sval

I find regularly I'll come across a pattern I'd like to make. Then as I'm reading the pattern it's all done cutting out individual pieces. Such as two triangles to make a HST. I'd like a book or magazine that shows all the great short cut methods.
There are lots of great tips on this board. But going back and finding them when I'm in the process of making a quilt sometimes gets me out of the mood for it.
Does anyone know of such a thing?
Book, magazine subscription, online source?
Thanks.
Just hate making things the hard way and sometimes not the most accurate.
SVAL

NJ Quilter

I know what you mean. Didn't read all the way through one particular pattern and just started cutting. Realized after I started piecing that the whole thing could have been done far easier. WHEN I remember that experience, I try to read completely through things and figure out the easy way instead of the way it's written at times!

ManiacQuilter2

I don't know of anything that exist but usually where there is a demand, someone will write it. As an advance quilter, I prefer making flying geese my way and continue with the pattern. There are at least four ways to make flying geese and I find that I use Eleanor Burns method works best for me. When I read to cut 4 7/8 squares to make HST, I just ignore it and cut my squares 5". It just starts to become automatic to convert to the easier method. Good Question!

bearisgray

For my personal use, I like to have things on paper.

I think one could get a three ring binder with the clear pockt pages to put ideas in.

Maybe divide it into sections: designs - cutting - triangle trick - color - whatever one has a special interest in

Keep the things that worked especially well - weed out the ones that were tried but did not work so well.

I am thinking of something like one's favorite recipes file or notebook.

I am sure there are books and videos with helpful hints. But sval used the word "all" - don' t think that one will ever happen. Something new is always being discovered and old ways are being revisited.

For me, a whole section on how to make flying geese would be useful.

There are some things I look up over and over - it would be smart of me to copy those pages - mark them with my personal notes - and keep them in one place.

Tartan

A book with 8 different blocks is Rotary Cutting Revolution by Anita Grossman Solomon.

Geri B

I think eventually we find the method of doing a particular piecing part that works best for us, with the closest to perfect results....sort of like cooking....crock it, bake it, stovetop it, or fry it.....then, someone comes up with even a better way.......never ends...

SueSew

Another thing to watch out for with patterns which don't offer shortcuts is that the cutting instructions may be wrong for how you want to make them.
If you are making a bajillion HST then why not make them 8 or 12 at a time? Then don't cut strips or buy a jelly roll, cut blocks of fabric.
Every time I learn a new shortcut I put it in a big looseleaf notebook full of instructions for different techniques. DIY quilter's handbook of a sort.

Onebyone

Not a book or magazine but youtube has every quilting method, technique, and shortcut ever used.

PaperPrincess

Judy Martin's Ultimate Rotary Cutting Reference is a good book to have, but it doesn't show the construction shortcuts. It does have scores of charts giving instructions on strip cutting various shapes. You can get a used copy for just the cost of postage on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...qid=1423835069

ghostrider

And that's exactly the way it should be with everything you do from the day you are born. You try the new way and, if it works better for you that way, you adopt it as 'your' way of doing whatever. It's called growing.

Pattern writers are never going to include all the shortcuts for all the procedures in thier quilts. They'll include what works for THEM based on their own experiences. If your way is different, do it your way. If you have to write down your own way, do that in any way that works for you.

It's not reasonable to expect all patterns to be 'custom' written for the exact way you want to do things. If you're experienced enough to make changes, great; if you're not yet at that point, you may just learn something new from doing it the way the pattern says to do it.

Techniques that don't work for me get thrown out fairly quickly (I use the three strikes rule). They'll find their own way back if I'm just not yet ready to master them. There's no need for me to keep them 'on call' in a book, magazine, video, etc.