Pin Friends from Accoutrement Designs

I just realized Accoutrement Designs has introduced a new item called a Pin Friend in 2016. This is a magnet pair with a hole through the middle so you can add a jewelry pin to the magnet and either wear it without creating a hole in your clothing or as a needle minder on your canvas.  Clever!  You can see it in action at the bottom of this page.
http://fobfriends.blogspot.com/p/2016-new-items.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 30, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Bar Hugger Bears Hug My Clamp

The Bar Hugger from Sundance

I just got my paws on the new Bar Hugger bears from Barbara Elmore at Sundance Designs.
These are a set of two teddy bear-shaped pieces that keep your stretcher bars from wiggling around in the clamp of your frame. You can see the front of the package above.  My bears come in a rose-lace pattern and in solid yellow.   The front side is slick while the back side has embossed fabric, sort of like oilcloth.  Barbara posted some of the other colors and patterns available on her Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/barbaraelmoredesigns/photos/a.10152584568623262.1073741828.102579373261/10153670652253262/?type=3&theater

Bar Huggers in Use

The back of the package shows how to use them.  You drape a bear over the stretcher bar of your canvas, then put it into your floor or table stand.  The fabric is somewhat thick and so it keeps the stretcher bar from moving once you clamp it to the frame.

My Table Clamp

I also use it for my table clamp.  See this?  It's a quick release clamp from the hardware store.  (Pull the trigger with your index finger and the clamp slides back and forth on the bar, allowing you to widen or narrow it to hold the bars to a desk.)  I often clamp small stretcher bars to my desk when I am stitching while streaming a movie on the computer.    I have been using my bar hugger to make sure the clamp doesn't mark the desktop, even though the clamp heads themselves are slightly rubbery.    Since there are two bar huggers per package, I can put one on the top and one on the bottom clamp to protect the wood if I use this on my oak dining room table.

Bar Hugger in Use

Here is the table clamp in use with a bar hugger.  Table clamps come in pairs at the hardware store. I went for the smallest that opened the widest I could find that had the quick release as the ones that screw down are too slow for Miss Impatient here to use.  (Note:  This clamp set is probably too small to hold my Egyptian Cat canvas too long but this was for illustration purposes.)

Thanks so much for this clever idea, Barbara!  It works on so many things.  Wonder if I can grip and pull a needle through with these when it gets stuck...?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 26, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.