Replacing a Jacket Zipper the Easy Way

Zipper missing a pin...

My other half is extremely hard on zippers.

Doesn't matter what sort of zipper — he eventually succeeds in mangling them in some way.

For zippers that lead into pockets on a jacket or a pair of shorts, I don't generally try to repair them. For the ones on his current "man purse," I've done my best to preserve them in working order for the time being, but then, I made him a whole new sling bag that's still waiting in the wings.

Prior to a camping trip back in May, he showed me an old system jacket and asked if I could do something about the front zipper.

Not only was the pin missing at the end, the zipper tape that it was attached to was frayed beyond repair, meaning that a so-called pin repair kit would likely be a waste of money. (They exist, in case you're wondering; but I would surmise that the zipper would have to be in extremely good condition for that kind of fix to be worthwhile.)

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For my part, I had recently seen some YouTube videos of zipper replacements that were quite reasonable to attempt. Plus — I actually had a suitable zipper in my possession. Eleven years ago, I received a thank you care package from a reader that has continued to give to me on a regular basis. Among the sewing treasures I received were three separating zippers, one of which was the perfect shade of blue to match this jacket.

Imagine having a proper size and colour zipper in your stash!

In the above photo, the new zipper is laid out down the middle of the jacket... doesn't it look like it was meant to be? I mean, really, it's the exact length that was needed!

So how did I carry out this zipper replacement and how can it possibly be easy? Well, it doesn't involve using a seam ripper to remove the existing zipper, so just by eliminating that potentially challenging step – because sometimes the existing zipper tape is trapped between snaps and fasteners that cannot be disturbed – you may find this particular repair technique a good one to keep in your toolbox.

Carefully snip off the zipper...

The work involves simply cutting off the existing zipper tape, trimming as close to the stitching as you can get (you'll end up leaving a sliver of the zipper tape on the garment). There should then be enough zipper facing remaining on the jacket to sew the new zipper directly onto it.

Another view of the cutting process...

This has to be done carefully and slowly, as you don't want to cut into the fabric of the coat accidentally. A sharp pair of detailing scissors is a must.

Old zipper tape cut away from the jacket...

You will, of course, want to keep the zipper pull for reuse, but I'd recommend keeping the rest of it too. Trim back the zipper tape fully and keep just the narrow strip of teeth.

Zipper remnant pull...

Why? Because they can be cut into pieces and converted into zipper pulls, like I did here for my denim whale pencil case.

It's an idea I originally found in a book, where the author showed it on a wine bottle bag. It really is an example of how innovative we can be when we reuse the simplest things... with unexpectedly chic results.

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After the old zipper is cut away, pin the new one into place, making sure it butts up against the old seam under the zipper facing.

Pin (and sew) one side of new zipper...

Once the first side of the zipper has been sewn in, pin the other side to the other half of the jacket in the same way: close against the old seam, under the zipper facing. Separate the zipper and sew to secure.

Pin and sew the other half of the zipper...

Pin and pin well, to use my advice from a few years ago. You don't want the zipper to slip away from you when the strip of fabric that you're sewing onto may be fairly narrow.

This method of zipper replacement will result in more of the zipper tape being exposed than the original, but if your main objective is to get a coat or jacket in wearable condition again, you shouldn't care. In this case, with the colour of the zipper being such a fabulous match, I don't think it matters one iota. (Not to mention that this new zipper is also a two-way zip, offering more versatility for when hubby is sitting around a campfire and doesn't want the bottom edge of his jacket getting all bunched up.)

Ta da!

If you want to see this being done on a video, check out SewVeryEasy's channel on YouTube; enter how to replace a zipper in a jacket in the search field. (I've featured projects from that channel here in the past, like these fabric envelopes and this easy drawstring bag.)

Like I said above, you may want to file this technique away and keep it in mind for future consideration. I never expected to have to – or want to – change out a jacket zipper and yet, here I am. Glad it wasn't a hair-tearing experience!

Oh, and hubby said that this was the only jacket that he wore during his trip.

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

"Warren" Revisited (And Tips for Sewing With Minky)

I make a second "Warren"...

Almost five years to the day after my original post about Warren the Charity Bear appeared on this blog, I was finishing off another one for a new baby in the extended family.

For some reason, I had a fat quarter of my Luminescent Ocean Dreams fabric in minky in my stash. Since it worked so well the first time, it was an easy decision to go with it again. (It was an odd circumstance that I had this, as I've always purchased Spoonflower fabric with a purpose in mind. They run enough sales events for me to wait for a discounted price, whenever I've needed something for a specific project. I don't know what this fat quarter was originally bought for, but now it's a moot point.)

