Welcome to all our Blog Hoppers…..I’m proud to have been invited to be part of Quilting Gallery’s 4th Birthday celebrations and their Blog Hop Party this year and thanks must go to Michele for organising it. This is going to be so much fun visiting everyone and making new blog-friends :)
The Quilting Gallery site is a great starting point for new bloggers (and us oldies!!!)….it has a Quilting Bloggers Directory with more than 4,440 blogs from 71 countries. In the Quilt Shop Locator, you’ll find brick & mortar shops, online retailers, retreat facilities and long-arm quilters. In Quilter’s Market you’ll find fabulous quilting products. There’s also a world-wide geographic directory of Quilt Guilds being developed and weekly themed virtual quilt contests and swaps throughout the year as well as lots of other fun things.
So if you’ve never visited the Quilting Gallery before, I recommend a visit!
Now, we all know that when you go to a party, there are always lots of people and lots of presents…….this Blog Hop Party is the same! Woohoo!!!!!!!!…..there are over 200 party-goers you can visit from over 20 countries…..that’s one helluva party!!!!!! The link to all of the blogs you can visit is listed here..
It starts today and goes until December 17th (18th for us Aussies).
Now, for my giveaway……you just knew it was coming didn’t you!??!
I’m giving away this fantastic timesaving tool….the SideWinder. A portable bobbin winder that is a Godsend when you’re in the middle of a sewing frenzy and your bobbin runs out….you know what I’m talking about!!!!!
This beauty is the Limited Edition SideWinder…..it’s pink, to promote the awareness of Breast Cancer research, and comes with bonus scissors and a tape measure (both pink!) It takes 2 AA batteries and winds those bobbins in a whizz!
All you need to do is leave a comment telling me what is the best ‘trick’ you have learnt for sewing/stitching/quilting that you would have loved to have known as a new quilter. That will give you one chance at winning the SideWinder.
For another chance, simply become a follower and leave another comment telling me so. If you’re already a follower, you’re a gem!!!…..and you won’t be left out…..leave a comment and I’ll include a second chance for you too!
I’ll draw the winner randomly using my fave little tool…..Mr RNG….on Dec 18th at 10am AEST (I know the actual Blog Party finishes on Dec 17, USA time, but I’m usually one of those that comes early and stays till last, so I cant break that pattern, can I now!!?? LOL)
So get those entries in….good luck and let’s start hopping!
Sugary Hugs
xoxo Wendy :O)
171 comments:
Hello gorgeous girl! Wonderful giveaway!!
The thing I've discovered this year that gives me a lovelier finish on projects that need to have an opening stitched closed after turning out, is to use ladder stitch instead of a slip stitch. It leaves a seamless finish - wish I'd known that all along.
Now, when are we catching up for our Christmas gift swap??? ;-)
Hugs
Jenny
xxx
Thanks so much, Wendy. This is going to be fun. I already follow you.
When your ready to sew your binding onto your quilt don't trim off the excess batting and backing first. That way when at the corners you can just reverse off of the quilt fold your binding strip then start sewing again.
That's my tip. Thanks for the giveaway.
my best learning trick was to use a walking foot,lol,i didnt know what it was,it sure does make life easier,lol
thankyou for a 2nd chance in this fanatstic giveaway.I am a recently new follower.
I wish I'd known about the 1/4" foot you could buy for your sewing machine when I made my first machine pieced quilt LOL I can laugh about it now but I wouldn't sew without it now :) Barb.
Mine is pretty basic but as a new quilter I didn't know to sew the seams in opposite directions, makes such a difference when lining up and matching.
I already follow you. Linda
The tip I wish I had known earlier is to press the seam allowances in opposite directions so the blocks butt up together and corners meet neatly, when sewing rows together.
I sure do follow you, lovely friend.
I wish that I had realised that going slower meant more accurate piecing - since reducing the speed of my machine sewing I have much greater accuracy & much less unpicking. Thanks for such a lovely giveaway.
I'm a new follower. Thanks again!
My best tip is pin-a-lot!
I wish I had known how to use my ruler & roller cutter when I first started. It would have saved a lot of fabric that ended up with definate bends in them. Thanks
I am a new follower too.
I am a new follower. I wish I had knonw to trim to 1/4" before adding a new piece when foundation piecing. Such a time and fabric saver!
