I’ve been sewing/quilting for a few years now but when it came to binding…I made my own…the hard way…without bias tape makers. When I saw the MadamSew Bias Tape Maker Kit makers would be…but the “Quilting Awl” was the one item in the kit that REALLY intrigued me. So, I made it my mission to find out what else this neat looking tool could do.

If you are new to sewing/quilting or haven’t used a “quilting awl” before, read on…You just might decide you can’t live without this nifty tool. If you have used one before, read on as well…you might find a new use or maybe you’ll have something to share that I didn’t find and our readers would love to know.

How to use a quilting awl…. let me count the ways…

2. It’s handy for guiding fabric under the sewing machine needle. (When I started sewing, I used pins or the tips of my scissors. I wish I knew about the quilting awl then because it’s much easier to use.) And sewing those thick seams…no problem, the awl can help guide those under the needle too!

2. Need to pick out a few errant stitches and either don’t have a seam ripper or have it nearby? No worries, your quilting awl can be used to undo those stitches instead.

3. If you are doing applique and turning under your seam allowance, yep you guessed it, the awl can be your turning tool.

 4. Ever tried to line up two pieces of fabric and get them sewn together without them shifting? Awl bet you guessed the quilting awl could help. (Yep, corny joke.) An awl is also useful when your seams go in opposite directions. Not only can the awl keep them lined up, but it can keep them from flipping and being sewn down the wrong way. (That’s happened to me before and it’s very frustrating.) You might even decide that using an awl is easier than pinning your blocks. Give it a try.

5. Are you using tear away paper for your project and need to remove it? The awl can help you tease it out so you can remove it more easily. (It works a whole lot better than your fingernails!)

 6. When you need to make a hole in your fabric (think button, grommet, pattern, etc. holes) use your quilting awl. It’s better than scissors because it won’t shred the fabric or make a cut line when making your hole.

7. And if you are making your own bias tape. The awl can help you feed the fabric through the bias tape makers. A quilting awl is included in the MadamSew Bias Tape Maker Kit.

So, if you haven’t used a quilting awl before, I hope you’ll give it a try.

If you have used a quilting awl, we’d love to hear about the ways you use it and how it has helped make your sewing/quilting life easier especially if there is a way you use your quilting awl that we haven’t mentioned in this blog!

Cathy
Quilting Blogger for MadamSew.com