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Tips - Some Basics When
you start a quilt, determine its purpose before you begin and plan your effort
accordingly. If you are sewing a heritage quilt to pass down through the generations,
constantly check for accuracy and be willing to redo mistakes. If you are making
a quilt to be used for family picnics, don't sweat the small stuff. If it can
cover the grass, that's good enough. 
Learn
to sew an accurate 1/4 inch seam. "Close" counts in quilting, just like
horseshoes and hand grenades.
Measure your blocks after assembling. It is easier to fix mistakes when there
are only a few seams to check.
When
preparing to add borders, always measure your quilt to know its actual dimensions.
Always measure through the center of the quilt top, not along the edges because
edges have a tendency to become stretched or distorted. Adding borders that match
the center measurement help to keep your quilt square and true.
Always
re-measure your quilt after adding borders and before you add the next one. The
newly added borders have changed the quilt size and it is very easy to cut the
next border too small. (Ask me how I know this.)
When
assembling border strips that are longer than the width of the fabric, sew them
together using a seam that is at a 45 degree angle.
Cutting
border strips on the straight of grain uses more fabric but helps to eliminate
wavy borders.
To
make your quilt more interesting when assembling rows of appliqué pieces
that are the same, use a variety of fabrics in similar tones rather than one fabric
for all pieces.
When
cutting directional fabric, double check before cutting so that the design will
be right side up when sewn into the quilt.
Buy
wonderful fabrics when you run across them and build a good stash. Then on snow
days you can shop at home and start your quilt without leaving the house.
Keep
lots of chocolate available as you quilt, but don't spill it on your fabric. It
melts quickly and is a pain to get out.
Enjoy your quilting. Don't let your desire for precision and perfection ruin the
joy of creating.
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