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As a bit of background for those who are unaware, Warren the Charity Bear is a free pattern that has been around for over a decade, created by Wendi at Shiny Happy World. Crafters have likely made hundreds of thousands of different Warrens over that time, gifting them to many, many appreciative kids (and perhaps kids at heart).

Full size Warren template, as well as some smaller versions...

Designed as a simple pattern for an "easy sew" (more about how easy it may actually be later), Warren appeals to gifters and recipients alike, since he will almost always be unique (unless you are the sort to make the exact same model – deliberately – each time) and because he's so eminently huggable and squishable. The pattern comes with basic elements in various shapes that allow you to differentiate your creations, so part of the fun is in deciding how you want your particular bear to turn out.

What makes this project so ultimately accessible to everyone is that you can use old clothing to make it. There's no need to go out and buy fabric if you have old sweats, t-shirts, or fleece blankets lying around that are no longer in their best shape. As for the sewing, I still have more to say later, but people have been known to hand sew their Warren bears, so a sewing machine or the skills to use one are not required. (If you choose to hand sew, perhaps you can attempt a bear family by also printing out the pattern in reduced sizes and making a couple of smaller ones.)

This Warren has white ear tips...

Even though I used the same fabric as my first Warren, there are some differences between the two. First, when cutting the pattern, I made effective use of Spoonflower's traditional white border to give this Warren some white ear tips.

Second, I could not find any red felt in my boxes of "sewing stuff" (even though I am convinced that I must still have at least enough to serve my intended purpose here), so this bear doesn't have a heart patch. 😞

Third, I refrained from adding a tail to his backside. 😏

Finally, instead of hand sewing, I machined stitched the eyes, nose and muzzle to the minky. (Use matching thread, a short stitch and go slowly.)

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Which brings us to the second topic of this post: how to make sewing with minky less stressful. This furry fabric was not widely available when I started sewing way back when, even though I've heard its history goes back further than we'd guess. In the past couple of decades, however, it's become a favourite with crafters to make plushie toys and blankets. (Apart from Warren, I've actually used it to make a pair of mitts, a headband, and some fingerless gloves.)

But it's a slippery, stretchy, and fluffy – i.e., it will shed all over the place – material that can annoy you to no end when you cut and sew your first project with it. If, like me, your first projects are relatively small things (Warren is still relatively small), you may be able to make do just fine by going slowly and taking your time. But if your project plans involve even a small sized blanket, for instance, you may want to take note of these upcoming tips.

Gifting the bear with a note of "explanation"...

Minky Tip #1: Change to a Ballpoint Needle

I know that most of us don't chuck our needles after "each" project – because a project means different things in different circumstances – so you likely have a used ballpoint needle in your supplies. But if it's high time to break out a new one, so much the better when you're sewing with minky. (If you need to be convinced about this one, take a scrap of minky and try sewing on it with your regular needle. If you're lucky, the fabric won't end up being pushed into the sewing machine feed dogs!) A ballpoint needle will perform so much better and allow you to focus on all the other ways that your minky might end up challenging you.

Minky Tip #2: Stabilize it to Prevent Stretching

This tip is a game changer if you do it from the start; i.e., before you cut. Even if you have a great pair of scissors, cutting minky isn't fun due to its slipperiness and stretchiness. (And of course, the frustration is greater the smaller the piece is.) The secret ingredient for success in this case is something that you might have in your kitchen: Glad Press N Seal. Press this onto the fabric edges, pin the template on top, and say goodbye to the shifting and shedding when you cut!

image courtesy of YouTube (Robyn's Love of Sewing)...

The use of Press N Seal is especially helpful when sewing large pieces, due of the nature of the product (its firm but removable adherence to virtually anything). If you're making a blanket, a strip on both sides along the edges ensures that top and bottom pieces remain joined together – without pins – while you sew right on top of the Press N Seal.

Of course, if you have some lightweight fusible interfacing, you can use that to stabilize minky as well. That would, however, become a permanent part of the back of the fabric (unless you succeed at peeling it off), which will change how it feels, whereas the Press N Seal can be easily removed after sewing.

Minky Tip #3: Use a Walking Foot

I don't have a walking foot for my sewing machine and have not needed one enough times for me to change that, but if you have one, by all means use it for minky. A walking foot's main characteristic is that it has its own set of feed dogs that clamp onto whatever you're sewing – from the top, to mimic the same action that your sewing machine's feed dogs are performing from the bottom – so that it moves along precisely, without shifting or sticking or stretching.

