Hobby Shop Blog

1. When piecing, as you sew each strip to the strip set, alternate the end at which you begin sewing. This helps control the ‘curving’ or distortion that is so common is strip piecing. Use a 1.5 stitch length and press stitching line to set threads into balance, then turn to right side and gently press back against the seam.

2. To avoid stretching, apply a light spray of Crisp Spray Starch to each of your strip sets before cutting into segments.

3. Place a sheet of fine sandpaper under your fabric to keep it from shifting and stretching when you mark sewing lines or when tracing around appliqué shapes.

4. There are numerous tools available to make patchwork and quilting easier. Check you local quilt shop regularly to see what new gadgets are on hand to make marking your quilt and other tasks effortless.

5. When you need to clean a quilt you have hanging on the wall, just vacuum it right where it is.

6. Cut the thread on an angle before trying to thread your needle. Always thread in the direction the thread comes off the spool. To make sure you do, thread your needle before cutting it from the spool.

7. As rulers do not all measure the same it is important to use the same ruler all the way through a project. It is best to stick to one brand of ruler or template as the accuracy varies between brands.

8. To set dye in fabric soak in hot water with ¼ cup vinegar and an eyedropper of iodine. Let soak for one hour then rinse well.

9. There is no such thing as too much fabric. As it may take awhile to complete a project and fabric sells out quickly, it is always wise to buy extra fabric. You don’t want to get caught short.

10. Always select good quality 100% cotton fabric. It is false economy trying to save money by buying cheaper fabric as it won’t stand up to wear and washing.

11. Keep the blades on your scissors and rotary cutter sharp. This reduces pressure on your hands and wrists.

12. You will improve accuracy and save frustration if you change both your rotary cutting blade and your sewing machine needle on a regular basis.

13. Have on hand a good selection of grey threads for piecing as it blends in with any colour. Rasant, which has a strand of polyester wrapped in cotton, is a recommended thread for piecing. The thread has that little bit of give and won’t cut the fabric fibres.

14. REMEMBER -Your time is the most valuable thing you will put into a quilt, so be wise and don’t use cheap products.

Among different antique items, there are some that have become very popular among antique collectors. Some of these include antique jars from Asia and antique furniture from France. However, there are some that have become very popular among very specific markets. One good example of this is the popularity of antique guns among male antique collectors because of the appeal that these weapons have to men. In addition to this, the historical value of an antique weapon adds to the “thrill” that antique collectors experience when they acquire the weapon. Given the popularity of collecting antique weapons, especially guns, a lot of people are now showing interest in collecting them. Fortunately, starting an antique gun collection can be made simpler as long as you know where to find them and what you should look for when you buy them.

Starting an antique gun collection

Before starting your collection, one of the most important things you should determine is what period of history you would like your guns to come from because this can help you narrow down your search. Once you have decided on a specific period, you should buy a book or subscribe to magazines about guns, which can also help guide you on what you should look for when buying antique guns. Once you have done so, you can now start looking for antique guns; however, it would be a good idea to start small to limit the “mistakes” that you might commit in the initial stages of your collection. This is because some antique gun collectors make the mistake of going on a shopping spree when they are just starting out only to find out that they spent huge amounts of money on the wrong items.

One good source of antique guns is a gun show, especially those that are sponsored by some of the biggest gun organizations, like the NRA. These shows can help you gain access to a network that can provide you with important information about antique guns and on where you can purchase them. Lastly and more importantly, you should not be afraid to make mistakes because everybody does. Besides, these mistakes can really teach you very valuable lessons with regard to your collection.

Among male antique collectors, some of the most popular antique items that they want to acquire are antique guns. Fortunately, the process of starting an antique gun collection can be made easier. This is because there are some steps that antique collectors can take that can enable them to start an antique gun collection without committing some of the most common mistakes that some antique gun collectors make.

