Saturday, April 10, 2010
April Idea Share- What is your Favorite Quilting Tip?
This Month our idea share is- What is your favorite Quilting Tip? Everyone who posts or comments on this topic will be entered to win a Fabulous (and I mean Fabulous) prize at quilt guild next month. I can't wait to hear about all of your greatest quilting tips! Anyone who wants to post on this blog or needs help learning how contact Carolyn, Melissa or Shanda for help!
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My favorite quilting tip that I learned and have done ever since I learned it years ago is to use a leader strip. When piecing and I don't have any pieces to chain through I end by sewing across a leader strip then clip the thread between the end of chain and leader. (I use a double piece of fabric scrap about 3/4" by 3") I always end with a strip left in my machine. This makes it so you never have dangling threads you need to cut off. It saves on thread. and when you first start sewing your thread never "buggers" up. Even if I'm sewing just two big blocks together I sew the blocks then at the end of the block come right off on to my leader strip then clip between leader and block always leaving a piece of fabric in the machine.
ReplyDeleteI love using leaders, too. Ann taught me that, and I've been using it ever since. I don't really have very many tips, but one thing that helped me is to make sure I'm at the proper height when I'm sewing. I took a machine quilting class at The Corn Wagon, and they said that if you have stacking chairs and banquet tables (like at sew day at the church, or taking classes, etc.), you are usually better off sitting on two chairs. At home I use an office chair to get to a comfortable height. Some day I'll buy fancy schmancy furniture, but this works for now, and it keeps me from getting a sore back and shoulders when I sew.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try the leader strip thing. I guess I am still new to this quilting thing. I was watching a Fons and Porter show and they say to always iron your seam to set it before you do anything else. If for no other reason, I like it because it makes everything all flat. Who knew there was so much ironing in quilting?
ReplyDeleteWhen sewing on binding, I love to use fusible thread in my bobbin. Then when you press the binding over, it holds itself without needing to use clips around the binding. This thread can be a little tricky to find, but keep your eye open when at your favorite quilt shops.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Cedar last year,one of my classes reminded us to press before we open the seam. After you open it press again.
ReplyDeleteI just read a "Goodhouse Keeping" article about finding "free" videos on the internet to teach just about anything. This is true for quiting also.
I got my Jane quilt on the frame last week with my Bambo bat. There are 15 rows and I'm on the second row of hand quilting. I was a little scared of hand quilting it. Now I'm happy to know it's doable and looking good. I figure a couple of hours a day(a good DVD)4-6 days a week and 3-4 months should do it.
Like Hollie, I have to say I love using Leaders and Enders. . .they're wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAnd Pauline, hand quilting is so relaxing, just wish I had more down time to enjoy hand quilting again. Since you're new to hand quilting, you might want to consider using a really good hand cream or even bag balm on your fingers, they will get raw and sore from all the little pricks. But, the good thing is they will toughen up over time, just give them time to heal.
Now, the tip I'd like to share is to take time to understand your cutting and piecing techniques, and when possible cut your pieces just a bit larger if possible. Example: if you're cutting half squares, instead of cutting 2 7/8" squares. . cut them a bit larger and after you've sewn them on the diagonal, cut and pressed open, you can now trim them down to the correct size needed. Give yourself a little fudge factor when piecing!
It seems like every new quilting technique I try, my learning curve is huge!!! I found a great web page that has wonderful pictures on how to do a scalloped edge binding! Boy, I needed this before I picked things out 4 and 5 times!!! Here is the page: http://ankastreasures.wordpress.com/2009/06/01/how-to-bind-inside-corners-plus-a-give-away-to-practice-your-skills/
ReplyDeleteI love the internet!!!!
I have another tip that I learned the hard way: buy all the fabric you need before it is all gone. I just put a binding on a quilt that I don't love, but don't have a choice because you crazy quilters bought all the fabric! So, figure out what you need and buy it before that line is all gone!
ReplyDeleteThe best quilting tip someone gave me was not to try too hard to match all of my fabrics! My frist quilt matched so great that it was way too much the same. Now I worry much less about if my fabrics are a "perfect" match and I always love the results of a good variety of fabrics in a quilt. Sometimes the fabric I am worried about the most ends up giving my quilt just the variety that it needed.
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