Jan Saunders Maresh

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-13-2024

When I was new to my career, there was information I wished I could get my hands on as I was learning more about the craft. (I’m talking about inside-the-industry information — way past what I learned in college). The information in this Cheat Sheet is what I was thrilled to learn (and have often forgotten until I was ready to put it in to practice). Some of this information is stuff I never would have thought of unless someone told me about it. First, there are the sewing machine needle size and fabric charts. Who knew there were so may sizes and varieties? These charts make for a handy reference when you’re starting a fleece throw or putting in an elastic-waistband for a set of pj’s. Next, is “10 Tips for Mixing Prints,” so whether you are putting together an outfit, decorating a room, or a creating a quilt, this information gives valuable guidelines for mixing prints so your result will scream, “I really know what I’m doing!” Finally, you’ll see “Bedroom Redesign Made Easy,” which includes approximate sheet, duvet, and bed pillow sizes. When you want to make a new duvet cover or sham, you’ll have the measurements you need at your fingertips.

Article / Updated 11-04-2021

When shopping, you may find the fabric you’re looking for...and a whole lot more to inspire you. When you don’t have a particular pattern in mind but find fabric that would, for example, make a great pair of dress pants, you can use this guide to help you buy enough fabric when the creative mood strikes. Because fabric also comes in several widths, and your pattern envelope may only give you yardage requirements for two widths, you can refer to this guide to buy the correct amount for the width of the fabric. This project chart gives you a quick reference and approximate yardage requirements for Misses sizes 10 to 14 at an average height of 5 foot 4 inches. Other sizes will vary from 1/4 to 1/8 yard. For fabrics with a nap and/or one-way designs, add 1/4 yard for each yard specified. For plaids, add the length of one plaid repeat for each yard specified. Garment Fabric Width 35-36 inches Fabric Width 44-45 inches Fabric Width 50 inches Fabric Width 52-54 inches Fabric Width 58-60 inches Pants, full length (add 1/4 yard for cuffs) 3-1/4 yards 2-5/8 yards 2-5/8 yards 2-1/4 yards 2-1/4 yards Pants, capri length 2-3/4 yards 2-1/4 yards 2-1/8 yards 2 yards 1-1/2 yards Shorts, bermuda length 2-1/2 yards 2-1/8 yards 1-7/8 yards 1-3/4 yards 1-1/4 yards Skirt, straight 2 yards 1-5/8 yards 1-1/2 yards 1-3/8 yards 1-1/4 yards Skirt, A-line 2-1/4 yards 1-3/4 yards 1-5/8 yards 1-1/2 yards 1-3/8 yards Skirt, softly gathered 2-1/4 yards 1-3/4 yards 1-5/8 yards 1-1/2 yards 1-3/8 yards Shirt/blouse, short sleeves 2 yards 1-5/8 yards 1-1/2 yards 1-3/8 yards 1-1/4 yards Shirt/blouse, long sleeves 2-1/2 yards 2-1/8 yards 1-3/4 yards 1-3/4 yards 1-5/8 yards Blouse, long sleeves with tie 3-3/4 yards 2-7/8 yards 2-5/8 yards 2-3/8 yards 2-1/4 yards Blouse, capped sleeves 2 yards 1-5/8 yards 1-1/2 yards 1-3/8 yards 1-1/4 yards Camisole, bias cut 1-1/3 yards 1-1/3 yards 1-1/4 yards 1-1/8 yards 1 yard Dress, short sleeves with straight skirt 4-1/4 yards 3-1/8 yards 2-3/4 yards 2-5/8 yards 2-3/8 yards Dress, long sleeves with straight skirt 5 yards 3-5/8 yards 3-1/4 yards 3-1/8 yards 3 yards

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-27-2016

Staging your home properly can not only help you sell it, but help you get a good price for it. The effort spent in finding the right accents and accessories can pay dividends in selling time — and you can take new purchases with you! Staging your home for an open house takes things to a new level and you need to prepare carefully to make sure you cover all the bases.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

