5 Tips for Quilting Fabric This versatile fabric can be used to make dresses, skirts, button-down shirts, and yes, of course quilts. It’s also perfect for bags and home décor accents when used with interfacing. 1. Pre-wash Your Fabric Pre-washing quilting cotton will get the sizing out of the fabric before sewing to reduce shrinkage, and prevents bleeding (when colors run together). 2. Press Well with an Iron Make sure to use an iron! Press seams either to the side or down the middle. If making a quilt, ironing is essential for perfect points and matching corners. Even if not making a quilt, ironing will smooth out fabric and create a more perfect project. 3. Adjust the Tension If fabric is gathering, puckering, is tight and/or uneven during sewing, the tension is too tight and should be loosened (lower numbers on the sewing machine tension dial). If there are loops on the back of the fabric or thread shows on the bottom of the fabric, the tension is too loose and should be adjusted tighter (higher numbers on a sewing machine tension dial). 4. Trim Along the Way Trimming each piece of fabric once sewn makes creating a project easier, as fabric could warp as it is being handled and can cause inaccuracy in a project. When quilting, try trimming each piece to size before matching them up. 5. Use a 1/4" Seam Matching up quilt blocks requires an accurate or scant ¼” seam. Use a special sewing foot or the markings on the needle plate to ensure your project is a success!