Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips
The recording of the two-part Sewing With Nancy mini-series, Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips, took place during Nancy’s Notions annual Sewing Weekend event in Beaver Dam, WI. This yearly event takes place in May. Over 3,000 people flock to our small community for the 3-day sewing extravaganza. My guess is that during this weekend there are more sewists and quilters per capita than any other place in the country! During this exciting weekend, I invited my friends and associates to share one or two of their favorite tried and true sewing or quilting tips. I know you’ll enjoy learning tips from these specialists, as you watch the show.
Jill Repp, from June Tailor, shares her Quick Block Cutting Tricks:
Eileen Roche, from Designs in Machine Embroidery, shares her Reversible Piecing Hints:
Jenny Doan, from Missouri Star Quilting Co., shares her tips for making ½-square triangles:
Pam Damour, Interior Designer, shares here Painless/Pinless Zipper Techniques:
Mary Mulari, Designer and Author, shares her tips for Quick Aprons with Fat Quarters:
Donna Fenske, Sewing With Nancy Team, shares her techniques for adding a Fabulous Flange Binding:
Well, how about that—six tried and true tips from such knowledgeable people! Next week my guest tipsters will be back with five more great tips in the second 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 from Nancy’s Notions, 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 book Beginning Landscape Quilting from Nancy’s Notions is Pamela Smith.
Her comment was, “My favorite season is fall and I wish I had the courage to start quilting with that. Maybe watching your video will get me landscape quilting. I loved the winner of the pillow challenge, she did a beautiful job. Thanks for the chance to win and the inspiration.”
Bye for now,
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Jennifer Reinke
Thank you for all these wonderful tried and true tips! My first sewing book in the late 70’s was one by you Nancy. And as I now am forging ahead in the quilting world, I thank you again for all the information. My favorite quilting tip would be the standard “measure twice and cut once” and with all the new rulers and templates that are now available, this makes our lives much easier. So looking forward to sewing weekend and the classes I’m registered for. It’s “ME” weekend and I couldn’t be more excited.
Linda Smith
I don’t have the creativity that every one else seams to have so this book for me is like finding Gold !! So much to creat and inspire me with Great ideas I cant wait to try a new design in sewing and the inspiration this book alone gives me !!
eve elliott
I love anything and everything from Nancy. I have watched her TV program from the beginning and have many of her books. I still watch her program on PBS on Saturday mornings, even tho I’ve seen them all before. Love her!!
Clovis
As I’m learning, there are a lot of different ways to get your projects done. By winning this books, I will gain a lot of knowledge.
Grapenutquilter
My tip would be to make sure when making quilt blocks you “press” not “iron” fabric pieces so not to stretch and distort shape of the pieces. The book 50 Tried & True Sewing and Quilting Tips sounds fantastic and I can use all the tips I can get!
Nanette Edmonds
My favorite sewing tip is to pin at the ends and intersections when piecing so you can match your points every time. The way some fabric tends to stretch even the tiniest bit can really throw off your block.
Delores
I include a picture or sketch of what I intended for a project when putting cut pieces into a bag to sew later. This has been helpful many years later when I come across a UFO ( quilt) of my own design! If it is a garment, also include all the matching notions.
Shaela Forbes
Always looking for ways to improve my quilting
Linda Nelson
I think the best tip I rely on is re-reading directions. I don’t know how many times I’ve put a zipper in wrong or done something that I had to rip out because I was in a hurry and didn’t take time to thoroughly read the directions! Simple, but time-saving!
CA Edwards
Thank you so much! My favorite tip is use a lint roller to remove those threads and bits wherever you leave them. They’re inexpensive and easy to keep around.
Cheryl Vega
These are wonderful tips! I cant wait to try them. They give inspiration instead of dread at the thought of being difficult. Thank you!
Bonnie Larson
Read the instructions thoroughly (twice), measure twice and cut once. I am totally amazed every time when i do this that it does work and why don’t I do it all the time. lol. Thanks so much for sharing. Looks like a great book.
carolyn montgomery
as sewers and quilters we are always looking for faster, easier, or better ways to do things and achieve the best results. my favorite tip is 4 hst at once.
Jodie S
Until recently, I never touched the throat plate designed for zigzagging on my sewing machine. I suffered in silence as my corners got sucked down into the wide, gaping hole and little balls of thread formed on the back. One day I decided to swap the plate out for the straight-stitch throat plate that has just a round hole for the needle. Wow, what a difference that makes! Now when I want to do quilt piecing or any other type of straight stitching, I make sure to have the correct throat plate in place.
Julie Kill
I do some designing, quilting, and a bit of garment sewing. I like to be creative. The best tip I can offer is regarding measuring and cutting- ” Use the same ruler/measuring system for measuring all of the pieces of your project for consistency” “Measure consistently when using those rulers or that system”. Always “square up” before you sew.
