Works in Progress: Tips for Quilting

Happy Wednesday! On Wednesday I try to share what I’m currently working on, and along with today’s post I’m sharing some of my tips for efficient project sewing!

First up…the stack of fabrics above will soon be on the Moda Bake Shop. I’ll be sure to let you know when that project post is up and ready to view.

 

 I’ve also been working on some simple patchwork pieces for some Christmas gifts. I’m always amazed at how much fun I have just sewing squares together!
The fabrics above are mostly from Aloha Girl with a little bit of Somerset added in (both collections by Fig Tree & Company for Moda).

  I also sewed up some of my favorite pieces from Horizon by Kate Spain.

And finally, these patchwork pieces are all from the Weeds collection by Me & My Sister Designs.

As I’ve been working on all of these projects and a few others I thought of some simple steps I take with every project that might be of interest to some of my readers…so here they are:

Tips for Quilting: Process Helps

1. Begin by pulling fabrics. If you’re using a coordinated fabric collection, you’re off to a great start. Add in a few pieces from other collections for interest. If you need help in deciding on your combination of fabrics from your stash, try taking a picture. Sometimes it’s easier to evaluate fabric choices in a photo than it is to evaluate them in person. The camera seems to catch things our natural eyes just don’t get.
2. Make some notes from your pattern. This might seem silly if you’re following a pattern, but it really does make sense to keep a notebook handy. With my patchwork sections above I have notes on the sizes of solid pieces I need to cut to add to them. It just makes it easier for me to do the cutting if I have some hand-written notes detailing my thoughts. I sometimes add notes on any changes I might want to make as well. I used to try to keep all of these things in my head, but it just makes it so much easier to have my own reference notes.
3. Cut pieces for blocks and keep them on a project board so they are ready to sew. I’ve used a lot of things for project boards in the past: paper plates, cookie sheets, clean pizza boxes, plastic containers, and batting-covered foam core board. It really helps to have things all in one place and ready to sew.
4. Get a container for long-term projects. If you know you’ll be working on something for an extended period of time it really makes sense to get a container specifically for that project. Scraps can be kept together for use in other blocks, and the whole project can be neatly put away without any worry of losing anything. The container can be a large zip lock bag or a plastic shoe box. I don’t worry about storing in plastic if I know it’s going to be for a relatively short time.
5. Set realistic goals: some projects are just not going to be finished in a weekend…or a week…or even in a month. It really helps me to have a clear view of how much time a project will take. I like to have long-term projects to work on at all times, and I frequently change them up with short-term and quick projects.

I hope some of these tips have been of help! If you have any ideas on the subject, feel free to leave them in a comment…I’d love to hear your ideas!

Thanks so much for stopping by!