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What Was The Worst Quilting Advice/Instruction You Ever Recieved?

What Was The Worst Quilting Advice/Instruction You Ever Recieved?

Old 02-27-2011, 02:02 PM
  #101  
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Originally Posted by neeng
It's fine not to wash your fabric first as long as you're using all the same kind of fabric e.g. all 100% cotton, no problem. If you're mixing fabrics (cotton top, flannel back) you'd want to wash the flannel. Or if crazy quilting using different fabrics then I would wash them first if possible. (Quite a change of view for me since I came into this board thinking always wash... because I did dressmaking, where the size of the finished object is critical and the fabrics are usually mixed fibres that shrink at different rates).
I came into quilting after 3 years of garment sewing for my kids and so I always wash first, too. I don't mind the pucker in the quilt that happens when you don't wash, it's just habit, especially since sometimes my girls raid my stash to make some skirts for themselves.
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Old 02-27-2011, 02:07 PM
  #102  
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I think someone on TV said - "think of your body shape, small on top, bigger on bottom". Have found that very easy to remember!
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Old 02-27-2011, 02:11 PM
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I guess the worst "advice" I had ever been told was by a clerk at JA's when I first started quilting 10 years ago. She told me "If there isn't a pattern for it then it can't be done. It just wouldn't look right if you made something up on your own." She even had a very nice fake smile when she said it. I actually started quilting by following patterns on the net and in books to a T, even fabric and colors. Quickly decided that I don't want to spend weeks or even months making something everyone else has, what's the point in that?? She also laughed at me when I told her I was mixing 2 different blocks to create something unique. Said it wouldn't be worth the time to do that, why mess it all up? *Gasp*
I went back to that shop a few years later and talked to the manager, told her what had happened and that I didn't know why they even hired clerks like her as it really was the worst thing I had ever been told. Haven't been to a JA's since.
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Old 02-27-2011, 02:19 PM
  #104  
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I was advised to buy Insul brite for baked potato bags -- and made a whole bunch before the light bulb went on -- e-mailed to ask if it was safe before giving them away. Have a lot of nice pads for hot dishes!
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Old 02-27-2011, 02:24 PM
  #105  
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Originally Posted by mygirl66
........ the only rule to quilting is, never sew/ quilt when you are tired.
This made me laugh. Every one of my quilts has been slept under before it's finished . . . by ME! And I wake up with thimble and needle still in hand, sometimes mid-stitch. Ahhh, handquilting can sometimes be a bit too relaxing.

:lol: Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this . . . .
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Old 02-27-2011, 02:43 PM
  #106  
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Well, I came to this board a couple months after my first quilt and never really had any bad advice or negitive feedback on anything I've ever wanted to do. If anything the bad advice came out of my own head when I'm frustrated with a project: "This is IMPOSSIBLE!" I counteract that with a quote from a video game I played once: "Impossible is just a word to let people feel good about themselves when they quit."

Though I must say when I was buying band t-shirts for two quilts Mom kind of gave me some criticism on it. Like that "I don't understand why you're buying so many t-shirts. And you're making a quilt out of them?!" Finished the top for the quilt made from Slipknot t-shirts and she was impressed.
[IMG]http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/100_0064.jpg[/IMG]
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Old 02-27-2011, 03:30 PM
  #107  
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Originally Posted by MadQuilter
Mine was from a quiltstore owner who disagreed with my fabric choice. She told me it was going to be ugly and I allowed her to pick a different fabric. I ended up giving the top away because it was not what I had in mind at all. It taught me to follow my instinct even when "the experts" disagree. Colors and patterns are very personal in today's quilting and we do not always need to follow cookie-cutter samples.
Gosh can I relate to this story - I was in a quilt store a few years ago and a new quilter was selecting fabrics for a beginners class, well the store owner was just dreadful in that everything the lady in question picked out the owner would be scathing about and tell her how ugly it was going to look. I was absolutely horrified and wouldn't be surprised at all if that poor woman never took to quilting after her ordeal. Some people just shouldn't be quilt store owners and if they are then they shouldn't be advising people in this manner as we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Old 02-27-2011, 03:45 PM
  #108  
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I don't really know about worst advice but worst class experience.
My friend and I took a class for a birthday table runner because we wanted to learn to machine applique. We were not allowed to cut our fabric ahead of time because of a couple of tricky pieces. We spent most of the class time cutting our pieces, sewed a few together and then the class was over. Never did get to the applique and haven't yet learned how. One of these days I will bite the bullet and just do it!
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Old 02-27-2011, 03:49 PM
  #109  
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I quilted for 30 yrs before I found out what causes wavy borders. Now I always use lengthwise cuts and no more wavy borders. I asked everybody I saw about wavy borders but nobody seemed to know why.
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Old 02-27-2011, 03:51 PM
  #110  
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Originally Posted by pkary
Not to waste my money by buying more material than I need for the intended project. A) I almost never actually make what I bought the material for in the first place and B) it turns out I love to make scrappy quilts! What would I do without all those left over pieces!
I learned ages ago to ALWAYS buy more fabric than you need just in case you make a mistake. The fabric is not always avail, especially if it was clearance.
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