Helpful Hints -- From Members, For Members
Welcome to a collection of tips and tricks submitted by our members for our members. If you would like to submit a tip, use the Contact Form on the Contact page and enter Helpful Hints in the Attention box. Newest tips will always appear at the top of the list before moving to the alphabetized section below.
Better Quilts
Here is an article with tips for making your already beautiful quilt even better: http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blog/how-to-make-quilts-better-in-10-simple-steps?utm_source=wir&utm_campaign=qd-brc-wir-171021&utm_content=976979_EDT_QD-WIR171021&utm_medium=email
Bindings
When hand stitching the binding on a quilt, pause every 10 to 12 inches, make a small knot and continue stitching. If the thread breaks or wears out, you will only need to restitch a small section.
Cleaning Teflon Sheets
Do you have residue on your Teflon sheets from fusing fabric? A new dryer sheet with a little rubbing and watch the residue disappear.
Hand Sewing
Before you leave your hand sewing (quilting, binding, appliqué, embroidery), thread your needle and take a few stitches so that you can quickly pick up your work and spend as little or as much time as you wish. Bonus tip: Remember the dryer sheets? Pulling thread through a fabric softener sheet will help to prevent knotting.
Hand Sewing Help
Check out the Fons and Porter Blog for some useful tips.
Hanging Sleeves
Use small pieces of all the different fabrics in your quilt to make the hanging sleeve. If repairs are ever needed, the correct fabric will be right there with the quilt.
Ironing Fusibles
To protect your ironing board when ironing fusibles, cut the bottom out of a brown paper bag and place it on your ironing board as a sleeve. If you get fusible web on your iron, you can get it off by ironing on a fabric softener dryer sheet (on the paper, of course). Bonus tip: Used dryer sheets can also be used as a backing for labels or small appliqué pieces. Place your label/piece face down on the dryer sheet, sew around the perimeter, slash the middle of the dryer sheet and turn inside out. Voilà -- perfectly turned edges.
Labels
Many of our members have asked about having a demo on labels, but there are so many different kinds that it has been difficult to organize. As a substitute, read “Your Label Should Tell the Story -- Parts 1 and 2" in the CQA Journals (Autumn and Winter 2014). Written by Beth Cameron, the information is clearly presented and easy to read. She focuses on not only what should go on the label, but talks about the types of labels, how to mark on the labels, computer generated labels and attaching the label to the quilt. Cameron gives references to two books on labels, and gives their publishing details. The journals are part of the OVQG Library collection and are available for circulation.
Machine Needles
Visit the Schmetz learning center at www.schmetzneedles.com for everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know about sewing machine needles: history, troubleshooting guide, needle charts, thread sizing guide, and more. And they have an app!
Needles Chart
Needles
There are two sizes listed on a package of machine needles, e.g., 80/12: the first number is the European size, the second the American size. We generally refer to the American size. The larger the number, the larger the needle. With hand sewing needles the opposite is true: the higher the number, the smaller the needle.
Making Time
Make time every day, even if it's only 10 minutes, for your fabric passion. Use the time to finish UFOs, practice a new stitch, learn a new technique, make a sketch, read an article, watch a video. Research indicates that people who produce a lot of work improve their skills more quickly than those who obsess over making everything perfect and producing little.
Patterns for Paper Piecing
To make multiple patterns for paper piecing, place one pattern over 6 sheets of plain paper. Sew through all the layers with a dull needle and without thread. (Keep a needle labelled for this purpose.) The perforations will fold easily for trimming and also tear away easily.
Piecing
For sewing a lighter coloured fabric to a darker one, use thread that matches the darker colour -- stitches will be less visible.
Recycling Empty Fabric Bolts
To make a portable ironing board for classes, wrap an empty fabric bolt with a towel. Or wrap it with batting for a portable design board -- handy for classes or when carrying pieces from the design wall to the sewing machine.
Rulers
Always use the same ruler throughout a project. This helps to prevent measurement errors.
Shopping for Fabric
When you run into a REALLY good sale, buy a small amount of fabric you really don't like, something out of your comfort zone. You'll be surprised how often it turns out to be exactly what you need in a tricky spot. On the other hand, when you see something you love, buy it and use it right away. In a few short years, colour, design and your tastes will have changed.
Travel Tip
If you do not have a fancy thread cutting medallion, take a box of dental floss on the plane. The floss will clear security, and the metal thingamajig will cut your thread. Brilliant!
Tuesday Tips
Check the Fons and Porter blog for tips. New suggestions posted regularly.
UFOs
Start by considering whether or not a project is finished for YOU. Maybe you're bored with the project, don't like it any more, have learned enough from it and really don't want to finish. Why not bag it up (with the pattern, extra pieces, etc.) and pass it on to someone else? One quilter's UFO just may be another quilter's treasure. If you still like the project, get busy and finish it. Pick one project, set a date for completion. Bring it to Show and Tell, fill out a ballot and throw a toonie in the pot for this year's UFO draw.