You’re selling your home and using an open house to show it off. You need to stage your home ahead of time, of course, as well as set the price, and take care of all the details that go into an open house. If you can follow the steps in the following list, you can boost your chances for a successful open house: Complete all staging techniques before taking the photographs for your online listing and flyers. Professional photographs of a beautifully staged property can increase the number of potential buyers who come to your open house because they see an intriguing, warm, inviting property when they see great pictures of your property online, in the sales flyers, and in print advertising. Set the price accordingly. Do your homework and shop similar homes on the market, and then price your property accordingly. If your property is priced right to begin with, staging discourages price reductions later on. When you stage your house and price it right, you get the most bang for your buck by bringing in the most traffic within the first few weeks that your house is on the market. Curb appeal is your 24/7 storefront. Curb appeal (the condition of your house from the outside) is not just important on the day of an open house but every day. You never know when potential buyers might be driving by to decide whether your house is worth touring. Create a shuffle-duffle bag for the main rooms in your house. This handy bag contains quick cleaning supplies and is a great place for you to throw unopened mail and the kid’s toys before a showing. Being able to do a quick pick-up keeps the showcase appearance throughout the selling process. Get out. All household members need to leave the premises before an open house — including your pets and all signs of them.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

As you prepare your home for sale, you want to stage it as attractively as possible. Consider purchasing some of the items in the following table — realtors purchase these items and use them over and over in the homes they stage. Room or Area Items Front entry Sofa table, silk flowers, mirror to reflect light Living room Throw pillows, rug, lamps, silk trees Family or rec rooms Artwork, throws, game board, rugs, throw pillows Master bedroom Six pillows (four sleeping pillows in shams and two throw pillows), bed skirt, white sheets, plush neutral bedding, silk flowers, table lamps, a throw, and art Kids’ bedrooms or extra bedrooms Neutral and plush bedding, two sleeping pillows in shams and one throw pillow, bed skirt, table lamps, artwork Bathrooms Plush white linens, colored linens as accents, terry cloth shower curtain, large serene art pieces Kitchen Cookbooks, silk flowers, light fixtures, serving dishes Dining room Crystal or silver objects, large art pieces, floral display Laundry room Wicker laundry basket, artwork, laundry tins with scoop Curb appeal New mailbox, light fixtures, welcome mat, shutters Backyard Benches, outdoor urns with silk trees, outdoor rugs You can take most of this nice, new stuff with you when you move!

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

To get your house in shape for showing it to potential buyers, you make plans to stage it so that it shows off its best features. The staging process involves everything from art on the walls to rugs on the floors. The tips in the following list help you judge sizes and spacing: Area rugs: Use an area rug to ground furniture or delineate a sitting area. Steer clear of buying a too-small rug. A typical sofa–love seat configuration works best with a 5-foot-by-8-foot rug. Don’t try anything smaller than a 4-foot-by-6-foot size. If you have nice hardwood flooring in your dining room, show it off instead of buying an area rug. But if you decide to use a rug under a table and chairs, look for one that’s 24 to 30 inches wider than the table and chairs. When you’re putting one big rug in a room to cover most of the floor, remember to leave 20 to 36 inches between the edges of the rug and the walls. Artwork and photographs: When hanging art above furniture, place the bottom edge of the artwork 4 to 6 inches above the surface or back of the furniture. If the art is alone on the wall, place it 54 inches from the floor to the center of the art piece. Chandeliers: To hang a chandelier in the foyer, measure the height of the foyer. The chandelier should hang down 3 inches per foot of the height of the foyer. For example, if the foyer is 9 feet high, the bottom of the chandelier should hang approximately 27 inches from the ceiling. Install a chandelier in a dining room so that its bottom is 30 to 42 inches above the table top. Dining room tables: Remove a leaf and use fewer chairs to make the dining room look more spacious. Avoid using table cloths because they make the dining room look smaller. If you’re renting or buying, choose a dining room table in proportion to the room. If traffic flows around the table, be sure you leave at least 48 inches between the edge of the table and other furniture or walls.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Sometimes, part of the plan of staging your house is to make it look its best for an open house. An open house is always nerve-racking, so before any potential buyer steps foot in your house, make sure you do all the things in the following list so that your house looks its sellable best: If the views are good open all drapes and blinds. Shake out the front welcome mat and sweep away any dust, debris, spider webs. Turn on all lamps; agents will turn on the overhead lights. Add fresh flowers to any room in the house and fruit to your kitchen. Make all the beds. Wipe the sinks after doing dishes or washing your hands. Empty all the garbage and waste paper baskets. Clean the stove top and counters. If you have a good sound system, play music Sweep the floors. Pick up and put away things that should be out of sight. Mop the floor if you haven’t done so in the past two days. Remove pets Bathrooms are a world unto themselves. Make sure each bathroom gets all the attentions in the following list: Clean toilet seat, rim, and lid. Leave toilet lid down. Swoosh toilet bowl with brush. Wipe off mirrors and faucets. Squeegee shower doors. Spray entire shower and curtain liner with shower cleaner after every use.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

