There was an ad in today's mail for a quilting book from BH&G, and they included some neat tips. I might use one of them.

When your blocks are done, lay them out on your bed, on a bed sheet and pin the blocks to the sheet. You can then take your blocks to your machine without worrying about getting them mixed up.

This'll be good for me -- I don't have a design wall or extra flat space. So once those blocks are laid out, I have to get them stitched together quickly, or I have to sew part of the top, put things away, then lay the the blocks out again (and maybe not get it right).

Pam thats a great tip thanks for sharing
Jacqui

Great tip!~!! Thanks!!

what a good idea! thanks.

OMGoodness...thanks so much for sharing! I don't have a design wall AND I have will (eventually) have 200+ block pieces for my Mariner's Star quilt! Although I may not use my bed, I may still use a bed sheet!

ruth

I lay out my blocks on the bed or the living room floor and use masking tape to mark the blocks. I mark them row 1, block 1 they look like fractions when I stick them on 1/1, 1/2, 1/3. Row 2 would be 2/1, 2/2, 2/3, 2/4..... Sometimes I use the alphabet...A1, A2..... I sew 1/2 of the quilt and then the other 1/2 and sew the two halves together.

That's what I used to do too -- then I found these plastic tags that are already printed with Row 1, Block 1, etc.. You pin them on the blocks, and you can use them over and over -- they don't wear out and there's no chance of leaving any glue residue on the fabric. They're really cool!

Here's a link -- http://www.threadandmore.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=5755

If I'm making something large I lay it out on my bed too (for row marking), but ONE TIME... I left some tape on for a several days. When I went to pull it off (much to my COMPLETE horror) it zipped out several threads RIGHT from the raw edge of the block. Enough was gone that I had to mark the area and make sure I took a SCANT seam there.

I learned my lesson! If I'm going to use even the blue painters tape I stick it to my jeans a couple times (to de-stick the tape a little) before EVER putting it on a block.

I might invest in some of the markers that were mentioned above. They sound great!

Just use a fine point Sharpie and write the info on your flower head pins! That way, it won't cost you anything (if you already use these pins - I love mine!) When I was making a Yellow Brick Road queen size quilt for my dear son and his bride to be, I had umpteen blocks. At the time, I didn't know of this method of marking (don't think they were out yet) but I used the narrow Post-It notes, marked them R1 B1, R1B2....R2B1 etc. I did pin them to the blocks since I didn't always work on it - had other irons in the fire. I also made a notation on the first block of each row (in my case, I started sewing from the right to the left of the laid out blocks) - I wrote RS under the R1B1. Yes, it's a bit of work, but they can be reused.

Also, the flannel backed table cloths are good, as is a flat flannel sheet, even an old one. I have mine thumbtacked to a 2x2 length of wood, that I can unroll and hang over a couple of doors or cabinets (I used to have a large sewing room where I could have this pinned to the wall, but no more )

Gerda

PS I read about the Sharpie on flower head pins in a Fons and Porter magazine, tips section. There are some great ideas there, and on their show.