- The next time you are at the fabric store, ask for an empty bolt board. Wrap a towel around it and safety pin in place to make portable ironing surface.
- Instead of moistening the thread moisten the needle. The moisture in the eye will help draw the thread through.
- Loosen paper backing of fusible web by scoring it with a strait pin.
- Don’t use fabric softener for pre-washing for projects with appliqued fusible web. This may prevent fusible web from sticking.
- Use PVC pipe to raise a “T” type banquet table to comfortable cutting height .
- Use medium gray or taupe thread for piecing except for light colored fabrics.
- Put white paper behind the eye of a needle to help you see it better.
- Clean and oil your rotary cutter often.
- Homemade value viewer can be made with red plastic school report cover. Cut it into four pieces stack them and tape around the sides to hold it together.
- Use permanent marker to the notch on thread spools. It makes it easy for to locate it to lock thread when you store it after use.
- Homemade light table can be made with shallow, opaque, plastic storage tub and portable fluorescent light.
- Use a sticky note to mark the line you will use on your ruler when rotary cutting.
- Use a paper grocery back to protect your iron when working with fusible web.
- For safety when throwing away rotary cutter blade tape them to a piece of cardboard larger than the blade.
- To firm up fabric before cutting and sewing spray with sizing. Flannel and homespun fabrics should be sprayed on wrong size.
- Replace your fluorescent light bulbs with sun equivalent bulbs. They make for more natural light and help you if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder.
- Save old rotary cutter blades to cut paper.
- You can use a door security lens as a reducing lens. Looking at your work through this type of lens gives you distance and better idea of contrast and composition.
- Make a storage back from the plastic instruction sheets that come with interfacing. Just sew up the sides of a folded long piece. Then you have the product and the instructions in one place.
- A loop of quilting thread can be used as an instant needle threader for larger thicker threads.
- Use the the flannel side of a flannel backed plastic or vinyl table cloth as a design wall.
- Use masking tape wrapped sticky side out as a lint or thread remover.
- Place a wad of masking tape next to your sewing machine to catch clipped threads.
- To prevent slippage on signature quilts press pieces of freezer paper to wrong side of signature areas
- Clean your iron of goo by ironing on a fabric softener dryer sheet.
Tags: Blog, Quilting, Sewing
