JuneBillie

These tips are very useful to me. I remember when I first started quilting, I didn't know one fabric from another except get 100% cotton, and that's it. I found out how hard it was to sew with some thread I bought in the white that kept knotting up on me. I also learned what my mother use to say about feeling the fabric, and I have learned more about quality from that. There is so much I want to learn, and I have fun doing it.

bearisgray

Again - whatever works for you -

This is why I do as I do now.

I've even had washed fabrics (RJR, by the way) bleed when I sprayed starch/sizing on them. Or left them wet in the laundry basket too long.

I started to measure before and after washing after I noticed that a lot of pieces (cat prints that I paid more than usual for) were measuring only 35 inches when I was going to use them - and I KNOW I purchased a yard (from a LQS ) Some fabrics had very little shrinkage - some had a lot - some shrank over two inches WOF (Michael Miller solid black purchased from LQS) - VIP usually did not shrink at all. One of the times I did not wash/preshrink a fabric was when I made covers (like huge pillow cases) for couch cushions. There was plenty of ease to get them on and off easily so I didn't bother to wash the fabric first. Then I washed them - now I need to wrestle them off and on because they are very tight.

Also because of some 5x5 squares my Mom had given me that she purchased from a catalog quilt store (I think it was from Quilts & Other Comforts) - most of the squares did end up being about 5x5 after being washed and dried. One ended up 5x4.5. On a 40 inch WOF, that would end up being a 36 inch WOF after being washed.

Perhaps I should have said "inaccurate cutting" or "inconsistent cutting" instead of "sloppy cutting" - this same neighbor brought over "squares" for a layout that I think she just eye-balled. When actually measured they varied a lot. I bought some cut strips at a garage sale - I was all excited about them - until I unfolded them. They were Ws!

I don't even try to rotary cut a lot of layers at a time anymore. It may be more efficient for some - it isn't for me because I have slippage. If I goof up, I have eight goofs instead of only one or two.

Checking out a pattern first - I had bought these printed plastic templates - they should have been accurate because I bought them, right? I very carefully cut them out on the center of the line and was using them. Every time I tried to join a square, it needed to be eased or stretched to fit. I FINALLY measure the template - it was 1/8 inch longer in one direction than the other. Of course, I didn't figure that out until a year or so after the quilt was made!

Another older book had this pattern - but the angles were way off - so if I had done it 'as is' - it would have never turned out flat.

Most of the 'knowing when a pattern is wrong' does come from experience.

As far as fabrics that either had excess dye or bleeders - for an applique project I bought Moda marbles - dark brown, dark green, dark red, and intense yellow. The intense yellow kept turning the water yellow. I don't remember for sure about the other colors, but the yellow surprised me. One of the Moda reds I had turned the water red and dyed the selvage pink. I do remember at least one fabric from almost every color family being a bleeder. I have enough stained pieces to remind me to NEVER assume that a fabric is colorfast.

I'm not able to tell just by looking at a fabric whether it's going to have excess or unstable dye, or if it's going to shrink.

It's just EASIER FOR ME to treat everything before cutting it, so I don't need to worry about it later. I resent the need for additional caution when washing a commercially dyed fabric. So I do what I can to make it easier for the owner of the finished item to take care of it. I figure that most Moms that are tossing a quilt in the washer that Baby has put something on are not going to be thinking about color catchers or Synthrapol .

I do have some cottons in my stash I would not buy again. There was a Kaufman that the LQS person INSISTED would straighten out after it was washed. It didn't. I try to check the grainlines on a fabric before buying now. If it's printed off-grain, no amount of tugging is going to get that print on-grain. I just don't like the texture of some of them now. I try to buy as much of a given fabric at one time as I think I will need for a project. Dye lots can vary.

These are some of the reasons why I do as I do.
I am not pointing a gun at anyone's head to do the same.
I am not trying to make anyone feel foolish or dumb or offend anyone. I'm trying to show where I have been uninformed/unaware and where trying to save myself a nickel cost me a quarter or trying to save 20 minutes cost me hours in re-do time later.

I usually only continue to do something if it is relevant, reasonable, or rational to my way of thinking - and it has been more useful/helpful to do so than to omit the step.

Different people think differently and what is imperative to some (starching/sizing, for example) is not imperative to all.

Maybe I've just been unluckier or dumber than many of you?? (I've even had issues with LQS fabrics - although maybe Alexander Henry, Benartex, RJR, Kaufman, Kaufman of California, Michael Miller maybe aren't 'good enough' to count as 'good' LQS fabrics?)

Take what is useful and or helpful to you - ignore the rest.

There are several topics that quilters strongly disagree on - washing, starching, seam pressing, etc. - eventually we come to terms with what we are comfortable with - (And we wonder why nations don't/can't get along?)

One last thing - I make a lot more mistakes when I am tired - so going on when I should stop and take a nap is counter-productive.

Recent example: I sewed buttons on wrong - I marked them three inches off where they should have been. I had them spaced perfectly - just started in the wrong place!

Peace.

bearisgray

Things I do worry about once I've completed a quilt:

Someone using bleach on it.
Tears.
Stains that can't be removed that were beyond my control.
Burns.

I've also come across pulled out seams - reasons for that were: skimpy seam allowance - fabric that frayed easily - unsuitable fabric such as flimsy polyester or satin - repairing them is a lot more work than avoiding them in the first place.

I don't like to fix things or do things over.

When I see posts with a question about how to fix an item where the seams are coming apart, or the other fabrics have been stained by a fabric bleeding, or the item won't lay flat, or how to straighten a panel that was printed off-grain - experience is a great teacher - but why not take someone else's word for how to avoid some of those situations when they've been there, done that?

Pagzz

Count me as one who is not offended by the title of this post.

So I don't regret actions/purchases I make - I need to remember:

• Don’t cut all fabric for components of a block until I am sure I am cutting the right size and the pattern is correct.
• Leave a note with projects I am setting aside so that in 2 months I remember that I was using foot g on my Pfaff and not the ¼ inch foot or something similar
• Keep all of a project together until it is finished.
• I don’t need to purchase the new template or ruler until I am actually ready to make a project with it if then.
• Check the bottom tension as I am quilting frequently! I have 32 hours of work in the quilting on a woman’s quilt and I just found a problem that will take 12 or more hours to correct. I started with good tension and never looked again. Sadness.

I wash my fabrics and I like quilt shop quality fabrics. I think repurposed clothing is great also because it will be evident if it is good enough quality.
I don’t care how passionate anyone is about washing or not washing. I do what works for me. I have 58 blocks that were given to me when I was President of our guild. I have to take antihistamines when I working on putting them together. I don’t know if it is that some of the fabric is unwashed or if there is some smoke or pet dander on a few of them but the truth is that I get stuffy and my head aches when I am sewing them. Once I get the nightmare quilt mentioned above done. I will quilt this top up and then I can wash it and enjoy it.

loisf

It seems there's a hot-button item for every hobby. In quilting, it's the pre-wash/don't pre-wash issue. On the hosta forum, it was the destroy hosta with the HVX virus/don't destroy issue. Different strokes... I really enjoy all the information on this forum. Thanks to everyone who participates.

bearisgray

Add to that - I was sewing some filmy polyester and changed the throat plate to the one-hole one - forgot and set the needle to the far left position - broke two needles! before I remembered that I needed to put the zigzag throat plate in!

Good suggestions about leaving notes to oneself when leaving a project. I have some UFOs that are mysteries now. A two minute note to myself would have saved me hours of wondering "what was I doing here" - Also need a reminder about which ruler I was using.

bearisgray

There are several topics that have separate camps!

Eventually most of us settle on a routine that we are comfortable with.

I do feel for the newbies that ask what seems to be a simple question, and they get numerous replies.

Such as: "Which way should I press the seams?"

So many times the correct answer is "It depends. . . " and experience really is the best teacher. But in the meantime, the question is asked in hopes of avoiding some major mistakes.

Of course, then we would have to have the discussion about what a "major mistake" is - - -

MadQuilter

I have no problem with the title. It makes sense to me. It makes sense that you are expressing YOUR opinion and it's not like you are calling anyone out. I do some of the foolish things you mentioned some of the time, knowing full well that I am taking a risk. Sometimes it pays off - sometimes it doesn't. Then I pay for it. Easy as that! Case in point - my rotary blade REALLY needs changing, needed it for a while actually.......

raedar63

I just want to talk to new quilters out there that may be on a strict budget , don't think for a second that you have to have fancy tools and fabrics . Now if you can afford all the gadgets and luxurious fabrics that is wonderful , however , if you really want to sew, just remember that 20 or so years ago these things did not exist and many beautiful quilts were made. I know some VERY POOR ladies that still use cardboard templates cut from various food boxes and use every scrap that comes their way. So to those that can not afford to even buy "on sale" fabric do not loose hope if you want to make a quilt that will be used and loved. I myself quit sewing for a long time because I was so discouraged thinking I had to have the finished quilts longarm quilted to make them "worthy" After a swift kick I started sewing again, Do I make masterpieces? Show quilts? Absolutely not , and never will , but I do make quilts that I love , and that my friends is what counts. I am not trying to rant here , I just do not want someone that can not afford it to think that they can not sew . I know people that do not always know where their next light bill money is coming from and I would hate for them to think that they can not have an enjoyable hobby. I know a lady that has not had heat in her home for three years , She turns out many many quilts and sells them to buy her medications, You know where she gets fabric? She cuts up dime and quarter clothing from yard sales ! She loves to sew and it gives her extra cash. I have bought two of her quilts and they are holding up just fine . I hope this does not offend those that think you have to have the best , I just want those that can not afford it to know they can still enjoy a rewarding hobby Sometimes we are so fortunate that we have no idea, or we quickly forget just how tough some have it

Neesie

Amen, to all of the above! Buying expensive fabric doesn't make a quilt better; it just makes it more expensive.