TIPS and the reason WHY!!!

Now today is really about a lesson I learned whilst making the red and white quilt. I will also include reasons because tbh I hate being told to do something and not understand why so I personally choose to tell you what I know and why I choose to do this .You can make up yr own mind .

1. Cut everything on the same day using the same ruler system and the same NEW blade.

Reason Yr cutting errors will be consistent ... if you chose to be slightly more generous it will be consistent generosity .

2. Use a NEW blade .

Reason sharp blades cut better, faster, and more accurately and more neatly and will save you time and moeny in the long run. When I say NEw I mean newly sharpened. Invest in a sharpener and keep yr blades sharp and in a special blade box for use.

Reason Saves money and makes for faster cutting.

3.Read the pattern

Reason... nothing worse than wrecking a fabulous pattern becuase you cut wrong , make sure you have enough fabric and if you are a bit short get some extra sourced very quickly and pray it comes from the same print batch.. not so much a problem for small fabric runs but you never know.

4.. Sewing the magic scant 1/4 inch seam really does help keep it all accurate.
OK it;s not so important for improv work but it does help keep seam bulk down .

Reason scant to me means move the needle over 1 position....... ie it takes 1mm from the 6mm so it would be a 5mm seam or takes 1/16th inch ... depending on yr flavour of measurement.
Please do a check to make sure your consistent ... do NOT do as I did and push the move button TWICE ................................................................hold breath..... count to 10..............9................8..... yup I screwed up big time .
I sewed something like 130 seams with a 1mm error... but NOT just 1mm, it was doubled... as it was 1mm out on both sides of the fabric.... yup I made a 2mm in EVERY one of those seams ... nowyou take 12 batches of 2mm and you have 24mm..........1 inch .!!! HOLY BAT stuff................ I was nearly an inch out by the end of some of the chain seams.

SO PLEASE check and double check .

5. HAIR TRIMMING those damn threads at the back... yup I hate them too and there is no way to deal with them other than sitting with a pair of sharp snips and taking them off every time you finish a strip. I actually take a whole evening to strip out old threads

REASON these threads can become conmpacted and tangle with threaads during quilting . They can wreck your beautiful work all because you couldn't be bothered earlier. They look untidy and if you enter comps can lose you points and points make prizes.

6. Pressing (not ironing, pressing) press with a hot iron to press open seams press to the dark side is the suggested way but some prefer "open" seams .
REASON These reduce bulk in junction seams. ~I hate pressing but I make myself do it. I buy a simple ( cheap) iron and keep it ONLY for my sewing work .

7.ENJOY WHAT YR DOING sometimes we all bite off more than we can chew and I am a grade A individual for not being able to say "No" and designing something tiny and doing a BSJohnson and it ends up the size of a wooley mammoth ( Terry Prachett readers will get the BSJ ref) If you hate it shove it in a bag,drawer ,bin and don;t break yr heart over it . It;s only fabric , you will not go to jail for not completeing it . you will not end up in detention . You WILL end up a lot calmer and happier and tbh ... do you want to be a cranky cow just because of a bit of sewing ?? OK if it is a big piece and yr fed up with it either bag it and take a break or pass it on to someone wh will finish it for you . It;s sewing and nothing more.

Right I am going to cut my pieces for my block for my next Sew Swapit swap.

Kepp on sewing and be happy . Accept what yu have as a real blessing and be happy with what you have. Don;t waste yr life crying about what you envy .

Love Raven xxxxx