Learning Quilting

Instead of trying to cut perfect triangles, just make squares and split them diagonally. The triangles are perfect every time.

Hi Chuck,

I am a learner how to quilting.  I have read some where that if you fold your fabric like it comes off of bolt and in half again.  You than mark off 12" on the fabric and keep folding 12" on top of original 12" until unable to fold no more.  If you count the folds.  It takes 3 folds to make 36" 1 Yard.  You never again have to unfold and count over and over for amount of fabric you have.  Also if you mark 10" on material less than 1 yard of material you can count the number of folds and it will tell you how many inches of material you also have.  The has help me since I am just learning how quilt.  I have also deloped my way to keep 12", 10", FQ, and just scraps.  I have a different colored circle for each of these items and place in appropriate stacks and by color that has made a big difference to me and decieded on my fabric and color.  I also do this after I have washed, dried, and iron the fabric.

 Thank you

Racy

Before cutting into my fabric, I make color photocopies of each fabric.  That way I can made a mock-up of my block to see how it will look before I actually do any cutting.  I've even been known to make multiple copies of the block so that I can play with design before I ever put scissors to fabric. 

Believe it or not, if you prick your finger while quilting or sewing, if you moisten your (clean) finger with your own spit, it will take out your blood.  Do this as soon as you can.  Then blot with a little water and let dry.

When machine quilting, sometimes the fabric seems to stick to the machine... add a little amount of cornstarch on your machine (stay away from machine opening) and the fabric moves like butter!  enjoy Natalie

When it is necessary to rip out a seam the easiest way to eliminate those pesky little threads is by using low tack painters tape. It picks them all up quickly and you don't have to pick them out .

I keep the quilts "in process" in a rubbermaid sweater boxes, with all there supplies together-instructions, color layout diagram, thread, quilting ideas, date started, or anything else I want to include for that quilt.  I have several of these stacked in my sewing room with the ends labeled.  I just pull out the one I feel like working on at the time

When I give a quilt as a gift, I use some extra matching fabric I have purchased to make a pillow case to match the quilt.  You can make two if the gift is for a couple.  Then when I want to present the quilt, I fold it to fit inside the pillow case and tie a wide, pretty ribbon around in both directions.  It looks like a soft gift box!  It also makes a nice storage bag for the quilt, as the quilt should never be stored in a plastic bag.  The fabric needs to breath.  However, I don't know too many people who store a quilt -- they usually use it, hang it, or display it.

Happy Quilting and Gifting!

When measuring for borders, measure from side to side thru the middle of the quilt for the top and bottom borders. Make your border this length. Mark the middle of the quilt and the middle of the border and this will be your top and bottom borders, do the same for the sides measuring the length of the quilt and marking middle of both quilt and border and pinning the middle to middle,this will give you a square quilt no ripples.

To have borders lie perfectly flat, do not just cut them longer and sew on then cut them off.  This makes the sides of the quilt uneven and produces a "rippling" effect.  This is why so many quilters' quilts do not hang straight on the wall.  Measure your borders to fit exact on every side and this will prevent problems with rippling.  As you are sewing them on, pin them to the edges of the quilt and make them fit, that is, ease the side of the quilt as needed, if necessary.  Not much ease should be needed if you pin well.

Use these steps for each border.  A little extra time and pinning will produce fabulous results!