Thanks again for your insight, Nancy!
Toni Haukom
I arrange my quilt blocks on my display wall, once I am satisfied with the arrangement I take a picture of the layout. Then when I remove each row, one at a time, I label them row 1 block 1, row 2 block 1, row 3 block 1 etc., so if I get sidetracked and my blocks get moved around, I have them labeled plus I have the picture to look at to refer to so I can continue to sew the blocks together as I had planned.
Esther
Thanks you, Nancy for the many sewing tips I’ve learned from you. I’ve used your way of putting elastic in pants many times. I found last year that all my pants were too large! So between the serger and your elastic tips I remade about a half dozen pants. Now I get comments, “you’ve lost weight!”
Sorry but the scales don’t agree!
Kolleen Sue Moomey
Do the very best you can, perfection will come later with practice.
Ellen M.
My best sewing tip is simply to read the directions through more than once. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve realized I read something incorrectly the first time! Has saved me a lot of “unstitching”! Many thanks!
Margaret Wyszinski
I’m new to quilting. So far, my favorite tips are reading directions re reading directions, press, not iron in order to not stretch fabric out & measure twice, cut once has been invaluable
Jan Cash
I just love learning about new tips and enjoy sharing them with my sewing/quilting friends as well. Thank you, Nancy, for all the guidance and inspiration that you give….I sure do appreciate it!
Cheryl TX
Like others, my favorite tips are press not iron and measure twice and cut once. I constantly have to remind myself of these…especially after I have messed things up!
Jan Ross
When I put a border on larger quilts, I begin pinning and sewing from the middle of the quilt and move down to the end, then return to the middle and pin and sew in the opposite direction. That prevents the ripples that can come from sewing the border form one end to the other.
Diane Langham
The best tip I can think of is to have the sewing machine manual close at hand. Even though I learned to sew in 4th grade on my mother’s Featherweight, and still use it today, 60+ years later, I refer to it for cleaning and oiling and lubricating as well as for reviews of the several attachments and how they work. Thank goodness, my dear late mother took care of her prized Singer, incl. the manual. (I know they’re available online, but there’s something sweet about “originals”.
Linda weinberger
I think for me before I start a project it’s having my sewing room cleaned and all the supplies and cut pieces ready to go. Organization is a real challenge for me.
Laura
My favorite tip is the adage that “practice makes progress”. We are often too hard on ourselves and with that mantra in mind it’s much easier to try and try again to get the results we are looking for.
jenny boettcher
I’m always looking for ways to save time …….and to try different techniques, my favorite sewing tip is to be organized, ex: keep all of my threads in one spot, sorted by type, cotton together, then poly, etc……sewing machine needles in one drawer, bobbin in another, sorted by type, all kept in a stack drawer system (plastic cart) that fits under my sewing table.
Denise Penn
Learn the ‘rules’ of sewing but don’t be afraid to break them if you aren’t getting the results you want. Just because this is the way you were taught does not mean there is no room for improvement or innovation. If that were the case we would still be sewing everything by hand with a needle and thread.
jean brown
I have been sewing for a long time . my mom was terrific at sewing. I have come to realize that if I stress out when I am quilting it doesn’t go well . if I let myself have a mistake here and there I enjoy it more often . sewing should be a pleasure not a chore. enjoy yourself and keep going before long you make fewer mistakes.
jean b
Florence Dupuis
My favorite tip is good for both sewing and quilting is when threading your needle put a white paper behind the needle and the eye will be more visible.
Linda E in AZ
My tip for those wanting to do their own quilting on a sewing machine is to invest in a large quilting table where the machine is sunk into the table. It makes a world of difference in moving the quilt around, and the extra space on the table top supports the bulk of the quilt while you are quilting.
Jeanette withrow
Wow! All the experts in one place. How exciting to get all the tips from the experts. I love watching Nancy on tv and on you tube. She has done so much for the women at home. Would love to win this book!!
Karen payton
Nancye always reminds us to pin,pin,pin!
Teresa Seaver
The helpful tips continue to improve my knowledge and skills in the various projects I attempt. My favorite tip when macine embroidering is to print a template of the design for placement before stitching. It gives a better visual of placement and correct size for the finished product.
Martha Morgan
I love to quilt on my DM, so I started using only 1/3 of the batting at a time, keeps the bulk of a quilt a non issue while quilting. Also am enjoying digitizing quilt designs.
Ilana
For a long time I was afraid to attempt new techniques for fear that I wouldn’t do it right. Finally I realized that I would never know unless I tried. So my favorite tip is just go ahead and try it.
Lorraine Lok
My tip is don’t be a perfectionist. Everybody makes mistakes, even the pros. Trying to be perfect can get in the way of your creativity and the enjoyment you get from sewing.
