Huh join the club of untidy backs, some of mine are bad bad,

The only other thing that helps to stop the knotting is when you have sewn several stitches and hit the first one that won´t putll through, I cut the short end about an 1/8th off, that stops the blighter knotting and tangling for a bit and I just keep doing that. Glad the shorter length works.

I have discovered another problem and hope someone can help. I can' t seem to get an adequate tracing line on my fabric using dressmakers tracing paper. I have tried different colors and press down real hard, but the lines are very faint. I use chalk to go over the line so I can see it.

Have I gotten 2 bad packs? or is there a secret to it?

Roxanne, what colour is your background fabric. I will tell you what I use on my black fabric. The white pencil that you use to make your nails white underneath. It works a treat on black and it rubs off with an eraser. I just keep it nice and sharp and get a great white line.

Another trick I have when I am marking my embroidery lines I place the pattern on top of the fabric and using a thick needle the kind you use for darning, or upholstery stab through the paper and the fabric it leaves holes all the way around where you mark the embroidery. I then use my pencil to join up the holes which eventually disappear.Use the same trick when I have a fabric on top of a fabric to place one on top of the other. Makes sense????

I also use my window as a light box. I just tape my pattern and fabric to it. its great what tricks you can come up with when finances are tight.

I have that same problem, Roxanne. So I started printing half the block on freezer paper, then ironing that onto a second layer of freezer paper and cutting out a 1/4 section using the center lines marked on the design. Then I start by cutting around the outside of any design pieces and laying the 1/4 of the design on the front of my fabric and tracing around the outside edges. For instance I just did Block 22. I used the section that had 5 and 6 in the corner. Cut inside the outside black lines of 5 & 6. Layed that piece into where it would fit on 1/4 of my block using the center lines I had marked on the fabric (actually, I mark them and then stitch with a basting stitch so I can use them to straighten up my blocks later). After I mark all four sections with the outside line, then I cut inside the black lines on the inside section of 5 and 6 and the outside section of 19 and 35. Do you see where I'm going here. Then the pieces you have cut out (5, 5, 19, 35, etc. become your templates for your applique.

It's probably as clear as mud, but it works for me. I am not good at tracing the lines with the lightbox and, like you, the tracing paper doesn't work at all for me, so this is what I have come up with.

Some of the real intricate blocks I am doing with the backbasting method, so I use this system on the back of the quilt. I may have some blocks that end of backwards if I forget to turn the pattern over, but who will know, but me, unless I tell them.

Wow Judy, I understand what you are doing but sure sounds like a hard way to do it.

the only ones I have found that need the pattern turned so they are mirror images are the scrolls.

It really isn't hard, Elle. You have to cut out the pieces for templates anyway. And for me it's a lot easier than trying to trace.

I just use my 12 1/2" ruler balanced between 2 chair seats and a lamp on the floor between the 2 chairs. I trace using the Fons & Porter white chalk pencil. I find that if I have it out of the tip long enough :roll: that I don't have to press hard. (I get concerned about stretching my fabric) I might have to go over the line a little bit when I get to a specific piece..but this is easiest for me.

Glad the thread is behaving itself a little better now.

Roxanne, I think you did an excellent job! :thumbup: