Kelly_Y

Today, I learned that you should use a walking or at least non-stick foot when quilting on a relatively new tee shirt.

In the process or trying with a regular foot, the resulting knots were impossible to get out with a seam-ripper. I'm going to have to cut that square out and QAYG in a replacement.

So for today's discussion, what lessons have you learned the hard way?

CarolinePaj

Never try to catch a rotary cutter blade that you have dropped!!!!!!!

Hugs

Caroline

ruby2shoes

Always check where the edge of your backing is before you start quilting a new section.

Tom W

Can't tell you how hard this one was for me to learn, or how many thousands of stitches to pick out....

cjsews

Clean off your table before cutting fabric. I have cut too many extra pieces and templates.

Boston1954

Securely close the plastic box with the thread spools, and bobbins. When a box falls on a dusty floor, the thread picks it up like a magnet, and they roll EVERYWHERE!

citruscountyquilter

Never let your good scissors fall on a hard floor. I bent the point of my expensive scissors this way. Now I have them on a ribbon that either attaches around my neck or to the machine.

ManiacQuilter2

Always hold on or park the the bobbin thread when starting to quilt.

huskyquilter

Ha, that reminds me of my boss. He works in the stock market and always says, "don't try to catch falling knives."

My latest 'learn the hard way' is to always read the specs of what you're buying. I am making my mom a set of 8 placemats and a table runner, and I thought I ordered enough insulbrite (plus some extra, just in case), turns out, it's only 22" wide, so I had enough for the runner and 4 placemats, but had to order more mid project. Still waiting for it to arrive.

My most annoying lesson, start any fmq with a sample sandwich, just in case. I had been going right along for a while and my bobbin ran out. While replacing it, I decided to take a peek at the back, and wouldn't you know, the most gigantic rats nest had somehow formed. Ug, that was painful. I took it off the machine, and pulled out another project. I didn't even want to look at that for a month. Finally finished it though. It came out beautifully, but man what a trainwreck.

cathyvv

Measure twice, cut once. Even more important, check the size you need to cut twice, write it down and then measure twice and cut once.