Fantastic reply, I LOVE it.

Humm never good about rules but have made myself a couple. I always wash, I want everything to be shrunk before I use it and no color bleed surprises. I use starch as I like stiff material to piece with. Buy material wherever I like it.I like to piece on my treadle machine but also have an embroidery machine combo.Am kind of a gadget girl so I do like new things but I have to justify them to myself LOL have appliqued but am kind on anal about not seeing my stitches so I don't do it often.Done PP but haven't used the blocks in anything.Love the tips on here. I try them to see if they work for me,if they do,Whoopee if not, must be I'm not understanding what they are explaining. If someone asks me how to do something I say this is how I do it,but you may find a better way.I have never like being told what to do especially if I haven't asked. So in return I don't police anybody either.

Same here
The words "easier" and "quicker" are ones I respond to when looking at a different or new method to do something. I love having choices and learning new things

Looks like many of the members (that responded, anyway) are independent thinkers - - - :D :D :D - - - and flexible enough to use/do/try what seems appropriate for the project/task at hand.

Good for us!!!

I agree, everyone should do it their way. I do think everyone should keep an open mind to new or old ideas. I have been sewing off and on for 60 years and quilting off and on for 30 years. When I joined this board I learned so much. The best hints that I use are to starch my fabric (I always wash), Sharon Schambers method of sandwiching a quilt (I always hated that task), and if I do my best, it is good enough. I do like to buy good fabric, not necessarily at the LQS, sometimes on sale, because I put a lot of work into a quilt and I want it to last for awhile. I do not like JoAnns but Hobby Lobby and Walmart do carry fairly decent fabric. I buy most on line. All of us can't be award wiinning quilters, I was/am a perfectionist so sometimes that is really hard.

Guess it just depends on the circumstances at the time. I do whatever works at the time with the fabric I have available.

I do things differently with every quilt. I have even - gasp- machine-quilted a cople of items. Some of my favorite quilts have all the above in one quilt.
I usually wash and iron and starch my fabrics right before I use them. To me, it is like starting with a fresh piece of white paper in a typewriter. (Remember those?)
I also like binding on the bias, but it is not a hard or fast rule. Fabric does not lend itself to hard or fast anything. Generally speaking fabric arts are soft and slow but that is why I appreciate them so much.
I prefer to hand-quilt because I make gifts for family members and I love hand-quilted items myself (unless it is "Walmart quilting" by Indonesian 9 yo boys. Then it saddens me that they have to work instead of going to school.)Each person makes these decisions for a variety of reasons and there is no right or wrong way to do it.

I am with you there!

I always wash my fabrics because I have allergies to the chemicals in the fabrics and all the perfume that they accumulate in the stores. I don't use sizing or starch, its an unnecessary step in my opinion. Some blocks just need steam pressing. I'm not a fan of paper piecing, but will do it if there's no other way to accomplish it.
I've been quilting for 25 years and have learned lots of things in that time frame.
I buy fabrics from Joann's,Hobby Lobby and LQS, but only good fabrics, not the sort that feels harsh.
My machines vary from TOL machines to treadles. More often than not most of my quilts are pieced with one of my treadle machines, I like the simplicity of them and the great stitch quality. I don't like poor quality machines, its not fun to sew if the machine won't behave. My quilts are made entirely by machine, straight grain binding.
For my larger quilts I'll rent a LA machine so I can quilt them myself.

I have made a few McKenna Ryan quilts and had someone mention that they did not think that "fusing" a design was "quilting". Well, I suppose it isn't but after the fusing is done, the piece is "quilted". I was a bit taken aback by the statement. Like others, I also feel that you need to do whatever you want to get the results that you are going for on a piece. If it's what you like, if it's what you want, if it gives you the result you like, then go for it!!! Isn't that why there are 27 (even more) flavors of ice cream?

I do what works for me... and <gasp> I also sometimes use the reverse side of fabric on the front of a project!

To each his own....This website is the best thing that ever happened to quilters. Personally, it doesn't matter how the quilt is constructed, pieced, appliqued or what. The finshied product and the satisfaction we get from it are the only things that really count. And the best part is we all get to see it and share the pride of the quiltmaker.

To each his own....This website is the best thing that ever happened to quilters. Personally, it doesn't matter how the quilt is constructed, pieced, appliqued or what. The finshed product and the satisfaction we get from it are the only things that really count. And the best part is we all get to see it and share the pride of the quiltmaker.

I think all of these things bring out the quilt police!!! Ha!! As for me I do it my way. About the only fabrics I will be sure to test for bleeding are reds and some purples. I once had a really bad experience with a red fabric. It was washed 20 times and still bled. So I do test most reds, some greens and browns have bled for me too. If I am doing applique I will color test if applique is on light fabric.
As for everything else, I'm for everyone doing what works for them.

Well said!
Kif

Like most quilters, I do just whatever happens to float my boat on any particular day!

Whatever works!

I believe this is the ONLY time that the quilt police would be welcome. "Arrest that lout for using my good quilting scissors to slice open the box that the new lawn mower came in!!" jk.

Even though most of us will do what feels good and right in our quest for art expression, I've found many helpful and useful ideas from other members. Plus, there have been so many areas I never had a thought about, I've gained some wonderful knowledge from reading these posts. I love the individualism in each post, and the sharing. I'm an addict who checks this site daily for inspiration and ideas.

I gather information....evaluate it.....then do what is right for me.....Years ago I pre washed all my fabric, until the ravels on the ends and all the ironing and folding got the better of me....now do not prewash anything !...I like almost everything so that is what I do, I don't do what I don't like because it will never turn out correct, because my attitude will show......I made quilts for family members until they no longer cared, I now only make charity quilts and they are ALWAYS appreciated......I sew for my self not the world, whatever floats my boat at the time....summer is different from winter....but one goal of trying a new pattern evey month or so has been very interesting, to date have not really done any pattern twice. Do like the saying she who dies with fabric, didn't sew fast enough.....

I learned to quilt as a very small child - literally on the knee of my mother. She and my grandmother made exquisite quilts, with amazing needle work. So when I began quilting again I used what I learned from them. THEN I found this board. Gone is the quilt tightly placed in the frame, in fact, gone is the frame! hello, lap quilting! I have now learned to rock my needle, I have tried new patterns, new ways of doing things, and I am so happy with my quilting. I have a ton to learn, and I am happy to hear about how others are doing things. Thank you to you all!

:D You forgot to add the controversy over how to sew binding onto a quilt... zigzag fabric sandwich together first, stitch folded binding strips together first before stitching to quilt. :D It is nice we can pick and choose as we like and toss out what doesn't work for us... or takes too much time and/or the fun out of it for us.

I think all of these 'sides' are flexible. When I'm talking to a newbie, I tell them what the 'standard' is and why people vary from it. Products are flexible, processes are as well. In addition, your personal experience plays a role.

An additional 'side' would be pressing seams open vs. over. I had problems with 'well used' quilts when I tried pressing seams open, so I don't do that except for small wall quilts. Pressing the seam 'over' clearly makes the seam stronger, especially at stress points. However, it makes no difference for small quilts or tied quilts.

Oh, and binding - bias vs. straight grain. :) I'm a definite bias binder, especially once I chomped the bullet and learned how to make continuous bias binding.

Like many others, I agree that worrying about what's right takes all the fun out of making quilts. I'm still rankling about the one who said that her blocks are always perfect and never have to be squared up. My quilts are not perfect, but they are mine. I'm not perfect, either.