That said, follow tips #1 and 2 and I guarantee you'll have an easier time with your minky project, even if you don't have a walking foot.

And now, back to the topic of actually sewing up a Warren Charity Bear. The curviness of the body, combined with the pronounced protrusions of the ears, arms and legs make this less of an "easy sew" when sewn by machine. I believe those who are beginner sewers will find it easier to sew this bear by hand, because the seam allowance can be better managed if you do it one careful stitch at a time... which, on a sewing machine, would require one to go very slowly.

My advice then, is to learn how to do a backstitch by hand and your Warren will turn out magnificently. If there is a next time, I may give it a try. (Yep, the me who hates hand sewing! 😜)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

The Price of Cheap and Free — Another One Bites the Dust

Makerist gone after less than twelve years...

Makerist is closing down.

We (designers with shops) received an email about their plans to close for "planned downtime to make technical adjustments" back on December 17. The downtime was to occur in two phases, January 29 for cessation of sales and February 11 for cessation of access to the website. No date was given for return to normal.

With the original notice, I found it odd that there was no date for when the work would be completed. Therefore, when I read the emails announcing Makerist's closure this past Tuesday morning, it was sad but ultimately not surprising. It was also irritatingly reminiscent of Craftsy's marketplace closure, however, in the amount of notice given. (As in, virtually none.)

The reason? "We can no longer operate [them] sustainably and economically in the long term." Of course not, the economist part of my brain whispered.

Things are tough all over, and that's not just an overused cliché.

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But things may be uniquely tough for any entity – be it a large player like Makerist or an individual pattern designer – trying to sell digital patterns in 2025. The marketplace is simply oversaturated with "cheap and free". Add the fact that virtually every idea has been reimagined by everyone, and the result is that there are just only so many pennies that can be earned per pattern these days, especially when tutorials for so many similar designs can be had for nothing.

This happened regularly...

For Makerist, I suspect that their reliance on regular $2 sales events – which usually required designer shops to participate across the board with all of their patterns – did them no favours. After all, how many designers want to put such a huge reduction on pricing just to make more sales? From a business standpoint, I understand that there is a sweet spot at which total sales will increase sufficiently to cover any perceived losses due to a lower price point, but I doubt that the sweet spot is $2. And if it is, then small wonder certain market players are doomed.

My guess is that most of the big name designers tried the $2 event once or twice and then never again. (I myself never, ever, put my entire shop on at $2... and that's even though I don't have a lot of high priced patterns.) On the other side of the coin, however, such extreme discounts gradually encourage a customer base to wait for the next sale, likely making the in between periods unsettlingly quiet.

But the real problem of selling a pattern that normally sells for $10 at 80% off is that it devalues the entire thing. Not just that specific pattern, but all patterns. Consumers start expecting a high quality product to be available at a low price, which is problematic for sellers who want to maintain reasonable prices or who try to increase them in response to changing economic conditions.

For example, is inflation affecting designers? Of course it is. It's not just a brain wave exercise to come up with a pattern and write instructions. In all cases, a designer will have to make at least one, if not multiple versions, of whatever s/he is designing before the pattern gets to the point of being good enough to sell. Just the cost of the physical supplies to make those samples has gone up over the past five years. (That's not even considering software, technology and potential overhead expenses like website hosting, ecommerce plugins, etc.) But to increase pattern prices when the customer base thinks they're already too high? That's a battle.

A lot of designers sold on Makerist...

I have noted in the past that for me, a price above $10USD for a PDF is excessive. (Actually right now, when my home currency is trading at 68 cents to that US dollar, a ten dollar pattern would cost me $14.65... no way would I pay that!) But that's me; your mileage may vary. The thing is, each of us has an upper limit on how much we are willing to pay for the average sewing pattern. When the marketplace is flooded with offerings at the lower end of that scale, we start to think that patterns should be cheaper.

I have it on good authority that designers who develop and sell PDF sewing patterns for a living are finding it challenging. The creator market has changed dramatically in the past decade. The shutdowns around COVID encouraged new makers to come onto the scene – many of them flocking to YouTube for ad revenue – to snag their own piece of an ever-shrinking pie.