Here is an article with tips for making your already beautiful quilt even better: http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blog/how-to-make-quilts-better-in-10-simple-steps?utm_source=wir&utm_campaign=qd-brc-wir-171021&utm_content=976979_EDT_QD-WIR171021&utm_medium=email
Bindings
When hand stitching the binding on a quilt, pause every 10 to 12 inches, make a small knot and continue stitching. If the thread breaks or wears out, you will only need to restitch a small section.
Cleaning Teflon Sheets
Do you have residue on your Teflon sheets from fusing fabric? A new dryer sheet with a little rubbing and watch the residue disappear.
Hand Sewing
Before you leave your hand sewing (quilting, binding, appliqué, embroidery), thread your needle and take a few stitches so that you can quickly pick up your work and spend as little or as much time as you wish. Bonus tip: Remember the dryer sheets? Pulling thread through a fabric softener sheet will help to prevent knotting.
Hand Sewing Help
Check out the Fons and Porter Blog for some useful tips.
Hanging Sleeves
Use small pieces of all the different fabrics in your quilt to make the hanging sleeve. If repairs are ever needed, the correct fabric will be right there with the quilt.
Ironing Fusibles
To protect your ironing board when ironing fusibles, cut the bottom out of a brown paper bag and place it on your ironing board as a sleeve. If you get fusible web on your iron, you can get it off by ironing on a fabric softener dryer sheet (on the paper, of course). Bonus tip: Used dryer sheets can also be used as a backing for labels or small appliqué pieces. Place your label/piece face down on the dryer sheet, sew around the perimeter, slash the middle of the dryer sheet and turn inside out. Voilà -- perfectly turned edges.
Labels
Many of our members have asked about having a demo on labels, but there are so many different kinds that it has been difficult to organize. As a substitute, read “Your Label Should Tell the Story -- Parts 1 and 2" in the CQA Journals (Autumn and Winter 2014). Written by Beth Cameron, the information is clearly presented and easy to read. She focuses on not only what should go on the label, but talks about the types of labels, how to mark on the labels, computer generated labels and attaching the label to the quilt. Cameron gives references to two books on labels, and gives their publishing details. The journals are part of the OVQG Library collection and are available for circulation.
Machine Needles
Visit the Schmetz learning center at www.schmetzneedles.com for everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know about sewing machine needles: history, troubleshooting guide, needle charts, thread sizing guide, and more. And they have an app!
Needles Chart
Needles
There are two sizes listed on a package of machine needles, e.g., 80/12: the first number is the European size, the second the American size. We generally refer to the American size. The larger the number, the larger the needle. With hand sewing needles the opposite is true: the higher the number, the smaller the needle.
Making Time
Make time every day, even if it's only 10 minutes, for your fabric passion. Use the time to finish UFOs, practice a new stitch, learn a new technique, make a sketch, read an article, watch a video. Research indicates that people who produce a lot of work improve their skills more quickly than those who obsess over making everything perfect and producing little.
Patterns for Paper Piecing
To make multiple patterns for paper piecing, place one pattern over 6 sheets of plain paper. Sew through all the layers with a dull needle and without thread. (Keep a needle labelled for this purpose.) The perforations will fold easily for trimming and also tear away easily.
Piecing
For sewing a lighter coloured fabric to a darker one, use thread that matches the darker colour -- stitches will be less visible.
Recycling Empty Fabric Bolts
To make a portable ironing board for classes, wrap an empty fabric bolt with a towel. Or wrap it with batting for a portable design board -- handy for classes or when carrying pieces from the design wall to the sewing machine.
Rulers
Always use the same ruler throughout a project. This helps to prevent measurement errors.
Shopping for Fabric
When you run into a REALLY good sale, buy a small amount of fabric you really don't like, something out of your comfort zone. You'll be surprised how often it turns out to be exactly what you need in a tricky spot. On the other hand, when you see something you love, buy it and use it right away. In a few short years, colour, design and your tastes will have changed.
Travel Tip
If you do not have a fancy thread cutting medallion, take a box of dental floss on the plane. The floss will clear security, and the metal thingamajig will cut your thread. Brilliant!
Tuesday Tips
Check the Fons and Porter blog for tips. New suggestions posted regularly.
UFOs
Start by considering whether or not a project is finished for YOU. Maybe you're bored with the project, don't like it any more, have learned enough from it and really don't want to finish. Why not bag it up (with the pattern, extra pieces, etc.) and pass it on to someone else? One quilter's UFO just may be another quilter's treasure. If you still like the project, get busy and finish it. Pick one project, set a date for completion. Bring it to Show and Tell, fill out a ballot and throw a toonie in the pot for this year's UFO draw.