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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Must-Have Little Tools for Finishing & a Sneak Peek!

 

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The last two weeks, I’ve been doing a bit of finish work – that is, making the needlework projects that I’ve been working on into specific, finished things.

While I was working away, I realized how much I rely on the little tools I’m going to tell you about today, to make finishing much, much easier for me.

So, just in case you’re in the throes of finishing up, for example, needlework ornaments for the holidays, I must tell you that Clover’s mini wonder clips are a mini wonder – and they will help you!

Plus, you get a little sneak peek at a series of projects coming soon on Needle ‘n Thread!

Clover Mini Wonder Clips for Finishing Needlework

Clover’s Wonder Clips in the regular size are terrific! They’re great for hemming and sewing and whatnot, in place of pins, and they hold a plethora of other things secure, too. Whether you’re doing office work or needlework or sewing or many other hobbies, Wonder Clips are incredibly handy.

When finishing small bits of needlework, though, I like the mini Wonder Clips, because their smaller tips fit better on smaller needlework.

Clover Mini Wonder Clips for Finishing Needlework

I use them to hold parts together while I’m finishing.

To protect the surface of the tapestry small I’m working on here, I put small bits of leftover Pellon interfacing between the clip and the silk petit point surface. I do this more to distribute the “pinch” of the clip (because they really pinch) than to protect the silk. So far, I’ve never had a clip snag on anything – they’re very nicely finished.

Clover Mini Wonder Clips for Finishing Needlework

I like that I can use the clips as extension fingers, holding onto the clips rather than holding onto the stitched surface while sewing the two sides of this piece together.

Clover Mini Wonder Clips for Finishing Needlework

While I’m adding finishing touches like trim, I move the clip around the edge to hold onto while sewing the trim and it also helps to guide the trim along the edge of the piece.

I don’t clip directly on the trim – I feed it through the handle of the clip, so that it’s flowing along the edge and out of my way while I’m working the trim.

Clover vs Generic

I’ve tried the generic clips, too, because I was enticed by the fact that they are, comparatively, dirt cheap. But you get what you pay for! The ones I had were scratchy (which I don’t want, when working with needlework surfaces and threads), and they were not nearly as mechanically substantial.

I’ve read some reviews that claim that only difference between the generic and the Clover clips is that the generic are made in China and the Clover clips are made in Japan. This isn’t what I found. The generic are simply not as well made. I ended up passing my test purchase of the generic ones off to the nieces & nephews to use for kid crafts. The Clover ones are tucked away in their nice little organizer boxes, and used only in my workroom.

Where to Find Them

If you’re doing finish work and you need some helpful little tools, try Clover’s Mini Wonder Clips! I don’t think I could have survived the past ten days without them!

You can find Clover Mini Wonder Clips in sewing and quilting, craft and hobby stores. The regular sized Wonder Clips are terrific for a lot of needlework applications, too – I use them whenever I hem things. (You can see them in use here.) They’re not huge and they’ll work equally as well for needlework finishing – but for finishing something small, I like the mini clips best.

If you can’t find them locally and you want to order online, you can find them listed here on my Amazon Recommendations page, where you can buy them in jolly nice packages of 50.

This article makes use of an affiliate link, which means that Needle ‘n Thread may earn a small commission from any purchases made through those links, with no extra cost to you. Every bit helps! Thank you!

 
 

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(18) Comments

  1. Dear Mary

    I love the photos of your present project needlework ornaments I really like the design and the trim is lovely and can’t wait to see the series soon. I bought these clips on your recommendation a few years ago and love them they come in handy for all sorts of things as well as needlework projects they are handy for clipping food bags etc. They are well worth purchasing as I always use them for various tasks. Thanks for sharing with us the review of your new project needlework ornaments and for the photos and for reminding us about the Clover wonder clips. I hope you have a great weekend.

    Regards Anita Simmance

    3
    1. Thanks, Anita! Yes, I use the Wonder Clips for all kinds of stuff, including a few in the kitchen. I also stuck magnets on the back of a couple jumbo Wonder Clips and stuck them on the fridge, so I can clip up outgoing mail and things like that. They’re handy!

  2. Hi Mary Thanks for this helpful tip! I would love to see more articles/tutorials about finishing projects. I am intimidated by this process and feel there must be tricks and tips to make it less of a struggle. Today’s post is a great example.

    5
    1. Hi, K – I’ll be covering two ideas for finishing these projects with tips on how to do it, when I launch the e-book with the charts and instructions on Thanksgiving Weekend. Another e-book that I have that goes into several different approaches to finishing is “Lavender Honey and Other Little Things.” They are small things, true, but the finishing techniques can be applied to larger items as well.

  3. I agree completely with everything you said about Wonder Clips. They’re amazingly handy a dozen different ways when I’m sewing or stitching. I also agree about the knock-off clips. I tried them early on just like you, because they were so inexpensive. I hadn’t used them a month before a third of them were broken. Some broke in my hand the first time I used them right out of the package. Worse than useless!

    6
  4. I have reviewed Clover Clips for an upcoming issue of Needlepointers. I noticed that the Amazon reviews and the Clover website pointed to actual fraudulent packaging of these clips. If you think you’re getting a great deal, you might be getting a counterfeit product.

    7
  5. Hi Mary, I have been using these Clover Clips for sometime (as I am also a quilter) I have used for the same purpose as you. Found them awfully handy when making an embroidered Clamshell case. One of the best things to have in your needlework kit

    8
  6. Ooh, ooh, ooh! Finishing in the round can be a real challenge. May I assume that you laced your work? What did you use for support? When I’ve used mat board, just getting the circles cut was an issue. Hope your big reveal will include some tips & tricks! Thanks for posting a preview Mary.

    9
  7. “only difference between the generic and the Clover clips is that the generic are made in China and the Clover clips are made in Japan.”
    I found this bit a little 0.0 as in That Explains Everything. Typically, I find that craftsmanship and quality is always higher when products are made in Japan.

    10
  8. Your small stitched piece is beautiful and, I too, have found the mini clips to be a very useful tool. I would love to see you do a tutorial on finishing small, flat ornaments, from beginning to end. Your work is always so precise, unlike many finishes I have seen published.

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