4 Quilting Tips To Always Do? - Revisited

I thought it was clever the way Contessa hooked us in with her "always" rules and then told us why they don't always work. The challenge for me was to look at quilting examples to see if I could formulate a rule that does always apply.

This article is a rebuttal to another article called 4 Quilting Tips To Always Do?

1. ALWAYS PRESS!

If the pattern is specific about the way to press, it should be done according to the pattern. And have you ever seen someone twirl the center seam where 4 fabrics meet with their thumb to make them lie flat? It prevents a little bunch where the seams meet, so this is a good technique to learn.

2. READ YOUR PATTERN FIRST!

I have worked with patterns that specifically tell you to press the seam open. Yes, it's rare, but the pattern writer has a reason for asking you to do this.

3. MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE!

This rule recalls the corollary about not using more than one machine to make a quilt. My husband and I ran into this recently while making diamonds for a scrappy on-point quilt. We were each making scrappy diamonds on our own sewing machine with a plan to assemble them at the end.

4. ALWAYS BUY THE BEST TOOLS YOU CAN AFFORD!

There are important types of quilts, such as one-block wonder, where you should not wash your fabric first. This is a harder one to put into a universal rule. Thinking about all crafts and craftspersons in general, let's fall back on this one:

Be it cutting mats, rotary blades, fabric, or thread, you will always get a better product by buying the best. A better fabric can mean less washing.

Do you have an "always" rule that you would like Contessa to know about? Please click contact us.