This Little Light O' Mine...

This new, portable, light table is one of the most exciting and versatile tools to enter the sewing room in a long time. It is cordless, rechargeable, and super-lightweight. It is called the Cutterpillar Glow. I have had mine for a few months and have already used it a LOT!
For applique placement it is amazing! I used it over and over again to re-position the leaves on the border sections of my current applique project. Actually, I placed one border upside down over the light mat and placed it's opposing border strip on top of it to perfectly align the second border with the first. Score! The more that I use it the more uses I find for it! It has three light settings: low, medium and high.

Not only is its illumination valuable for applique but also for tracing embroidery designs onto linen.

But, maybe the most exciting feature of the Cutterpillar is the translucent cutting mat! Score!! If you have ever done any paper foundation piecing you know how crucial it is that you have a large enough piece underneath your foundation in the area that you're covering. Most of the time it's a guess before the piece is flipped over and you stitch (blindly) on the next line, hoping for the best; now you can see straight through, and cut right on the see-through surface! This tool eliminates that guesswork and allows you to align each piece, sized and placed properly, every time! I don't dread foundation piecing now-- I have always enjoyed the versatility of the method but shied away from its relative fussiness. No more. 

You might want to add a Cutterpillar to your Christmas list. You will love all its uses. Take a minute to watch the video in the hyperlink above. I am not associated with the company, nor do I receive any compensation for this endorsement, I am simply a fan of the product and believe that you will be too. 

This little light o' mine, I'm gonna let it shine... 

Oh, yeah!

Life is Good!

 

Cutting Mat Longevity

Oh, my; this cutting area has never looked better! Santa brought me TWO new sets of cutting mats for Christmas, this has caused two straight days of unbridled smiling, spontaneous mat stroking and even some tidying to happen. My cutting table is a drop-leaf style which, when opened, (truth be told: it is never folded down) measures 70" X 46". Mr. Goodneedle designed and built it for me sometime in 1992 from kiln-dried oak salvaged from our woods after a tornado in May, 1989, took out three enormous oak trees.  The top was specially designed to accommodate the cutting mats of those precise dimensions that I had found back then at Mary Jo's Cloth Shop. Over the years the table has moved numerous times, overseas (twice) and back. The mats have endured all of that, plus un-tolled hours of cutting and any other craft you might imagine. Recently, I began to notice a little more than normal wear and tear to the mats-- the type of damage that occurs from being overused, over-loved; they were wearing out, plain and simple.

They had become stained over time, and the edges were split and shaggy.

They even had holes in places. Santa listened to this quilter's wish list. I would say that considering the continued use that these have seen, after almost 25 years, Olfa should be commended for creating such a sturdy and well made product that stands the test of time. The new mats are fancy; they have lots more markings (increments) arcs and angles than their predecessors. If they could only do something about the obnoxious "new mat" rubber aroma. I may try spritzing them with a white vinegar and water solution. I have the essential oil diffuser working overtime right now, I know the Eau-de-mat smell will dissipate over time. I assured Santa Claus that I won't need new mats ever again, or at least before I am 88 years old, if the longevity of the previous mats is any indication! I am certain that the elves were relieved to hear that, I know that these were unwieldy to load in and out of the sleigh. 

Life is Good!