Fun and Helpful Hints

The Easy Way to Empty a Bobbin. Hold the thread and drop the bobbin in a drawer, box or other container and pull the thread. The bobbin will bounce around and the thread comes right off. You can do several bobbins at a time…easy as can be!

The No Iron Ironing Trick.  For those of us who find fabric in our stashes or even from the shops that have wrinkles and folds imbeded in them, you can spread the fabric out on a bed, table or other flat surface, and spritz it with a water bottle and run your had over it…in most cases the wrinkles and folds will just relax and go away…and without plugging in the iron!!!  Try it … it works!

Mary’s hint:
Make sandwiching quilt layers better & much easier.
1) If you have access to a linoleum floor use the squares to keep your backing straighter.
2) Tape down a little button to center of your work surface. Then you can line the center points of all 3 layers up by feel.
3) Don’t stretch the backing too tight because when you release it you will have puckering when the fabric relaxes.
4) Make sure straight lines such as borders are straight rather than using the outside edges to determine straightness.

Another hint from Mary:
Getting ready for hand quilting. After basting your quilt, roll the backing edges over the batting & pin to the quilt. This will enclose the excess batting & help to defray snagging or picking up unwanted stray threads.

Submit your hints to carol@seemyquiltsonline.com