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I have been working on getting started projects finished, in other words , doing UFO’s. It’s funny how tops stack up while you are seized by the overpowering desire to do something new. I am not as good as some of my guild sisters who have completed many projects so far this year, but I don’t have as many stacked up since I am somewhat new to quilting.
I have learned a few little things along the way that you probably already know but I had to discover for myself.
1) Take my time, do it carefully, correctly. The errors compound like PayDay Loan interest rates. I can slap dash things together, tug and push them to “fit” and quilt the poof down, but it is never right and I know it. In the end, why am I doing this if not for the learning and growing? I don’t need quilts!
2) The iron can be my friend but a mischievous one. I can iron a smidgen of length to a block with judicious pressing but I can pull a triangle completely out of shape in nothing flat. That dreaded bias edge!
3) “Steam a Seam” and quilt basting spray have made my work so much more accurate and I can get so much more done. I “glue” all my quilts together at this point, no safety pins for me. I also use ¼ in fusible webbing to fix the binding in place for the final top stitching. I do not do handwork at all if I can avoid it.
4) The machine quilting I can do at this point looks not so good close up, when I am sewing. But after the markings are washed out, it is pretty good and getting better. This is my state of the art.
5) I think working through a quilt that I design from bits of other’s examples keeps my mind working smoothly. My math skills are non existent but figuring out how to come out even at the end keeps the wheels spinning. I think it is like puzzles of all kinds, working them out is brain exercise.
6) Everything set on point is more interesting.
7) Bright colors floating on black is more interesting.
8) 6+7 is more interesting. It is also 13 but I digress.
9) I hate all the time it takes to mark a quilt for machine quilting. I think that is probably universal.
10) But one of the best things I have learned is that Crayola Ultra Washable Markers make fabulous quilt stencil markers. I test the color I am going to use to be sure before I mark, but I have not found one color that will not wash out of any of the cottons I use. I use Spray and Wash, and regular detergent and all the marks wash out. Now, a box of 10 fine line markers is usually $6 at Staples but back to school sales brought it down to $3. I paid $7 for a marker that is made for quilts when I first was learning. The Crayola markers work well, the only thing they won’t mark is black and I have not found an answer for that even trying the white gel pen without luck.
I would be interested to know any little insights you have gained from quilting. It can be a rather zen exercise when you aren’t sewing with an empty bobbin for a long border length.