What is your favorite tip? Mine is using a pipe cleaner to get the lint out of my sewing machine

Share yours!

For machine applique, I like to heavily starch the backgrounds so I don't need to use a stabilizer underneath. Starching also helps me make more accurate cuts.

Instead of spray starch, I use Sta-Flo (liquid available in stores with laundry supplies) diluted 1:1 with water. I "paint" on the starch using a medium-sized house painting brush, toss the yardage in the dryer, and then iron with steam. This makes quite a stiff and stable yardage.

When cutting the background pieces for applique, I cut an inch or two larger than needed. After the applique is done, I trim the block to exact size. (Learned this the hard way, after four pieces ended up with less than 1/8th of an inch available for seaming!)

Mary

I took an inexpensive "tomato" pincushion and divided it into sections with a marker. In each section I wrote the size of a sewing machine needle. I put used, but not used enough to throw out yet, needles by size in their sections. In the section that is the size I have in my sewing machine I put a flowered flat head pin. So, at a glance I know what size needle I have in my machine. Since I like to use a different size needle for cotton and flannel and machine quilting needles for machine quilting or sewing on binding I need to change my needle fairly often. Using the pin cushion for needles has really helped keep me organized.

Good tip. I'll be using this tip. Thanks.

Quilter101 Thanks for starting this thread.

I bought a flat tackle box and store my thread in it. I can re-arrange the section sizes and put only one colour of thread in a section along with the bobbin that still has that thread on it. I'm curious how other people store their bobbins and thread. I like to keep them together because I've had trouble with shades, even black and dark blue.

I hand quilt, and sometimes have trouble pulling the needle through the fabric and batting. I use a section of a "jar opener" to pull the needle. I bought the "jar opener" at a dollar tree, got 4 for $1. They look like a circular cut of rubber cabinet liner, a little bigger than a jar lid. I cut it into 4 pieces, and put it next to my quilting. This really saves my hands when pulling a stubborn needle.

Using a can of spray air (like a can of hairpsray or such but all that is in it is clean air) http://www.clp.co.uk/Product.asp?Prd=924634 to blast dust and lint out of my sewing machine

Some of my favorite tips either from others or something I figured out...

-Using sewing tape to mark my 1/4" on my machine plate till I bought my 1/4" foot
-Using an index card to put a block on to get an exact 1/4" in hand sewing...bigger block, just tape the cards together and use a ruler to match up the lines.
-Use post its to mark mags and catalogs for quick and easy find of project or notion
-Use a dryer sheet to clean my rotary cutter's lint and cutting board
-Use an acrylic paint brush, (for watercolors) to keep the lint cleaned out of the sewing machine...it clings to it like magic! And, you can easily pull it out. Here's just a few of many great hints of great help! Skeat

I made myself a "quilter's apron". Made a short bib apron with a row of different sized pockets along the bottom. I use those pockets to keep all the tools I use while I'm machine quilting - extra bobbins, seam ripper (yes, I make mistakes), tweezers, small artist's paintbrush (every time I change the bobbin I use this to clean the bobbin case area and the feed dog area), marking pencil, etc. Hang my small scissors around my neck, pin a piece of batting to the bib to stick pins in and I am set. It saves me a lot of frustration looking for my tools all the time.

Here's a couple more hints for good "needle pullers" when you hand quilt.

Take a tourniquette or however you spell it from a first aid kit or docs office. Cut into 1 inch sections. Works great for pulling out those stubborn needles.

Also, you can go to Dollar Tree and buy a package of balloons for a buck. Balloons conform really well to your fingers and they are thick enough you won't prick yourself through the balloon....just be careful if you are allergic to latex.