Vicky Poole’s Must-Have Sewing Tool
Some sewing tools come and go, but every sewist has that one gadget they swear by. For Vicky Poole, it’s the FasTurn Fabric Turning Set, a tool so indispensable that she’s jokingly told her husband she wants to be buried with it, just in case they don’t have them in the afterlife.
Picked up at a craft show around 20 years ago, this unassuming little device has made turning fabric tubes effortless, saving her from the frustration of fiddling with safety pins, chopsticks or other makeshift solutions.
Despite its simple design, it remains one of the most time-saving and effective tools in her sewing kit, proving that the best gadgets don’t always have to be high-tech.
The Secret to Perfect Fabric Tubes
If you’ve ever battled with turning tiny fabric tubes inside out, you know how frustrating it can be. Whether it’s narrow spaghetti straps, tiny doll limbs or delicate rouleau loops, getting them turned without stretching, twisting or bunching is no easy feat.
That’s where the FasTurn Fabric Turning Set works its magic. With its smooth, guided turning mechanism, it flips fabric tubes in seconds, no matter how small they are. Unlike other turning tools that can sometimes slip or bunch up the fabric, the FasTurn set provides a firm grip and controlled movement, making it effortless to turn even the most delicate fabrics.
For Vicky, the real selling point is just how incredibly small it allows her to go. She can turn a tube as thin as a stick of spaghetti, something that would be near impossible using other tools. This level of precision is a game-changer for anyone who works on detailed sewing projects such as doll-making, intricate dressmaking or fine bag straps.
Why It Beats Other Methods
There are plenty of ways to turn fabric tubes, but they all come with their downsides. Safety pins can snag or struggle to grip, chopsticks lack precision and loop turners can be fiddly to use. The FasTurn Fabric Turning Set eliminates the hassle completely, ensuring a clean, professional finish with minimal effort.
Instead of spending ages poking, prodding and wrestling with fabric, Vicky can focus on the fun and creative aspects of sewing. The FasTurn set makes an often time-consuming and tedious task almost effortless, which is why it has remained such a key part of her toolkit for two decades.
A Lifetime Investment
The FasTurn Fabric Turning Set isn’t just a tool, it’s a reliable sewing companion that lasts for years. While many sewing gadgets wear out or become outdated, this one continues to prove its worth project after project. Vicky has been using hers for over 20 years and it’s still going strong, a true testament to its quality and durability.
If you’ve ever found yourself dreading the task of turning fabric tubes, the FasTurn Fabric Turning Set might just be the best investment you ever make for your sewing kit. Whether you’re sewing for fun or professionally, having a tool that saves time, reduces frustration and delivers perfect results is invaluable.
The original cut fabric of the loop
Here the tiny tube has been created
The end result – A perfect tube
I doubt even Suzie’s medical forceps could manage turning something as small as a piece of spaghetti, but you can check out her favourite sewing tool for turning small fabric pieces here.
Vicky’s Sewing Journey: A Lifetime of Stitching
At 75, Vicky has spent a lifetime sewing, but her journey began when she was just five. Sitting on her mother’s knee as she worked the treadle on a Singer machine, Vicky would guide the fabric through, stitching simple shapes. A quick cut for a neckline, and she had made a doll dress.
From Suits to Miniature Sleeves
Over the years, she has sewn everything from suits for her husband to costumes and everyday clothes. Now, her sewing has come full circle and she’s back to making doll clothes, only with far greater skill. She insists that if you can set in a sleeve for Barbie, you have truly mastered sewing.
Lessons in Precision
Growing up, she was always surrounded by fabric, learning through play. But her mother, a tailor’s assistant, had high standards. When Vicky brought home a skirt from Home Economics, her mother took one look at the hand-stitched hem and called it “dog’s teeth.” The teacher had passed it, but her mother was unimpressed.
“If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly,” she would say, a phrase Vicky still hears when tempted to take shortcuts. Even now, if she mutters, “That’ll do,” she sighs, unpicks the seam, and does it properly.
“Don’t waste your time on poor fabric and notions that won’t last.”
Vicky’s mum
Sewing with Purpose
Vicky loves finding fabric and haberdashery in charity shops, often picking up zips, buttons and thread in bargain bundles. However, when making something special, she believes in using good-quality materials, echoing her mother’s advice: “Don’t waste your time on poor fabric and notions that won’t last.”
Sewing for the Soul
For Vicky, sewing isn’t just a hobby, it’s an emotional outlet. “I sew when I’m happy, when I’m sad, anxious, bored, angry, it is so therapeutic.”
Her trusted companions, a 20-year-old Husqvarna Platinum Plus and a 12-year-old Husqvarna Designer Ruby, are irreplaceable.What started with a simple doll dress has turned into a lifetime of creativity, craftsmanship and cherished memories, all stitched with love.
