Hints, Tips, Ideas

On this page we are publishing hints, tips, and otherwise brilliant ideas that we receive from you. We all have those flashes of brilliance, usually at night when we can't sleep. Most of those flashes must be worth sharing. Here's your chance. Click here to e-mail us your tip, or hint. We will share them here.

Washing	To test for colorfastness, soak a small piece of fabric in a small container of water for about an hour. If the fabric is "colorfast," the water should remain clear.
	Pre-wash fabric in warm - not hot - water.
	Do not add fabric softeners.
	Wash dark fabrics separately.
	The fabric will not wrinkle so much if you do not wash more than about five yards at a time.

Pressing	Press all fabric prior to cutting. I also prefer to press mine prior to storage. After pressing, fold the fabric neatly so that, if stored for a period of time, it will only need a little touch-up pressing.
Pressing	Before pressing the seams to the side, briefly press the seam as it was sewn. This "sets" the seam. Then press you seam to the side, usually towards the darker fabric.
Measuring and Cutting	Before cutting, especially if cutting bias or curves, spray starch your fabric. It keeps its shape and size better for cutting and for sewing.
Measuring and Cutting
Sewing	Triangles sewn on paper grid: (These hints are helpful whether using your own paper grid or a commercial product.) After sewing but before cutting or removing the paper, press with an iron set to steam. This makes the paper tear easily. When cutting the squares apart, trim narrow margins along the long edges of your strip of rectangles first. This saves time by saving a lot of small cuts later. When removing the paper, run the back side of a seam ripper along the stitching and then fold the paper over the seam. If you do this, the paper practically falls off your square. Submitted by Christine, Centreville, VA. Sleeve to hang quilts: For a nice touch, use the same fabric as your backing, if possible. Cut a six- to nine-inch length of fabric the width of your quilt. Narrower strips work for smaller quilts with smaller rods. You will need a wider strip for larger quilts. Press under both ends 1/2". Fold the fabric lengthwise overlapping one side by 1/4". Press. This allows space for the rod, rather than pulling the quilt top. Before sewing on the binding, position the sleeve along the top edge of your quilt with the "pressed" fold against the quilt back. Baste it in place along the top edge. Sew on your binding. Whip stitch the lower edge along the fold, ensuring that the back of the sleeve is flat against the quilt with no folds or puckers. Stitch the ends of the sleeve that are against the quilt to the quilt back.
Hand sewing
Storing quilts	If you have an unused bed, lay the quilts out flat on top of each other. This prevents folds from being "pressed" into the quilts. The only drawback is that you must remove all those quilts when company comes.
Storing quilts	Store quilts in pillow cases. If you have fabric left from the quilt, make a (or two) pillow case to match. Store your quilt in it.

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This site was last updated 06/02/07