The boss lady thought last week’s handy tips went so well, we should have more!
Tip#1: We all like the convenience of chain piecing. I often say… whoever thought up that quilting technique…bless them! I love to chain piece whenever I can to save time. To make chain piecing even more efficient, consider pairing up the pieces you are stitching and stacking them so you can just grab and feed!
Tip #2: So, you have a cutting mat and ironing board covered with threads (or cat hair too in my situation!). An easy way to clean those is with one of those rollers with the sticky paper that you use on your clothes.
If you don’t have one of these tools, never fear! Pull out some packing tape, wrap it around your hand and you’re ready to clean.
Our cutting mats are an important tool so we need to keep them in the best shape. For more tips on cleaning and maintaining you mat, here’s good information from Olfa:
How to Clean your Mats
Tip #3: Reinforce applique templates for a project so they’re reusable. I like to use my home printer to copy the applique template sheet from a pattern onto a heavier card stock paper. Once that is done, I cut them out and I can trace around them as many times as I want. They won’t crinkle or curl up like regular paper.
Now for storage, I will just slide the template pieces into the pattern bag with the pattern. If there are templates that are too big for the pattern bag, I put them in a larger bag and put the pattern in that bag with the templates.
Tip #4: Use a kitchen magnet to corral pins in the sewing room and keep them handy by the machine. For this, you’ll need one of those rectangular magnets where the entire back is magnet.
If you want this new pin collector to stay in one place, use some double-sided tape to affix the magnet to your machine. Now the pins will be within easy reach. **Edit** As noted by quilter, Angela, be careful if your machine is computerized because a magnet can interfere with it’s function. Thanks, Angela!**
Tip #5: Do you struggle with where to put a pattern you are working off of while you are sewing? Here’s a simple and convenient solution. Find an old clipboard, attach the pattern and lean it by you so you can easily refer to the pattern as you work!
So that’s my quilting tips for this installment. If you have some tips to share, write a comment and you will be entered in a drawing for a copy of the Primitive Quilts & Projects Fall 2019 issue with my pattern in it!
Drawing will be on Monday, August 5th. Good luck! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Eugenia Read!****
Happy Quilting!
Deanne
Good Tips Deanne! Another good way to clean the cutting mat and get the fabric fibers out of the ruts is to rub it with one of those nylon bath body scrubbers or the kitchen sink sponges that are made of nylon. I don’t know if those will help with the cat hair (ahh, I remember those days….)! And if the front of the cutting mat has become really too rutted from cuts, before buying a new one, use the back to get some life out of it!
If I have big pattern pieces sometimes appliqué patterns, I use those gallons ziploc bags and put the picture in the front so I can see which pattern is which. Handy for me. And I use those toe separators for extra bobbins especially if I’m gong to be doing the quilting by my sewing machine.
Magnets can cause issues with computers…..so I would be very careful with a magnet around machine.
Yes! Indeed that is true. You must be careful if you have a computerized sewing machine. Thanks for that clarification. I will add it to the blog post.
I love the magnet and double sided tape idea! I keep a flower frog by my machine to hold seam ripper, tweezers, magnetic, telescoping pin “picker-upper”, etc. The holes in the frog to hold flower stems are the perfect size for notions.
Often when I am tracing applique motifs on fusibles , I will make an “oops”. I then use a different color pen to correct the line. I know when I see that other color to cut on that line.
Thanks for the helpful ideas. I also find using packing tape around my fingers is useful for picking up the thread and lint I can get on me when I sew.
Thanks for all the great tips!! And the comments tips too!!!
I am always encouraged by my quilting “sisters” !!
Their tips make me a better quilter too!!
My tip: don’t be afraid to try something new! Here’s my example-I had always been afraid of long arm quilting machines because I was afraid of doing a terrible job. At one point in my life, I needed to find a new source of part-time income since I couldn’t stand my then current job. With lots of encouragement from hubby and a fellow quilter, I purchased a long arm machine and after lots of practice, started a home-based long arm business! So glad that I tried something new! I also teach long arm quilting classes at a LQS! Remember: Even an expert was once a beginner!
Love the idea of using a “clip board” for keeping quilt patterns near sewing machine.
This is a great helpmate.
Thanks for all the great tips! I use a skirt hanger to keep my blocks together once they are completed. I also keep the pattern in page protector with them.
I like the clipboard idea too.