Anyone that has ever been to the beach has spent a little time checking out all the different sea shells and treasures that have washed ashore. Most of us have even picked up a few “pretty ones” with the thought of doing something creative with them later. Of course, just like so many other things in our life, we put them away only to forget about our “treasures” until spring cleaning some year. Again we think of all the possibilities we could use the sea shells for, only to repeat the previous cycle. Fortunately, all it takes to break the cycle is a little excitement and motivation.

The potential of sea shells is limited only by your imagination. One common problem of working with shells is how fragile and brittle they can be. The easiest way to alleviate this problem is to attach the shells to a hard surface such as wood. Great examples of this method are frames, jewelry boxes, and mirrors. All it takes is glue that bonds well with wood and organic material, some unfinished wood products, your shells, and some creativity. To finish your design off, a non-yellowing clear gloss will keep the shells shiny and provide some protection and durability. Most of the products you need for these projects can be purchased at your local craft store.

Another use for your beautiful sea shells is handmade jewelry. I know beading has become a very popular hobby and business venture; sea shells can be used in the same way. You may have to take a jewelry making class or spend some time practicing techniques and designs, but the end results can be amazing and very satisfying. Again, what type of jewelry you make and how you use the sea shells is nearly limitless. So it’s time to find that old shoe box of sea shells and start making you own works of art.

Soloing over guitar chords is easy when you know how to use the minor pentatonic scale. Add spice and power to your solo’s with these simple but highly effective techniques.

The humble minor pentatonic scale is what most guitar players start with when learning to solo. Trouble is, they don’t learn to use the scale to it’s best potential.

Here, I’ll show you an easy way to use the pentatonic scale to solo over the three most common guitar chord types: Major, minor and dominant 7th chords.

1. Major Chords

A Major chord always has a relative minor chord. The easy way to find the ‘relative’ minor of any major chord on a guitar is to take the note three half-steps (3 frets) below the root note of the major chord.

For example: a C major chord - the root note is C. On a guitar, the note 3 frets below a C note is A. Therefore, A minor is the relative minor of C major.

So to solo over a C major chord, use the A minor pentatonic scale and you can’t go wrong.

Another example: F major chord - three frets below the root of F, you will find D. So you use a D minor pentatonic scale over an F major chord.

Another example: G major chord - three frets below the G root note you’ll find E. So… you use the E minor pentatonic to solo over a G chord.

Now, you may have noticed that I listed C, F and G major chords there. Coincidentally, They are the 1, 4 and 5 chords of the ‘KEY’ of C Major. This applies to all instruments, not just guitar.

More about this later…

2. Minor Chords

These are easy… just use the minor pentatonic of what ever the minor chord is. E.g. Use D minor pentatonic for a D minor chord, an E minor pentatonic for an E minor chord, an A minor pentatonic for an A minor Chord.

Now, did you notice I used D, E and A minor chords as the example? Did you also notice that these chords are the 2, 3 and 6 chords of the ‘KEY’ of C Major?

More about that later, too…

3. Dominant 7th Chords

You have a couple of choices here. But basically, you would use the relative minor pentatonic, or the minor pentatonic a tone below the root of the dom7 chord.

For example, over G7, you could use either E minor pent (relative minor), or D min pentatonic.

The reason you could use the D minor pentatonic over a G7 chord is because the Dmi chord and G7 chord often go together in chord progressions. Forcing a Dmi sound over a G7 chord gives a G7sus sound.

4. Thinking From a ‘KEY” Perspective

OK, what we have looked at is the KEY of C Major. And basically you can use just the A minor pentatonic alone for ALL the chords in C, or you can also use the D and E minor pentatonics to add some color and more conformity to the chords being used at the time.

Remember, these principles apply to whatever chord you are playing at any time, but can also be applied on a KEY basis,which is a more encompassing picture.

The Key of C Major has these chords:

C, Dm, Em, F, G7, Am, Bmin7b5.

Ami pent can be used over them all, or just the C and Am chords.

D min pentatonic can be used over the F and Dm chords.

E minor can be used over the Em and G7 chords.

