Tips & Techniques

Norma’s quilt tips and techniques.

I used recycled sari fabrics to make the yo-yo throw.

After I made the yo-yo throw, I used all the scraps to make reusable gift-wraps. My best tip to work with the silky fabrics is to iron a light stabiliser – to give the fabric a bit more body.

I use Pfiel lino cutting tools.

When I do English Paper Piecing and run out of paper pieces, I simply pop out a few glued paper pieces – from the quilt in progress – give them a good ironing to flatten, and then I re-use it. Saves paper and money.

When I run out of paper pieces, I pop out a few glued paper pieces – from the quilt in progress – and give them a good ironing to flatten and then I re-use them. It saves paper and money.

Sometimes a zig-zag quilting line tells the story the best. Work in progress 2019.

I prefer straight line quilting – to complement my fabric stories. Work in progress, 2019

I use graph paper and double sided tape when I join Suffolk Puffs – to make sure that I get the first few rows straight. The double sided tape keeps the puffs in place while I’m stitching.

What to do with all those loose threads?

This is my way of dealing with all the loose threads. I pull them to the back and then I lightly comb them with a soft brush before I fuse a thin stabiliser onto the entire back of the quilt – to trap the threads. It saves a lot of time and gives the quilt an extra layer before I add the backing.