We had a great meeting last night organized by Linda. She came with a bag full of her favourite tools and a head full of tips. It was a good interactive meeting with everyone participating.
Linda finds safety pin basting hard on her hands, doesn't like spray basting and hand basting; well she won't go there. Straight pins go in easily but won't stay. She had seen pin-mores; little foam bits that one puts on the end of straight pins. The pins stay in place but are easily moved and you don't get stuck. A cheaper alternative are ear plugs bought in bulk at the drug store.
Linda's alternative to quilting gloves are gardening gloves with a stretch knitted top and rubber fingers
Linda's new favourite tool is the Shape Cut Plus from June Taylor. It was a Christmas gift to herself. She has been happily cutting strips and squares in no time and without the fabric shifting. She also loves her revolving cutting mat. She also said she loves the little applique pins and uses them for most pinning projects. They pin accurately and don't get in the way. Her last tool was a seam ripper on a long handle which had an eraser on the end. One just drags the eraser over the cut seam and all the little pieces come out.
France talked about spray cans for glue or starch that should be stored upside down to prevent build up at the nosel. She is taking a landscape class and using invisible thread. To make threading needles easier with invisible thread one can colour the end with a sharpie on a file card and then use the card behind the needle to really see the hole.
Mary T wanted to know where one could buy freezer paper. We used to have to buy it in the States but people said it was now available at the Dollar Store and Maxi's. She also wanted to know what to use her six inch square ruler for and everyone said, anything small and great for taking places.
Mary S. received this binding tool for Christmas from her daughter. It is for sewing the binding strip together on the diagonal. She hasn't used it yet but can't wait to try it as it's never done perfectly the first time. Rita explained another easy method which we will try and get her to demonstrate when we have our binding meeting.
There was discussion about Sliders (a slippery mat to put over the bed of your machine) for machine quilting and that one needed the large size. They are difficult to find around here but France said they were available at L'artisane in St-Gabriel de Brandon.
Barbara had some flip and trace templates. They were two templates in one as you draw half and then flip the over.
A tip for new quilters" Don't do too much at once!"
Barbara then talked about our challenge for our next years quilt show, May 2015. It is "Dimensional Quilting" and must be free standing or hanging. She has a book if you need inspiration.
We then had some show and tell. Jae's husband repaired her sewing machine and so she was back creating. She made a little quilt with fabric from the fabric exchange. She still didn't want her picture taken and it's not even her arm, but Charlotte's.
This is the back of Jae's quilt and that's her!
Jae also made a pillow to go with the quilt. This is a great quilt block.
Anna brought in her exercises from our colour and design workshop. Everyone loved the colours and thought the block design was also great. This was her complementary colours.
This was Anna's split complementary colours.
Anna worked on another complementary colour scheme and as she didn't like the block added the fish.
Saturday we are working at the church sorting fabric and starting our Preemie Quilts. See You there!