We didn’t mention the 7 chord (Bmi7b5) because it’s not used very much. But a good choice is the Dm pentatonic. In fact, though, you can use either of the three pentatonics from the C Major scale - Am, Dm or Em. Try them, see which you like best.

I hope you enjoyed this article. You can find more information about guitar chords at my site: http://www.Free-Guitar-Chords.com

The idea of using pentatonics for different chords is a powerful one, don’t overlook the cool sounds you can create with such a simple device.

Also, in a future article, I’ll be discussing ‘Pentatonic Substitution’ where I’ll show you how to use substitute and altered pentatonics for even more sound choices.

For almost 40,000 years, human beings have adorned themselves with countless forms of beads, for just as many reasons. Primitive man used beads as protection from evil and for other spiritual rites, as did the Egyptians. Roman’s used them as decorations and sometimes as a form of currency, while modern man concentrated on their aesthetic value. Even today, Rosary, Worry (or Kompoloi) and Ottoman Tespih beads play an important part in religious rituals. Indeed, beading is not only a universal art form but one that has crisscrossed every continent and been influenced by almost every culture on Earth.

Some of the earliest beads were produced using animal bones, threaded with natural forming vines. While to us it sounds rather ghoulish, it is believed early man wore animal bones in the hope that the souls of the animals would protect them from evil. Any hollow bone that could be threaded with vine or fiber was used and once man developed tools capable of creating a hole in a particular item, almost anything could be turned into a bead.

Native tribes often used seeds or plant pods, such as nut shells, while others learned to make clay beads and decorated them with crude paints. Much later, the advent of glass forever changed our outlook on beading. Such was the popularity of glass, that the Egyptians, Mesopotamians and later the Hebrews, Romans and sub-continental Indians, all manufactured beads and lent their individual cultural influences to the art.

While the Egyptians are often credited with creating the first glass beads, the actual root of that honor is ambiguous. Still, the Egyptians made not only bead manufacturing into an art form but left a profound legacy to jewelry making. Today their ancient beaded treasures are some of the most admired and beautiful in existence.

They also discovered the processes used to make colored glass beads and created intricate, colorful designs, often combining these with beads made from precious and semi-precious gemstones and rare elements such as silver and gold. Such was the demand for beautiful beads that they became an important economic component exported widely across the ancient world.

Certainly, beads in ancient Egypt were inextricably tied to spirituality. Different colored beads signified certain states of mind, one’s status in society or represented celestial idols. Depending on the form of an item and what materials the beads were constructed from, ancient individuals believed that the beads ensured them anything from a place in the next world, to health and happiness.

During Roman times, beads were traded across the Empire and even as far away as Indonesia. The Romans used beads to make one of the world’s first calculators, the abacus, and like their Egyptian counterparts, these patricians sought out the most precious beads, such as pearls, to decorate themselves, hoping the revered goddess Isis would watch over them.

Even the fashion conscious marauders of the north, the Vikings, fancied themselves as bead artisans. What they lacked in manners, they certainly made up for in design and although their beads were possibly not quite as elaborate as those made by some of their counterparts, the Vikings’ use of color in glass beads was impressive. This, together with the arrangement of their beads in making amulets, necklaces and bracelets gives us fine, historic examples of man’s earlier jewelry making - some of which would not be out of place in today’s emporiums.

A beading renaissance occurred a few hundred years after the Vikings when European couturiers of the late 1800’s, caught on to the fact that beading aristocrats’ gowns and accessories could command not only attention, but quite a bit more money for their efforts! Intricate designs, some taking months to create, were sewn on everything from dresses to ball slippers. The most magnificent, using precious stones and rare metals, such as gold, were worn by royalty.

In the early 20th century, beads continued to play an important role in fashion in Western society. Victorians and Edwardians draped themselves elaborately in beads and embroidered beaded garments. One only has to look at a picture of the late Queen Mary to see that she had more than a passing interest in wearing beaded garments and strings of baubles – albeit very expensive ones! Even the daring ‘Flappers’ of the 1920’s embraced the use of beads in fashion. They were also the first to enjoy experimenting with the word’s first plastic beads, made from bakelite.

