Fancy Filler--Keep a bag taped to your cutting table for fabric scraps. Next time you need cushioning or filler for a gift bag or mailing, stuff with these colorful pieces.  Another green solution!
 
Old pillow cases can be used for storing small quilts.  By sewing together two old sheets, you can have a really big case for storing large quilts. 

Do you have a yard of fabric in your stash that's begging to be made into someting but you're stumped on ideas. Check out this site. It has some great ideas. Not all quilt related, but fun.

http://www.diylife.com/2008/05/14/one-yard-of-fabric-so-many-possibilities/

Carol Miller, Dean of the online Quilt University, has written a wonderful article on Color and Contrast to help make your quilts stand out. Check out the article at http://www.quiltuniversity.com/contrast_and_value.htm 

She's also written a great article on creating depth and diminsion in your quilts. Click here for that article http://www.quiltuniversity.com/contrast_and_value2.htm

Here are short versions of quilter conversations:

• NESY: Not even started yet
• FQ: fat quarter
• LQS: local quilt shop
• FART: Fabric Acquisition Road Trip
• FIU: Finish It Up
• HSY: Haven't Started Yet
• OBW: one-block wonder
• PIGS: projects in grocery sacks
• PIPS: projects in process
• SABLE: Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy
• SEX: Stash Enhancement Expedition
• UFO: UnFinished Object
• USO: UnStarted Object
• VIP: Very Important Project
• WHIMM: Works Hidden In My Mind
• WIP: Work in Progress
• WIWMI: Wish It Would Make Itself
• WOMBAT: Waste of Money, Batting, and Time
• WWIT: What Was I Thinking
• WISP: Work In Slow Progress
• WIVSP: Work In Very Slow Progress

Take THREE strips, 1 ½” by 3 ½” and sew the first two together along the long side, and finger press to the right. Add the 3rd strip to the right side, and finger press that seam as well. Grab a ruler, and holding the “block” UP IN THE AIR in front of you, (NOT down on a hard surface as most of us would do), it should measure 3 ½”.  She said placing it on a hard surface could stretch it when we measure it.

If it’s less than that, move your needle position to the left, to widen your seam.

If it’s more than that, move your needle position to the right, to narrow your seam.

Then using three new strips, re-test again, (and again if needed), until your “block” measures exactly 3 ½”, after finger pressing seams and measuring up in the air in front of you.

Finger press, because ironing the seams can stretch the fabric and may not give us an accurate measurement for the needle position each of us is using.

Try it, and see if that helps you.. Oh...after testing, it’s a good idea to write the needle setting on the front of your machine with a permanent magic marker on a piece of tape.

These sites have lots of great FREE quilt patterns:

http:\\www.quilterscache.com

http:\\www.blockcentral.com

http:\\www.mccallsquilting.com

http://www.quiltville.com

http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/

http://www.freequilt.com/

Want to make LOTS of pocketbooks and totes? Check out this site: http://henriettashandbags.com/Craft_Ideas.html

This site has lots of quilting how-tos: http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.net/QuiltingLessons.htm

Looking for fabric? Here's a site that's the "home of the 39" yard: http://www.fabric.com

Having trouble figuring out how much fabric to buy or wondering how much fabric you'll get out of that leftover scrap you have in your stash? Go to: http://vrya.net/quilt/flash/QuiltCalc_Loader.html and click on the shape of the piece you want and plug in your measurement. Hit calculate and Voila!  The amount you need to buy for your quilt.

This site takes all the math out of figuring out how to enlarge and reduce applique and paper pieced patterns on the photocopier: http://www.thequiltedsnail.com/scale.html

Here's some more quilt eye candy. Here are the winners of the AQS quilt contest. WOW!!! What beautiful quilts. You have to click on each quilt name to see the picture, but it's worth it. http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/