Snuggles Quilts

Snuggles Quilts

MENU

More Quilting Tips…. the Sequel!

I hope you enjoyed my quilting tips last week that involved using unusual items in the sewing room. This week, I have some more of those to share to get you ready for quilting and sewing in the new year!

Tip #1

If you press seams open like me, use a cuticle stick to open the seam, without stretching it, so you can just drop the iron down for pressing.

This way, you are not moving the iron over the seam (ironing) which can stretch out the seam and distort your piece. Here’s a mini video tutorial I did on this subject:

Tip #2

Dispose of needles in an old pill bottle. You can mark the bottle “used needles” and dispose of it when it’s full. 

You can also use the pill bottle for storing bobbins. Consider winding 4 or 5 bobbins with the thread you are using to piece a quilt and storing them in this bottle. When one runs out, you have a new one waiting!

Tip #3

Label pins with numbers using painter’s or wahsi tape. Use these to label rows as you are piecing a quilt. This is especially important if it’s a quilt where the design depends on the blocks and rows needing to be assembled in a specific order.

Placing the “1” pin in this block says it’s the first block in the first row. Keep the pin in this block after the row is assembled so you are reminded that it’s row #1 and needs to be stitched to row #2 and so on.

Tip #4

Use a scrap of batting to sweep threads off your sewing room floor. Works just as good as a Swiffer sweeper and you won’t get threads wrapped up in your vacuum cleaner head damaging your vacuum.

I actually just pushed around the scrap of batting with the end of a yard stick!

Tip #5

A belt hanger works really good to keep rulers organized if you have a small work space. You can hang it up in a closet when you are not sewing so they are out of the way.

Slip binder rings through the hole at the top of the ruler and then hang the ruler from the belt hanger. You can find these binder rings at any office supply store.

So there you have it! Some more fun ways to use unusual items in your sewing room. Comment below on things you use in your sewing room and you will be entered in the ongoing drawing for my pattern Seaside Cottage!

The drawing will be on Monday, January 6th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Lynne!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Quilting Tips – Sewing Room Uses for Household Items

I love to hunt around to see how other quilters utilize everyday household items in their sewing room. Some of them seem crazy, but when you try it, it actually works! I’ve also come up with some unusual uses on my own. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention! I’m sharing some of the ones I use the most here. 

Tip #1

There is a lot of information about ergonomics while sewing to reduce back and neck strain. My sewing table does not allow my machine to be sunk in, so one of the tips I have employed is using door stops to elevate the back of my sewing machine to tip it forward. These door stops can be found at any hardware store.

I chose 1 1/2″ high ( at the highest point) door stops since I thought any higher would make the machine unstable. Simply slide them under your machine in the back to tilt it forward. Make sure everything is stable by trying to move the machine after inserting the stops. If the machine seems like it’s slipping, pull out the stops a bit so it is not tilted as much.

Notice it’s not a severe tilt, but it is enough to eliminate my need to bend too far forward to see how my fabric is feeding under the presser foot.

Tip #2

Use a mason/canning jar to hold a large spool of thread if your machine does not have a spindle for the large spools. Use the cover that comes with the canning jar to help keep the spool from jumping out of the jar while you’re stitching. 

If your jar cover does not have a hole in it like mine, carefully punch a hole to feed the thread through. Be sure to smooth down any sharp edges with a metal file so those edges do not cut your thread. If you do not have a cover, you can fashion one from a piece of cardboard.

The cardboard “top” can be taped on two sides to hold it down while you’re stitching.

Tip #3

Use an extra long ball chain to make a necklace for your scissors!

Think of the convenience! You will never be searching for your scissors again when you are hand stitching or even as you are sitting at your machine. This type of chain can be found at your local craft store. There are a variety of lengths so you can find one that fits you perfectly.

Tip #4

Hold a piece of bright colored paper behind your sewing machine needle to help you to thread it if your machine does not have an automatic needle threader.

