Before 2024 closes out, I wanted to sneak one last What’s in Your Sewing Bag guest post and this one features a fellow Canadian creative Libs Elliott!
You might not know this, but the first quilt workshop I ever attended was Lib’s Weight of Love class. I’d just recently discovered quilting and had joined the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild, and the members had decided to invite Libs to teach us how to sew ‘y’ seams. I jumped at the chance to sign up and have fond memories of making that quilt top!
I’ve been following Libs’ creative adventures ever since and was thrilled to get to meet in person again at Quiltcon in Atlanta. She’s been working on some cool designs, and I’m excited for you to get to know her a little more and sneak a peek inside her sewing kit 😉
Let’s dive in!
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Introduction
Introduction – tell us a little about yourself! How did you get started on your quilting journey?
I’ve always been drawn to textiles and studied weaving and dyeing at OCAD in Toronto, Canada a long time ago. About 15 years ago, I took an Intro to Patchwork workshop with Johanna Masko at The Workroom and I was instantly hooked on the creative possibilities of quilting. I haven’t looked back since!
Oh, wow, Libs, what a cool background you have in textile weaving and dyeing, I’ve always been super curious about that process! I’ve also been wanting to visit The Workroom for years now! Hoping to on my next visit to Toronto!
Sewing Bag
What kind of sewing bag do you have? (e.g. did you make it? Buy it?)
I have so many beautiful bags and pouches that have been gifted to me over the years and I use them for a variety of portable projects. But the main one I use, especially for travel and teaching, is a Bionic Gear bag sewn by Rock Baby Scissors.
It has zipped sections inside to keep everything organized and secure and holds SO MANY sewing supplies. I haven’t sewn any bags myself, but it’s on the list of ‘things to learn’.
I love that sewing bag design! I’ve seen so many cool variations of it, and it just looks super practical! Having handmade goodies gifted to us is just the best, and I bet this one sparks happy memories every time you use it!
All-Star Essentials
What are your all-star essentials? Your tried-and-true must-haves that you can never run out of?
My main essentials are:
- Sharp snips from LDH Scissors
- Clover Chaco Liner in silver (never pink, yellow, or blue which can leave marks on light fabrics!).
- SewFine thread gloss
- An assortment of hand-sewing needles from Tulip.
- WonderFil Specialty Threads – Depending on my current projects, it could be anything from 80wt DecoBob for machine piecing, 60wt Efina for English paper piecing, and 8wt Eleganza for hand-quilting.
- Thimbles are such a personal preference, but I find the Prym Soft Comfort ones work best for me during hand-quilting.
- Clover Wonder Clips
- and Sew Tites
I couldn’t live without these little guys to hold everything together when I’m sewing.
Plus…Lots of little rulers and marking tools.
Ooooh, I’ve never heard of/seen the Clover Chaco silver – I’ve used their white one but love the idea of silver! I spent some time at the Wonderfil Thread booth at a local Quebec quilt show this year, as I’m super curious about exploring their smaller thread weights. I’m already a sucker for their 8wt Eleganza 😉
I’m pretty sure you’re the first one I noticed using the Sew Tites for their EPP, and I’ve been curious about them ever since. I’ve just been using a Wonder Clip to keep my EPP pieces together while I stitch them in place, but wondering if the magnets would be a game changer.
Favourite Item
What is your favourite item in your kit? Why?
The Kawaguchi Easy Needle Threader is a game-changer for threading needles with tiny eyes. It’s like a magic trick!
I had to Google that, Libs! I’d never heard of that tool, but as my eyes are definitely not as sharp as they once were, I can see this being super handy! Ordered one 😊
Surprise Item
What’s one thing we’d be surprised to find in your bag?
SoakWash mini-soak travel packs.
These little babies accompany me on all my trips because they’re great for laundry on-the-go. Sure, I could just pack more socks and underthings but I’d rather do a wash and save space in my luggage for fabric purchases!
I keep some of these travel packs in my sewing kit too. It actually saved me at QuiltCon when there was an incident with a BBQ sauce-covered knife that fell into my quilted coat pocket! Worked like a charm!
Quilt Kits Will Travel
When do you find yourself using your kit the most? (Travelling, on the sofa, attending sew-ins?)
I use my bag mostly while travelling and teaching. It’s the perfect way to keep all my supplies on-hand and easily fits in my carry-on or suitcase.
Smart! I love a practical solution that also doesn’t take up too much space in my bag. I have a feeling we both like to travel light 😉
Travel Memory
What’s your favourite travel memory with your sewing bag?
It’s a funny memory – I hadn’t travelled for a few years during the pandemic so, on my first trip after lockdown, I threw my sewing bag into my carry-on without going through the contents first. During the x-ray at the TSA, we discovered SEVEN small pairs of scissors in my bag. Luckily, it was a domestic flight and the agent was uncharacteristically nice, so I didn’t have anything confiscated and continued on my way. That’s the first and last time I’ll make that mistake!
Oh, wow, lucky you to land on a kind agent! I would have been so sad to have my 7 pairs of scissors confiscated. I’ll use your experience as a reminder to check my own bags before heading through security!
Where Can We Find You?
Tell people where we can find you.
You can find me on most social media @libselliott, in my shop: libselliott.com, and in my online community sewsquad.libselliott.com.
Thank you so much for participating in the WIYSB series, Libs! I so enjoyed reading your responses and learning more about your creative adventures! And thank you for prompting me to pick up some new goodies! I’m excited to try out that needle threader. The last one I picked up broke on me during my second use – bleurgh. So, I’m excited to try your favourite item in your kit! 😊
For more What’s in Your Sewing Bag fun, check out these guests:
- Janice from Prairie and Ocean
- Annie from Annie Tremblay
- Victoria from Midlife Quilter
- Nicole from Modern Handcraft
- Lilo from Trace Creek Quilting
Happy quilting!
xo
Shannon
PS don’t forget to sign up for the weekly newsletter so you don’t miss out on any future WIYSB guests!
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