Learning Quilting

 For your first quilt, don't go out and buy premium quilting fabrics and every new quilting gadget on the market, just get out all those calico fabric scraps from a gazillion other sewing projects you have done and start cutting out a basic Log Cabin quilt which allows you to use even the tiniest of scraps for a neat design. Scissors work great since rectangles don't require perfect dimensions like triangles. All that you need for materials are a box of safety pins for basting, off-white quilting thread (for the bobbin) and clear (for the top), 6 1/2 yds floral cotton fabric (cut into two 3 1/4 yd pieces and sewn down the middle) and a queen-sized piece of batting. Quilting right down the middle of each terraced square is the easiest thing to do, and those who want to practice applique can add a heart in the middle of each center square. Use a larger scrap of fabric to cut into long 3" wide strips for the binding and you have a 7' x 9' quilt that will WOW your friends!

I make half square triangle by cutting squares 7/8" larger than the finished size I need.  I draw a line down the middle and sew 1/4" on either side of the line.  I chain stitch as many as I need in this way.  Before cutting on the drawn line I fold each square on the drawn line matching the stitching and cutting on a 90 degree angle through the seam allowance on each end of the square.  Then I cut as usual placing the triangles in piles with all the points in one direction and all the dark fabric up.  I take this to the ironing board and press each piece closed to set the stitches. I then lift the top triangle and press open.  No tails to clip and you easily press all of them in the right direction to the dark fabric.

Keep pictures and comments on who you gave it to and the date.  You will have a history of your quilt making.

Don't have a 1/4" seaming foot?  You can improvise!  Cut 5 or 6 pieces of either blue painter tape (3/4" wide is good) or yellow masking tape 2" long.  Stack them exactly on top of each other and stick to your machine exactly 1/4" from the needle.  (Put the needle down into the hole in the throat plate and measure 1/4" from it and place your "tape guide" you just made.  Sew a seam on a scrap or two and measure.  If it is off just a tad, adjust your needle left or right using your zig zag width adjustment.  Keep adjusting until you get the 1/4" you need.  Test until you get it.  Using 5 or 6 layers of tape gives an edge to butt the fabric up against.  Nice uniform 1/4" seams!

Recently I joined a quilting class. We had to prepare the fabric and starch it. Well I could not get the selvages to match or be straight. So I cut the selvages off because they had shrunk.This worked on a small cut of fabric of 1 1/2 yards. The fabric relaxed and layed flat for me to fold and get ready to cut. I had a nice flat piece to cut my strips for the project. Mary {emty] Mcgee

I had a problem with my foot pedal sliding away from me whilst using my sewing machine (the floor is wooden) so I put an old mouse mat under the pedal and now it stays put!

Since Knee surgery I can no longer get in the floor to baste my quilts. I have found that I can spread my lining the length of the bed or across the bed, put on bating and the top. Be sure they are even and no wrinkles. Start basting on the end from side to side about five inches apart. When you can`t reach,roll the quilt and fasten with bicycle clips and continue in same manner until all is basted. This works very well for me. Bunny

I love decorated boxes.  I store all my projects in the decorative boxes you can purchase at Michaels, Hobby Lobby or Tuesday Morning stores.  I love to work on more than one project, often between quilting and sewing I will have 10 projects in progress at a time.  I started buying the decorative boxes, round, oblong, rectangular, whatever to store projects in while in progess.  They are also very decorative in my sewing room.  When ready to sew, all of the materials, patterns and thread are kept together so it's easy to pull the box and sew on a project for a day.  Then, when I'm finished, I put everything back ito the box, including the thread and bobbin until the next sewing session.  No time is wasted gathering supplies, looking for thread, etc.  And, the greatest benefit is my sewing room always looks neat and clean and I do not feel overwhelmed with clutter or projects!

One tip I would like to share with beginners has to do with piecing into a point, like if you have to piece a triangle set into a 90 degree angle.  Always sew right up to the corner, but do not go completely into the corner, always stop just one stitch shy of the corner.  This allows for ease and allows the seams to fold over and lay flat. 

I have a quilt tip that I share with all my family and friends when I'm teaching them to make quilts.  I always have them sew "just inside" the 1/4" mark (making the seam slightly narrower then 1/4") to allow for ease/foldover.  This is especially important when piecing a block with many pieces.  I've always used this method and my blocks are almost always perfect when finished.