Quilting Tips Submission – Fons & Porter
We invite you to send us quilting tips to share with others via our Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting TV show, magazine, website, or social media channels.
To submit your tips, fill out the submission form below or write to:
Love of Quilting TV
1100 Johnson Rd.
PO Box 17569
Golden CO 80402
Even better, include an example of your tip with your note if you can! If your tip is chosen by the Fons & Porter editorial team to air on the Love of Quilting TV show, you will receive a 1-year subscription to Love of Quilting magazine!
Good luck, and we look forward to learning from you!
Happy quilting!
~ Vanessa Lyman, Executive Producer
I keep my used machine needles in a small container. When recently searching for a picture hanger, I used one of the used needles which was a perfect solution. The hole that will be left when removed will be very small and easy to cover up.
I love quilting! I love hand stitching! And I love teapots .
I needed a way to keep my spool from rolling away from me and I grabbed my little teapot and put in the spool of thread, I ran the thread up through the spout and there you go no more runaway spools!
My seam ripper was never close by when I needed it while I was sewing. I had a seam ripper on a chain and simply looped it around the power cord of my machine. Now it is always close by.
Don’t have a ripper on a chain? Just use yarn or string to tie or loop it around the power cord.
Quilting rulers slip? This works every time. Get out your hot glue gun and make thin swirls all over the back of the ruler. Fabric sticks like magic. Decide you don’t like it? Glue easily peals right off leaving no marks or residue.
A tip for those who like to wear long acrylic nails! When I first started wearing mine, I found myself struggling to pick up all the pins I kept dropping. So I asked my manicurist to embed a small magnetic into my pinky finger nail. Now all I have to do is set my finger down and up comes all my needles, with no extra pin holes in my fingers! Side note: I have a picture, but I can’t get it to upload here.
I guess it did upload, just wasn’t showing that it did! 🙂
To easily remove the backing from iron on fusible paper (as in fusible applique work), score the center of the backing with a pin and start peeling it off from the slit. This keeps the edges crisp with no fraying even on the sharpest points.
I use the wall hooks above my sewing machine to store and display my shears, rulers, tape measure, pin cushion and extra reading glasses. Adds theme decor to sewing room and easy to access needed items when sewing.
I am always looking for ways to repurpose items what I already have. So, instead of buying a “Snap Hoop” for applique’, I use my machine embroidery hoop. It works great and I save money.
When my blade on my cutting wheel becomes too dull for cutting multiple layers of fabric, I put it in a designated box and use it for cutting paper.
I have a designated rotary cutter for paper, using the dull discarded blades from my fabric rotary cutter. They are different colors and marked as to not them confused. Makes cutting paper projects for the grandkids much easier ❤️
When my rotary cutter begins to “skip” cutting out my fabric I turn the blade over and it cuts without “skipping” the fabric like a new blade. I find I can turn the blade over numerous times and get many more uses out of each blade.
I can not find the submission form for a tip to Fons and Porter. Please advise.
Hi Cathey, I apologize for the delay in response — it looks like your comment fell through the cracks. The best way to submit your tip is to comment on this page! Hope this helps 🙂
For a quick no hammer/saw design wall. Lean two hollow core doors tall wise against a wall (non skid rug mat) make a ‘hook with foam board to cushion the wall and creat a pin friendly surface. Cover with polar fleece tacked to the top. (To connect sheets of craft foam board hot glue and popsicle sticks crossing to both sheets)
Where can I find the online submission form for the Love of Quilting Sew/ Many Tips
Hi Judy, I apologize for the delay in response — it looks like your comment fell through the cracks. The best way to submit your tip is to comment on this article! Hope this helps 🙂
If you need a tearaway stabilizer in a pinch, a coffee filter works great!
I tie my bobbin thread to my spool of thread, with a ribbon through the middle hole, to keep the colors and types of thread together. I was unable to upload a picture.
Hi I have a tip to share with the quilting community.
I have difficulty seeing 7/8 “ lineon the ruler especially when the fabric is dark.
I now place a strip of white paper o under the left side of the fabric revealing the
7/8 “ line. I just my ruler over paper to my left and cut!!
Here’s my tip. I like to freshen or air dry quilts outside on a clothesline but struggled with the resulting crease that occurs in the centre of the quilt. To avoid this, I slice down the length of a pool noodle, slip it over the clothesline and secure it in place with a peg at each end. I then lay the quilt over the noodle, use a few flowerhead pins to attach the quilt centre to the foam noodle, and pin across the bottom edges. Everything stays in place and there’s no annoying mark from the clothesline. For larger quilts I use 2 noodles end to end.
Recently I needed a new rack for my dishwasher . Before throwing out the old rack I noticed the tines would be perfect for holding thread and matching bobbins [not all DW racks have the separate stand alone] . The other section I used to hold my most common rulers.
I use my hair conditioner instead of fabric softener in my ” Fabric Folding Pen” …the same kind of pen as you use on your show … like many people I am very sensitive to scents. I cannot find a fabric softener that I am not allergic to. My hair conditioner does the same job as a fabric softener 🙂
Keeping tracck of machine feet can be easily and economical with a pill container.
i never can find the pages for the various directions you tell me i can find when i watch a show. i have the series number etc but never the actual information. a short video tells about the project. thats all. sorry about typing errors. my right hand now in a cast. never miss a show and ive learned so much. thanks.
My tip would have been in the last month. Was a cuff with clips attached. In large yellow envelope with protective bubble wrap.
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When I have a pattern that needs to be enlarged, I take it to my local City Builders Exchange (where builders print their blueprints, etc).. They can scan in the original, print in B/W and enlarge it for about $1. Cheaper than other businesses. My local exchange also lets me email a PDF and submit my request.
Blue painter’s tape is great for marking quilting lines, and after you pull it off you can use it to stick cut threads to.
When making string quilts, I like to use phone book pages to sew my strips to. Its free paper piecing paper abd easy to tear away. But you have to cut your paper to the size and shape you want. So to be accurate I use my quilting rulers and cut paper using old rotary cutter blades that I no longer use on fabric. I have an extra handle I’ve painted a different color so I know its my blade for paper. Works great for any paper you need to cut, gift wrap ect
My cutting board had some deep groves, I asked my husband if he had any fine sandpaper. I thought I had nothing to loose, so he sanded real lightly. It worked, even if it is for a few time more. I have been using it with no problems. He sanded lightly so the lines are still there.