With over 20 million quilters in the United States alone, quilting has never been more popular. No matter what style of quilting – traditional quilting, crazy quilting, art quilting, and more – www.QuiltersTips.com offers quilting tips that fellow quilters have found useful in their chosen hobby. And, with a chance to rank each quilting tip each week, it’s easy to see what other quilters from around the world think of the submitted quilting tips. There’s also a comment feature on the web site where visitors can leave comments about the quilting tips.

To submit quilting tips and participate in the Weekly Quilting Tips Contest, users need to register at www.QuiltersTips.com. Once registered and confirmed (to prevent “joke” or malicious registrations), users are able to submit as many quilting tips as they like. A strict “no-share” policy at the site ensures that any information collected will be used solely for communicating with the members and will never be shared or sold to any third party.

The current prize for the Weekly Quilting Tips Contest is a copy of the printed version of either “How to Start Your Own Machine Quilting Business” or “How to Start Your Own Quilt Shop,” both from Gruntled Enterprises. The books, valued at $49, offer practical advice on starting, running, and marketing a machine quilting business or quilt shop. For more information about the books, you can visit www.QuiltingBusiness.com.

QuiltersTips.com was officially launched on Wednesday, April 27th, and currently has over 120 members. The first contest winner has already been announced, and results of the most recent contests can be found at www.QuiltersTips.com.

QuiltersTips.com is owned and operated by Gruntled Enterprises, a Pepperell, Massachusetts based company that specializes in niche marketing.

I personally have had two trips to the emergency room for stitches on my left pointer finger. My accidents were the result of skipping my rotary cutter off of the edge of my ruler and up over my finger that was helping to secure the ruler in place. I was being too casual and careless with my cutting, and not taking the time to make sure I had my hands and body properly placed before I cut.

The rotary cutter is a wonderful tool, but it is very, very sharp! Be smart when you use it by following these few simple tips for rotary cutting use:

• Always keep the blade retracted when you’re not using it, even if you put it down just for a few seconds

• Center the hand holding the straightedge; do not hold near the edge where the blade could jump onto the straightedge and cut your hand.

• Change blades often to keep sharp to prevent excess cutting and more opportunities to cut yourself.

• Dispose of used blades properly. Some new blades come in a plastic case. You may use this same case to dispose of the old blade after installing the new one on your cutter.

• To help keep your cutter working properly, periodically take it apart and clean it. Quite a bit of lint can collect behind the blade, making it harder to use and therefore not as safe.

• To keep the blade turning easily and with less effort, add a drop of sewing-machine oil on the plastic surface next to the blade.

• Replace blades with burrs or nicks. These are evident when you cannot make a clean cut across the fabric.

• Stay focused on what you’re doing and don’t become careless

• Don’t rush! Take time to get yourself positioned before you cut.

• Always cut away from your body, holding the cutter at a 45-degree angle.

• Always use a mat that’s especially designed for rotary cutting on a table surface.

• Keep medical supplies, such a sterile gauze pads or bandages handy to your rotary-cutting area or in your traveling sewing kit.

• Don’t try to cut too many layers at a time. Test your cutter to find the optimum number of layers it will cut accurately.

• Keep rotary cutters stored away where small children cannot find them.

I wanted the quilt to have a vintage look and I found some wonderful vintage-look fabrics at my neighborhood fabric store, joann.com. The photos, of course, needed to be the focal point of the quilt, but I wanted to add some flair as well. I decided to take my cute vintage fabrics and make pinwheels to put together to make a sashing which added life, feeling and movement to the quilt. Many of the photos were black and white which looked great with the vintage fabrics. The classic pinwheel design in the sashing really brought the whole look of the quilt together. It truly turned out lovely!

Presenting the quilt to Frell and Cleda was full of emotion and very rewarding. We all shed tears as they looked at the pictures representing their 70 years together. They loved their quilt and keep it on the end of their bed as a display piece. To this day they show everyone who enters their home this beautiful photo memory quilt.