I have been piecing quilts with the guide on my pressure foot but bought a quarter inch foot at the suggestion of another quilter and now my seams are so much better. Today is my first visit to your blog.
I am a new follower of your blog.
I love that I learned early to press my seams open. It's less bulky and when you work with white, you don't see the fabric from the front!
Thanks for such a generous giveaway !
What a lovely give away . Greath!!!
I wish I'd known about leaders and enders!!
I 'am also a new follower from you
I wish I'd known about the wonder that is basting spray from the start, I hated basting and it'd make me not want to finish a quilt because of the hassle and pain with pin or needle and thread basting.
Never hesitate to know the power of a glue stick. It's perfect for keeping those little things in place when a pin gets in the way! That's my motto and I'm stickin to it! hahaha
Great giveaway, Thanks!
My machine came with a quarter inch foot, but it sewed a little wide and my blocks were not accurate. I bought a see through quarter inch foot that pops on and I haven't many problems since.(Just user error!) It's called the Little something, sorry I can't remember, but everyone should have one!
A pair of tweezers and an eyebrow razor. Yep that is correct! The eyebrow razor is great for ripping out and the tweezers are wonderful for pulling out the threads after breaking the stitching line with a seam ripper. Can you tell what I do a lot of?
I am a new follower. Consider following me! I am rather new at blogging! I hope my goggle connector is working if you should get there. It hasn't been acting nicely!
I would have to say chain piecing.
I'm your newest follower.
I'm a follower.
I have to say first of all that I would love to win this as my bobbin winder is not working on my sewing machine. My tip would be that if you think there might be an easier way to piece soemthing--there probably is and you should look.
Hi Wendy! What a great prize. We have all been through the annoyance of a bobbin running out, this would be so great to have.:0
Of course I am a lurker, I mean follower. hehe. Sandy. :)
One of the best tips I have found, and wished I knew before, is to lightly spray your fabric with spray starch to prevent the fabric stretching when sewing anything cut on the bias- triangles etc. :)
A Sidewinder, really a Sidewinder,what a mind blower. Wonderful. Best tip but hardest was 1/4" seam.
Wonderful giveaway! My favorite hint is to square up the blocks to make sure they are the right size. Thanks so much!
What a generous and wonderful giveaway. I'd love to win a Sidewinder. When I started quilting, just 5 years ago, I wish I'd known about thread savers - those bits of fabric that you feed into your machine at the end of a seam. I use them all the time now except when paper foundation piecing. Thanks for the chance to win.
I'm a new follower. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Im very-very a new quilter) and have not too much trick but readed what other told very carefully) Thank you!
I'm a follower.
Start with small projects and learn your machine.
I am a follower
Wonderful giveaway gift! Two things: use your iron and follow your instincts. If you think it will look good it probably will. Thanks for a chance to win.
The one thing.............make sure you wash all the dye from your fabrics before sewing!
thanks for the chance to win this. My tip: after you have machine sewn your binding on the front, iron it towards the back before you hand stitch it on. Gives a nice crisp edge!
I wish I'd known about stitch in the ditch machine binding. And chain piecing, but luckily a lady at my local quilting guild taught me how to do that when she saw that I was doing each piece individually!
I am a new follower, too! Would love to win one of those fabulous Side Winders! What an excellent idea. :)
thanks for the chance to win an amazing prize. hugs
I am a new quilter as of this year. My best "trick" is that I follow so many wonderful blogs for ideas and inspiration. Thanks for the chance to win your giveaway.
Careful measuring and sewing those perfect 1/4" seams makes all the difference in having everything match up. Thanks for the giveaway chance!
Linda
http://homesweetquiltinghome.blogspot.com
I am a new follower, too. Thanks again for the giveaway chance! I sure would love to win this.
Linda
http://homesweetquiltinghome.blogspot.com
My tip is to move the pattern around as you move around so you are always looking at it in the same orientation as you are sewing
great giveaway - thanks for the chance to win!
I would love to win that Sidewinder! I wish I would have learned a better way to rip out stitches in the beginning that didn't distort my patchwork. I have learned that if you clip one side of the stitching every 4 stitches or so and then pull the thread from the other side, it will all pull out without distortion. Thanks for the opportunity to win!=)
Chain piecing! I would have gotten a lot of project done in a fraction of the time...
the best trick I learned was Chaining pieces together....wish I had learned it sooner LOL
Oh I would love a sidewinder, would make things so much easier, Id love to have been taught how to use a 1/4 inch foot properly on my machine, now I know its so accurate, I love it
Pin, pin, pin, pin!!!!
