Top 10 Tips for Quilters

My top 10 tips for quilters will save you time and help you get great results with your quilt every time.

USE A NEW NEEDLE EVERY PROJECT

A blunt and dull needle can damage your fabric and cause tension issues with your sewing machine. I have always used Universal 80/12 needles, but Quilting 90/14 needles will also work well. Never put loose needles in the trash, pop them in a small container like an old pill container first.

WIND SEVERAL BOBBINS

Before starting your project always wind a couple of bobbins. There is nothing more annoying than having to unthread your sewing machine to wind a bobbin in the middle of sewing.

If you’ve used a special thread, store the thread along with your bobbins in a zip locked bag so they don’t get mixed up.

STITCH AT LENGTH TO 2

Adjust your stitch length to 2, this will give you a nice tight and secure stitch, so your quilt will last a long time. Sometimes your thread or fabric may dictate another length, but 2 is a good place to start.

ALWAYS USE A QUARTER INCH FOOT

Every time you are sewing two pieces of fabric together always use your quarter inch foot to get a perfect quarter inch seam allowance.

MARK A QUARTER INCH ON YOUR SEWING MACHINE

For more sewing guidance you can also make a visual marking of quarter inch allowance on your sewing machine with masking tape.

TEST YOUR STITCHES

Always test your sewing machine is stitching nicely on a scrap piece of fabric before you start working on your quilting project. Don’t start your project until you are happy with the stitches.

LOCK YOUR ROTARY CUTTER EVERY TIME

Always close and lock your rotary cutter after every single cut! The blade on your rotary cutter is so sharp, you must remember to close and lock your rotary cutter after every single time – make this your habit! If you only do one thing on this list – this is it!

CHANGE YOUR ROTARY BLADE ONCE IN A WHILE

Change your rotary cutter blade every once in a while, this is often forgotten, until it is so blunt that it doesn’t cut properly anymore. Using a share blade will make your life so much easier.

PRESS YOUR FABRIC

Press your fabric, do not iron it. You need to be firm but gentle with the iron. Ironing your fabric vigorously will pull it out of shape. Pressing rather than ironing your fabric is so critical that I plan to do a whole blog post and YouTube video on it. 

KEEP ALL YOUR TOOLS TOGETHER

Keep all your tools you are using together in one container. This makes them easy to find and on hand at all times. It also helps keep your workspace tidy!  

MORE QUILTING INFORMATION

This post is part of a free online course to learn quilt making, to find out more click here.

For tips on how to pick your fabric to make a quilt click here.

To find out what tools you need to make a quilt click here.

Thanks for popping by my blog!

Stacey x