Emma, a Quilting Blogger from Australia, has created this great picture tutorial on how she invisibly hand-stiches binding to the back of a quilt.

This is very useful for those of us that have never hand-sewn a binding before… one day I’ll have to give it a try.

For all the tea lovers out there, myself included, here’s a great Teacup Mini Quilt pattern that a fellow Quilting Blogger created.

I’ve always wanted to start my own tea cup collection, this quilt would be a lot less expensive and not nearly as fragile!

From TLC Stitches, here’s a great tutorial showing a unique way to create those wonderful Nine Patch blocks.

I’m sure this will be faster than the traditional method and more accurate too. This might even inspire me to use Nine Patches in my Doll Quilt Swap.

Further to my post last week on Sewing Ergonomics, Marguerita sent me this post she wrote on making your own Custom Sewing Desk - Cheap.

While not the prettiest to look at, this idea definitely has potential for me. I am loving free-motion quilting, but finding the stress on my shoulders and upper back prevents me from sewing as much as I would like.

I need to find out if I can buy adjustable legs from Ikea for my existing table, then I’ll look into getting some foam core. I have some spare paint, and might even try painting the foam core… we’ll see how ambitious I am.

I have some concerns about the static, as my apartment is very dry in the winter with electric heat and concrete walls. Does anyone have any ideas? I wonder if I can eliminate the vinyl altogether and instead use a paint that has some slick-ness to it. I think a phone call to my Dad, the Handyman is in order.

Contest Update: I have had three wonderful donations offered for the upcoming contest… you’re going to love them. Details will be posted in the next couple of days, so stay tuned.

Newsletter Update: If you missed the first edition of the Quilting Gallery Newsletter, it is now available on-line: Issue #1 - June 2008 - Are you a Quilting Blogger?.

There’s a great article over on the Lemon Tree Tales’ web site, Sewing Room Ergonomics or why does it hurt when I sew?.

My sewing machine and table set-up are my problem. I really need to lower my machine, about 4 inches, but can’t afford to buy a new table right now. I can raise the chair, and will try that again, with the presser foot on some boxes. I found the presser foot kept falling off the phone book I was using in the past. I only feel the stress when I’m doing the quilting part, no problems with piecing or regular sewing.

Here’s a completely unrelated link to a blog post a friend of mine made earlier tonight, Saving the Environment by Renovating the Little Red Golf. Please forgive the intrusion… we’re testing some Googleze to see what happens. Us web developers always have to stay on top of such things.

Here’s a great block, with very well written instructions, and tonnes of photos to help get it just right, The Shaded Four Patch. Units will finish at 6 1/2″ squares. Several block arrangement ideas are presented at the end of the page.

My rotary cutting mat could sure use a bath, how about yours? Here are some great tips for Caring for Your Rotary Mat.

I have an older mat, that I only use for cutting battting and other fluffy things… I think I’ll try to bathe it first to see what happens.

Here’s a very interesting idea on using Glad’s Press ‘N Seal Freezer Wrap to mark quilting designs. I might give this a try on the quilt I need to finish this weekend. Have you tried it?

I found this old table-top ironing board someone had left beside the garbage bin downstairs. It needs some new padding, and a new cover, but I think it’ll work nicely on my table beside my sewing machine for certain projects.

Some Google searching turned up this Ironing Board Recovery Project tutorial.

Updated:

A few more tutorials:

• New Ironing Board Cover
• SUPER Easy Ironing Board Cover Tutorial
• How to make a new ironing board cover and why I’m an idiot

I came across these three video tutorials created by Sharon Schamber where she shows using Elmer’s School Glue for attaching binding to a quilt. It sure looks easy when she does it. Yesterday afternoon, I picked up some of the glue, we’ll see how well this works out.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Christina over at A Few Scraps has written a great tutorial on using a Dryer Sheet for Appliqué.

I used to have a stack of used dryer sheets that I was saving to try this technique, but they’ve long since been tossed. I guess I should start saving them again so I can give this a try. Have you tried this before?

I have been intrigued by hand-made fabric postcards that I see popping up on various web sites, and was delighted to find this wonderful Postcard Tutorial.

I’m not sure I’d trust the Post Office to such a beautiful work of art, and I’d probably put it in a padded envelope, just to be safe.

EDIT: Here are some more Postcard Tutorials that I found…

• How To Make A Fabric Postcard DebR Style
• Patchwork Cards Tutorial

Here is some great information for beginner quilters from Baby Breath Quilts.

Learn how to quilt by using the quilting instructions and detailed photographs to help you create the Tumbling Squares Baby Quilt. Not quite a beginner myself, I really like this pattern, the colour combinations are endless.

Here’s a stunning 54-40 or Fight free pattern from McCall’s Quick Quilts. I love the setting on this quilt… very striking. I just might have to try it myself one day.

From Quilting with Ragdolls comes this tutorial on Faux Paper Piecing. It is well written with tonnes of photos. I like the idea of being able to reuse the pattern over and over again, instead of having to copy it for traditional paper piecing.