bearisgray

I don't know what Peckish does - but I fold my bindings in half - and baste the raw edges of the binding together before putting the binding on the quilt.

As the binding is worked around the edge of the quilt - the "half" line is off by a few threads - so that is why I do NOT press the binding in half before putting it on.

Lynette-Merlin

I started with an article in a magazine which had a lovely picture of a baby's quilt. I was pregnant at the time! My quilt got to be so that it touched the floor all round my bed, so I found a book on patchwork and the first thing I read was 'Don't start on a large quilt because you will never finish it and it will put you off for life'. I did finish it, but there were no fancy rulers or rotary cutters and I did get 6 very basic templates from a magazine ad of six different shapes.
I started at the same time as a girlfriend and we had such fun sharing fabric and ideas. She moved away and started a group of her own. I went to share at this group and recently she aske me to come again. I said 'How long since I last talked?' She said 30 years. I had quite a lot I could share about.

Ada Shiela

I'm so glad to see that many of us went to the "school of hard knocks", sewing and knitting dolls clothes, sitting up all night stuffing pixie dolls with plastic faces so Mother could go to market to earn our bread and butter on her Singer treddle machine; sewing our clothing outfits before leaving convent school, on hand turning wheel machines; magazine patterns, books with paper piecing templates traced etc. Joined local sewing group for stretch sewing classes when single, double knit and fleecy fabrics arrived when overlockers came in - how things have improved since then with all mod gadgets. Learned hand embroidery in convent, worked with embroidering firm and helped sew church banners and tapestries etc. We had so much fun back then and learned everything we could as we went along. Second hand clothing fabrics were the way to go! I do like the age of technology and find Youtube a great source of knowledge to be gleaned yet still manage to buy books! Machines today cost more than what a car used to and we're still able to learn something new every day.

AngeliaNR

I learned to sew by watching my mom. She always told me, "Don't touch the tension knob", and, to this day, if I so much as brush that knob with my hand, I hear her say that!

katesnanna

I had been sewing for years before I started quilting so while I needed some instruction I wasn't a complete novice. I listened to my teacher and have kept some of what she taught me. We then moved across the country and I wasn't happy with the teacher we got. (Wasn't just me.) Most of the time she was anywhere but in the class room. I thought I'll find a way to do things that suit me. I can remember saying to myself many times "there has to be an easier way. Soon others were asking for my help.

jeanniegirl

I learned the hard way, just by doing and making mistakes all along the way. I make baby quilts for charity, so I mostly sew from kits. I have made many from my own stash, too. The more you make the easier it gets. Just hang in there, it'll all come together for you.

trolleystation

I learned to quilt 35 years ago and still do as I was taught. Some of fellow guild members go with the fancy new fangled items and I think that it makes piecing a quilt a lot harder. For one example, the clips they are using to hold the binding in place. I never even pin the binding. If you hold it right, the quilt and the binding do not slip around, eliminating the need for clips.

Rosyhf

I learned to sew at the ripe old age of 12. Later on in my teens I was sent to learn under a master seamstress and sewing became one of my professions at the time as I love it so much. I sewed professionally for many years. I got into the quilting world when a friend informed me that it wasn't templates or little pieces anymore but rulers and cutters etc lol. I took classes with a couple teaches and some national ones that came to Orlando. I immediately took issue (I didn't say anything) with the way the fabrics were cut across the grain. It just didn't make sense to me.

I was so intrigued with quilts and patterns and how you could put them together. I wanted to make every block that existed but learned there were at least 5000 of them lol. Nope, I don't do any of the things from my teachers in quilting, oh except Sharon Hultgren and her rulers and I like her learning book, I have them all.

I read a lot of the books and do learn things here and there and tricks and tips etc. but when it comes to the sewing and cutting. I do that the correct way......I am always willing to learn whatever is new.

AngeliaNR

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one--I never felt the need to clip or pin bindings either.

Peckish

Yes and no. I fold it as I sew, and I never use pins. They just get in my way and I personally think they distort the fabric more than they help.