4 Quilting Tips To Always Do?

When quilting, we learn there are things we should always do, right? Or should we? Let's explore four of my favorites.

1. Always press to the darker fabric

Well, not always. Try to press for construction. If seams are to meet when putting blocks together, press them with one going one way and one the other. They will nest together and not create a big lump.

2. Always press seams going one way

Nope. Sometimes the seams are too bulky when pressed together. There’s nothing wrong with pressing seams open; especially when there will be several meeting seams.

3. Always use an exact 1/4-inch seam

As long as you use the same quarter-inch mark on your machine bed or presser foot, you are OK. The delightful quilting teacher and lecturer Mary Ellen Hopkins (1932-2013) said this is your PPM; that means Personal Private Measurement. It is yours alone, and you don’t have to tell anyone what it is. But be sure you don’t allow a smidge of difference. Just remember, if something is only a sixteenth of an inch off, over six blocks it becomes a half-inch problem.

4. Always wash your fabric first

This was true in the past but the dyes used have come a long way, as has the fabric quality. It’s probably a good idea to wash the dark fabrics, like dark blues and blacks. If in doubt, snip a corner off and soak it in warm water for a bit, squeeze it out and see if there’s any color in the water. If so, better wash!

As you can see, the “always” stuff ain’t necessarily always so!

Read Another Take On There Four Rules

Read 4 Quilting Tips To Always Do? - Revisited for another authors take on these four rules.