Tips & Ideas Archives | National Quilters Circle

The Half Square Triangle: A Versatile Quilt Block

February 28, 2020 By Ashley Hough & filed under Blog, Projects, Tips & Ideas.

Half Square Triangles, or HSTs for short, are one of the most versatile quilt blocks to make. Not only are they commonly found as smaller units within a block, but you can make an entire quilt out of nothing but half square triangles, in several different layouts. HSTs are fairly straight forward when it comes…

National Quilters Circle Top 5 of 2019

December 17, 2019 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

As we near the end of 2019, National Quilters Circle is looking back at what videos and articles our community has found most useful. We’ve rounded up our top 5 most popular videos and articles, picked by YOU. Read below to see the best of 2019!

10 Amazing Places to Donate Your Quilts

August 15, 2018 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

When it comes to quilting, many people don’t realize we aren’t always quilting for ourselves. A lot of time, effort, and love are put into quilts, and it’s incredibly satisfying to give one as a gift. It’s like you’re sharing a piece of yourself! Though it’s easy to opt for gifting quilts to family members, many of us like to donate quilts to charities and give something back to the community. But how do you know where to donate quilts?

So You Want to Try Hand Quilting?

May 18, 2018 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

Back in the day, quilters didn't have many of the luxuries we now take for granted, but they still made beautiful quilts. Now, we opt to hand quilt not out of necessity, but for the nostalgia and it's soft look. If you been looking to try out hand quilting but don't know where to start, don't worry, we've got you covered! Not only can you learn to hand quilt, but we've got quilting tutorials for hand quilted embroidery, hand applique techniques, and more! Check out our hand quilting tips below.

5 Things You Need to Know About Quilting Rulers

April 10, 2018 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

One of our favorite tools of all time is the infamous quilting ruler. It's hard to imagine how quilters from the past could make such precises quilts with only cardboard templates and scissors! We much prefer acrylic rulers and rotary cutters. But it can be difficult to keep up with all the new tools available. That's why we've created our list of 5 things you need to know about your quilting rulers.

5 Different Ideas for Log Cabin Quilt Blocks

March 9, 2018 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

Log Cabin quilt blocks are a timeless, and simple pattern easy for any quilter to master. However, more experienced quilters still love them, as Log Cabin blocks can be made many different ways. There really is a pattern for everyone! This versatile quilt block is a fun way to test your creativity in color and design to give a new spin on an old classic. Here, we’ve compiled a list of our best log cabin tutorials, patterns, and embellishments to give you some inspiration!

Personalizing Your Quilts with Embellishments Part 1: Prairie Points

September 18, 2017 By Helen Smith Stone & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

As a quilter, I have always tried to make each project “my own”, even if I’m using another person’s pattern. I first started doing this in a small way in 1991 when I became a Longarm quilter. At that time, the tagline for my Longarm quilting service was: every quilt is made from the heart.…

Top 5 Quilting Tips from the Experts

July 26, 2017 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

We talked to our team of expert quilting instructors and asked them what special tip or technique they thought every quilter should know. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced quilter, these five essential quilting tips will ensure your time at the machine is pleasant and productive! Check out the chart below for the five…

Quilting 101: Common Problems and Quick Fixes

July 18, 2017 By Kelly Ralph & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

Not all quilters are created equally. Everyone has their own unique personality and style, and this shines through with every quilted creation. There are however some common problems all quilters face at one point or another. If you are a beginner quilter, or even a more experienced quilter looking for a handy tip or two,…

How to Choose a Machine Quilting Service

June 8, 2017 By Editor & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

Love piecing and appliquéing quilt tops, but hate the actual work of quilting? Or are you in a hurry to finish a gift for a special occasion? A long arm quilting service can help, provided you pick the right one. You put plenty of effort into creating your quilt, so the person you choose to…