I was recently lucky to receive some products from Clover MFG to try, and I am excited to share with you my thoughts!

My absolute favourite of them all has to be the seam roller! I knew it would be as I have already blogged about the genius of one here. However with that one being a freebie from a mag it was starting to struggle and required constant manipulation to put the wheel back in place! This one though is like its tougher older brother!

It rolls the seams nice and flat no problem, feels sturdy has an ergonomic grip and yet is not too heavy or cumbersome. It certainly something I use regularly and saves getting up and down to the iron, something you don’t want to be doing when you’re doing Foundation Paper Piecing and need to press after every seam!

I am also loving the 2 in 1 point turner. When making my purses I have been using the end of an old paint brush (yes really!) to turn out my corners, which as you can imagine has mixed results, with either the end of the brush snapping or a fateful hole in the fabric! I was in despair but it was just something I hadn’t got around to buying. So I was really excited to give this a try and I have to say I wish I had got one sooner, it really does make the job sooo much easier! My poor old paint brush did struggle with heavily interfaced and padded corners that there was always a worrying wobble (and sometimes a snap) when doing it but now I have a pro it is a breeze! Of course it is not just for corners with it’s curved edge it can also be used to to help turn out those awkward curved seams.

It could also double up as a Hera marker, which is super handy to have a spare knocking around. For those who are not sure, a Hera marker is a great alternative and my favourite way to make marking lines when quilting for example. I used to happily use a Frixion pen but after finding out the hard way and then later reading about it, the pen can often leave ghost lines and in some cases the ink can reappear if exposed to cold climates. For this reason it really is best to not use it on anything that is intended for a gift or exhibition! I now only use a Frixion for markings that won’t be seen or are just a practice run and not a gift. To use the Hera marker simply place your fabric right side up on a hard surface like a table or cutting mat, get your ruler and “draw” the marker along the ruler where you want to make the line. Once you lift the ruler away you will see a faint line/ indent in the fabric which you can then stitch along. No worries of the lines fading or reappearing at a later date and of course once stitched can be easily ironed out if you wanted it to.

You may be able to make out in the picture above the faint lines that have been made using the marker. Obviously the harder you press the bolder the line. I have also had a couple of people tell me that they are perfect for scoring card for card-making! Which is definitely something I will remember if I ever do make a card (As if I need anymore hobbies! LOL!). At least it’s not like scissors and you don’t have to worry about the 2 getting mixed up for fabric or paper! I don’t know about your household but mine are very well aware which scissors are strictly off limits for anything other than my fabric!

I have also tried the Sewing Gauge and the Stitch Guide. These have been mainly for my small foray into dress-making (post coming soon!) the sewing gauge has guides for various sizes that are commonly used, and so it has been super helpful to have by the iron when I’m pressing a seam for a hem to keep it all the right length. It also includes a very handy buttonhole guide which is particularly useful for positioning and marking up during pattern drafting.

The Stitch guide has been cleverly designed to be used in a variety of different ways to suit many sewing tasks. Once you’ve lined it up with the edge of your fabric the stitch guide will give you a professional finish and you can achieve a neat and accurate seam width. The guide can be used for intricate curves on garments as well as on larger projects such as curtains or quilts. The pack includes a graph sheet to help you position the guide in a parallel line. The Stitch Guide will stick to metal or plastic surfaces and can be easily peeled off afterwards without leaving any residue. It can be re-used.The stitch guide came in very handy for me when the fabric completely covered up the sewing plate where the guidelines were.

Something I have not used yet but am looking forward to trying are these seam markers!

Especially as one of my favourite book’s (Sew Flower Quilts and Gifts) includes templates where you need to add your own seam allowance. Obviously as I have not used them yet I can’t comment on how good they are but from what I can see they are going to make life so much easier! According to the instructions you simply insert the template (or pattern) into the groove edge of the marker then place your pen tip in the hole and roll it along the edge of the template. Simple right!? Once I do give them a go I will be sure to let you know how I get on! Hopefully it’ll mean I will crack on with some of the beautiful blocks from this book! If only there were more hours in the day!!

These products have been sent to me from Clover in exchange for an unbiased review, all thoughts are my own and I have not been paid. For stockists information on all of the above products please email Clover@stockistenquiries.co.uk. Alternatively you can find them on Instagram here. No links in this post are affiliate (I won’t be paid if you click).