A Collage Quilter’s Dream…

I haven’t made many collage quilts, but most of them have included using a light board to be able to see the pattern.

The problem that has always arisen for me is that I can’t iron on the light board without destroying it.

Enter the “Cutterpillar Glow Tempered Glass Mat”……

I have been thrilled with how well this product has worked and I can’t wait to start another new project where I can use it further!!

And yes, I will tell you more about this mosaic sunflower in the next couple of weeks!!

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One of my favorite things about quilting is motivating others and helping them in their quilting journey. As part of this endeavor, I LOVE to present programs and workshops to groups and guilds around the world. All of my programs work well with Zoom meetings, and I would love to speak to your group.

You can find out more at this link…..

Love that Bloc-Loc Ruler!!

There is nothing like pulling out a 2-year old UFO and not remembering what the extra Half-Square Triangle squares were for!!

And to add insult to injury, they still needed to be trimmed down….a job that I HATE!!

But, the job was accomplished quickly using my favorite “Bloc-Loc” Ruler!!

Watch and see how well it works…..

So, the squares are trimmed up and now I can get on with finishing this fun charity quilt!!

Stay tuned!!!!

For Free-Motion Quilting ideas, be sure to check out my YouTube channel…… https://www.youtube.com/c/francesquilts/videos

FMQ rulers slipping??

When I was quilting on the baby quilt that I made a few weeks ago….

…. I quilted flowers using the “Petunia” FMQ ruler from Angela Walters and Creative Grids…..

All of Angela’s rulers have grippy areas on the back of the ruler, but I was having lots of trouble with the ruler slipping around while I was quilting.

I remembered a product that I had bought some time back….

I peeled off two circles and applied them to the back of the ruler…

And, OH MY GOODNESS, it made so much difference!!

The ruler stayed put and my quilting was SO much easier!!

The adhesive circles can be purchased HERE

I have used a lot of different types of adhesive for my FMQ rulers and this one worked perfectly for my needs!!

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Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

Like many women/moms, I am in charge of Christmas presents….from the big ones under the tree to the little ones in our stockings.

So….I always buy a few things for myself in my stocking. Check out the video or keep reading for a few of my favorites…..

Here is my list…..

I keep a supply of Water Erasable Marking pens on hand and these are my favorites….

And yes, I buy 10 at a time. These are a great price and work super well!!

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I also keep a supply of Machingers Quilting gloves on hand….

These simple gloves make my FMQ so much easier…..

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If you don’t already have one I can’t tell you how much I love my “Bloc-Loc” ruler…..

It is a go-to tool anytime I am making 1/2-square triangles

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Each Christmas I treat myself to a new seam ripper. The Clover brand is my favorite….

I was amazed to realize how dull they become over time and a new one was life changing!!

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Finally, treat yourself to a new set of thread snips……

Buy them in a three pack and have one at each machine or ironing area!!

I have used more expensive brands, but I find these wonderfully sharp and useful!!

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So those are my five favorites. Order them quickly so they will be in YOUR stocking on Christmas morning!!

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Thank you…….

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No More Slipping Rulers

I HATE it when my rulers slip….whether I am using them to cut fabrics or to quilt tops!!

My GO-TO cutting ruler is the “Quilters’ Rule”

Each of those lines is actually a ridge on the back of the ruler. They help keep the ruler secure when I am cutting.

BUT, when I purchased my new Mariner’s Compass Ruler set (see this post for more about those)..

Fun New Tool

…..the rulers were both smooth on the back and, as I started cutting my challenge quilt, they were slipping all over the place.

Then I remembered that I had a roll of “InvisiGrip” from Omnigrid…..

It can be purchased HERE at Amazon.

It is super easy to use. The clear “Grip” portion is stuck to a backing paper making it easy to cut.

The first step was to place the ruler on top of the Invisigrip roll……

…..and cut it just a bit smaller than the ruler size……

I then peeled off one corner of the clear grip, sticking it to the corner of my ruler……

Once the side was in place, I peeled the rest of the paper off…..

….and smoothed it in place…..

Now, the ruler was not going ANYWHERE…..except where I put it!!!

The great thing about this product is that it does not permanently adhere to the ruler, so you can remove it anytime. It simply “clings” to the back of the ruler.

This simple product made SO much difference to my cutting, especially with the Mariner’s Compass rulers that required detailed and accurate cuts.