Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips, Part Two
Sewing and Quilting specialists took time out from their busy schedule, while teaching at Nancy’s Notions Sewing Weekend event in Beaver Dam, WI, to record some of their favorite sewing and quilting tips. Today we’ll showcase the second episode of the two-part Sewing With Nancy mini-series, Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips. I hope you enjoy the range of personalities and their tips!
Pam Mahshie, Baby Lock Sewing Machine National Education Ambassador, shares her tips for successful hooping for machine embroidery.
Rita Farro, Author and Blogger, shares her T-shirt fringe techniques.
Wendy Butler Berns, fiber artist, teacher, and lecturer, shares her tips for stabilizing art quilts with Pellon Décor-Bond.
Jill Repp, from June Tailor, shares tips for using spray starch in sewing and quilting.
Mark Lipinski, of the Slow Stitching Movement, shares his 3-D faux Cathedral Window block technique.
I know that you’ve learned numerous sewing and quilting tips during this two-part series. My gratitude goes out to all my friends who made this program possible. In case you missed it, last week my guest tipsters shared six additional great tips in the first episode of Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips. Remember you can watch this episode and many other Sewing With Nancy shows online at nancyzieman.com. Plus, in the book that accompanies the show, 50 Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips, I’ve included 39 of my favorite sewing and quilting tips!
Watch Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips on Sewing With Nancy online.
For a chance to win a copy of the book, 50 Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips, please share your favorite sewing or quilting tip below in the comments. A random winner will be selected.
The randomly selected winner of a copy of the Change-Up Patchwork DVD from Nancy’s Notions is Dorothy H.
Her comment was, “What fun ideas! I would love to add that to my collection of Nancy’s books!”
Bye for now,
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Jane McLean
I highly recommend investing in good lighting. I have a small portable 24 LED lamp that plugs in or uses batteries. Even though I work in a studio with lots of natural light, I can pull that lamp across my sewing table for picking out stitches, or to my sofa to shed light on hand embroidery.
Dr Michael Elinski
My favorite tip for accurate sewing and quilting is ti use starch or a starch alternative on the fabric so stabilize the material. This seems to help sew pieces together accurately, so all the quilt points come together exactly as you want them. Mary Ellen’s Best Press Starch Alternative is my favorite product to achieve best results.
Susan Therio
My favorite tip is to change machine needles at the beginning of each project. Doesn’t sound like much, but many “machine” problems are solved with a new needle. I was just teaching this past Sunday and a woman in the class said there was something wrong with her machine. New needle fixed it! My favorite size? a 12……
Tricia Hulehan
I love having my sewing machine in front of a window so I can look outside while sewing. I also like using a ball chair that is on wheels so I can slide over from serger to sewing machine; this also works my core while sewing. It is much more fun than going to the gym to work out! LOL
Clovis
I have to be comfortable. If I’m to cold, I can’t concentrate.
Linda Nelson
I can’t stress enough reading directions through before starting. Can’t say I always follow my own advice, but I really should!
mary ann johnson
I enjoyed watching Nancy and how she showed to use graph paper to see how a quilt design will turn out
Martha Fewell
Thank you so much for offering the opportunity to win this book “50 Tried and True Sewing and Quilting Tips”. I would love to win this book. I have been watching Sewing with Nancy for a really long time. So long that I can’t remember just how long. I use a lot of the above hints: good lighting from an Ott lamp, a rolling desk chair and use of Mary Ellen’s Best Press. I also love the portable ironing board made to fit on top of your regular ironing board or stand.
carolyn
been watching and using NANCY for I think 30 years.
Love it all.
I do think the best advice I could give anyone is make the decision of the item you are making quilt are what ever then think it thru.
Be sure you have enough fabric for the item.
I learned this the hard way.
Better to have two much than to run short.
I am 75 just stared making quilts loving every min of it
Melanie Eddy
When you travel with your machine always put the presser foot down and the needle in the down position. This helps protect your needle.
Marianne
If you’re not sure about a quilt layout or to check for mistakes before quilting, take a picture and look at it. It will be easier to see the effect or if pieces have gone wrong.
Laura
This book looks like a treasure trove of handy tips. I always put my “rulers” away immediately in their rack to avoid dropping/sliding to floor. I’m also a big fan of the new portable rechargeable LED lights.
BevM
My favorite sewing tip is used to correct crooked stitches in topstitching without ripping out the whole seam. Carefully pull out the offending stitches, leaving thread tails at least 2 inches long. Pull all to the back and tie. Then thread the tails in a needle, and bury them between fabric layers. Next, carefully re-sew the area, leaving long thread tails, and overlapping the good stitching a stitch or two at each end. Again, pull all thread tails to back, tie, and bury. I share this with 4-H sewers at workshops and while judging.
Denny
Perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Give yourself permission to mess up and make changes as you like.
Marty
If sitting at the sewing machine most of the day to complete a project, get up every 30 minutes to stretch: step outdoors for 5 minutes, use your stairs or reach into your cupboard for things you’ll need with meal prep. These breaks will help you feel refreshed and ready to resume your sewing position.
Beth S.
If in doubt, rip it out! Better to lose a few minutes than leave a seam or even a block that bugs you. A small irritant now could mean a project completed with no joy or even discarded because your eye will always go to the ‘bug’.