When you want to sew clothing, you start with a pattern. Determining your pattern size can be a humbling experience because it requires you to measure your body, but it’s an essential step in making sure the finished garment fits properly. Here are some tips on taking accurate measurements so your project ends up the right size: Get someone else to take your measurements. It is impossible to take them yourself and get an accurate read, so find someone you trust, swear them to secrecy, and start measuring. Dress in your underwear or a leotard, and tie a narrow ribbon or a piece of elastic around your waist, but not too tight. Move around a little bit until the elastic or ribbon finds your natural waistline. Note that this may not be where you wear the waistband of your favorite pair of slacks or jeans. Measure by placing the measuring tape around the torso as parallel to the floor as possible. Have your helper take the following six measurements: Height: ____________ High bust circumference at the crook of the underarms approximately 2 inches above the full bust: ____________ Full bust circumference at the widest part of the bust: ____________ Natural waist circumference (the narrowest part) at the ribbon or elastic: ____________ Hip circumference at the widest part and approximately 7 inches below the natural waistline: ____________ Back waist length measured from the bone at the base of the neck to the natural waistline: ____________

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you use the wrong type of needle for your sewing machine and project, the results could be very bad indeed. Use this table to determine which needle is designed for use in your sewing machine and for your project. Needle Point Classification Needle Point Type and Use 15 x 1H (American); 130/705H (European) Multi-purpose or Universal: Used for most fabrics for general sewing Blue Tip (American); 130/705HS (European); 130/705HPS (Pfaff); Q Needle (Sears); Singer 2045 Stretch: Used for knits and microfibers and designed to prevent skipped stitches and snagging 15 x 1DE (American) Denim or Jeans: A sharp needle designed for sewing heavier fabrics 130/705HJ (European) Tightly woven fabrics, such as heavy corduroy, denim, and upholstery fabrics

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

For beginner sewers, pillow covers are some of the easiest, most affordable sewing projects that require the least amount of time and commitment. This table tells you how much fabric you need for typical pillow projects. Type of Pillow Dimensions (Length by Width) Amount of Fabric Needed for 1 Pillow Cover (Using 54-inch Wide Fabric with No Pattern Matching) Standard bed pillow 20 x 26 inches 5/8 yard Queen-size bed pillow 20 x 30 inches 1-1/8 yards King-size bed pillow 20 x 36 inches 1-1/4 yards Square pillow forms 12 x 12 inches 1/3 yard 14 x 14 inches 1/2 yard 16 x 16 inches 1/2 yard 18 x 18 inches 5/8 yard 20 x 20 inches 3/4 yard 30 x 30 inches 1 yard