tallchick

Do you have any mistakes that you repeatedly make when quilting? For me it’s cutting too many borders. I prefer to miter my borders and I prefer cutting them lengthwise, but it seems I can never remember that I only need to cut 2 and not 4, you’d think I would know better by now!

Do you have one that you do over and over?

Rhonda K

I am a hard study on keeping long strips straight when sewing them together. Generally, I will sub-cut the strips if I can. I'd rather keep only 20 inches straight through the feed dogs. Careful pressing and not ironing with the curved edge of the iron helps too.

Won't you still need 4 borders for your quilt even if you miter them?

Doggramma

I cut too many strips for bindings. And I almost always get my top crooked when sandwiching, so I end up having to add a little more backing or batting as I quilt.

Tartan

Starting a little project with scraps, deciding I love it and have no more of the fabric.

SillySusan

Too many mistakes to list here. I tend to wear out those little rippy things!!

rryder

Cutting too many strips for binding- even though I always do the math to figure out how many I need. Forgetting to write down what batting(s) I used when quilting a quilt that I intend to show is another mistake that I make a lot. You’d be surprised how hard it is to remember a few months later.

But the main mistake I repeat over and over is getting a twist in my binding when I join it up after sewing onto the quilt. Happens nearly every time

Rob

JustAbitCrazy

I'm another that often gets a twist in the final binding tail. One time I ripped out and redid that final seam five times before I got it right! First the twist was on this side, then the other side twice, then the first side again....Sheesh. I should have quit after the second rip out and come back to it the next day, which is what I usually do. That day I was really stubborn, I think I was on a too-close deadline (like the next morning, lol).
I recently discovered the Magic Binding tutorial on YouTube, and when I follow it to a T I have no more twists. Those ladies tell you specifically: open up the right side tail face up, open up the left side tail face down. I have used this method more than a dozen times (because I made 10 mock ups for a demo at my guild) and have not had one twist yet.

Jingle

I always just guess how many binding strips I will need for a quilt. If it is bigger than my usual size I cut a couple more. They can always be used as leftovers in a scrappy quilt or piano key borders, etc. Not as bad as not having enough strips and having to add more. A real pain.

dunster

When I want to change the top thread on the longarm, I am supposed to cut the old thread near the cone, join the ends of the existing thread and thread from the new cone, then pull the thread through all the tension discs and thread guides until the new thread is at the needle. But sometimes I forget one of these steps. It never turns out well.

Mkotch

I do that, too, and end up making a bed-sized scrappy quilt. It is amazing how a small project can grow, all by itself!