Do you have a favorite tip to share?

[purrfect-lady]

Like nearly everyone here I have a lot of rulers for quilting. And they are always in the way when I'm cutting fabric and get lost under the "fall-out". At the Goodwill I found a file holder that is designed to go on a desk. It has about 7 slots. I have it setting on top of the short bookcase next to my cutting table. Now when I want a ruler, I know just where to look. And I'm much more apt, when I'm using rulers, to return them to the holder than just let them get lost in folds of fabric that I have a tendency to somewhat carelessly toss around!

[purrfect-lady]

Another thing I did is put up a bulletin board in my sewing room. On this I tack ideas for future projects, measurements, small patterns, notes, and even a few fun things. I know that if it's something I want to remember I can find it somewhere on that bulletin board!

[Eajosian]

great hints...thanks for sharing....

[knitnoid]

Two tips.

#1 -- I could never find my instructions for my flying geese rulers, so I could never remember how big to cut my squares. Finally, I wrote on the rulers w/a sharpie the measurement for the sky and geese squares. I put a piece of clear tape over it so it wouldn't rub off. Now I don't need to locate my instructions.

#2 -- I finally gathered up all of the ruler instructions that I could find and put them in a binder on my shelf. Now I know where they are and don't have to keep looking for them.

I guess I have one more tip.

#3 - many ruler manufacturers have their ruler instructions on their webpages, so bookmark them so you can find them if you misplace your binder.

[SueSwan]

I have 2 tables I purchased from Ikea. They are approx 3 feet by 5 feet. My DH put big industrial wheels on them so I can move them around for various needs. I use them for cutting, assembling, holding piles of material and sometimes butting them against my sewing table to hold up a quilt while I sew it.
I found that the height for cutting was too low and I was getting back aches. So I purchased those lifts they sell for college dorm rooms. They work perfectly.
I also use a cheap plastic basket to keep all my pens, rotary cutters, chalk markers etc while I am cutting and assembling a quilt. They are always handy. I have a friend who uses a carpenters bib for this and it seems to work well for her.
I purchased some cup hangers to put under my table and hang the most used rulers on them. They are out of the way, yet handy.

[debtief]

I'm still pretty new at quilting, so I can't offer much at the moment except a big thanks to Mary for starting this thread and to all who are contributing! Have a great day! Deb

[purrfect-lady]

And the tips just keep pouring in! Does anyone else use pipe cleaners to de-lint their machines?

[PamM]

I love all these tips. I've been quilting a long time and I learn something new everyday from here. I have a couple tips I use all the time.
When I cut lots of strips I have an old wooden close drying rack with about 6 or 8 rails to drape them over so I can set it next to my sewing machine.

On my bulletin board, I make a block, to check colors and make sure I really like it, and pin it right in front of my machine, the colors and direction of pattern, don't get mixed up.

I make a large pillow case from the same fabric in the quilts to use as a gift bag for the quilt. It will hold the quilt as well as pieces of the fabric, just in case something terrible happens and a hole or tear needs to be repaired, storing and washing instructions.

When I use a chalk to mark my quilt, a little spray starch will make the marks last a little longer.

If I am going to send a quilt to show, somewhere on the back, I will quilt my name and the date on it. Most of the time, it never shows, since it is only quilted on the back, but it assures that I get my own back.

[Geneva2]

I love all these hints. As was said before by soneone, I have been quilting for years and still find something new.
A few days ago I tied a bright ribbon to my sissors. WOW! That was a great hint. Using my salad spinner to wash fat qts. is something I am going to use too. I wish I had room in my sewing room for the drying rack. That sounds perfect for log cabin strips. I have one in the tool shed but there just isn't room in here for it. Some of the hints, I already use in one form or another. I have a very handy little piece of furniture that I got on e-Bay that holds all my rulers. It intalls on the wall so all rulers and the holder are out of the way. I had the file folder holder on my desk at school and I can see how it tould be great for rulers.
Thank you all for the tips.

[lorettav]

If you use pins (those great big ones) on things to hold them and are constantly getting stuck you can use the backs of earrings (the ones that are closed on one end) over the pin and wala no more sticks. You can buy a bunch of them at a craft store for very low cost.

Also the pins will not come out of the material.