![10 Quilty Little Secrets by www.13spools.com](https://snowcatcher.smugmug.com/photos/i-CpwBHqx/0/M/i-CpwBHqx-M.jpg)
This meme inspired me... holy cow... three years ago!!! But I was on vacation, my blog posts were scheduled for the next few weeks, and I actually got into finish mode for so long, I forgot about this list.
Hopefully, it's not too late to run mine now...
Following 13 Spools' lead:
1. I've broken needles and pins sewing over pins. I, therefore, no longer sew over pins. Ever.
2. I iron. I press. I scorch. I cause color bleeds. I iron with tap water steam. I keep a spray bottle of tap water on my ironing board. I adhere to Ricky Tims' caveman philosophy... Press the heck out of it, and then press it some more if it still doesn't lay flat!
![French Braid Press](https://photos.smugmug.com/Fun-Stuff/Challenges/Starfleet-Fiber-Arts-Corps/i-VqJHtgp/0/b29b6f16/M/DLA87569-M.jpg)
3. When hand-quilting (except for my sister-in-law's quilt), I still hand baste on a quilt frame my husband built for me, and I baste from the center out in a big X, then go row-by-row in whatever direction suits my mood.
4. I pre-wash almost all my fabrics; most are purchased for clothing, and I don't want them shrinking after I put a good two or three days into making a new favorite garment. Leftovers are for quilting. However, I don't pre-wash pre-cuts. That would be just crazy!
5. I love hand-basting. I have spray-basted and pin-basted. When I first wrote this list, I hated pin-basting. Now, it's grown on me.
![a whole new thread](https://photos.smugmug.com/Fun-Stuff/Rocky-Mountain-Hi/i-GZHCh9t/0/5c0e9412/M/DLA_12211a-M.jpg)
6. Gütermann is my favorite thread, except for crochet thread. If I could use crochet thread for quilting, I would. I bet Valdani would work up nicely. (My sister-in-law's quilt is being hand-quilted with perle embroidery floss!)
![a quarter of my crochet thread stash](https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-5qnH5jG/1/0903a0f5/M/i-5qnH5jG-M.jpg)
7. I like warm, natural, white, snow, sand, pearl, ivory, eggshell, dove, ecru, cream, beige, linen, cotton, antique, parchment, cloud, mist, bone, vanilla, marshmallow, almond, garlic, tea-stained, low-impact, and most of all, all together in one project! I don't like how the seams can sometimes show through, though, in a finished quilt. OH!!! You meant batting?!? I thought you meant color...
8. I love log cabin quilts, just about any way they come. Love pineapple quilts, too.
![my pineapple blocks](https://photos.smugmug.com/Fun-Stuff/Challenges/2018-2019-Moda-Blockheads-2/i-fdbVzw5/0/ba954af8/M/IMG_9256-M.jpg)
9. I think drawing with a long arm would be so much fun and a great way to doodle on fabric. Hope I get the chance one day, I mean, other than at a quilt shop or quilt expo/festival.
10. Although I like some fat quarters and some fat quarter bundles, I'd much prefer to buy fabric by the yard and make my own combinations.
![What could be more fun than to find this in your mailbox on a rainy day?](https://photos.smugmug.com/Quilts-Plus/In-stitches/i-dQdpgV8/0/aecc3396/M/DLA105371-M.jpg)
11. I buy batting and thread wherever I can get it cheapest.
12. I might use cheap fabric on the back of a quilt. Or the lining of a dress. Always for the inside pockets of garments.
![scraps](https://photos.smugmug.com/Quilts-Plus/In-stitches/i-8qJ5FCB/0/16d245a1/M/DSCN8388-M.jpg)
13. I love scraps. I rarely throw fabric away. What I can't use in quilts, The Lizard can use as a rag in the bike shop (the basement). What's too small for a rag can be used for amigurumi stuffing.
14. I have fabric in storage I haven't looked at in more than 10 years. I'm SLOWLY working on getting through all of it!
![not quite ten years old](https://photos.smugmug.com/Quilts-Plus/In-stitches/i-3H3TSwk/0/42a48622/M/DLA104979-M.jpg)
15. I love hand-sewing. I love hand-embroidery. I love hand-appliqué. I love putting bindings on by hand, and my hand sewing typically holds up in the wash.
16. I almost always double my thread when hand-sewing.
17. I should change my sewing machine needle and rotary blade more often. I clean the inside of my sewing machine when fiber bunnies start showing up in my stitches.
18. I think most quilts should be used. I don't mind a few that hang on walls, but most should be for cuddling and warmth.
![the flip side](https://photos.smugmug.com/Quilts-Plus/In-stitches/i-cdZSTbZ/0/2879a0da/M/DSCN8237-M.jpg)
19. Stitching on the underneath should be as beautiful as stitching on top. Got that from my grandmother.
20. Goes without saying... I love hexies!
What about you? Have anything interesting to keep this meme alive and kicking?!?
![amigurumi stuffing](https://photos.smugmug.com/Quilts-Plus/In-stitches/i-47VhnMz/0/9184cc58/M/DSCN5441-M.jpg)
Linking up with Busy Hands Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
I am new at this but I am loving Star blocks. I don't clean my machine until I see bunnies HAHA, I do the same with needles and pins, I don't sew over them any more. I can't throw away scraps either and I have the most wonderful little group of women from around the world that we share fabrics with about 2-3 times a year. I love it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to put those scraps to use, Texas Nascar Cowgirl! Perhaps I should find a group that would find joy in six boxes of colorful scraps... :)
Deletehaha your storage must be filled to the brim with stuff from 10 years back to now.
ReplyDeleteMy storage is like my own personal fabric store, Pat! I should stop looking at sales and just look at my stash!!!
DeleteLove this post!!! Nice to "meet" you. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kathy! Nice to "meet" you, too! It was fun to find out we share a thing for embroidery and hexies!
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