Cindy Fraher
Use a staple puller to remove buttons from the card they are sold on.
Marilyn Ritchie
Surprised you could stop at 50! Learn (or refresh) memory every time I watch your show. Looking forward to many more tips and hints in the future! Thank you.
Ann Grimes
Slow down!
Elaine Snyder
When I am quilting I love to do chain stitching. I feel like this makes my project go a little faster.
Susan Bedard
Measure twice and cut once! Press well. These give the best results no matter what you do!
Knella
Spray starching is a top hint for me!
Malea
I use bobby pins to hold on binding as I sew it onto my quilts. 🙂
Lillian Klaeger
I like to use a small design board/or wall. I made one using a small (18″ x 36″) foam board purchased at a craft store and covered it with flannel. I keep it next to my machine and it helps me to place the block pieces correctly before stitching the block together.
Also, I use painter’s tape to mark the 1/4 inch on my sewing machine bed; I find this easier for me than using the 1/4 inch foot (sometimes I can’t always see the edge of the fabric to ensure it is next to the edge of the foot. ).
Bonnye
I take a picture of my project when it is done. I keep this in case I want to do a similar quilt. It also reminds me of all the quilts I made. I also take a picture of my quilt before I sew the blocks together. My dog loved to lie on the unfinished quilt and sometimes the blocks were accidently rearranged. In fact, sometimes it looked better. Ha!
elizabeth carlson
The four patch remake. What an idea I made it to incorporate into my sampler quilt
Tina
I totally agree with the spray starch idea. Using it is so helpful! Thanks!
Mary Phoebe Rotert
I put my twin mattress on end in my combo sewing-guest room, attached a length of flannel, and use it as a flannel board for quilt design layout. I can still disassemble it easily when I have a guest.
Diane
My favorite and best tip is to keep your machine in top performance mode at the beginning of each day. Ensure it is properly oiled, cleaned and threaded. This will eliminate many issues before they even start. Love your show and your posts. Thanks for sharing!
Cheryl
I really like Nancy’s tip to use double sided fusible tape on quilt bindings and have found many other uses for this product as well.
Pat
Thanks for the tips and ideas from the experts. I especially enjoy Pam Mashie. Her explanations are always so clear and concise. Thanks also for the chance to win the book.
Melody Lutz
In the middle of a quilt design class, the instructor said BREATHE…all 20 students took a collective breath! When I’m free motion quilting, or flustered by jams, breaking thread, whatever…I take a deep breath and go at it again. 99% of the time: problem solved.
Ginny Rigsbee
My best advice for quilting or any other type of sewing is: Never sew when you are tired or upset. You will definitely foul things up.
Shirley Clark
When sewing trims like ribbons and rick rack onto projects, I use the 1/4″ SteamASeam on the back. It works much better than pins, and lessens the chance of sewing them on crooked.
I have used it on knit seams to keep them from rolling before serging. Must less aggravation!
MonicaAD
My favorite sewing tip is using masking tape with lines on them to indicate different sewing measurements … FIESTA 🙂
Edna Marks
Good lighting and a comfortable chair with back support are my tips.
Susan Spiers
Rita Farro & her fringe ideas-how cute-thrift-store stuff too! Great ideas, love the daughter-in-law and granddaughter dresses with fringe, color blocks & words! Thank you, Susan
Lynda Adair
Whether I am garment sewing or craft sewing, I depend on the 5-in-1 tool to accurately place trim, ric rac, or lace on my project, or top stitching apron ties, and hems, etc. It is so easy to measure, pin, and sew straight the first time. It saves me lots of time with seam ripping!
Jan N.
Change your sewing machine needle often.
Becky
I’m so excited to finally to be able to start quilting!!! My sister has really been an inspiration. We watch Nancy all the time when we are together! As a new quilter I could really use your book Nancy!
Noreen
If I haven’t used my sewing machine for a while, I take it apart and clean and oil it before using it again. Also, to keep the foot pedal from sliding away, I put it on a small piece of rubberized shelf liner, and it stays put. Thanks for all the great tips and ideas, and for the chance to win one of your books!
Gail Beam
Thank you for the chance to win this great DVD. My favorite tips are to use magic scotch tape when doing applique machine embroidery to hold the fabric down and using a wooden chop stick to hold down small areas when ironing. The nice thing about the scotch tape is that if you accidentally stitch over it, it will just peel off.
MaryLou Curtis
Thank you for the opportunity to share a tip. Mine would be:
Always wind multiple( at least a half dozen) bobbins BEFORE starting a quilting project and never use anything but a quarter inch foot. It is sooo much more accurate in terms of matching seams. Happy Quilting everyone!
mlc
Craft Biz Pro
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for putting this together. It’s really neat that you were able to get all of these experts together to share their expertise. I think Pam did such a great job reminding us about how to properly use hoops. My best tip is to always check your machine when you’re starting your day to ensure everything is in working order. You don’t want to stop in the middle of a project to fix something that could’ve have been addressed before you started.
Debbie W.
I have many uses for 3M blue painters tape. When I put a new needle in my machine, I write the date and type of needle on the blue tape and put it on the top of my machine. I also use blue tape to hold the “speed dial” in position when doing machine applique so that it cannot be accidentally changed.
Jodie Morton
Try every tip at least once. Doing is learning and knowledge is the key to becoming an expert!