Based on some of the recent posts, I want to repeat an earlier post about rules for quiltmaking.

1. Accurate marking/measuring
2. Accurate cutting
3. Accurate piecing.

Beyone this it is what the quiltmaker brings to the process. Regardless the reason 1/4" seam allowance was established, this is the norm and must be adheared to for consistency in the piecing.

Consider patchwork like a jigsaw puzzel. The pieces must be accurate for them to fit into the overall puzzel.

Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes we forget (or misplace) the fundamentals!

Reminders are good. Thanks.

I would add two more things to this short list.

For me, if this is an item that will be washed -

Prewash the fabrics and fabric trims (possible exception - some battings) before cutting.

Pressing as one goes. (Finger pressing sometimes counts!)


Sometimes one has to "experiment" to get that perfect combination of cutting and seam width.

And use the same ruler (or ruler brand) for the whole project.

I'm not a washer so i don't agree with that as a rule, but I 100% agree with the pressing. Press every seam. Always helps make a great piece even better. :)

Three rules:

1. make your quilt with love

2. design and quilt what you want

3. enjoy the process

another guideline

finished is better than perfect

I've also found that you need to use the same machine for the whole project. I attended a workshop and was using my Singer FW, then went home and tried to finish the project with my Bernina. There was a difference, very slight, but noticeable to me.

Along those lines -

If one has to put a project away before it's complete -

Put a note in with the project - say what ruler one was using, what machine was using with what presser foot and/or settings - what thread one was using.

I had changed rulers and presser feet for making a block - the doggone thing ended up over 1/2 inch smaller than the rest of them. Still not sure what caused the difference.

Tried,tried and tried again the Three rules, not ment to be for me,soooo I decided years ago to
1.just go with it,
2.never enter a contest, and
3.never gift a quilt to another quilter!

LOL,and I think a 4th rulle applies to me too, keep 'em scrappy , scrappy hides a multitude of sins ! This does make me think twice about posting pixs of "my masterpieces " though....

Rae

I think "accurate (or rather careful) pressing" is a must as well for good quilt prep. The more you do accurately in the preparation stage, the easier your blocks will go together and the better the quilt will look.

Very good reminders :D:D:D Thank You!

After my experience this week with not prewashing fabric, I'll never forget again. I bought a good LQS piece of fabric fussy cut a piece and realized that I'd forgotten to prewash (as were the rules for a swap). So I decided to handwash the piece, block it, and go on. NOT. The darn thing shrank a little more than 1/8 inch on all sides. Prewashing does make a difference. Back to the cutting board after I washed all the fabrics I just bought.

I think I'm going to take a page from a couple ladies on the board. I'm going go start pinking the edges before washing. That way, I'll KNOW what has been prewashed and hasn't.

Measure thrice, cut once.

Keep a sharp blade in your rotary cutter to accurate cutting.

There is no unwashed fabric in my quilting studio with the exception of one little stack and that is put away separately in a bag and labelled. That being said, I like my fabric to have "body" so I use Mary Ellen's best press liberally. Using this or starch helps keep bias edges from stretching out of shape.

All of this is my personal preferences. I'm a little bit anal (well, OK, a lot anal) and I like things to be precise. I have a friend who rarely has a perfectly matched seam or a perky point and she's happy as a lark with it. I'd be a lot less stressed if I were more like her - LOL.

Good guidelines/rules, don't always go by all of them, but still good.

Don't forget to square your blocks correctly!

You said it all in a nutshell!!! :P

I am beginning to think that I am accurately handicapped!! :|