Those who have committed themselves judiciously to YouTube are likely reaping benefits. One of my favourite sewing channels, Estadistica Datos del Mundo, started uploading videos in February of 2020 and recently surpassed one million subscribers. Now, not everyone will have that sort of success, but I'm thinking that there are many channels offering DIY sewing videos every week (some even every few days) that make decent money on advertising. It's why they offer freebies. Free stuff attracts people and if you attract enough people, the advertising dollars will start churning.

Hence, it matters not to those bottom lines that their actual tutorials, patterns or instructions have a price of $0 to the end user.

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My first sale on Makerist came on September 24, 2018. (Hadn't realized it had been over six years.) The platform was a saviour for some of us who were left loose and hanging by Craftsy's demise. Over time, however, it apparently inherited some of Craftsy's problems. I've seen complaints about the quality of patterns – and let's not fool ourselves, patterns these days are expected to include written instructions, my Crossbody Sling Bag notwithstanding – with Makerist being unable to do any quality control. Realistically, it's not as if their people could read and try out every pattern that was uploaded to their site. When you own the platform, however, your customers expect that you'll have their back. Sending them to the pattern designers to iron out issues is not always the best approach.

While I will obviously miss it, I was frequently irked by the setup of things at Makerist. Yes, they made the selling and payment process seamless – meaning that I sold and got paid without any intervention on my part – but the UI involved with doing almost anything was cumbersome. Some of their categories and filters were just odd. Participating in promotions could never be accomplished with a simple click of a button; every time I had to use one of their online forms, it made me want to tear my hair out. A small part of me thought that their impending technical overhaul would fix some of those vexations.

Of course, now I have to search for another place to open up a little shop. That may not come to fruition since there aren't a whole lot of options out there, and some are definitely not worth my while. (For example, it would make no sense for me to go to Etsy, given the fees it charges just to list.) We shall see; I'm not in any hurry as I still have the means to sell my patterns here on the blog.

That said, where do you go to buy PDF patterns these days? Is there a central place where you like to browse? If you're aware of any sites where small indie designers are welcome to open up shops, by all means, let me know in the comments.

Bye-bye, Makerist...

In the days following Makerist's goodbye announcement, a couple of unexpected things happened. One, there was a brief flurry of sales. Two, someone decided to "un-fan" me. Since mid last year, that number had held at 33, as shown in the graphic above. Some time on the 21st, someone thought that with Makerist going down, I no longer merited his/her appreciation! 😲

For the edification of any readers here who have made transactions via my or anyone else's Makerist shop, please note that February 11, 2025 is the last day on which you can download patterns that you have on your account, purchased or free. (You can still purchase patterns up to January 29.) They have indicated that they will be closed as of April 1, but since nothing will be accessible after February 11, I'm not sure the actual closing date has any useful significance. 

By the way, they made a point of stating that they are not insolvent, so I expect all designers will be paid as usual at the end.

In the meanwhile, life – and commerce – marches on.

'Til next...

What Are You Inspired to Sew These Days?

What are you inspired to sew these days?

Having spent the first half of 2024 (not the mention the final weeks of 2023) immersed in junk journaling activities, I am now ready to let go of that and refocus on sewing.

But to be truthful, since I stopped blogging regularly, I haven't come across exciting new sewing projects to entice me. With my YouTube recommendations gravitating towards junk journal channels, I had thought that letting my regular (subscribed) sewing based channels accumulate a backlog of videos would result in some fun diversions for me at some point in time. I anticipated looking through a whole slew of them over several sittings and being inspired to make all kinds of different things.

That didn't happen.

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The content featured on the sewing channels that I've been following over the past several years are mostly regurgitating the same projects with only minor alterations and different fabrics. Similarly styled small wallets, zippered pouches, toiletry and crossbody bags are starting to look excruciatingly plain and ordinary to me.

I did a search on "unique things to sew" and was almost depressed by the results.

Do you know what kept coming up? Scrunchies. (OMG, how many tutorials do we need for how to make hair scrunchies? And how different can they be?) For some reason, the concept of unique seemed lost in the algorithm, with results skewing towards easy and fast. Or things to sew for sale. Argh!

DIY Knot Pillow by Beth Huntington...

Have I reached that point where the sewing adventure is mostly done, by default? Was my decision to step away from the blog last December a true harbinger of the reality to follow?

I have to accept that it may well be true, and that – outside of the rare, occasional "thing" that may pique my interest or that I dream up out of some personal need – there may not be much more to sew that will bring about the same level of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that I've experienced over the past decade.

