Hello Quilters!!!!
I know we all could use a few tips to help us when we are quilting. Here are a few I got from different quilting magazines.
1. To keep track of your scissors for cutting thread and such cut a 48 inch piece of ribbonor thread . Tie it to the end of the finger hole of scissors then. Loop the other end around the carrying handle on your sewing machine.
2. Safety pin swatches of fabric you need to match on a key ring take along when you shop. Use a seperate pin for each swatch.
3. Try placing a book under the foot that is not on the machine pedal. This helps keep your hips and spine aligned and reduces back strain when sewing.
4. Next time you 're at your favorite fabric store, ask for an empty fabric bolt board. Wrap the board w/ an old towel safety pinned in place to make a lightweight, portable ironing surfav=ce to take to your next class.
5. Place your sewing machine on a terry cloth to reduce vibration and movement.
6. For an interesting decorative machine stich effect, thread 2 different colors of thread through a single #80/12 or #90/14 topstich needle. Thread the top of the machine as you would for a twin needle. Check your sewing machine manual for the optional method of threading a twin needle. Loosen the top tension so that the bobbin is not pulled to the surface.
7. Dish and pan scrubbers made from nylon netting work well to remove threads from your cutting mat.
8. A good way to practice free-motion quilting is to quilt your name over and over . Focus on the way you want your name to look and not on the mechanics of quilting.
9. Use medium gray or taupe thread for all your patchwork piecing, except for very light fabric color combinations.
10. To wrap a large quilt that you are giving as a present to someone place it in a laundry basket. Wrap the basket with an inexpensive disposable tablecloth.
11. Clean fusible web "goo" off your iron plate by ironing a fabric softner sheet. Protect your ironing board from the adhesive by using a brown paper bag.
12. Do not use fabric softner when drying fabrics you are pre-washing of for projects you have appliqued with fusible web. The agents in the fabric softner may prevent the fusible web from adhereing or loosen your appliques.
13. The next time you go for an eye exam , take your quilting with you to show the optometrist what you need to be able to see.
14. Make a design wall by covering a 4" x 8" sheet of foam insulation w/ a flannel sheet.
15. Save space by hanging an over the door shoe organizer on your sewing room door to hold sewing notions and small pieces of fabric.
16. Plastic meat trays are convenient containers to store small pieces of fabric or sewing notions.
17. To keep my thread from knotting and tangling whenI am hand stiching, I treat it by running my threaded needle through a folded fabric softner sheet placed inside a small zip loc bag.
18. Try using a wallpaper roller as a cordless iron when you are piecing. It saves energy and really works great.
19. This is a good trick to remember when sewing piping. Hold a stack of sticky notes against the piping as you sew. This helps you guide the piping through the machine straight and keeps the piping from wandering away from the needle.
20. Before stiching a machine embrodiery design, select all of the threads. Number the sections of a n empty egg carton, and place the thread spools in the carton in the order you will use them.
More tips later.
Happy Quilting to All from Bebe!!!!