Quilting Together With Old Jeans

The best bed you can make for your Retriever inside the house is with a woolen blanket - an old one - and keep its meal and water, close by all the time. If inside the house and sleeping with you in your bedroom, well, you better be prepared to get up twice or thrice to take it outdoors for it to answer nature's call. You will get used to it, and so will your pet! You bet!

There are many sewing tips that quilting experts would pass on to a novice, who may just be starting out, possibly making their first quilt. Here are some important quilting tips: Sew seams carefully, so that you match each corner and every triangle tip is pointy. You can save time and increase accuracy by chain sewing your pieces together. Your piecing will improve if you take the time to press your quilt blocks as you make them. Pressing is an extra step in the quilt making process , but one that will payoff when your block fit together, nest, just like they should. Make sure that you are sewing an accurate quarter inch seam allowance for your quilt blocks. If this allowance is not precise, when it is time to sew the blocks together, they will not align properly.

Quilt Blanket There are conflicting opinions about the need to prewash fabric. The choice is yours, but if you have any doubts about colorfastness (whether or not the color will bleed or wash out), test the fabric before adding it to your quilt.

Quilting your blanket: Place your quilt top on your backing trying to make sure that the seam (that you ironed open) are laying open on your backing. Place safety pins about 6 inches apart all over the quilt. Then quilt by either the tying or machine quilting method. This will keep your quilt top and quilt backing together.

First up is the baby quilt or blanket. Useful most of the year, it can be a little much for your bundle of joy during the summer. But for spring and fall, and especially winter, it will keep your new child toasty and snug. Most people will have more than one blanket for their child, either from previous children or from gifts, so this may not be too necessary.

I scanned the photos and then printed them onto photo transfer sheets. I ironed the transfer on to a piece of white material that was just a little bit larger than the picture. The white square and photo was sewn on top of one of the 12" blue squares. I then added eyelet trim and blue ribbon around each photo. Putting dark blue ribbon on a light blue square, and light blue ribbon on a dark blue square.

Always use the low setting on your dryer. It is okay to hang your quilt outside for a short period of time, or you can spread it out flat to finish drying. Make sure it is completely dry before folding or storing.