That made me sad, so I retreated back to my own archive of Other People's Projects (folder) to see if there were any hidden gems there. The two images that you see in this section are from projects that I had saved years ago.

DIY Lace Cuff Watch by Down Home Inspiration...

This lace cuff watch dates back to 2014 (copy this link into your browser if you want to check it out: https://www.downhomeinspiration.com/diy-lace-cuff-watch/) and if I could find a similar watch face easily without spending big bucks, I'd make one in a second. Not a whole lot of sewing would be required, but I do prefer cuff style watches and it's certainly a different sort of sewing project.

The knotted pillow is also somewhat unique (copy this link into your browser if you want to make one: https://www.ehow.com/how_12340972_diy-knot-pillow.html). It doesn't require a lot of sewing either, so if I were to make one, I'd use fabric scraps to piece the strip for the long tube. That would turn it into a much more involved sewing project and the final result would be truly one of a kind.

Still stumped for ideas, I decided to check back on sources that I'd featured here in the past.

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Do you recall a post about Singer from 2022? When I went back to the site, I found that the link to the projects page has been rebranded as mySewNet. While still hosting projects that relate to sewing, Singer has apparently branched out into the cutting machines arena and thus many of its recent crafting ideas are paper related; no sewing involved.

This one here is simply a sheet of paper put into such a device, where cuts are then made per a set of programmed instructions (a file). All that remains for the crafter to do is carefully remove the paper and then manipulate the various petals for the final 3D effect.

"Cut out" project from Singer...

Cutting machines seem to be growing in popularity among crafters (crafters with deep pockets, I might add, as these are not cheap) but somehow I feel cheated when I see how a project like this is made. It's probably just me, but it strikes me as being manufactured and lacking a personal touch. (Seems very apropos in our increasingly AI-oriented world.)

In any case, I did not find many sewing related projects that were inspiring during my visit. The only project that stirred anything within me was this leafy potholder.

Patchwork leaf potholder project from Singer...

But that's because I have a thing for leaves; it's really nothing new or different. It's made in the same way as the tropical leaf rug – except on a much, much, smaller scale – so I may be inclined to give it a whirl down the road.

Speaking of leaves, I also visited AGF Studios again and found this little item.

Little Leaves Garland from AGF Studios...

It reminded me of what I originally wanted to do with my autumn leaves last fall.

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To close, let me share a project idea that did appear – to me, at least – to be different. I am not a card player, but I know a lot of people who are. For various reasons, young and old players may find it difficult to hold onto a set of cards. During this search for new sewing projects, I came across two tutorials for making playing card holders, including one that featured recycled CDs.

This first one is from Creatively Beth (copy this link into your browser: https://creativelybeth.com/diy-playing-card-holders-for-family-game-night/). It features a large multi-tiered surface on which to organize your hand.

image courtesy of Creatively Beth...

The one that features old CDs is from one of my favourite YouTube channels: Sew Very Easy. It was uploaded April 30, 2024.

It's made out of a couple of old CDs, two buttons, some fabric and some batting. (I've since found various versions of the same basic tutorial elsewhere online, so the idea is not new.) If you know card playing enthusiasts who are finding it harder to hold onto their cards due to arthritis or whatnot, this could be a welcome gift.

image courtesy of Sew Very Easy...

Since writing up this post (about a month and a half ago in real time), I've actually found a few projects that have caught my eye. I've also gone back to some of my past projects to create downloadable PDFs for them. All of that will end up here at some point in time.

Meanwhile, if you've come across any truly new and different projects in the world of sewing, let me know in the comments.

'Til next...

Math in Sewing [PT 4]: Make Your Own Wedge "Ruler"

A wedge ruler you can DIY...

In my previous post from this series, I wrote at the end that I hadn't been aware of the true nature of wedge rulers when I made that curvy table topper.

It was at once a surprise – and yet not a surprise – to discover that quilting wedge rulers are math-based. The wedges are determined by their angles, measured, of course, in degrees.

Example of a wedge ruler you can buy...

In my search for information since then, I've discovered that 9, 10, 18, and 22.5 degree rulers are widely available. Commonly used to make round quilts, it makes sense that any number that is evenly divisible into 360 (total degrees in a circle) can be used for a wedge ruler degree measurement.

Once I had those basic facts, I decided to go back and see how far off my template was for the table topper.

To do this, however, I needed a protractor.

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You'd think that a former math major would have a math set somewhere in the cobwebs, but no. I briefly entertained the idea of popping into my local dollar store to buy one, but then it occurred to me that images of protractors are likely all over the internet. Thus it was that I printed one out, attached it to some cardboard and presto! A DIY protractor. Easy peasy.

