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From Harriet Hargrave: Use the best fabric and batting you can afford on your quilts. Always look ahead to where you want to go when doing FMQ. Don't look at the needle because that is where you have been.
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Originally Posted by tkhooper
(Post 7222414)
Tell those lessons that have helped you so much that you pass them on to beginner quilters.
Yesterday my club mentor helped me with a strip quilt I was stitching in the ditch. I could not identify the "block. I could find the vertical lines but not the horizontal. My mentor told me to get my 91/2 inch square and start at two inches and keep looking until I find it. I did find it at 12 inches. Having such a helpful mentor is wonderful. It is making all the difference between finding quilting impossible and loving quilting. Share your lessons here. |
I had a quilt pieced by someone else. I was trying to quilt it using the "Stitch in the Ditch" quilting pattern. I could easily identify the seams that ran vertically down the quilt.
I was having a difficult time identifying the seams that ran clear across the quilt horizonally. My mentor said to start in one corner with my 9 1/2 inch square and measure a square of 2 inches. See if that horizontal seam would go clear across if not try at 3, then 4 and so on until I found the seam that ran clear across the quilt. I finally found it at 12 inches. Does that clarify? But this thread is about sharing that piece of quilting advice that helps you the most when quilting. |
I don't think there is one particular piece of advice that has been the "crossroads" of quilting for me, anyway....all the advice and lessons combined have been what makes me a "good" quilter....I think patience is very much the one "virtue" that is needed and sometimes stretched to its limit...but the outcome is well worth the effort.
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I suggest getting a small tackle box with a tray to corral all your small tools. They are always there when you need them.
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(1) Good sewing doesn't happen after 1.00am......go to bed!
(2) Press, press, press (3) Load up extra bobbins in prep. (4) Before you start to "fix" your crisis........ think it through, decide your battleplan then go away for a while and do something else. When you do come back to it, look at your plan with fresh eyes and perspective before doing anything. |
Join quiltingboard.com ! Even though I have sewn for 50 + years, I think I learn something new everyday. I have gained more confidence in my ability but also don't stress over small mistakes. I will never attain the level of many on this board, marvel in their artistic ability, but continue to stretch my skills and am happy and comfortable "in my own skin". Enjoy the journey!
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Ruby love your advice and agree totally.
EmiliasNana again I agree totally. |
I always make a copy of my pattern before I start it. Then I carefully read through it and highlight important info so I don't make stupid mistakes such as cutting strips 2 inches, not 3 inches. If there are lots of color changes I snip off a piece of each fabric and tape or staple it to a sheet of paper with notes of where it will go. I also put a note on the cut pieces so I know where it goes in this block or that. Finally I make one of each block so I am clear as to what I intended. Yes this does take a while, but it eliminates costly dumb mistakes like the one I made on an expensive kit. I couldn't get more of the focus fabric in that case and wasted yards of fabric. When I do this I can leave the project for a few days or weeks and easily pick up where I left off too.
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Originally Posted by EmiliasNana
(Post 7224292)
Join quiltingboard.com .........! I think I learn something new everyday. I have gained more confidence in my ability but also don't stress over small mistakes. I will never attain the level of many on this board, marvel in their artistic ability, but continue to stretch my skills and am happy and comfortable "in my own skin". Enjoy the journey!
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