Here are 7 of my favorite ways to make quilting easier/more fun/more efficient.  Please add yours in the comments so we can all share!

From the Lucky Stars pattern by Atkinson Designs; scrap border designed by me

1.  If you agree to make a quilt for someone else, stipulate that you must choose the pattern, or give them 3 patterns to choose from.  Non-quilters often have no idea what is involved in making a quilt, and of course have no way to know what type of quilt you enjoy making. I made the quilt at left for somebody else, and it was FUN!

2.  As soon as you’ve finished a quilt top, make the binding.  You have the fabric right there, and if you go ahead and make the binding now the fabric won’t get used for another purpose (oops).  It’s very encouraging to see the binding ready to go when the quilting is finished!

Black makes other colors pop

3.  Buy extra basics when you find them on sale, since you’re almost certain to need them.  Presently my basics are solid black, solid white or cream, and any purple; but likely yours are different.

4.  Buy limited amounts of trendy fabrics, even on sale.  Chevrons are hot now, but will you want to use the extras 2 years from now, even if you got them on sale?

Pillow for my daughter

5.  Change your rotary blades when they get dull.  Blades certainly are expensive, but your time, energy, and patience are priceless, and they surely are wasted by dull rotary blades!

6.  Buy the biggest rotary cutting mat you can afford, and ask for a bigger one (or a second big one) as a birthday present.   Cutting is so much easier when you have plenty of room.

7.  Put a table on bed risers to make it the right height for cutting without straining your back.  You can find the risers at big box stores right now because kids in dorms use them to make the bed a little higher, increasing storage underneath.  (And if you run out of places to store fabric…oops, sorry!)

Now, go quilt and have fun!

Back of the pillow