After the wars and with the true beginning of the plastic revolution, costume jewelry took hold firmly. While beaded fabrics became less fashionable, the market for plastic beads exploded. Far cheaper to produce and buy than other fashionable beads, they were not only affordable to more people but able to economically mimic expensive beads, such as those made from turquoise.

Today, many countries around the world produce beads and offer beaders a deliciously broad choice of styles. In fact, while it is possible to buy historic beads and beaded jewelry online, beaders also have the freedom to create items, borrowing from the many cultures which have contributed to what is the world’s most popular art.

You may have heard the terms proof coin and un-circulated coin, but what’s the difference between these two? To understand the difference between a proof and un-circulated coin, let’s first answer the question, “What is an un-circulated coin?”

Un-circulated means a coin has not had any wear, such as the wear a coin might experience when it is used in commerce. Handling a coin, as well as improperly storing a coin, can result in wear on the surface of the coin. This wear, even if very minor, will cause a coin to no longer grade un-circulated.

When coins are minted they often bump into each other and receive small nicks and abrasion marks during the production process. These marks also occur as coins are transported in large canvas bags. These marks, sometimes called “bag marks”, are more noticeable on larger coins, such as half dollars and dollars. Typical “bag marks” do not keep a coin from grading un-circulated. However, they can be an indicator of how high of a grade the un-circulated coin might receive.

Current accepted grading standards provide for a range of un-circulated grades, from the grade of MS-60 to MS-70. MS60 would be a lower grade (yet still) un-circulated coin with normal bag marks for that type of coin. Anything below MS-60 would not be considered un-circulated. MS70 would be the perfect “ideal” coin. Some coins are rare in grades MS65 to MS70, and even unheard of in MS70 grade. (The attribute “MS” stands for “mint state”.)

A newly minted proof coin is also un-circulated, however it is the way it is made that causes a difference in appearance and qualifies it as a “proof”. To understand this, let’s look at how coins are made. Coins are produced when two dies strike a blank piece of metal with tremendous force. One die is engraved with the front (obverse) design for the coin. The other die has the back (reverse) coin design on it.

A proof coin is made with a specially polished and treated die! By treating the die in a special way, the coins it produces have a different appearance. Modern technology allows the high points on the coin design to be acid treated (on the die). The background (field) design of the coin die is polished, resulting in a mirror-like look on the coin it strikes. This gives the finished coin a frosted look (frosting) on the raise parts of the design, with a mirror like finish on the background. This contrasting finish is often called “cameo”. On some older coins a cameo appearance is quite rare. The attribute “CAM”, when added to a coin’s description, means cameo appearance. “DCAM” means deep cameo, and indicates the cameo appearance is strong and easy to observe.

If you have ever sat and wondered about your family and where you come from your not alone, you can have an emotional roller coaster ride of an adventure seeking your kindred dead as many do.

Doing your Family History is something that comes to each of us at sometime in our life, it appears as a deep-seated desire to know more about our ancestors, what they were like, and where you come from.

Many remember the made for TV minnie series called “Roots” written by Alex Halley, which seemed to start a nation wide interest in something people have been doing for centuries… Genealogy, or also know today simply as Family History.

I’m here to tell you some things that can be useful to you as you think about getting started doing your own personal Family History research.

First start with yourself… after choosing one of the many Family History or Genealogy software’s on the market today open it up and put in your personal information. Mainly you’re full name, birth date, where you were born, and whatever else is asked for in the software. Then do your mediate family, wife or husband, children, or if your not married start with your parents and siblings. If you use the Pedigree Chart you can see how this looks like a tree and the farther you go back the more branches you have. That’s why people often ask “who’s in your family tree”?