Ellen
Hard to pick a favorite, I am impressed with all the helpful
tips, Thanks Nancy. I particularly enjoyed learning about the June Tailor cutting methods and the hooping by Eileen Roche.
Debora Nipper
I’ve done just a little bit of quilting, both piecing and machine quilting. There’s a lot of debate about hand binding, but I don’t have that kind of time, so I use decorative stitches and bind by machine. If you do that, it’s a little more forgiving if you get a little crooked! I recommend that for newbies especially.
Joyce W.
Thank you for all the tips and sewing information you have provided us throughout the years. I have learned so much from you and have many of your books and booklets. My sewing and quilting tip is to keep a long pair of tweezers nearby. There are many times when one needs to grab a stray thread or pull up the bobbin thread .
Ellen R. in MN
About 35 years ago my oldest daughter learned to put in a zipper one day while I was at work. Now I’m teaching a 7 year old to sew with all the new products and feet. She will be learning to use a nylon zipper with a welting foot to make the bag shown in the video. I would have found it much easier to learn to sew zippers 65 years ago with all the new tools and technics!
Linda
I used to be cheap — and now my favorite tip is to check for a tool that might make an onerous task easier! It’s worth the money to have a project look good!
Suzi Smith
I keep small scraps of fabric next to my machine. when I’m finished i sew over one of the small scraps and leave it in the machine. then when I begin something new I don’t have to worry about “birds nests” under the first stitches.
Linda Rupe
It’s faster, easier and generally looks better to line a top or dress bodice than to face or bias the openings.
Karen B.
It always helps to read directions at least once or twice before starting. Have a clean sewing area, the right tools set out; press fabrics and starch if needed. Cut out all pieces, and organize them with tags. Sewing goes much faster and is far more pleasurable when you are organized. If you can’t finish right away, having things labeled makes it much easier to begin again.
Anita C
Best tip for quilting… after you decide on thread color for quilting use a long strand of the thread and your binding fabric to make a decision about which backing fabric to use.
Linda M.
I keep a magnetic pin cushion on my cutting table AND by my sewing machine. As I empty one, I transfer it to the other place. This way I always have pins handy and where I need them. Thanks for all your inspiration over the years, Nancy!
Beverly
My favorite tip is to read through the entire pattern direction sheet before cutting. That one step saves a lot of time and aggravation when trying a new technique.
Wendy Siniscalchi
I love your pivot and slide method of fitting and adjusting. I have been a viewer since the beginning and that was a revelation to me.
Susan Spiers
Loved Jill Repp’s tips on using the slotted ruler to cut not only accurate squares, but diamonds & hexagon’s-great ideas for me to try-so easy! Thank you, Susan
Kathleen Kutz
Tie a small scissors to your sewing machine. Also, have tweezers nearby for pulling thread up from your bobbin.
Linda Shumway
Binding can throw me for a loop sometimes but recently (even after years of quilting) I discovered clips instead of pins. They aren’t even the fancy pretty ones for sale, but are the ugly old mismatched ones I found all around the house in various hiding places. They work just as well and I no longer stick my fingers while sewing on my binding.
Karen H.
My favorite tip is from Leah Day, when fmq do not drop the feed dogs, just set the stitch length to 0, and you are good to go. Also, doodle your motifs and designs for better muscle memory. Thank you for all you do for us, been with you from the start of your tv shows and always will be.
Marty
Put an additional light near your sewing machine: it will reduce eye strain and help as you continue your project.
GrrannyH
Clean you sewing machine on a regular basis and change the needle OFTEN.
Bonnye
I always make sure I clean my sewing machine after each project. I keep a notepad near my machine to remind me when I put a new needle in the machine. I also use a sticky note on the machine to remind me of the size and kind of needle I put in the machine.
Arlene Burger
Thanks for sharing all your tips. I like to keep a magnet near by to collect pins.
Judy Frye
My best tip was to make sure you are using 1/4″ seams. I measure after sewing to make sure the block is the right size and my seams are correct.
Judy G
The best tip I ever heard was, “There are no sewing police”. If it isn’t the way it’s usually done, oh well. No one is going to come arrest you if you did it differently or if your seams aren’t perfectly straight. Sew, be yourself, be creative, and most of all, have fun!
Carol Skilling
When starting a new quilt and it’s got a Key to the colors, I write in the colors on the layout, so I don’t get mixed up. Then when cutting out, I put pieces in a plastic bag and label it with the quilt section it belongs to, so it doesn’t get lost.
Liz Fergus
I recently saw Nancy demonstrate a new way to replace a zipper in a coat, a fly front and a skirt. What a revelation! No longer will I rip out an old zipper to replace it. I will be demonstrating this to my sewing group next month and they are very excited to learn this trick! Thank you Nancy!