What a great gift! I wish I'd known that I didn't have to follow so many rules!
I wish I had known about enders and leaders. I can't imagine how many more quilts I would have made. It is hard to get into the habit now.
Your feed dogs can pull up extra fabric and help make pieces fit together when they are a little off.
I need one of these!!! When sewing through a lot of layers it helps to have a small mallet nearby. If you use a rubber one you don't damage the fabric but can mash the layers smaller so your machine can sew through them easier.
My very best "trick" for perfect quilting is called Inklingo. It is a wonderful system that allows you to print stitching lines on the back of your fabric with an ordinary inkjet printer. You no longer need triangle paper if you have Inklingo! No more paper to peel off. And with hexagons, Inklingo is easier than english paper piecing..you simply stitch on the lines with a little running stitch..and again, no paper to get off the back. Google it..download the free set and try it. No afiliation, just a very pleased customer.
I wish I'd learned about chain piecing a lot sooner. Would have saved alot of thread and tidying.
love chain piecing! Use that ALL of the time. My next time saver is my new tool that I bought myself for Christmas....the AccuQuilt!
I wish someone had told me about quilting as you go - it has made large quilts so much less intimidating to me now and I can do them on my home machine!
I am a new follower :) Thanks for the opportunity!
That would be that there are differances in thread and thy can make a big differance in how your project turns out. Thanks for the chance to win.
I'd love to have a sidewinder to try. Thanks!
I made my first quilt at an overnight mystery quilt night. I then started hand quilting it. I wish I'd known about sending quilts off to get quilted! Thanks for the great giveaway.
I still new to quilting, but I feel the quilting calculator is the must have tool for Quilter. :)
Thx for the chance to win ^^v
I'm a follower!
I started using safety pins instead of straight pins when I am attaching the lining of a bag to the exterior. I kept getting poked by pins and learned the hard way.
I wish I had known about chain piecing when I had first started.
I'm a new follower
I am a new follower! Thank you for the chance to win! :)
The best trick I have learned is to take the time to prepare your materials before jumpiing into a project. It saves a lot of time down the line. :)
Wow what a great giveaway! I haven't seen one of these before!
A tip I wish I had known as a new quilter - 5 minutes unpicking a wonky seam can save hours of frustration trying to make seams line up!
I'm a follower - thanks for the giveaway!
i learned not to steam press my blocks! dry iron only!
i am a brand new follower, and i also k.a.r.t.s! you're the first blogger who has mentioned they do this big time that i read about!
I am not entering your giveaway, but just wanted to say what a generous prize!! Sorry haven't been in touch - life is too hectic at the moment!!
Am a new follower
A good tip is to keep an "awl" tool handy (the one with just the point on it!) - it's great for helping "poke" at the fabric as you sew to keep edges even or seams matched! Thanks for the giveaway - Holiday Greetings from Canada!
I wish I had know about the 1/4 inch foot and how to use it when I first started Thank You for the great giveaway chance
Definately the 1/4 inch foot. Beginners do not realise the importance of it and I dint for sure. Am a new follower.
Work with flat ironed fabric, with no unexpected folds in the material. It always throws you off. And I just became a follower too.
Alleycat Creations.....follower....second chance draw
Maria Kievit ...follower...second chance draw
New follower!
my sewing trick is to always cut extra fabric just in case!
i follow you
always have a seam ripper handy
My best sewing trick is READ the pattern more than once....alllllll the way through....grin.
I love strip piecing. What a great idea for a time and thread saver. Thanks for sharing!
I'm a new follower
I wish someone had reminded me to measure twice, cut once when I first started quilting. I wouldn't have so many scraps left, LOL
Oh my god i so have to get one of these i am winding bobbins by hand.
My tip buy as much fabric as you can its better than chocolate for the waiste line. Working on increashing my stash so I always have fabric on hand.
Buy 2 seam rippers so if you misplace one you have another handy! What a great giveaway!
I am a new follower, what a neat header you have!
I wish I would have known about "leaders and enders" (Bonnie from Quiltville.com). What a time saver, and way to use up scraps. Love love this way of sewing!