After that keep putting in your parents and their siblings, their parents and their siblings, for as far back as you know or can remember. Then when you look at it, you start to see how very quickly your ancestors add up. Don’t let the shear magnitude of the numbers discourage you from continuing. You see in the digital age we live, the second most researched topic on the Internet is Genealogy, so even though you don’t know all the people from your past chances are someone has done some work that you can find by doing some simple research on the world wide web.

Second, remember all the stories you have heard about your parents and grand parents, write them down as best you can. They take a recording device and interview your parents or grand parents, or anyone that may have information about your family. Keep these recording and use them as reference material. Most of all the software out there will allow you to input these stories as a part of your record, and pictures.

Last of all; set aside a regular time to work on this weekly, monthly, or whatever works best for you. The key here is to find time to spend doing this work on a regular basis. I can promise you that if you do this you will find yourself excited, and it wont be work at all, you’ll look forward more and more to the time you spend with your kindred dead. They will become alive for you as you come to know who they are; this leads to a better understanding of yourself too.

Remember this last tip, share your findings with others, and they will share with you. We are all connected at some point if you go back far enough. So just remember most likely others are doing research on your family line somewhere in the world. They will share as you share with them.

Because of the times we live in today this work is linking the family of man on a worldwide bases, mainly because of the information super highway, and the advance in technology over the past 15 years. Embrace your Family History with passion, which for many used to be just a hobby, but now has become an addiction.

Copyright 2005

It’s probably every coin collector’s dream to own a truly rare coin. A coin that only a few can own, one rich in history and appeal. The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel is one such coin. The story behind this unique coin is also full of mystery. To date no one knows for certain how many were produced or who authorized the production. Only five pieces are know to exist.

The Liberty Head nickel was first minted in 1883 and production was suppose to stop in 1912. A new five cent piece, the Buffalo or Indian Head nickel went into production the following year. However, seven years later collectors were stunned to learn that examples of the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel may have surfaced. In September of 1919 Samuel W. Brown, a former U.S. Mint employee and coin collector, placed an ad in The Numismatist offering to pay $500 for one of the coins in proof condition. The first 1913 Liberty Head Nickel appeared at the 1920 American Numismatic Association convention in Chicago and displayed by none other than Samuel W. Brown.

It is known that 1913 Liberty Head Nickel dies were made by the U. S. Mint prior to the decision to change nickel production to James Earle Fraser’s popular Buffalo Nickel. However, U.S. Mint records does not indicate any production from these dies.

So who made the five coins that are known to exist? Some say Samuel W. Brown either made the pieces or obtained them from a U.S. Mint employee who did. The last 1913 Liberty Head Nickel sold at public auction for $1,840,000 in 2001. Four of the five are accounted for, while one remains missing. One example is in the Smithsonian Institution and another in the American Numismatic Association Money Museum. and the others are in private collections.

As a woman who wishes to be spoken of in the same breath as Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana, Paris Hilton has perused fame and publicity with a single minded doggedness. Using her considerable fortune, family name, plastic surgery, and extensive contacts among the elite, she has managed to become truly famous, without showing any real talent for anything except being a socialite. Now with a recording career underway, and a successful reality television show in its 5th season, the question is will we see more of the same from Paris Hilton, or is there change on the horizon?

As a Numerologist, if I want to use divination and see what is in a person’s future there are (3) main calculations which I look at: their Life Cycle, their Letters of Transit and their Personal Year. These values tell us what’s in a person’s future in a general sort of way.

===> Her Life Cycle

Paris Hilton’s first cycle will run through her 34th birthday in 2015. These years hold many opportunities to work with other people in groups or in large companies. She will make many friendships and be sensitive to other people’s opinions in these years. Paris craves companionship and public recognition during this cycle. Her plans during this cycle take time to develop, rather than happening overnight. Witness her clime to fame, which she has worked on for many years.

===> Her Transit Letters

Paris Hilton has had a long running transit Letter ‘I’ which began in 1998 and will run through her birthday in February of 2007. This letter marks a time of emotional ups and downs in her life. This is a time filled with creative opportunities, but also delays and nervous anxiety over her plans. This is a period where plans take a long time to mature.

