Pass On The Best Idea You've Had While Quilting
02-26-2011, 04:43 PM
#132
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
Id anyone is still reading this long-long post---I have an old
microwave cart on wheels. ironing board on top. shelves under. good place for spray cans,air cans, etc. pull it to the machine when needed. first shelf holds plastic set of
small drawers for small things.
microwave cart on wheels. ironing board on top. shelves under. good place for spray cans,air cans, etc. pull it to the machine when needed. first shelf holds plastic set of
small drawers for small things.
02-26-2011, 04:45 PM
#133
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont[Greenville]SC
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by Carron
I glued a narrow magnetic strip across the top front of my sewing machine. Then when I am sewing something that has the straight pins and as they approach the needle, I pull them out and stick them onto the magnetic strip. Nothing falling onto the floor or worse into the lap.
02-26-2011, 04:47 PM
#135
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont[Greenville]SC
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by peppermint31
I use 2 rubber door stops to tilt my machine up towards me to lessen the neck strain of bending over to see where I'm sewing
02-26-2011, 04:49 PM
#136
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4,039
The thing I think I can offer is ....PATIENCE! I wasnt much for pacing myself, but have learned I get much better results when I do. I will also rip out stitching time and time again to ensure I get it just right. My thoughts are ....if im going to spend the time and hard earned money...I want it to look right. Also Enjoy yourself. If you are not enjoying what your working on...put it away for another time. IT'S REALLY OK!!! :):)
02-26-2011, 04:51 PM
#137
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont[Greenville]SC
Posts: 498
Originally Posted by ann31039
Originally Posted by gellybean402
I always seem to rip a pattern after one use so I trace the pattern onto a piece of interfacing (including all the markings) and cut it out. Now I have a pattern that won't tear and is very durable and will last forever!
02-26-2011, 04:55 PM
#138
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: pile of scraps, ILLINOIS
Posts: 980
Originally Posted by starstruck
Best idea i ever had while sewing was to sell all my fabric and find another hobby.....obviously it was a bad day...lol
02-26-2011, 05:02 PM
#139
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,924
Originally Posted by Jan in VA
I use a full 1" x 1.5" Post-it-Note pad flush up against the presser foot, held down with a fat rubber band or a strip of tape, to keep my 1/4" seams exact. I can sew two strips together in about 10 seconds using this! All my seams are straight, equal, and easy.
Jan in VA
Jan in VA
Blessings,
MaryAnna
02-26-2011, 05:02 PM
#140
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Grand Junction, CO
Posts: 1,452
I don't have a light box for tracing patterns etc., but I do have a plexiglass extension table on legs that came with my machine. I flip my ott-lite on it's back and slide it under the extension table, works perfectly.
My second tip is about rotary cutting multiple strips from a single piece of fabric. For example, if I need six strips 2" wide, I first cut a 12" strip with my square ruler, then I slide it over to the 10" mark, cut again, slide it to 8", cut again and so on until I have all 6 strips. It's alot faster and more accurate. If I'm working with a strip width that's not so easy to mentally calculate, such as 1 3/4 inches, I use a calculator to determine the maximum width I can use for the first cut, in the case of a 12 inch ruler it would 10.5 inches. Then I use the calulator to subtract 1 3/4 inches for the second cut and move the ruler to the 8 3/4 inch mark. I continue to use the calculator for each cut because I don't trust myself to figure it correctly in my pea brain!
Probably sounds complicated, but it really saves time when cutting lots of strips.
My second tip is about rotary cutting multiple strips from a single piece of fabric. For example, if I need six strips 2" wide, I first cut a 12" strip with my square ruler, then I slide it over to the 10" mark, cut again, slide it to 8", cut again and so on until I have all 6 strips. It's alot faster and more accurate. If I'm working with a strip width that's not so easy to mentally calculate, such as 1 3/4 inches, I use a calculator to determine the maximum width I can use for the first cut, in the case of a 12 inch ruler it would 10.5 inches. Then I use the calulator to subtract 1 3/4 inches for the second cut and move the ruler to the 8 3/4 inch mark. I continue to use the calculator for each cut because I don't trust myself to figure it correctly in my pea brain!
Probably sounds complicated, but it really saves time when cutting lots of strips.
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