Was finally able to watch this show. I think it will make me slow down & take more care. I seem to be making larger quilts lately and sometimes getting a lot done is my focus. I will have to be sure to put my knee lift on my Janome when I find time to get back into my sewing room. Had family medical issues that have kept me away.

Sally's quilts are amazing and so precise. I do feed my strips the way she does, almost, except I follow a line on my seam guide instead of using the edge of the presser foot. I don't always get perfect results, but close enough. And I often measure as I go, the first block or 2 anyway, to make sure my seam allowance is correct. I could never press that way though. I'm always pressing multiple seams at the same time and that would take way too long. I press with heavy steam and the seam is away from me, not toward me. I wouldn't want to get burnt with that hot steam. I generally use a lightweight inexpensive iron and seldom have trouble with it leaking. And if I were making quilts that required templates I would probably paper piece the blocks. That would go much faster for me. I know it's not always about speed but I have so many projects on my list they need to get completed quickly.

I bought one of Sallys books, when I first started to quilt. I loved being able to actually watch her show her techniques. I am a perfectionist at heart, and try to do everything as precisely as possible, not always succesful, but even just attempting to be more precise helps me make better quilts.

Thanks for the link to the iron, I just ordered one. Janet

Ann - try here, or, or here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-GC160-02-DynaGlide-Soleplate/dp/B00BC58WIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421845577&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+dry+iron

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Igenix-IG3120-1310W-Dry-Iron/dp/B0061MC2OS

http://www.philips.co.uk/c-p/GC148_02/dry-iron

All I did was enter dry iron UK on google, there were a heap more too....

This was a wonderful show. Sally is a great teacher. I've seen quite a few of her quilts in person. She was a founder and the first president of my quilt guild, the Simi Valley Quilt Guild. For one of our big anniversaries, she came back to Simi Valley as a speaker, and brought lots of quilts. She actually passed them around, and we could see the tiny precise details. What a treat! Her techniques are not difficult, but many of us find it not so easy to maintain the care needed to make every piece just right. So glad that Ricky and Alex brought her to TQS. Thank you, Alex and Ricky!

Beverly, Thank you.
I will be 69 this week. I think I will buy one for my birthday!

Judith

I wish we could buy a dry iron in the UK I have searched the net but no luck.
Anne

Judith, the Continental iron can be purchased at www.vermontcountrystore.com. I have had one for five years and it's wonderful. The end is a little more pointed than other irons, which I like when pressing seams with points, and it has no holes in the plate. When I actually need steam, I use a little spritz bottle. It's great product, and not expensive.

After watching this show. I emailed Sally asking her two questions. I will share her response here just in case anyone else was wondering the same things.

"Sally, Thank you for the show you did today on The Quilt Show. I believe what I Iearned today will make me a much happier quilter.
Two questions: What tool did you use to cut the templates?
Also, what kind of iron did you use?
Sincerely, Judith Austin from Virginia"

Sally's response:
Hi Judith,
Thank you for your kind words about the show. In answer to your questions, 1) I use an Olfa Craft Knife to cut templates but an exacto knife could work as well; 2) I use a Continental brand iron with no steam holes as I always press with a hot dry iron.
Piece, Sally"

What a special show. I applying her tips now as I chain piece 16 patch squares - the feeding through the machine and her pressing/applying weight to the ironed block method. Works like a charm.

What a great show ! When I started quilting in earnest in the '90s ..I started with minatures.,
Go figure ! And Sally Collins was a real influence ! Of course there are others, but her methods
and skill-building tricks were/are a boon. I still love mini.s today, tho they are more challenging than ever,
as my eyes and fingers change ! "A to Z" has been such fun...Thanks ! Andree....and I'm looking
forward to this yrs BOM...when I get started ! This show will get more views !

Those tips and techniques really do apply to all sizes of pieces and I have used the chain piecing technique since that class. Also, I take my time more and measure much more, and more carefully than I did before. She is also a really lovely person.

Sharon, I envy you taking a class from Sally Collins we don't seem to get the opportunity for many classes where I live.
You didn't have to mention the warm weather in Colorado when we are freezing in the UK.
Enjoy the sun, Spring will soon be here ....it's my favourite time of year.
Anne