Notice in the above photo how you can barely make out the eye of the needle. And this is with the machine on and lights shining in the area! Now look what happens when you have a piece of colored paper behind the needle.

Now you can see the eye and easily thread the needle! I used a post-it note in a neon color. I keep the piece of paper in a drawer by my machine to use over and over.

Tip #5

Apply blue painter’s tape or washi tape to mark the line on your ruler if you are cutting a lot of strips of the same measurement. This will save you a bit of time and help with accuracy.

When you are done, simply peel away the tape. It leaves no residue on your ruler!

So those are my tips for this week. Tune in next week for some more fun tips and hacks! Comment below on some of the things you use in the sewing room that may not be conventional. You will be entered into a drawing for a my pattern Seaside Cottage!

The drawing entry will be over the next two weeks since it’s holiday time. You can enter this week or next. I will draw for the winner on Monday, January 6th in the new year! **We have a winner! Congrats, Lynne!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

I Never Thought of That…. and Other Quilting Hacks

So if you are like me, you didn’t know anything about sewing machine needles and maintenance when you started quilting. I thought I just had to worry about whether the machine turned on when I pressed the “on” button….. and remember to make sure it was plugged in! As the years passed, I have picked up information on good habits to get into to make sure everything goes smoothly when I want to sew.

Needles. I use the universal 80/12 needle because it’s got a point that works best with the 100% cottons we use in quilting.

But, when I am machine quilting, I change my needle to a quilting needle:

Looking closely, you can see the difference. The quilting needle is sharper and more tapered to go through more layers and through seams.

Besides using the correct needle, we tend to not think of it until it breaks. In fact, that’s the only time I used to change the needle. Oops! The wear and tear on a needle is usually microscopic so you think it’s alright, but it’s not if you have sewn an entire large project or over 10 hours on it.

Under a microscope, a used needle will look bent, have a nicks, and will be dull on the end. How can you tell without a microscope? Does your top thread break often for no reason as you are stitching (and you’ve checked all other reasons)? Can you hear a “popping” sound as the needle passes through the fabric? That means your needle is ready to be changed!

Here’s a threading “hack” if you do not have an automatic threader on your machine. Put a piece of paper behind the needle, I use a neon sticky note, so you can see the hole better.

I also cut the thread at a 45 degree angle and wet the tip of the thread a bit and it slides right in! 

Cleaning. Yes, that lint is not part of the machine! I have a rule of thumb…. I clean the bobbin race and case and under the throat place before I start a day of sewing. 

I use the little brush that comes with the machine to clean it all out:

All clean!

I also follow the manufacturers instructions and oil the machine. Be sure to follow your machine instructions carefully when oiling since over oiling can result in residue on your fabric.

Be sure to bring your machine into the shop for maintenance periodically for servicing. They will deep clean it and check that everything is functioning properly. This will extend the life of your machine, especially if you use it a lot.

More Random Hacks:

  • Check with your local Humane Society. They may take donations of pet beds made from stuffing small bits of fabric and batting into old pillow cases and stitching them up!

  • I think I’ve shared this before, but this is a good step before starting a project you have never done: Stitch a “test block” using scrap fabric so you can test out color choice, threads, tension settings, etc. This also helps you become familiar with the instructions. Then you can use the test block to make a mini pillow or candle mat by adding a few borders and quilting!
  • If your spray starch is too strong for your liking, get an empty spray bottle from the hardware store, pour or spray a small amount of starch in it and mix with a little warm water (small amount at a time), test on a scrap piece of fabric until you get the right combination.

Good rule of thumb for all of us: as with anything, quilting techniques take practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you tackle a new technique and it doesn’t come out exactly as you think it should. There are no “quilt police”! Enjoy your finished project. I am sure what ever family member or friend receives the quilt from you will love it whether you think it’s perfect or not!

If you have any quilting hacks, share them here! We can always keep learning!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne