Neuras

Other than just go with it of have fun, cut straight.5 or mans sure you have extra blades & needles. What are some tricks or techniques you would hand off as your most treasured secret when piecing or quilting. thank you

Jane Quilter

Mastering the perfect quarter inch seam consistently.

kathy

hold on to the last inch with a stiletto or something because it always tries to go crooked

rryder

What Jane and Kathy said, also learning how to press without distorting blocks, esp. HST blocks. And, for those times when you need to be extra precise matching seams or getting good points when joining blocks or rows- use your sewing machine to baste all the intersections before sewing the entire row or block.

The way I do it is: 1. take a few stitches at each intersection (do Not baste in between the intersections). 2.open them up to see how they look 3. take out and readjust any that need it. 4. Sew down entire row or block making sure to sew exactly over the basting stitches when you come to each intersection. This has saved me a lot of ripping out over the years.


Rob

Onebyone

Stitch slowly.
Know the difference of thread types, size, weights, and ply.
Know what size and type of needle to use with thread choice.
Cut the seam to a V when having multiple joins to not have a big bump in the center of a block.

PaperPrincess

Different threads and fabrics can affect your seam allowance, so check at the beginning of each project. Takes 2 minutes, saves hours. The more patches a block has the more important this is.
Pin, using thin sharp ones.
Starch.

toverly

The Sewing Edge by Marci Baker has been the best "tip" I have ever received. It's a sticky purple strip that can be set on your machine bed at the precise scant quarter inch. I have a tendency to work on tiny blocks where a few threads can make a block work on not work. The little pad helps with consistency making every machine the same.

Tartan

My newest favourite tip I shared on QB about making a single hole plate out of tape for my machine to prevent it eating triangles while piecing.

Onebyone

Thank you for that! I put a piece of tape on my machine when I first read your post and it's still on there. Greatest tip of the year.

Watson

I read somewhere that when you butt seams to join points, always put the pin in BEFORE the seam. I've been doing this and I don't know why, but it makes a big difference. My points and joins are a lot more accurate.

Watson