Techniques/Tricks I was excited to learn how to do - - -
 

The partial seam trick/technique - opened up so many block patterns -

That "tails/dog-ears/triangles 'sticking out' from one piece that I want to sew to another piece"- are "normal" and that marking the seam lines until I catch on to where and how the pieces join was worth the effort.

Do you have any techniques/tricks that were "a-hA" events for you?

Popping the block joining seams to make the intersection 'twirl'.

Learning the quilter's knot for hand sewing.

Using my thumbnail for popping the end of thread knot into the fabric for no thread breakage or pulled fabric.

99% of all the a-ha moments I have experienced has come from classes and workshops.

Learning to paper piece was definitely the technique that was most exciting for me...maybe because it was also the most frustrating.

Watson

Exactly Bear!

I mark seam lines all the time especially on triangles. You can also trim those ears off the pieces too before stitching.

chain piecing!! A million years I saw a friend putting four patches through one right after another and said "thats all wrong" :)

leaders and enders for the boring parts of a quilt

Partial seams; the quilter’s knot; fmq; inserting piping into a binding and then sewing both the front and back by machine in a way that looks good enough for shows (thank you Susan Cleveland!); basting areas where points need to match up with my machine before joining the whole row (can’t remember who I got that one from, it was either Carol Doak or Marti Michelle); joining the ends of binding with no math (thanks Tim Lattimer); thtere’s probably more...

Rob

Wow! I’m reading this and have no idea what you guys are talking about. I have so much to learn.

an ah-ha for me was seeing spun seams in the center of blocks. I’ve done it on a few blocks and am still working on mastering it. Reduces so much bulk.

Can you give the link for that technique please, Bear?
The partial seams I mean!

Using glue and an iron for tricky seams and basting

I hope more people start using Elmers Washable School Glue to help hold tricky seams, binding and keeping bias cuts manageable while sewing them.

Here's one reference:

http://piecebynumber.com/partial-seam-technique/

That I did not need to use "exactly" matching thread for piecing. Actually, unless for top-stitching, "exactly" matching thread is seldom necessary for many other sewing projects.

Oh my, over 35 years of quilting and teaching I have found, developed, stumbled on, and heard so many trick/tips/techniques I could (should?!) write a book!!

Trying to think of one I haven't already shared here in the years I've been a member....
Here is a quick way to make quarter-square triangles. I often use this to make use of leftover HSTs that I'd rather put to another use.

Jan in VA

When sewing a snowball on the end of a strip. Mark your line, but be sure to sew one to two
" stitch " lines over from your marked line on the piece you are going to cut off. Just need to allow for the fold line or it will be a tad short.

This might help people who can't iron straight. lol like me.
I made a new cover for my ironing board using a striped material. When Ironing a strip of fabric, I use the lines to make sure the strip is straight, just like you would do on your cutting mat.

Donna Jordan's use of the long ruler to keep fabric straight on the ironing board. Now I have straight lines, no more curves.

I liked Missouri Star’s video about sewing two charms together along the sides and cutting them in the middle. Then add another piece to one of them and sew it into a four patch.

Making hst's oversize and then trimming, strip piecing, chain piecing, leaders and enders, ironing seams to one side.

Going old school and learning to pull a thread and then using scissors to cut long sashings and borders. What a revelation!

I despise rotary cutting. Over twenty years of quilting I still can't rotary cut without the dreaded "v". Now my rotary is only used to trim units and blocks.

I have learned a lot of things but, I remember the old ways better.

Donna Jordan's hint to use a weight to hold down the end of a 24" ruler so it doesn't move as you cut along it. Bonnie Hunter's spinning seam intersections. I don't know where I learned it, but joining the ends of binding by overlapping them by the width of the strips before cutting off the excess makes my bindings so much nicer than inserting one end into the other. I wish I could remember half of the tips and tricks I've heard or read about over the years!

Leslie

When I learned to glue baste was “ah-ha” moment for me. Learning to use ultra thin iron on interfacing to make larger appliqués, and using the glue to place my appliqués so I can hand stitch them down was a revelation too!

I'm so glad that I discovered Emerald Meadows' YouTube video on joining the ends of binding. I didn't like the look of tucking one end inside the other, and I really couldn't understand Fons & Porters' method despite numerous attempts. Then I discovered Emerald! I play his video and sew along with him for perfect joins every time.

What a great thread! Thank you Bearisgray for starting it. My contribution: Cut strips a thread or two larger than the finished size to allow for the turn of cloth. After sewing, measure to make sure it's the right size.

Thank you for this. I am just about to start the Kaffe Mystery Quilt and the first two clues involve snowballs. Several people have mentioned on the FB Group that they are coming up short. I think your tip will solve that problem.

Do you have a link for this method?

Elmer's Washable School Glue.... Learning about this changed lots of things. Gluing the tips of smaller triangles or any smaller pieces together and heat setting, plus gluing bindings. ALL my work looks way more professional and clean now. I buy the stuff on sale during the "back to school" sales.

ThreadHead, I love that idea! Too bad I just recovered my board a few weeks ago. Hopefully, I'll remember it next time!

Reversing the direction of the seams when sewing long strips together to keep it from curving. That was a real aha moment for me. Now I can put more than one border on my quilts, yeaaaaa.

Donna Jordan's hint to use a weight to hold down the end of a 24" ruler so it doesn't move as you cut along it.

I agree with Leslie, this is the best trick I've seen in Years.

There isn't a specific video of just this technique, but she shows it in the video of the Strip Tube Tannenbaum (928) at about the 6:30 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS9NHIF74a8

Leslie

Thank you. I even have a metal yardstick to do this with.

This is a great thread!

rryder - “basting areas where points need to match up with my machine before joining the whole row (can’t remember who I got that one from, it was either Carol Doak or Marti Michelle)”

It’s Carol Doak! I took her class on Craftsy and that’s just one of her routines that make paper-piecing more enjoyable and, I use it on regular piecing when there are seams that should line up.

Wanabee Quiltin - "I liked Missouri Star’s video about sewing two charms together along the sides and cutting them in the middle. Then add another piece to one of them and sew it into a four patch."

Could you be a bit more specific? I can’t get and image to search for. Tx

peaceandjoy – “ Too bad I just recovered my board a few weeks ago. Hopefully, I'll remember it next time!”

Saw this on one of the many sites I’ve visited recently: use a long ruler and draw a line on you ironing board. One is all that’s needed.

Keep those ideas coming!

Making 8 at a time HSTs! I'm doing HSTs all the time now!
Leaders and Enders, chain piecing, strip piecing, butting seams for sharp corners!
There's so much but these are the things I use all the time.

How do you make 8 HST at a time?

It's so easy and goes so fast! I keep this chart posted by my cutting table for quick reference. I found the chart on Pinterest.
http://blocloc.com/wp-content/upload...rt-for-HST.pdf

Slapping my forehead. Why don't I think of these things? Hmmmm.... Do I want to mark up my pretty new cover, or go with the long metal ruler a la Donna Jordan? We're having the floors redone soon, and I am sure those metal rulers would cause quite a mark if it falls and hits on a corner.

Thanks for the link, Linda. That will come in really handy.

Leslie

I have for a long time had a line on my ironing board cover. I used Sharpie permanent marker and made a line that is 12" long. It comes in handy for so many things, and I have never had it come off on anything, even with steam or spray.