Tips of the Month
Every month we select a few special tips that are useful for members of our community. We encourage members to send us their tips so they can be published here and shared with your fellow 'crafties'.
Please note, only Blue Box community members can have their tips published. You can become a member here. If you are already a member then email your tips (with your membership number) to info@thebluebox.com.au
If you want to enjoy hundreds more tips from our archives, have a look through the menus on the left. You are sure to find a few pearls of wisdom to share with your friends hidden away amongst them all.
Tips for Quilting
- Stick your quilting needles into a bar of still-wrapped soap. It will keep them sharp.
- Use small leftover pieces of hand soap to mark quilt patterns on dark fabric.
- Use a cookie cutter for a quick and easy quilting design.
- Dull needles may be sharpened by rubbing the point against an emery board.
- Start your hand quilting thread at a pieced seam so the knot pulls through the seams and stays underneath the patchwork.
- Wrap a gift for a quilt friend in a piece of freshly ironed fabric.
Tips for Cutting
- Make sure the cutter is clean. Buildup of lint from fabric can reduce its effectiveness. After every cutting session, use a thick rag to wipe the blade before storing the cutter.
Tips for Sewing
- When sewing by hand, pin the patches from underneath the project. Thread cannot catch on the pins and your thread remains tangle-free.
- When sewing by hand, stitch into the background just under the fold of the appliqué. This helps hide the stitching.
Tips for Wool
- When fastening off, leave longer tails where they will be useful for sewing seams.
- To uncoil circular needles immerse them in hot water for a few minutes to straighten them out.
.