Quilter's Bicycle Clips; what is this and do you need it

stitsch and wash quilting templates; do they help for example being a newbie; where can u get them?

Wash away basting thread? have anyone tried this?



xxx nina

When they get ready to do the actual quilting, some people roll the quilt from both sides to the center and contain the roll with bicycle clips. Each clip is a narrow metal band.

(I think they are normally used around the ankle to keep the pants from getting caught in the bycicle chain.)

I have not had much luck with them in quilting because you can't really close the clip and the roll tends to open up.

Yes, the first time I tried it I kept licking the thread to thread the needle. (Old habits die hard). Since it is wash away - guess what happens to it when you lick it.....I must have eaten half the spool. lol

I used it on a trapunto project. Iit is nice because you can secure parts temporarily and then focus your attention on the regular stitching. It's been a while since I used any.

I have tried similar clips to the bicycle clips. They are rather awkward to use. I have better luck rolling, folding or scrunching my quilts.

i use wash away thread when i do needle turn applique.

i sew my applique pieces to interfacing with wash away thread right sides together, then i snip the interfacing and turn the applique piece out, then i iron and once i have it in the shape i like i give it a shot of steam.

the steam dissolves the wash away thread and the interfacing can be removed and all i'm left with is a beautiful needle turned piece without doing any hand stitching.

i put it in place on the background fabric and either use the blind stitch or the blanket stitch (on the sewing machine) which ever goes best with the applique design.

I have tried bicycle clips to hold my quilt roll when machine quilting, but didn't find they work well. I prefer to just loosely accordion pleat the quilt underneath the arm of the machine -- not only cheaper, but works better!

Water-soluble thread dissolves in the wash. I have used it for machine trapunto work. Basically you machine-quilt your top using a thick batting with water-soluble thread as a first step. Then you turn over the quilt top (no backing) and cut away excess batting near your sewing lines. This leaves batting only in the "stuffed" areas of your design. You then layer your top normally with regular batting and quilt with regular thread. When you wash your quilt, the water-soluble thread dissolves and you see only your regular machine quilting lines.

You can also use water-soluble thread to machine baste your quilt sandwich together. It is less work to spray-baste a quilt sandwich together, though, so I don't think many people use the thread this way.