Do you wash your fabric before you sew?

No I don’t. A couple of reasons. If you use good quality quilting cotton you really don’t need to wash it. It will all shrink at the same rate.

If you are using a selection of fabrics that are not all the same quality cotton or you’re not sure then I would wash them all.

The other reason to wash would be to make sure that the dye isn’t going to run. Same again really, if you are using good quality quilting cotton then they are usually dye set.

If you are not sure then cut a wee snippet off and wet it. Place on a paper towel. When you lift it up, see if any dye has come out. If there is then I wouldn’t use that fabric in a quilt or project that will be washed.

Do I need to use a 1/4” foot for patchwork?

Absolutely yes is what I would say. Check with you local stockist of your machine and ask for a 1/4” foot for that particular machine. It is really important to get one for you make and model if possible. Often the generic ones don’t do the best job.

Patchwork is like a jigsaw - all the bits need to fit each other to make it work. This is what a 1/4” foot does by making sure that your seams are the correct width.