Slinger

[M. Demetrius]

A flexible measuring tape is really useful for lots of sewing and other "how big izzit" tasks. It works for measuring around things much better than the metal ones. They cost about the same as a spool of thread. You can find one everywhere they sell threads, too. You can use a cord to measure around something, then lay that against a steel tape, though. Not quite as convenient, but every bit as good for tunic measurement function.

The iron will make the garment fabric lay flat. A steamer will help relax wrinkles, but won't flatten the cloth. It's a bother to find out after having sewn a whole seam that one panel of cloth was flatter than the other, not to mention that it won't match measurements on the bottom end of the seam.... Then you get to rip out the seam and restitch. Hand sewing is sometimes tedious. Hand resewing is maddening and frustrating. A "steam and dry" iron will cost about ten bucks at WalMart or somewhere like that, maybe half that much at a second-hand store. The fuel to get you to the store will sometimes be more than the merchandise.

And for the record, I have sewn a couple of tunics using thread unravelled from the fabric. The color match is (duh) perfect, but the thread is not as strong as conventional thread. It's twisted differently, and you can't fix it. It's aggravating to be sewing along and have the thread break. Note: this method ONLY works with hand stitching.