In Makers Blog

Everything You Need To Know About Backing Fabrics

You’ve finished your quilt top and now you need to put together your quilt back. The right backing fabric not only complements your quilt but also makes quilting your project easy and enjoyable. If you’ve ever wondered which fabrics make the best quilt backs or how to choose, you’re in the right place. This is your guide to the world of quilt backs, including wide backs and specialty options, to help you make the best decision for your next project. The Basics of Backing Fabrics For many quilters, regular cotton fabric is a common go-to. Standard quilting

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January 3, 2025
In Makers Blog

Different Types of Quilt Finishes

Good news! Your quilt is all pieced and you’ve even quilted it. Now the only thing left to do is finish the edge. But which method of quilt finish is best? Like with so many things in quilting, there’s no one right answer but the technique you choose impacts not only the finished look but also how well it holds up over time. Let’s walk through some popular options so you can pick the best one for your quilt. Double Fold Binding First up is traditional double-fold binding, sometimes called French binding. This is a favorite for

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November 5, 2024
In Makers Blog

All About Sewing Machine Needles

When was the last time you changed your needle? Do it now! Ok, now that there’s a fresh needle in your sewing machine, is it the right kind of needle for your project? With so many different packs of needles on the shelves at Quilting Mayhem, it can be confusing to know which one to use and when. Never fear, we’ll walk you through it so you can make the right choice for your fabric and technique. Sewing Machine Needle Sizing Sewing machine needles are labeled with two number, for example 80/12 or 90/14. The first number

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October 3, 2024
In Makers Blog

Tips for Tiny Piecing

It’s no secret that we love everything Giucy Giuce designs. We even just had him here teaching for a fun retreat and more on the schedule! And since he’s known for his fun tiny piecing patterns, we wanted to give you our best tips for making your tiny pieced projects have a big visual impact. Pay attention to your fabric quality. Since you’re already shopping at Quilting Mayhem and bringing home Giucy Giuce fabrics, among others, you know that using quilt shop quality cottons for intense piecing is key. They hold their shape better and are less

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September 18, 2024
In Makers Blog

Refresh Your Quilting Stash

Back to school season isn’t just for the kids, it’s for the quilters, too! Forget sharpening pencils and packing a lunch, ok quilters also like snacks so snacks are allowed, but now is the perfect time to take a look at your stash and restock your sewing and quilting essentials. Having a well-stocked supply of your go-to notions and fabrics makes it easy to sew whenever the mood strikes. Let’s go over the key items you’ll want to make sure are in your sewing room. Refresh your fabric stash. First things first, let’s talk fabric! If you’re

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September 1, 2024
In Makers Blog

Quilting On the Go

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard to make time to get in front of the sewing machine. There are kids’ sporting events, doctor’s appointments and waiting rooms, pool parties, and none of them have space for me to plug in my BERNINA. But we’re still going to sew, right? Here’s our tips for creating the perfect portable sewing kit so you’re ready to quilt from anywhere. Pick a good project. Any quilting project is a good project, but a good portable project for sewing from anywhere is one that’s easy to work on in

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August 16, 2024
In Makers Blog

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2024 Recap

Our head Mayhem Maker Mindy went to Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show and is giving us the low down of her adventures! What is Sisters? Every year on the second Saturday in July, the entire town of Sisters, Oregon transforms into an open air quilt show. The quilts are in every style and pattern and color, and they’re hung all over town. Literally. The whole town comes together and quilts are displayed on the fronts of buildings, draped between trees, hanging from tents, quilts are everywhere.    How was Mindy’s trip to Sisters? To put it into one word, it was

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August 3, 2024
In Makers Blog

Make Quilting More Accessible

Quilting, crafting, creating are all great activities for your brain, but they can be tough on your body without making some adjustments. Fortunately, we have a great set of tools to make quilting more accessible to everyone. Think ergonomically designed notions to ease the physical demands of quilting, adjustable workstations, and sewing gadgets to reduce strain. We want to make sure that anyone who wants to can quilt, so check out our favorite tools and notions to make quilting more accessible.    Oliso Iron Everyone wants a great iron, and the Oliso SmartIron with iTouch technology is a

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July 17, 2024
In Makers Blog

Bondi Sewalong

We’ve been having so much fun with our Bondi Sewalong on our YouTube channel but we wanted to make sure you had our tips here, too The Bondi pattern from Sew to Grow features a back yoke with a pleat and a curved hem that is slightly longer in the back, and it’s a perfect top for summer.  Materials Needed Domestic sewing machine (check out these BERNINA’s that can be delivered to your door) Optional: Serger Fabric (pre-washed) Sewing pattern Chalk marker Pins Scissors or rotary cutter Iron Steps Prep your fabric and pattern. Take the time

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July 3, 2024
In Makers Blog

How to Serge On A Fusible Binding

If you’re a quilter, then your binding stack may be getting high. We have a solution that will help you knock that stack down and get it back under control. Follow our tutorial to add binding to your quilt using a serger and fusible thread. This technique allows you to temporarily fuse the binding before you either machine stitch or hand stitch it, or when you just need something quick and temporary until you have time to finish the binding properly.  Materials Quilted but unfinished quilt Binding Fusible thread Serger (We love the BERNINA L890 Quilters

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June 21, 2024