Ryan Whitaker

I remember the first time I tried to square up a half-square triangle block. I was rotating the fabric, shifting my ruler, lifting the mat, and losing measurements left and right. My blocks were off by an eighth of an inch on every side. Then a fellow quilter handed me her rotating cutting mat and … Read more

I tested eight foldable rotary cutting mats over six weeks of quilting retreats, weekend workshops, and one ambitious cross-country trip. The right foldable rotary cutting mat turns a cramped hotel desk or borrowed retreat table into a proper cutting station, then packs flat enough to slip into a tote or suitcase. Quilters who travel have … Read more

I lived with my quilt blocks scattered across the floor of a 600-square-foot apartment for two years before I caved and bought a real design wall. Within a week of hanging that first flannel panel, I caught a color clash in a wedding quilt that would have made my cousin’s gift unreturnable. That single panel … Read more

I have spent the last decade testing cutting mats in my home studio, from bargain boards that fell apart in months to premium 5-layer mats that still look nearly new after thousands of cuts. When I started cutting leather and vinyl alongside my usual fabric projects, I learned quickly that not every self-healing mat can … Read more

Cutting mats are the unsung hero of every costume maker’s workspace, and finding the right one can save you hours of frustration across a single cosplay build. I’ve spent the last several years testing mats on everything from delicate silk to 10mm EVA foam, and I can tell you that not all cutting mats are … Read more

If you have been hand-quilting on a hoop or wrestling a domestic machine across a queen-size quilt, you already know the pain. By the time you finish one project, your shoulders hurt, your stitches drift, and the back of the quilt looks nothing like the front. I have been there, and switching to a proper … Read more

Do you need a swift and ball winder for hand dyed yarn? Yes, if you work with hand-dyed hanks regularly, a swift and ball winder save hours of frustration and produce cleaner center-pull cakes than hand winding. I learned this after wrestling with my first speckled skein on the back of a kitchen chair, only … Read more

If you’ve ever tried to cut queen-size quilt backing on the floor or your kitchen table, you already know why dedicated cutting tables exist. After watching our team members wince through three quilts and a stubborn back injury, we spent 90 days testing 10 cutting tables specifically for queen-size backing projects. A queen quilt backing … Read more

I have lost count of how many cupcakes I have driven across town in a too-shallow box that shifted at every stop sign. So when I started testing the best 3-tier cupcake carriers for parties, I was hunting for one simple promise: drop the cupcakes in at home, drive twenty minutes, and arrive with every … Read more

Our team has spent over 200 hours testing and researching the best transom-mount bait tanks for offshore boats, and we know how critical a reliable livewell system is when you’re chasing tuna, wahoo, and mahi-mahi miles offshore. Nothing kills a productive day faster than dead bait drifting in your tank, and the wrong setup can … Read more