Machine Piecing

I use a mechanical pencil in my quilting as a stelito, with either the pencil end or the eraser. Also it is always sharp and a very fine line for marking stitching/sewing lines. I hope you all will give this wonderful "quilters tool" a try, I know you will like it as I do. Wanda

This is a foolproof way to organize quilt pieces when assembling blocks for chain sewing. Lay out pieces as desired- for example, for a nine patch block 1 2 3 - First Row 4 5 6 - Second Row 7 8 9 -Third Row. Flip the blocks on the middle row over onto the left row, right sides together- 2 on 1, 5 on 4, 8 on 7 Then pick up pairs from top to bottom- 2, 5, 8 Pick up the third row from top to bottom- 3, 6, 9- and set aside or put under the other pile. Sew the first pile in a chain, sewing down the right side of 2, 5, and 8. Don’t cut apart yet. Open and sew the third row squares to pairs, 3 to 2, 6 to 5 and 9 to 8. Now cut apart and press. This sounds confusing, but once you get comfortable with it, you can stack and sew whole quilts using this technique. You just lay it out, and stack however many pieces you need. Not having to stop and cut the rows apart saves a lot of time. You also avoid having to stop and make sure the pieces will be in the right order.

My tip has to do with using the “left-overs” any time I’m making Flying Geese (or other blocks where one sews a square diagonally, then cuts off the “waste” corners).

After I make the original seam, I go back and sew a SECOND seam ˝ inch from the original seam (1/4 inch from the center diagonal line).  Then when I cut off the waste corner, I have a “bonus” half-square triangle.  I throw all of these into a box or bag and at some point square them up to one size and use them in another project.  Quick, easy, cost nothing except a little extra time.  Great for "scrappy" quilts.

Kay DePriest

Adrian MO

when planing a quilt i thought it was waisting time to cut and sew the first block by it's selve. was i ever wrong. i learned my lesson the hard way.

i now cut only one block out then sew it. i look at it for a few days and often find strip piecing possiblities that weren't in the describtion of the block and sometimes i realize switching colors around would highlight an other aspect of the pattern. 

Each quilt I make for a gift is such a treasure to me, and I have a difficult time parting with it. So what I have started doing is -- immediately after finishing a quilt -- I use the scraps from that quilt to make a 12" block (or whatever size -- you can always add borders to make your blocks all the same size). It can be a structured block, log cabin block or just a crazy messy block -- whatever you're in the mood for -- it doesn't matter. I save the blocks and when I have enough for a quilt I sew them all together. It is such a quick and easy quilt to make since the blocks are already assembled -- just make the rows and columns, nothing fancy -- and it is a great remembrance of each quilt I have made over time.

To avoid allowing an underneath seam to be "wadded" up by the feed dogs when sewing seams across other seams use a small strip of paper. Just before the seam gets to the pressure foot put the needle down and slide a 3/4" to 1" strip of paper underneath and sew over it. The paper will be under the seam. When you finish the seam, the paper easily rips off and there are no wads to create added bulk. Much easier than ripping and resewing.

Anytime you make Flying Geese (or Half Square Triangle Blocks) by sewing diagonally across a square, give yourself a bonus by sewing across the diagonal again, this time 1/2" from the original stitching. 

Then when you trim for your original block, you'll have a BONUS HS block.  Just throw them all in a small box or bag.  Before you know it, you'll have a bunch of these little squares.  Press and trim to the size you need, using the diagonal line on a ruler line to square up blocks.  Put these little beauties together to make borders, fill-in blocks, etc.  A LITTLE more work, a BIG bonus

When I first started quilting 3 years ago I was having problems matching the seams when I sewed the rows of blocks together. Pinning just wasnt doing it, they wouldnt line up right. So now I use a fabric glue stick, line the rows up and use the glue stick to hold the two together. I glue only on the seam allowance, on either side of the matching seams, and a spot or two along the block, let set for a few minutes, and sew.Blocks all in line perfectly. Also no pins to worry with. The fabric gluestick is water soluable and acid free.

I keep the cut pieces of the quilt blocks I'm sewing on cheap, white paper plates.  They are very handy for laying out a block in the order it is sewn.  Use as many plates as blocks you are sewing.  Strips can be laid in one plate also.  Stack them, put them in a zip-lock bag (one at a time), and you are ready to go to a class or a friends house to sew.  They stay put until you remove them from the bag. 

After piecing a block that seems a bit out of shape, I pin each corner to a ruled ironing surface within the size the block should finish, then I press in an up and down motion, do not push the iron, until the block is flat and square