Paris also has two Transit letters of moderate duration which have been affect since 2005, and will stay in affect for some time, the letters ‘N’ and ‘O’.

Her transit letter of ‘N’ marks a time filled with excitement, changes, and travel. This letter calls on the subject to be adaptable to many situations. This is a pleasant time for Paris Hilton.

Her transit letter of ‘O’ marks a time with periods of serenity in her life. Paris will experience improved finances during these years. These are also good years for study, taking on task where she is called upon to learn new skills. Certainly her foray into acting and the launch of a singing career would fall into this category.

In February of next year, she loses the letter ‘I’ and gains a transit letter of ‘S’. This transit letter, while only in affect for one year, is the harbinger of change and surprises. Paris will find that 2007 is an active and ambitious year, full of change and emotional highs for her. Will her singing or acting career take off, or will some other major event occur which brings her closer to her goals, or changes them altogether.

===> Her Personal Year

The year 2006 is a personal year (9) for Paris Hilton, a time of closure in this phase of her life. Unlooked-for endings will occur this year; but only concerning those things which she no longer needs or wants. She should attempt to close out her affairs and prepare for new challenges. Paris should also try to put off any new undertakings until next year.

===> Summation

In summation, though 2006 looks like more of the same for Paris Hilton, both her transit letters and her personal year call for major changes in her life next year, probably starting in February 2007. I would guess that her singing career won’t take off, since she is trying to release her album in a nine year, instead of waiting for a one year. As for what the form of her surprise is next year, I’m not sure; but I am willing to bet that it will be something new and different. And, I will also bet that it will bring her fame and publicity in some new venue; after all she is Paris Hilton.

Back in the old days a miter saw held a blade that was attached to a box. The blade was perfectly angled to create 90 and 45 degree angles with a simple adjustment. This manual tool easily cut through frame, crown, or chair mouldings. It even made the cut when it came to exterior corners on baseboard mouldings. Perhaps that is why there are some people who still own and use this type of manual saw and find it perfectly acceptable.

It’s All About the Power

Today, it seems that power is where it’s at, even when it comes to basic tools. The greatest advantage to using a power saw is the cleanliness of the cut. A hand saw, no matter how skilled the craftsman is, still leaves the cut wood a bit more ragged than a power saw. And with the rising popularity of all power tools, there is not a significant cost difference between a manual miter saw and a basic power miter saw.

When it comes to fancier versions of the miter saw, then you must have power. In general, a miter saw or radial saw with allow users to adjust the degree of the cut relative to the fence which guides the wood by a single degree. There are standard stops at the most common settings of 15, 30, 45, and 90 degrees. When wood is securely anchored against the fence, a 45 degree cut will perfectly match a corresponding 45 degree cut going in the opposite direction for the perfect mitered corner to frames or window mouldings.

Another Angle to Miter Saws

Beyond picture frames and crown moulding, there is a whole new angle to miter cuts that make table tops, counters and other furniture safer and more appealing. It is the compound miter saw. A compound cut gives counters and table tops a unique bevelled edge that rounds the sharp corners and makes them less likely to snag or scratch someone walking by. The gradual angles of the cut shape the edge and a little sanding smoothes it to perfection.

Radial arm saws can create a similar effect. It just requires a couple of passes of the blade at different angles to complete the look. The Dewalt radial arm saw was a good model, but is no longer manufactured in the U.S. (Production stopped in 1985). However, this workhorse found in many of the best workshops can still be serviced throughout the country.

A panel saw is the first step in projects such as cabinetry. It is designed to cut the face and sides of the cabinet by cutting large panels of plywood into the rectangles. Then the miter saw would be used to frame and face the front of the cabinet door or draw, usually made of a fine hardwood, so that there were bevelled edges and a complete decorative front.

It is easy to see that a number of saws are used to make up a complete workshop. If you have to substitute a miter saw for another, then make the radial saw your choice.