emery which is an abrasive mineral. The strawberry is meant to keep your needles sharp and tarnish free.

Before you begin hand-sewing, poke your needle in and out of the strawberry a couple of times. The emery will remove any burrs, nicks or residue from the needle making your sewing trouble free.

Craft Tip: Fabric Grainline

What is grain line and why is it important?

The grain of a fabric is the direction of the threads. Crosswise grain goes from selvage to selvage. Lengthwise grain goes parallel to the selvage. During the weaving of fabric, the lengthwise threads (along the selvage) are placed tightly in the loom to eliminate stretch. The crosswise threads (width of fabric) are not stretched when woven, leaving a little 'give' to the fabric.

Fabric piece cut along the grain line of fabricmake for more accurate piecing, less stretching and a stronger finished quilt.

Pieces cut diagonally across the grain are susceptible to stretching because there are no stabilizing threads along the edges. Bias tape is cut diagonally so that it will go around curves easily.

Craft Tip: Thread Count

How do I know what the thread count of my fabric is?

Thread count is important when making quilts because if the thread count is too low the fabric is too lightweight for quilting as the fabric will unravel easily when handled, the fabric will shrink more, and will not last through years of wear. If the thread count is too high the fabric can be difficult to needle and can create puckering.

The ideal thread count for quilting is 68 X 68 threads per square inch. Thread counts below 60 X 60 threads per square inch are too lightweight.

For an even weave the thread count is the same in both directions. Sometimes the thread count can be found on the end of the bolt of fabric. When it is not, you can check the thread count yourself. The back of the fabric is usually easier to see the threads. Measure 1/2” of fabric and count the threads. I use a straight pin to count them. Multiply by 2 to get an full inch of threads. Do this in both directions. Keep a small measuring tape and magnifying glass in your purse when shopping...it makes counting the threads much easier.

I just puledl 6 fabrics out of my scrap bin to see what the counts were and I could guess the counts after just a couple of tries. Easy enough to do. My counts were between 68 X 68 to 76 X 76. Before long you will be able to guess the thread count of a fabric by handling it for a couple of seconds.

Craft Tip: Ironing Board Covers

Here's one I learned the hard way...no teflon-coated cover!

Not too many crafters enjoy slaving over a hot iron, but we know that it is a necessary evil. For those of you that love to iron, Kudos to you! You probably already know what I found out the hard way.

Teflon-coated ironing board covers reflect heat, rather than letting steam pass through the fabric.

I have one of those wonderful steam presses that does a wonderful job for my purposes. However, I use a ton of iron on adhesive and sometimes it gets on the ironing surface, which means the next piece I iron sticks to the pressing surface and now has a sticky residue. Urgh. I hate that. So, I found a remnant at the local fabric store and made several covers so that I could interchange them: one for adhesive pressing, one for quilting, one for white fabric.

I didn't realize at first that my items weren't getting ironed as well as they used to until tried to press the fold out of a new yard of fabric. The fold just would not disappear. I finally worked around it, but it was bugging me. For a couple of weeks I worked around the problem. Finally came the day that I had to switch to the old cover that I had set aside for adhesive projects. I pressed the fold area of a new fabric with the old cover and guess what? The crease disappeared. Yup, the fabric that I used for the new cover was teflon coated and actually was advertised for ironing board covers.