To measure an existing wedge template, you have to finish drawing – or somehow extend – the sides of the wedge all the way down to a point in order to use a protractor.

Extend to a point; i.e., to 0 degrees...

Here's how to do it.

Take a couple of sheets of paper and line them up along both sides of the wedge as shown above. Place the middle of the protractor right at the intersecting point. (If you have an actual protractor, it may have a tiny pinhole right there for more accurate placement.)

Protractor shows this wedge is 10 degrees...

The reading on this example shows 10 degrees (shown more clearly in the inset with the closeup view).

As it turns out, the wedge template I made for my curvy table topper measured only 6 degrees. When I investigated further, the ruler that the designer used was 7.5 degrees. 

My wedge template came in at 6 degrees...

With that out of the way, we can get to the actual topic of today's post, which is to make your own 10 degree wedge "ruler".

Because the fact is, buying one of these is going to cost you. (If you're not likely to use one again and again, there are probably other things you can spend your money on when it comes to sewing.) For example, when I looked at the one from Creative Grids at the top of this post, it was on sale for $10 off... but the price was still $38.99. (That's $CDN; those of you stateside will see a lower price.) There is just no way that I am going to spend forty bucks on a specialty ruler. My 6" x 24" Omnigrid did not cost me that much.

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The countdown is on: just 7 more regularly scheduled posts!

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I've already covered how to DIY this, but you will need a protractor of some sort if you want to make a wedge ruler.

Gather up the following: pen/pencil, protractor, double-sided tape, regular tape, sheet of heavy stock paper, rotary cutter/scissors, large cutting mat and a long ruler. You'll also need some sturdy flexible plastic such as described in this post.

Put some double-sided tape onto the back of your protractor and secure it onto your cutting mat, ensuring that the 0 and 90 degree markers are on a vertical grid line and that the curved edge of the protractor is just touching a horizontal grid line

Put down protractor...

Place the sheet of paper 1.5" below the protractor. Tape it down so that it doesn't move.

Put paper 1.5" below protractor...

Position your ruler so that it touches the 0 degree mark of the protractor while lining up with the 85 degree measurement. For best results, ensure that you look down directly over the protractor.

Align ruler at 85 degrees..

Draw a line down the entire sheet.

Draw first line of template...

Swivel the ruler so that it stays at the 0 degree mark but this time lines up with the 95 degree measurement.

Align ruler at 95 degrees...

Draw a second line down the entire sheet.

Draw second line of template...

While the paper is still taped in place, draw lines 1/2" apart along the entire length of the wedge, making use of the grid markings on the cutting mat.

Draw lines at 1/2" intervals down the entire wedge...

You may also want to indicate the inches with actual numerals, too. (I forgot to do that!)

Next, measure off a 10" total length for the template.

Finish drawing the full template...

Measure out and draw a smaller wedge on the inside, leaving a 1/4" border all around. If your lines have been lightly drawn to this point, darken them up appropriately and then cut out the wedge shape.

Using the paper template, cut a matching wedge out of the stiff plastic and set aside. This type of plastic is easily scored with a rotary or box cutter (if using your rotary cutter, you should have a blade reserved for cutting non-fabric materials), enabling it to be broken apart by simply bending it back and forth. 

Make a plastic copy of the template...

Take the paper template and cut out the inside wedge to leave just a 1/4" border. Using your choice of double-side tape and/or regular tape (I actually used both), very carefully adhere the paper border to the plastic wedge.

This part can be tricky!

You can now see through your wedge "ruler".

If these final steps don't work out so well, you can always go back and redo the paper part. (I was able to do this using just regular paper, so if you choose something heavier, it will be less tricky.) Also, if you feel the 1/4" border is too small; you can always try 3/8".

A couple of serviceable DIYs!

And if you don't have any flexible plastic, you can just make this out of cardboard and customize the total length of the ruler to the project requirement. (I will discuss this further next week in relation to an actual project.)

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This DIY wedge ruler would have produced much better results for my curvy table topper project. However, that is all water under the bridge as I have my own bargello wedge quilting project to share with you next week. And that's when we'll put this little ruler to the test!

It is Remembrance Day today here in Canada and I know for a fact that many countries observe November 11 in some way for the same reason. Given the present state of our world, please take a moment to remember and honour those who bravely went before us to fight for better lives... and understand that the fight doesn't end with them.

'Til next...