What a wonderific giveaway gift! There is nothing more aggravating than when I'm on a roll machine quilting, and them WHAMMOO, clang clang, the stupid bobbin goes out. This would be a God send!
Thank you for the chance!
I'm a new follower on Google Friend Connect.
:0)
I wish someone impressed upon me the importance of ironing/pressing seams whilst piecing.
Can't see my post I did the other day, so just doing another in case it's in www somewhere..and yep I am already a stalker oops follower...someone shoul dof told me years ago to read a pattern twice lol,cheers Vickie
Hello! Thanks for a great giveaway! I'm a new follower! Happy Holidays! :)
Strip piecing for sure! :)
What a fantastic give away. I have never seen one of them before. I would love to be the new owner as many quilters before me ;-).
I would, when I started quilting, have loved to know, that there is no quilting police!!. It took me a while before I was sure of this as my first teacher was very "you must do...".
And yes I have been following you for a year or so ....always interesting to read your blog :-).
Wow, buddy so many comments, this is wonderful. Mine hint was learning how to use the roller cutter and mat first off, and patience...... I don't have much of that when sewing.....
Arlene
http://arlenes-crafts.blogspot.com/
Measure twice cut once! lol Thanks for the great giveaway!
Oh my!!Michelle and I have the same tip..it is the simplest thing to do really!! And buy good fabric...it means everything....
I am a new follower....I thank you for such a generous giveaway gift....
When I first started quilting I cut out with a scissors--my rotary cutter is wonderful. thanks for the great giveaway.
Yes yes yes, I have been wanting one of these soooo bad. I really don't have a tip other then when I wind my bobbins on my machine, I run the thread up through the little hole in the bobbin, then back up through the center and out the top. That way there is no way for the tread to backloop when it winds and wind around the post of the winder.
I am a follower and thank you so much for another chance to enter for this wonderful, and very useful prize.
Wish my grandmother was here now to teach me all of her old tricks! I just dabble in quilting because I never learned to do it right. The web is teaching me a lot. Thanks for all the great tips!
new follower. Thanks for the great blog.
I will say my Accuquilt Go cutter is the thing I wish I knew about in the beginning... I use it on every quilt and it makes my life much easier.
Vickie....stalker/follower...second chance draw!!!!!!
WOW! I have been wanting one of these. Thank you so much for giving one away.I wish that I had known more about quarter inch seams. Then maybe I could have gotten things to line up better. Joyce-ccarter13@windstream.net
Oh my gosh, I had no idea something like this existed! This rocks. *grin*
My tip would be this continuous binding tutorial:
http://www.heatherbaileydesign.com/HB_QuiltBinding.pdf
It's really easy, and would have saved me SO much time and frustration.
Thanks for the opportunity to win! :)
sarita0818 at comcast dot net
I'm also a follower now ~
Thanks for the opportunity to win! :)
sarita0818 at comcast dot net
My tip is something that I'm sure most have heard about, but I hadn't when I first started quilting.. and that is chain piecing and using leaders and enders! That have saved me SO much time and I love it!
Thank you for the chance to win a Sidewinder!! What an awesome prize! :-)
I am a new follower! Thank you for a second chance to win a Sidewinder!!! :-)
its that scant quarter inch and pressing not ironing. Thanks for the chance to win.
i don't know much about this stuff but i would love to learn
A couple of years ago I found out about the curve master - a wonderful foot - a must have for anyone
what a SUPER giveaway!! Always buy more fabric than you think you need. Dye lots change and sometimes the fabric doesn't match at all :)
Desi
weeshareblog@gmail.com
My trick is to draw the lines on the back of your paper piecing so you can have lines on both sides.
I wish I had known an easy way to make HST when I was a beginner. Now I use an easy method -- two squares, sew 1/4 inch on both sides of a center diagonal line. Thanks for the chance!
My tip is to line up the material, and make sure your to be patient with yourself, and what your learning. lnb1191(at)aol(dot)com
New follower on GFC, The Sleepy Dreamer
lnb1191(at)aol(dot)com
Oh my gosh, I would love to have that, make everything so much easier. I paper piece, so it would have been nice to know that it is much easier to keep all the pieces from unfolding if you iron the pieces around the paper first. -grin- Thanks for the giveaway!
kessilari (at) gmail (dot)com
Also, followed.
kessilari (at) gmail (dot)com
Wish I had known about chain piecing when I first started....I really wasted alot of thread! Thanks for the chance to win.
wollitzal@yahoo.com
I have been quilting for awhile and find Paper Piecing a technique alot of folks dread. It really is alot of fun and you can see your block come to life. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Patty
Stash Away, Stash Away, Stash ALL!
