June is an EXTREMELY busy time of year for me with Project Linus Conference (now called Project Linus Institute) right around the corner. Project Linus Institute is an event for our Project Linus Chapter Coordinators from across the country to gather together for blanketmaking inspiration, chapter training and fellowship with other coordinators. The coordinators then take what they have learned and share it with their local chapter volunteers. In just over a week, we will be in Bloomington setting up for our 4 day event. On Wednesday June 24th we will have classes and our opening reception. Thursday is our EXPO, Friday is our business meeting and Saturday is our Symposium. As we come into the home stretch of our preparations, I have been gathering some blanketmaking tips for my presentation for Friday. Here are a few things that I've learned:
1. Bath Scrunches: These wonderful little items are great to clean off your rotary cutting
mat. After many uses a cutting mat tends to collect tiny bits of thread. Rubbing a bath scrunchy over it will pick up a lot of these loose threads.
2. Scrappy Binding: Save the leftover strips from your quilt bindings and join them together until you have enough to bind another quilt. Using them on a Project Linus Quilt enhances the fun "kid-friendly" look of the finished project.
3. Quick and Easy Tying Solution: When tying a quilt, thread the needle with yarn or crochet thread and then, rather than cutting and recutting yarn from the spool or skein, simply pull the yarn through as you make your stitches at 6” increments across the quilt. You can easily stitch across the quilt - then cut your yarn half way between each "tie", tie them off and begin a new row. This eliminates the constant stopping to cut more yarn and makes this step much faster and easier.
4. Wind several bobbins before going to a class or Make a Blanket Day. You may want to consider purchasing pre-wound bobbins. This saves a lot of time and you don't need to continually thread and re-thread your machine when you run out of bobbin thread. I purchase my pre-wound bobbins at http://www.superiorthreads.com/ They last much longer than the bobbins I wind myself, the thread is of excellent quality and I think they're worth the price.
5. Stay Put Rag Squares: If you like to make rag quilts you may have found that you keep getting uneven seams on the squares. Part of the problem may be the need to regulate the pressure foot - but many machines will not allow you to do this. If you are sewing from corner-to-corner (on the bias) you may have discovered that pins just won't hold. Try using the quilter's basting spray. Spray both sides of the batting before making your "sandwich". This will keep the fabric from slipping and you will end up with even seams on all of your squares.
6. How to Sew a Straight Line on your fabric: Use painters purple tape. Just place the tape where you want your sewing line to be, then place the edge of the presser foot beside it and away you go. The tape can be replaced several times before losing it's tackiness, but it will leave nothing behind on the fabric.
7. Stray threads: Keep a piece of flannel or a small square of leftover fleece by your machine. When you snip the threads, put them on the flannel. They will stick to the flannel and not fly all over.
8. Easy roll binding: When binding a quilt, often times the binding starts to get tangled (or even caught under the wheels of your sewing chair when you're not looking). Try rolling the binding around your finger and when completely rolled up place it into a sealable plastic sandwich baggie. Seal the baggie and put a slit in the bag just under the seal ,(just large enough for the binding to fit through easily). Then put the baggie in your lap. As you sew and need more binding it automatically just slides right out... no twisting or catching.
9. www.Youtube.com and blanketmaking: Did you know you can get some great quilting, crochet and knitting videos online at YouTube.com? Check it out by going to www.youtube.com and doing a video search for "quilt" or "crocheting" or "knitting" to get all the current instructional videos. You can get more specific in your search by typing in "foundation piecing tips" or "how to double crochet" or "how to machine applique". Just ask your question and see what comes up!
10. Crocheting Chain Three Alternative: Crochet patterns always say "Chain Three" when you begin a row. Many crocheters do not like the look of that chain so here's an alternative: Yarn over twice then go through the intended space and work it like a double crochet. It works great and no one can tell where you began.
There are many more great tips out there - but here's 10 to get started!
Have a wonderful week and Happy Blanketmaking!
Mary
