patch-work is often less difficult if you follow some of these recommendations:
- Whenever chain piecing quilts, use a “protection cover” (a small piece of discarded material) to start your piecing therefore the cloth fabric and threads don’t jam up when beginning to chain sew.
Having trouble stitching with metallic thread and having numerous thread breaks? Test decreasing the thread tension.
Affix the tape-measure to the side of your sewing bench with self stick velcro for easy and quick easy access
Keep a little magnet inside your quilting basket. Use it to grab any pins that drop on the floor.
If stitching needles get corroded or dull, rub them carefully with fine steel wool to bring them back to life.
Always leave some thread in a needle before placing it in a pin cushion. You’ll be able to spot it more quickly.
Work with nice and clean, dry plastic-type egg cartons to store thread.
Store pattern items and their envelopes in self sealing bags so that you can understand the pattern.
When patch work items are finished, run doubled length of thread through a pile of patches, leaving the knotted end from the thread at the end of the stack. They will stay together and you will pull off each one as needed.
When you sew on buttons, coat the thread with wax. Basically run it around a candle several times. This makes the thread more powerful helping getting it with the holes.
For clean, sharp and handy pins and needles, use a covered steel wool pad as a pin cushion.
Keep a chop stick in your sewing basket for all poking and stuffing needs.
If you are not certain that the seam is lying when you’re quilt-making in the ditch, place a lamp or flashlight beneath the quilt and the seam allowances are easily seen.
Whenever using pinking shears also have cloth between your blades. Never close and open the cutting blades with out material together, this will dull the cutting blades.
Use a low melt glue gun when you use net, tulle or sheer synthetic cloth fabric. A hot glue gun will burn you and also melt the cloth fabric.
Keep soap slivers in the freezer to use as marker pens for quilts. This keeps soap hard and easier to make use of. Additionally, it washes out without delay
Stay away from the annoyance of threading frayed edges by folding thread in two, and pulling the smooth edge from the needle
To Open that trapped Zipper: Rub the teeth with a bar of soap or spray with shaving creme.
Soap makes an perfect Pin Cushion: Make use of a bar of soap to make quilting easier and the needle just slides through hard fabric and materials.
Photography film storage containers are perfect safe way to store bent needles and pins.
To check a quilt pattern far away, place the pieces on a backed table cloth, and hang it up somewhere to see what the quilt will look like finished.
Save time and prevent eye strain by threading several needles on your quilting thread without cutting it off the reel.
Safety first! Never run holding sharp scissors or pins .
if you cut your self, be sure you do not bleed on the fabric
When ironing a bias strip switch off the steam on the iron so you will not burn your hands and fingers.
Never ever make use of your sewing scissors for chopping paper; it blunts them.
For more patchwork tips, fabrics and accessories visit www.patchwork-online.com.au
Tags: