DreamWeaver's Quilts Quilt Epiphany Weblog

Try removing bracelets and watches when machine quilting, and push up your sleeves. Jewelry and clothing can get caught on the machine bed or the pins in the quilt, causing jerkiness and jumping in your quilting lines.

If you’re taking a quilting class or workshop, be prepared before class with all the necessary items on the supply list, and all your fabrics cut and ready to go. You’ll be able to concentrate on the class material fully if all your “homework” is done!

Getting ready to free motion quilt a new design? Trace over the design with a pencil and paper a few times before setting needle to fabric. You’ll imprint the design lines on your brain and your “muscle memory” and the design will be easier to quilt successfully.

Give empty thread spools to your cats to play with, but make sure spools with thread on them are out of kitty’s reach. Kitty could swallow the thread as it unwinds from the spool during play.

Sort your scraps before throwing them into one big bin. If you use scraps by size, sort them into separate containers by size; if you are more likely to use scraps of a certain color, sort by color.

Use a large piece of muslin as a press cloth when fusing fabrics together to keep your iron squeaky clean. Note the right side in permanent marker, so you won’t put the iron on the wrong side that may have leftover fusible web on it.

Free motion quilting can take so much concentration that sometimes we forget to breathe. Take a moment to pause and breathe normally while you quilt!