Karen K
Been a stickler since day one – I always measure twice cut once! If I’m not positive its correct, I’ll measure it again. Better safe than sorry!
Jan N.
My favorite sewing tip is to use stay tape or clear elastic to stabilize the shoulder seams when sewing with knit fabrics.
Maria Merante
I have learned to make an elastic waistband by measuring he elastic, stitching it closed, placing in in the waistband of the pants/skirt, folding the fabric over the elastic and then folding the bottom of the fabric up 1/8-1/4″, then stitching right below the elastic. I’ve gotten quite efficient at doing this so that the elastic always fits well!
Lillian Klaeger
Flange Binding is my favorite. I have been wanting to give this type of binding a try. The Tips will be very helpful.
Vicki Williams
The one true tip is. Measure Twice, cut once
Mary Krall
I am an intermediate quilter and am always looking for new and better ways to do things as I learn quilting techniques. This book looks to be the perfect choice to help me on my quest to be a better quilter. Thank you for the opportunity!
Cathie
I can remember watching Nancy in the 70’s and being so inspired to try to sew. Now that I have time to sew, I still appreciate her tips and inspiration in a different way. It’s never to late to learn new techniques.
Starla
Don’t be afraid to try.
Anne Z.
I love precision piecing, especially when I am sewing star blocks. To achieve precision, not only do I pin, but prior to sewing the permenant seam, I baste it. Basting may be an extra step, but I know I am happy with my piecing before, I sew a permanant seam. It is easier to remove basting stiches than regular stiitches, if I would not be happy with how the peices align.
Mary Ellen
I loved the tip on the flange binding..it looks so classy and perfect on the placemat. I’ve put off making placemats for my dining room because my fabric looked as if it was missing something. The flange will be a great asset; thanks for all of your tips.
Peg G
My favorite tip is to NOT sew with your nose, in other words, monitor your posture so you sit up straight as much as possible to reduce fatigue and sore neck and shoulders.
Sherry
My best tip is to press, press, press…after each seam before you sew another piece into the seam, before you cut and when your block is finished.
Juanita Decquir
My tips are ones I learned from my mother . Accurate cutting and seam allowances along with pressing will produce good results. Finally, make sure your work is neat. Neatness counts!!!
Gail Beam
I always iron my fabric with spray starch or magic sizing before I sew anything. I find this especially helpful when using my embroidery machine, because I have less puckers and gives the fabric better stability.
Chris
Buy extra fabric and never cut or sew when you are tired. You will make a mistake that you will regret.
Ruth Henrichs
Keep on trying…don’t let intimidation get the best of you!!!
Brenda
I make a copy of every pattern I buy and put the copy in a 3 ring binder. I write on the pattern where it can be found. I then file the pattern in a pattern box. When my granddaughter’s or I need a pattern we just look through the binder till we find one we like.
Sandra
One of the best tips I received is to use coffee filters as a stabilizer.
Jean Adler
When rotary cutting pieces for a quilt, always use the same brand of ruler for the entire project. Rulers are not exactly the same measurement from one brand to the other. That can throw the size of your pieces off and your blocks won’t go together accurately.
pat saft
I have been a fan since you were on DeClark St. I sew very little in the clothing, but, love to quilt. My tip is to cover a wide board with batting and muslin. I then have a nice pressing board when on quilt-in’s. It can be lain on a table and give you all the room you need to press large items.
beth d.
Thanks you for all your tips in the past years and now. My tip is a quilting tip. I roll my binding onto an empty toilet bowl roll and put in a sandwich plastic bag and unwind it as I sew. It works great.
Angela Curtis
I’m new to sewing so all of this is great for me.
Barb Steinmetz
My best tips are… press fabric in the beginning using best press. Also press during construction. Also sew in good light.
Cassy L.
My tip is to stay open to just keep learning.
Pat
My favorite sewing and quilting tip is to take your time and enjoy the process. Thanks for the chance to win the book.
Becky Canuteson
Sew an accurate 1/4 ” seam. Complete the entire project with the same machine for accurate seams.
Janet Duff
I like to keep a small pair of clippers at my machine to clip the threads as I go. It seems to be easier to pick them than scissors. Watching Sewing With Nancy gives me new ideas and inspiration!
Alyson Baker
I’m a new quilter but have already learned the importance of a 1/4″ seam. I also found a DIY recipe for basting spray online. Love it!
Jennifer Clark
Love learning from you Nancy. My mom (a Nancy as well) taught me to sew. My dad taught me to love PBS. My favorite tip, which I couldn’t stand as a child, keep your FABRIC scissors sharp and ONLY use on fabric. 🙂
Sharon Carbine
My favorite sewing and quilting tip is watch examples of confusing techniques on YouTube. Frequently, I watch examples by multiple people.