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Quilt Tips From Quilters Around The World

Design

I made a design board from a 4'x8' sheet of foam insulation (the kind you use under siding for your house) for my sewing room. I cut it down to the size I needed, then I covered it with a flannel- backed tablecloth (flannel side up). I stapled the edges of the tablecloth along the back. You can also use glue. Just lay your quilting blocks on the board�no need to pin! - Barbara in West Virginia

If you want an unusual heart shape or a square shape check out the local Scrapbooking shop. They have some interesting shapes that would be great for quilting. - Ernestine in Colwell

A flannel-backed tablecloth makes a great design wall and it is easy to store in a drawer when you are finished. - Carol in California

I don't have a wall big enough to hang a flannel sheet for my blocks or rows of blocks. I take wire coat hangers and hang the first row lengthwise. Hook it with a clip clothespin and label it with masking tape on which I've written Row # and Sewing instructions, such as sew to row #2 from the top down or bottom up. When I get all of my rows done they are all lined up in a row on hangers with instructions so I can see what it's going to look like, and what I have to do next. - Joan in Vermont

I made a quick nursery quilt by using the "pages" of babys cloth books for squares. I edged them with a contrast fabric to unify them and embroidered and added buttons to highlight a part of each picture. - Bernice in Luton, UK

Sometimes you can not see what is right in front of your face, so I use my digital camera. I put all my blocks and sashes on to the wall and take a digital picture of it. I put the digital photo into my computer and I can always see where I put a block in the wrong place. - Linda in Wisconsin

To keep from having the problem of matching corners of my quilt blocks I decided to stagger my blocks and use a half block at opposite ends of each row. This will work also when you have sashing between rows. You won't need to make cornerstones either. - Ferrell in California

I ask for a empty cardboard from a fabric store (the one fabric is wrapped around) and I pad it with batting, cover with muslin. I use it to iron my pieces right next to my machine. It saves me a lot of getting up and down to do that and it sure saves time. I can also pin my pattern to it, a small design wall. - Arlene in New York

It is necessary to have a plan on how your going to do your quilting to finish up that project. Don't just jump in without a plan as I did. Makes a major improvement when the quilting design works with the designs on the fabric and colors of thread. My projects usually evolve as I can't see in my mind what it is going to look like. I had to re-educate myself to plan ahead. It is worth it in the final results. Makes it fun and not a drudgery. - Virginia in Washington

I was trying to determine the size needed of quarter square triangles for a 12" block. I was unable to find a pattern that size, but in looking at my pattern books I discovered that you only need to add 1.25" to the size of the finished block. So, I cut my 13.25" squares, cut into four pieces, and they made perfect 12" blocks when pieced! - Debbie in Georgia

A great way to lay out your quilt blocks is to purchase some of the plastic table cloth vinyl with the fuzzy backing and tack it to a wall.(fuzzy side out). The blocks stick to it without pinning and you can move them around easily till the pattern suites you. I purchased some cheap at Joann's for $1.88 a yard. - Connie in Arizona

A flannel-backed vinyl table cloth makes an ideal design wall (flannel-side out). Pick up some half-price after the holiday season. - Anne in Ontario, Canada

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