Tips and Tutorials

Maybe you have some hints or tips you have discovered whilst using our products. If you want to share them, we would love to hear from you.

Quiltsmart Fusible Interfacing

Click here for several pages of techniques and photos for using Quiltsmart products. We've also provided a Panel Guide with information about the numbers of panels you will need for specific projects.

Toni Boyce from Orange N.S.W. made this quilt using Quiltsmart's Eight Point Star Printed Fusible Interfacing and was delighted with the ease that all the points actually matched perfectly (for the first time ever!).

We also have a picture of Quiltsmart's Medley Opus Quilt made by Lois Brooker after attending one of our patchwork retreats at The Rock.

Lois won third prize at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney 2002 in the category of Machine Quilted Bed Quilt. Looks great! Teacher is very proud of Lois! She is now teaching these methods at Singleton's Sew n Sew.

Quick Quarter
One of the handiest little tools in my quilting bag! I find it fantastic for marking a 6mm (¼") stitching line accurately by placing the edge of the Quick Quarter along the fabric cut edge, then drawing through the middle slot. This then becomes my stitching line.

Alternatively, when a template has no seam allowance included, place the centre slot along the edge of the template and draw a line along the edge of the quick quarter onto the fabric beneath. Now you have your cutting line. The top end is for marking the "pivot" point for a corner - this is just a bonus, that really works.

Now, this plastic marker is actually designed for "quick triangle square piecing without cutting or piecing triangles". Simply place two squares of fabric, same size, right sides together. Position the Quick Quarter diagonally across the lightest fabric square from one corner to the other corner. With a marking pencil, mark the centre slotted lines, then mark both sides of the Quick Quarter.

Machine or hand stitch the two squares together on the two outside solid marked lines. After stitching, cut apart along the slotted marked centre line. Open and press the seam allowance to one side. Trim off the ends. See Diagram 2. The instructions are also given for Quarter Triangle Squares Piecing. See Diagram 3. 8" version is $6.50 and the 10" version is $8.95

Quiltsmart
Their motto is "Quiltsmarter, Not Harder" and how true this is. At Easter time this year, I decided it was high time my eldest granddaughter, Kirsten, learnt to use the sewing machine. So, using leftover fabrics from when we make our Pleat Makers, she cut 2" squares herself using the Olfa Rotary Cutter (much to her mother's distress). So as accuracy and safety was the main issue, I allowed her to use my Shape Cut to make this task easier. Kirsten was eight and managed this very well, supervised, of course. Not to be outdone, two onlookers wanted to "help" too. So, the six year and eight year old grandsons took turns to cut some of their own!

Back to us girls! The picture above shows Kirsten learning how to sew her very first quilt using Quiltsmart's Watercolour Printed Fusible Interfacing. The second picture shows the completed quilt which was taken to "show and tell" at school. Can't you just see how proud she was by the look on her face? You could say "as pleased as punch" - pardon the pun. I have shared this delightful story with you for other doting Grandmothers who wish to teach children to sew. With Quiltsmart's Watercolour Panels there is no pinning required, the fabric doesn't move because it is fused into place and there are lines printed on the interfacing upon which they can sew straight. Even if they don't (and Kirsten did) the end result is still very good. See just how easy Quiltsmart's products are. So, if an eight year old can do it, you can too.

Rainbow Paper
That is exactly what it is! Embroidery Colour Transfer Paper which is like a rainbow. So simple to use and yet produces beautiful shaded colours on silver or white polyester embroidery thread. No need to use different coloured threads to achieve the lustrous effect shown at right on the butterfly.

Step 1. Place two layers of tear-away stabilizer over the fabric and frame the two together. Embroider the design using white polyester embroidery thread.

Step 2. Remove the frame, place the Rainbow Paper over the top of the embroidered design and press with a warm/wool setting iron for 20 seconds. (Cut the Rainbow Paper to the size of the design so as not to waste any)

Steps 3 and 4. Remove the Rainbow Paper and the Glad Bake. Now, isn't that great? It would be difficult and time consuming to achieve the same result with changing threads constantly. 40cm x 1 metre $6.95