The pack that I purchased consists of 48 different yummy fabrics, all five by five inch squares. With colors in soft corals, yellows, greens, and blues, this pack would make a lovely spring throw or a darling baby blanket. The best part of this promo pack idea is how simple it will be to assemble a quilt using these pre-cut fabrics.

They can be left in blocks and assembled as-is, or cut in half or quartered to make half-square triangles or pinwheels. And for those of you who don’t feel completely confident with fabric selection (it can be tricky—see my last blog), this is a sure fire way to end up with a gorgeous quilt every time. These promo packs are perfect for us quilters who look at all of the luscious fabrics at the fabric store and just want a little piece of each one! You can see the Faded Memories Collection by 3 Sisters, as well as hundreds of other beautiful fabrics at www.modafabrics.com.

I recently sat down to plan a quilt for my brother’s new baby girl. I found a pattern I was excited about trying, and bought some lovely fabric just perfect for a darling baby girl. As I sat and sewed, I was excited to see how it was all going to come together. To my dismay, I realized that despite my years of experience and careful planning, I had managed to put together a somewhat unattractive baby quilt. The patterns were fun, the fabric was very cute but somehow the combination of all these elements didn’t come together. I decided to not give this particular quilt to my darling new niece; it was time to start over again from scratch.

So I picked out a new pattern, new fabric, and was successful in making a lovely quilt that I was eager to give to my brother and sister-in-law for their new baby.

Now the question is what to do with this ungifted baby blanket? As quilters, we all have experienced an occasion when a quilt doesn’t turn out they way we had expected. Here are some suggestions on how to put our “not-so-beautiful’s” to good use:

• Auction it on-line. You might be surprised, but someone else might think your quilting fiasco is fabulous!
• Give it to charity. There are shelters and hospitals that would be glad to take your ungifted quilt off your hands.
• Use it as a padded covering for a playpen or changing table. As this quilt is not a favorite, you won’t mind throwing it in the washing machine anytime it gets dirty.

Now that I have shared with you my ideas…what have you done with projects you are not totally happy with? I would be interested to hear some of your suggestions!

If your sewing machine does not have embroidery capabilities and lots of decorative stitches, you might try making piping to sew around the perimeter of your blanket. Choose a third fabric that looks good with the two you have already chosen, and use cording that measures about ¼ inch in diameter. Round the corners of the blanket so the piping can be easily sewn around the entire perimeter. This is a beautiful way to embellish your blanket without all the bells and whistles of an expensive machine.

These suggestions will add a little bit to the time it takes to complete your blanket, but these extra touches will really make a big impact on the finished project, and will give you the ”ooohs and aaahs” you’re looking for when you give a homemade gift!

Choose a decorative stitch on your machine and stitch around the perimeter of the blanket about one inch from the edge. Repeat with the burp cloths. I like to trace a square or circle about twelve inches wide in the center of the blanket and stitch the decorative stitch on top of it to keep the blanket from shifting when it’s washed.

This is a great baby gift! I’ve given this gift many times and it’s always a hit! Consider giving a more elaborate baby keepsake blanket if you feel you have more time to prepare an extra special baby gift.

Note: Be conscious of the decorative stitch you choose, as some stitches are quick and others take a very long time to stitch out. It will greatly add to the time it takes to complete this project if you choose a stitch that is very intricate or thread dense.

Whether you are a real beginner or a seasoned quilter, these tips can help you. It won’t matter if you create every project by hand or if your sewing machine is your best friend; most quilt patterns can be adapted to either method. Have fun being creative as you begin quilt making.

Before purchasing tools or fabrics, take an inventory of what you already have.
Find a portable storage container for necessary items. Ideas include plastic storage containers, zippered bank bags, jewelry bags and more.
Survey friends and fellow quilters for recommendations. Try out their tools first.