5 Tips to Improve Your Quilting Skills!

Here are 5 tips that are meant to improve your quilting skills.  You might already know some of them, or all of them, but hopefully something can be learned. 

First, Let’s Look for Inspiration in Shows to Improve Your Quilting Skills.

YouTube has done so much in giving us access to other quilters.  Those quilters feel like our friends even though they are located halfway across the country.  Their videos teach and show us exactly how to do certain things.  It’s free!  Are you taking advantage of learning new skills on YouTube? This is where I find my inspiration.  I may be sitting on the couch watching one of these ladies, and the next thing I know, I can’t wait to get back in my sewing room to work on my projects!  My favorite channels now are:

• Laundry Basket Quilts: Edyta Sitar is the host and has the most beautiful quilts!  I love seeing her live shows.  She usually provides a “trunk show” with so many beautiful quilts.  Go to her channel and look back on some of her shows from last year.  Let me know what you think.  Her quilts are so inspiring!
• A Quilting Life: Sherri McConnell is the host, and she gets so much accomplished.  She does a video podcast with her daughter, Chelsi, and it is delightful!  Sherri is down to earth and very talented.  She has a wonderful blog which played a part in inspiring me to start my blog! Many tips on quilting can be found on her channel, which are very helpful.
• Just Get it Done Quilts: Karen Brown is the host and lives in Canada. She has many episodes on tips, tricks, and easy quilts to sew.  I learn so much when I watch her.

These are my top three right now, but I will occasionally let you know when I run across another inspiring show.  You always learn something from these ladies that will improve your quilting skills.  What are your favorite quilting channels?

My Favorite Tools I’m Using Right Now That Will Improve Your Quilting Skills.

A mechanical chalk roller that has yellow chalk is my go-to when marking the sew lines on half square triangles, flying geese, etc.  It’s a color that shows up on dark or light fabric and rolls along with ease. Don’t use this to mark the top of your quilt though, it’s hard to get out!

My little wool mat works great when pressing seams and getting out wrinkles in my fabric.  The fact that it heats up hotter than a plain ironing board is the key. 

Starching my fabric makes all the difference.  I know there are two camps on this issue. There are those who do and those who don’t.  I found my blocks lying flatter when I did, and I like sewing with fabric that is more crisp than limp!

Using these three tools has improved my quilting skills!

The Final Tip is to Challenge Yourself!

Don’t get in a rut of only doing easy projects…Challenge Yourself!  Practice is how you improve on anything you pursue. I wanted to improve piecing blocks together with small pieces, so I have several projects going on that have small pieces to sew together.  Guess what?  I am improving by challenging myself.  I’m also working on a pineapple block which again is very challenging, but I’m getting it done!  Are you working on something challenging? Let me know in the comments.

There you have it! My 5 tips to improve your quilting skills. I hope they help you too! Enjoy today and see you next week. Always Find Time to Sew,