These tips are some solid information to handling your sewing machine and getting the best performance.  Even though I have sewn my whole life, I learned a few things too!  What did you learn?
​ ---Ann

Some times finding an easy way to do something crosses your path in unexpected ways.  That happened to me with this tip.  I'll be honest, I don't bother to bury my threads when I quilt.  I don't enter competitions and I am still in the learning stages.  So, I just clip those threads and move on.
Recently I was watching a live video from one of my favorite online quilt teachers, Helen Godden of Australia, and she mentioned she clips her threads except when she is quilting for a competition. Then she uses the Lasso method since it is much easier and faster.  Wait, she had my attention.  She stopped and quickly showed us and it was brilliant.
So I searched You Tube and found this short video that shares the method and I wanted to pass this along in case any of you don't know about it.
Thanks, Ann

A big thanks to one of our members, Susan K, for sharing this video.  It is detailed instructions for sewing a flange binding and getting good results.  

Helen Godden is a teacher in Australia that I have learned a lot from in her online classes.  She is also makes learning fun!  This is one of her techniques to make quilting simpler, and it a brilliant tool when working on a quilt.  Enjoy!
​--Ann

Helen's Panda marking pencil she sells on her website is a great tool, but shipping from Australia might be expensive if you live in the US.  Another brand is the Ultimate Marking Pencil you can find at www.FullLineStencil.com in California.
To continue with the Roadmap technique, here is another video by Helen that shows some other stitches.

One of our members, Janice J, wanted to share this quick and cute last minute holiday gift to make.  Her friend sent her the information, and plans to make a tin of cookies to combine with these as a holiday gift.  What a nice idea!

I originally watched this video, and then signed up for the complete class to see the rest.  Loved what I learned and am enjoying using it for smaller projects, community quilts, and quilts that straight lines look fantastic.
    Like always, I seem to go on my own quilting adventure in a random nature.  Fell in love with Free Motion quilting first, and then Walking Foot quilting after.   In the end, it has worked out anyway!
​   --Ann

Pineapple blocks are fun, but very time consuming to make using paper piecing.  Here are a few other options to making these popular blocks by using piecing and trimming.   Enjoy.

Another option is using a Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool, which makes the process much faster.  Watch this video from Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Company showing how to use the ruler tool.  If you search You Tube, there are a number of videos demonstrating the Trim Tool, but I happen to like this one the best.
PS- Creative Grids makes the Trim Tool in 2 sizes.  The large one makes 6-8-10 inch blocks.  The small one makes 4-5-6 inch blocks.  
PSS - You can use scraps for make these blocks too!

I love this project.  She starts with an "orphan block" and adds strips from her scraps to frame it and make the block bigger.  The next step surprised me, but is a great solution to make it perfect.  I could even see making multiples of this and using the big blocks to make a quilt.  Lots of creative fun from your stash!

This video shows one method of sewing curves for your quilting projects.  The teacher also show some fun ways to use those curve blocks in a quilt.  Enjoy!

I have heard from some of our groups members that they like using Freezer Paper for paper piecing.  This video goes another step up and shows us how to use it for a large scale design.  Either way, we hope to use this technique as another tool for quilting.

I really like the suggestions in this video to make a sewing room or area more productive.  I thought my sewing room was great, but I have a few tweaks I want to make after watching this video from Tiny Orchard Quilts on You Tube.  Proves once again, we all can learn from each other!

I stumbled across this video on You Tube, and thought it was an interesting tip.  So of course I tried it.  I have to say it sure was easier to do than the traditional way I was taught.  Then I turned into a mad scientist to try different glues that are recommended for quilting fabric.  They all worked using the same method shown in the video, but some of them worked easier than others.  My favorite of those I tried?  Appli-Glue by Jillily Studio.  More expensive than the glue used in the video, but it held things a little better and was easier to apply.  What works best for you?

Sometimes a clever idea comes along, and I wonder why I didn't think of it myself!  Watch this video and you might have the same experience...   
From National Quilters Circle:
    Free motion quilting can be tricky to get the hang of when you are just starting out. One thing that can make it easier and less intimidating is drawing or transferring the quilting design or motif onto the quilt top or project.
    Ashley Hough shows you how to do this using freezer paper, which eliminates the need to draw directly on the fabric.
    Ashley begins by talking about the type of paper to use. You can use a standard freezer paper or any other kind of wax backed paper. The idea is that when the paper is ‘fused’ to the fabric using medium heat, dry iron – the paper temporarily sticks to the fabric. The paper can then be easily removed, moved, and reused as many times as the paper will still stick to the fabric.
    Ashley then shows how to easily trace a design onto the freezer paper. Because freezer paper is easy to see through, any design or motif can be traced without the need for a lightbox.
    Ashley then shows how to cut out the design and fuse it into place on the fabric.
   You can then use the design as a way to free motion quilt and trace the outer edges and quilt that shape onto your project, or do simple free motion quilting fill stitches around the design and leave that area un-stitched. While you can always stitch though the paper when quilting as a way to use it as a template, however, if you do so, you will need to rip the paper in order to remove it, making it non-reusable.

I am a fan of "Just Get It Done Quilts."  She has great ideas and is lots of fun to watch on her videos.  This video has some good tips and well worth the few minutes to watch!  

One of our Virtual Quilters members, Jeanne, recommended this video to share with the rest of the quilters.  Thanks Jeanne!

I found versions of this quilt pattern all over the internet.  Good reason, it looks good in almost any color and is relatively easy to make. 
​The first video, from Shabby Fabrics uses 5 inch charms.  She also gives some good tips on useful tools and rulers.  The half-square-triangles are made one at a time, but she does chain piece them to save time.

This video from Sew Very Easy uses fat quarters to make 8 half-square-triangles at a time. 

This video by Jenny Doan at Missouri Star Quilt Company uses 10-inch Layer cake and makes half-square triangles 4 at a time.

I needed a bigger design wall, and so I went to the internet to research for an easy solution.  I wanted to be able to move it around, but still be big enough to be useful.  I wasn't too hopeful, but of course someone had figured it out already and shared it on the internet.  My go-to for this type of research is Pinterest or You Tube.  Pinterest is popular for blog posts, and You Tube is nice for a video tutorial.  I combined a couple of different solutions I found, but they were pretty similar...   Make sure to read the tips below & then Click here to read the article by Quilter Krista Moser.
A few of my tips to add to the article
   1.  Buy an 2 inch thick insulation board at a home improvement store like Lowe's or Home Depot. I found it in the lumber department. They make them thinner than 2 inches, but you want this to be sturdy when you move it around.  The core is styrofoam so they are extremely light weight. It bet the one I bought weighed less than 5 pounds!
  2. They are big, usually 4 feet wide by 8 feet tall. If you don't have a vehicle big enough to get it home, you can have it delivered (expensive), ask a friend for help, or if you don't need it that big, you can easily cut it with a serrated blade knife when you load it in your car.
   3.  I did this part differently: I used low loft batting to cover mine, and secured it on the back with duct tape. This was recommended on another site, and I am happy with the results. You can also use flannel.  
   4. I also put duct tape along the bottom.  Since I am going to move it and lean it against walls, that will protect it from excessive wear.
   5.  Another quilter shared with me that she cut her insulation board to 4 foot x 4 foot.  She placed it on her table behind her sewing machine, and lean it against the wall.  She reports it is a good size to travel with to retreats or classes.
        -Ann