Standard Measurements we find helpful

Standard Bed Sizes:

• Crib 23 x 46 inches
• Twin/Day bed 39 x 75 inches
• Full/ Double 54 x 75 inches
• Queen 60 x 80 inches
• Standard King 76 x 80 inches

Pillows:

• Standard Bed Pillow 20 x 30 inches
• Queen Bed Pillow 20 x 34 inches
• King bed Pillow 20 x 40 inches

Quilt Type:

• Twin 63 x 87 inches
• Double 78 x 87 inches
• Queen 84 x 92 inches
• King 100 x 92 inches

Pressing Tips

To clean residue from the surface of an iron, sprinkle table salt onto a brown paper bad and heat the iron to a high setting. Blasting the steam while "ironing" the bag will also help.Wipe the surface with a clean cloth before resuming normal work. This works best if the residue has not been allowed to stay on the iron for a long period of time.

Clean out the inside of your iron once or twice a year with this simple trick (This works with most irons, but check your instructions!). Dilute 3 T of white vinegar in one cup of water, add it to your iron's water receptacle, heat to high, hold over the sink and blast the steam button until all the water has been emptied. Refill with plain water and blast until emptied again.

Cheesecloth makes a good pressing cloth. Cloth napkins are also a good choice.

If using the same pressing cloth repeatedly for fusing, designate one side as "this side up" to avoid getting webbing residue on the surface of the iron. In case you didn't do this, see the first hint.

Remove water-soluble pen BEFORE pressing so as not to set the ink. A well-cleaned, recycled roll-on deoderant bottle filled with water works well. Just roll over the mark to saturate. Make sure to allow the fabric to dry first to make sure that ALL of the marking is gone.

Miscellaneous Tips

Some find that using hand quilting thread for turning their bindings works well since it is made for multiple passes through fabric. It doesn't seem to break, fray, or knot up as so many other threads do.

Before pressing freezer paper onto the fabric, poke a small hole in it. When you are done, you can use the hole and your needle to help pull it off.

Sharpen marking pencils on sandpaper rather than in pencil sharpeners. No lost "leads".

Use tracing paper for paper-piecing. It is much easier to see through than regular paper and tears away much easier when you are done.

When threading you needle, needle the thread - don't thread the needle.

Quilter's Ten Commandments
Submitted by member, author unknown

Thou shalt never cut corners - only sew pieces

Thou shalt never pass a quilt shop

Thou shalt not envy thy neighbors stitches

Thou shalt nor RIP -- only unsew

Thou shalt sew 1/4 inch seams

Thou shalt always buy more fabric than needed

Thou shalt cook and clean only once a week

Thou shalt leave no bolt unturned

Thou shalt never reveal funds spent on quilting supplies

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors stash

Quilt Sites we find useful:

www.quiltshops.com (Find that elusive fabric needed to finish your quilt. You may have to be creative in your search if you don't know the name or at least the maker of the fabric.)

www.freequiltpatterns.info (Lots of free patterns - just like the name says.)

www.quiltguilds.com (Listing of quilt guilds and quilt shows around the world and lots more.)

www.colorsontheweb.com (If you have trouble choosing color combinations, check out this site. Color theory, contrast analysis and even a fun color wheel to spin. It works for more than just quilting too!)