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Fabrics
- Before washing your fabric, trim the corners off of the selvage edges at a diagonal. This prevents the cut edge from raveling in the wash, and is a great way to tell at a glance if you've pre-washed that fabric. You can also add those cut-off corners to a journal page for your project or on a recipe card to take shopping with you when buying additional fabric for that project.
- To remove pencil marks, Sue Nickels and Pat Holly suggest the following:
"Make a solution that is one part water, three parts rubbing alcohol, and one or two drops of Palmolive or Joy dishwashing liquid. Do not use Dawn -- it may bleach out the fabric. Use a cotton swab to apply and gently scrub with a soft toothbrush. Wipe dry with a cloth. Please remember to test, test, test an area before using any solution on your quilt. All fabrics react differently and we don’t want to have you ruin a prize winning creation. - To remove stain and brighten the colors of old quilt blocks, tops and quilts, try the following recipe:
1 Gallon Water
1 Quart Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Soak quilt in mixture then wash in mild detergent. I think you’ll be pleased with the results. - To keep your fabric from slipping when marking around patchwork or appliqué templates, place fabric on a sandpaper covered board. You can glue a sheet of fine grit sandpaper to a piece of 1/4” foam core board and cover the reverse side with fabric.
- If you cut your pieces for applique on the bias the edges will be much easier to turn under.
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The instructions for making a sandpaper board are in the Free Stuff section.
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