Always select good quality 100% cotton. Trying to save money by purchasing low quality fabric that won't stand up to wear and washing is really false economy.

Carry a small notebook and glue 1 inch squares of fabric that need to be matched. This will eliminate trying to guess the colours of the fabric you have on hand and also write in the amount of fabric needed.

Use plastic for templates that will get repeated use. If the quilt blocks are all going to be different, make templates from freezer paper with seam allowance not induced. Iron the freezer paper templates to the fabric. Cut a ¼ inch beyond template and then when piecing, use the edge of the paper as your sewing line. Peel off paper when finished.

Use the same ruler for the whole cutting project as not all rulers measure the same.

When you want a break from a large project. Take a pile of scraps and cut a variety of different sized squares and triangles. Save in labelled plastic bags until you make your next scrap quilt.

When going to quilting workshops make sure to label all tools with your  name. Then they won't be picked up by mistake.

If you are having problems picking out fabric colours, attend quilt shows and take photos of your favourite colour combinations.