jcraine

Saw this on the board and tried it...I learned that you can get more use out of dull scissors by folding aluminum foil 4 times and cutting through it several times. I thought I was going to have to replace every pair of dull scissors in the house until I tried it.

Then I found this just a while ago and haven't tried it yet, but getting a few more cuts out of rotary blades would be awesome. Some of the commenters said it worked https://pennyshands.blogspot.com/201...ter-blade.html

TheMerkleFamily

It's a new day and I did learn something important that I'd like to pass along... especially to other newer quilters.

#1) Read and take the advice of the experienced here on the Quilting Board - it can save you much angst!
#2) Always go through your mail order packages (especially quilt kits & backing) right when you receive them. Make sure that you have received all of the correct items/fabrics and that they are the appropriate yardage.

Somewhere on this forum I read the advice that you should always "inventory your order" as soon as it comes in to catch any problems right away. The comments on that thread spoke of missing fabrics that couldn't be replaced when discovered weeks/months later, difficulty with the merchant because time had passed, etc...

So, today I received an order in the mail - I ordered three kits + backing and went through each piece, next to the pattern requirements and checked off the order list as I went along. ONLY to discover there was missing binding/backing for one kit and a mysterious yard of fabric that didn't fit any of the patterns at all. I promptly contacted the retailer and they promised to research and respond - I'm certain they will correct the mix-up so I'm not calling out the company just suggesting it's a good practice to inventory immediately.

Since I'm not an experienced quilter I need to pay as close attention as I can or I can see myself falling quickly down the rabbit hole with no easy way out.

Christine

Sheddah

This weekend I learned that I don't work well at "Finish UFO" or other quilting group gatherings. I find they are as much social as anything else, and I get distracted from my work and make mistakes. I thought I had finished putting together my QAYG quilt, but when I got home discovered the middle row was upside down and I had to rip it out completely. The finishing stitches on the other two horizontal seams swerved and looked sloppy. So I ended up taking the back sides of both of those out also. What a waste of a day. Does anyone else find "group sews" unproductive?

SusieQOH

Sheddah- Yes! I get too caught up in all the chatting and laughing that I either don't get anything done or I make mistakes. But it's so much fun to get together

JoyjoyMarie

Ha ha Watson- I had a similar problem this week - bought a half yard too little backing cause I measured the width at 84 when it was really 91. I considered cutting down the quilt, but that was vetoed, so yes, I've been piecing my back. Fortunately I had enough stuff around here to do that fairly easily. We all make our mistakes, don't we!!

tropit

I had a learning twofer today!

1. When pinning blocks together, always pin from the inside to the outside of the seam and pin at a 45 degree angle to the seam, instead of a 90 degree angle. I've always pinned from the inside to the outside...Maybe, because I'm left handed. But, I didn't know how handy pinning at a 45 degree angle could be, especially when there are odd angled seams in the blocks.

One reason to do this is that when you need to hold a seam on the block open, or closed to one side, the angle lets you get right up to that seam with one side of the presser foot, so that when you remove the pin, the presser foot will then hold that seam allowance down in place. Also, when pinning at a 45 degree angle and sewing through an open seam, you can hold both seam allowances down with only one pin. Maybe all of you knew this already, but it's news to me and I've been sewing for decades. You think Ida figgered this out by now.

2. I was always told to backstitch when sewing garments. When I got to learning how to quilt, I had a hard time letting go of that habit and for good reason. Some of my seams came out without having that extra security of a locked stitch at the beginning and end of a seam. "Why not backstitch?" I asked. "Too much bulk," the quilting gurus replied. "Oh...hummm."

Now, I don't backstitch, but I do FINE STITCH at the beginning and end of a seam. I put my stitch regulator on very close to zero stitches per inch for a few stitches and then move it down to about 12 stitches per inch for the length of the seam. Near the end of the seam, I move it back up to zero. I can even chain stitch this way. Those fine stitches hold the seam ends together very nicely and they aren't that hard to remove, if I have to open up a seam and redo it. This method works especially well if you are sewing small pieces together. Maybe you folks all knew this one too. I swear, I've got to get off of this mountain more often and see what everyone else is up to.

Sew on!

~ C

bearisgray

When chain piecing, I do maybe four "air/chain stitches" between fabric pieces - and then cut the threads about 1/8 to 1/4 inch away from the edge of the fabric. This seems to hold the pieces together a bit better than cutting the threads even with the edge of the fabric.

Tropit's suggestion seems to be a good one - except that I would forget to change my stitch length that often.

tropit

I might add...don't drink wine with your quilting GFs while you're working on your quilts. Nuff said.

~ C