I am a new follower of your Blog. We have a friend in Australia so neat to find you.
Patty
Stash Away, Stash Away, Stash ALL!
My best tip is slow down and enjoy the whole quilting process. You will make less mistakes
I am a new follower
There are some really great tips here. Mine is to relax and enjoy the process, it doesn't have to be perfect. Also, if I don't stress, I make fewer errors. :) Quilted blessings, Nita
Love the Bobbin winder!! I have learnt two important things, not tricks but good advice. When you hand quilt aim for consistent stitches, they don't have to be tiny. Strive to match and make everything perfect but it doesn't have to be perfect. If you unpick everything the fun goes out of it very quickly!
Illene Tiziani....RetDairyQueen entry 1
Illene Tiziani...retdairyqueen....follower entry
Hi, well years and years ago i put a quilt(very old) in the washing machine,never again.
Also never be afraid to ask for help, most quilters love to share advice.
Enjoying the Blog hop and have joined your blog, looking forward to visiting again.
My trick is to sew slowly. It's not a race, who cares if others sew faster.
I am your newest follower
My trick is not what I wished to have known, but something I developed (although I'm sure the idea is not original). When making long cuts I use a small binder clip to hold my ruler to the cutting board. This lines up the top of the ruler and stop it from moving.
Thank-you for the chance to win!
kario66@hotmail.com
I wish I had been taught to square up my fabric before the first cut. I already wore out one sidewinder, so this would be a great prize for me.
Wow what a great giveaway. I think the best tip I can offer is not to be so concerned about what the quilting looks like. It takes practice and there will be improvement. I think we can be too perfectionistic instead of enjoying the process. Thanks!!
Apparently a few people do not know this but when I sew on my binding, I sew in the tunnel and then a stitch underneath. Stays on very well.
The importance of squaring up and checking the size of your finished block, especially if it is supposed to be a certain measurement.
Hi, Happy Holiday to you and yours, I wish I had known about the 1/4 foot to my machine, saves a lot of time.
I am a new follower and thank you for a chance to win
Mine has to be the glue stick for sure :)
The rotary cutter :D
Thanks for the chance!
I sew clothes a lot. Im using a window or glass door for tracing the sewing pattern.
Thanks for the generous giveaway and a chance to win!
I would love to win a bobbin winder, as I have several really oldy (but goody) machines. I work with my Girl scouts on them & it would be easier to teach them all how to use the one bobbin-winder machine, than to explain each machine's bobbin-winding operations. None of the girls have mothers that sew or own a machine.
I think the most important lesson I learned besides checking things are squared up is not to "iron" but press your seams. My first rail fence quilt had terribly wonky lines due to my scrubbing-motion ironing!
I am a new follower. Thanks for your generous offer here!
The tip I would have really liked to know is that there is a big difference in the batting you use. I always bought the cheap stuff and had a terrible time learning to quilt.
I'm a follower
What a generous giveaway (once you pay the postage to get it to me. HA!)
I wish I had known how important ironing was to the quilting process. I now iron after every single step. Thanks for playing along, and Merry Christmas from Schenectady, New York, USA!
I have found that pressing really does help. I have been lazy and couldn't wait to finish a project and skipped the pressing stage only to be sorry when I was done. Thanks for the giveaway, the sidewinder would be a useful addition to my sewing room.
If I could only enter one giveaway this one would be it! Having a SW would be sew much easier than wasting thread in the middle of a huge project to have to wind another bobbin. I wish I had known how to mark and sew accurate 1/4" seams. Plus the trick of marking it on the throat plate and bits of the machine closest to me instead of just relying on the length of the foot. Thanks for the chance.
I wish I had known about rotary cutters.
The trick I like the best is using freezer paper for a lot of fabric sewing from piecing to quilting. Thanks for the great giveaway! Kd
I am a new follower as WeimerMom. Merry Christmas! Kd
Make sure that everything is ironed, so there are no wrinkles or bubbles. :)
I'm a new follower! Thanks for a second chance to win! :)
Hi, you are so thoughtful in your giving, thank-you!
To mark my seams lightly for accuracy.
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