Using the correct quilting techniques can save you time, money and considerable heartache! Below you will find some very useful quilting tips and timesaving techniques that we have gathered together from our own experience, from our tutors and from quilters who have attended our classes.

If you have a quilting or applique tip you would like to share with other quilters please email us debbie @ aquiltershive.com.au. On the other hand, if you would like some help with a particular aspect of your quilting or applique work please send in your question and we will do our best to help.

• Making Accurate Seams
• Putting the Layers of Your Quilt Together
• Hand Quilting Tips
• Machine Quilting Tips
• How To Bind A Quilt

Making Accurate Seams

• A quarter inch foot may have come with your sewing machine. If not you may be able to buy one for your machine or buy a generic one. It is well worth the expense. If you sew with the fabric just at the edge of the foot, and not beyond, maybe even a few threads closer to the needle than the edge of the foot, you should have a quarter inch seam.
• Put a ruler under your needle and mark with masking tape where the quarter inch mark should be. If you use several layers of masking tape it makes a little lip to work against. Electrical tape works well too. You can buy a magnet that will serve this purpose, but do not use a magnet if you have a computerized sewing machine! Magnets wreck computers!
• Practice making an accurate 1/4" seam using scrap fabric until you are very good at it. Cut two pieces of fabric 2 1/4" wide; sew them together and iron, checking afterwards to see if they are 4" wide.
• After washing your fabric use spray starch while ironing to replace the sizing. This makes it easier to get that accurate seam.
• Check each block after sewing to make sure it is the right size, and make corrections before sewing them all together.

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Putting the Layers of Your Quilt Together

There are several ways to baste a quilt. One of the easiest is to buy a basting spray or you can do one of the following:

You can attach your backing fabric to a large surface, like the floor, or two large tables at a public building pushed together. Attach it securely right side down with clamps or those large black paper clips with the handles that fold down, available at stationary stores. Then smooth out your batting layer and then your top layer. You then baste all three layers together using large stitches starting from the middle. Use white thread so the dye doesn’t come off on your quilt. Or you can use safety pins which is quicker. Make sure they are no more than 4" apart so the layers won’t shift. Tacking your quilt with a tacking tool is not recommended as it leaves large holes in your quilt, it is difficult to get the tacks out without cutting into your quilt, and unless your batting is very thick the layers may shift, making your quilt lumpy when quilted.

Another method is to take your quilt to a local long arm quilter and have it machine basted for a fee. Since I have a bad back from all the lifting this is what I do. You may also have the quilt professionally quilted by a long arm quilter, and skip all these steps. (A Quilter's Hive have a Professional Quilting Service please contact Debbie for information and prices.)

What to do once you have the quilt basted? It is quilted together either by hand or by machine. Go to your local library or quilt shop and see if they have books on this subject. A Quilters' Hive often run classes that can teach you how. Please contact Debbie to enquire when the next class will be run.

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Hand Quilting Tips

• Use a low loft batting for hand quilting.
• Pre-thread several needles before you begin a quilting session. This will allow you to quilt continuously without having to stop to rethread the needle.
• Start quilting from the center of the quilt, and then work your way out to the sides.
• Quality not quantity! The consistency of your stitches is more important that the size of your stitches. The stitches and the spaces between the stitches should all be the same length, on both the front and the back of the quilt.
• To avoid stretching your quilt remove it from the hoop when you have finished a quilting session.

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Machine Quilting Tips

• practice your machine quilting techniques prior to working on your actual quilt. Prepare a scrap quilt sandwich (cut two 16" squares of fabric and one 16" square of batting. Place the batting in between the two fabric squares and pin baste). This will allow you to adjust your tension and "get a feel" for the quilting motion.
• When you are at the end of a quilted design area, and you need to stop stitching and restart in another section end the first area with a few small locking stitches. Next, lift the presser foot and slide the quilt to the closest starting point of the next quilted design area. Start quilting this section by stitching a few small locking stitches and repeat. When you have finished stitching clip the threads.
• The most important rule of machine quilting is to take it slowly and steadily - RELAX! Try to minimise distractions during your quilting sessions so you don't have stop and start in the middle of a stitching run. Find your most comfortable sewing position and take frequent breaks this will ensure you don't overstress your neck and back. You'll find that you are able to quilt for longer periods, and your quilting stitches are sure to improve.

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How To Bind A Quilt

How much fabric to buy:
length of quilt + width of quilt x 2 ÷ 40 x the width you are going to cut your binding.

If your quilt is 30" x 42", add these together and multiply times two to get the circumference of your quilt = 144". Then divide by the width of the fabric you are using, I always use 40 inches = 3.6. Then multiply by the width you are going to cut your seam allowance, which I always do at 2½" = 9. This is the exact number of inches to buy. Don't forget to add some extra for shrinkage and mistakes.
For bias binding I would buy some extra so the pieces of binding aren't too short.

When to use bias binding:
On a quilt that will be used a lot, such as a bed quilt, a baby quilt, or a lap quilt. Also on a quilt edge with lots of curves.

When it’s okay to use regular binding:
On a wall hanging, display quilt, or other quilt that will not see a lot of wear.

1. What width to make the cuts:
Take the width you want the finished binding to be, multiply times two, add 1/4” for a seam allowance. Then multiply this measurement times two. I like to make a narrow binding, just large enough to cover the seam allowance, so I cut the binding 2 1/2” wide.

2. Iron the binding in half lengthwise.

3. Using a 1/4” seam, sew the cut edge of the binding to the edge of the quilt top.

4. Turn the binding to the back of the quilt. Covering the seam just sewn, sew the binding down by hand using a blind stitch.