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Quilting "Mistakes"
Sat 07 Jan 2012
In making quilts for one of my sons, I inadvertently made a mistake on the Drunkard's Path. He noticed it some time later and then all my sons thought it would be fun to make a mistake in each one so they could search for them. It became a tradition. Read More...
How do I make an autograph quilt?
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Autograph quilts are great gifts for just about anyone. They make great memory quilts for a teacher or are a wonderful and unique congratulations present for someone who has received a promotion. They are great for students, or for anyone moving, to take along thoughts and memories from the friends they leave behind. An autograph quilt can be as simple or as detailed as you want to make it. Use any quilt pattern you like, just be sure to leave some light or bright, solid color pieces on which your autographers may write. It is easiest to have the quilt autographed before quilting the top to the batting and bottom ... Read More...
Irish Chain Baby Quilt
Sat 07 Jan 2012
This Irish Chain flannel baby quilt is easy to make, and will be a welcome gift for mom and baby! Irish Chain quilts are easy to make, and if you use soft pastels for your quilt, you can have a baby quilt in a short day, especially if you machine quilt or tie it. In this quilt, I used 2 inch squares for the patches in the 9 patch blocks, and simple whole squares of fabric to offset the 9 patches. The 9 patches were strip pieced. I simply stitched 2 1/2 inch strips of fabric together, and ... Read More...
Christmas Star Table Runner & Place Mats
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Article By Rose Smith I have used the evening star quilt block to make this delightful quilted table runner and patchwork place mats and I am really pleased with the way that they have turned out. Using the Christmas colours of red and white obviously makes them festive, but they can be made in other colours for other times of the year. These instructions will make a table runner 68” by 8-1/2” and place mats 12” square. Materials To make this Christmas quilted table runner and four patchwork place mats you will need: Red fabric: ¾ yard White fabric: ½ yard Backing fabric ... Read More...
An Easy Quilt Using 4-Patch Blocks and Strips
Sat 07 Jan 2012
If you are looking for a really simple quilt to make, this is about the easiest. Using a design that has simple blocks - whether you use a 4 patch or a 9 patch - and then adding strips between columns of blocks makes this easy while offering many design possibilities. By changing the fabric, you will change the entire feel of the quilt. Use a flannel with pastels, and you have a baby quilt. Switch to cowboy fabric, you've got a quilt for a guy. Choose some nice florals and include large scale prints in the strips, and your quilt will ... Read More...
English Paper Piecing and Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Nothing says “springtime” quite like a beautiful flower garden. For quilters, that translates to “Grandmother’s Flower Garden.” This quilt is made up of hexagon pieces that are stitched together using the English paper piecing technique. English paper piecing is a little different from what you might think of as paper or foundation piecing, like in crazy quilts. With a crazy quilt type of foundation, you stitch fabric pieces to a backing and overlay the fabric so seams won’t show. It’s a great way to stabilize even the smallest pieces of fabric or the velours, silks, and velvets that you normally wouldn’t’ throw into a quilt. English ... Read More...
A Quilt Dress for Christmas
Sat 07 Jan 2012
As quilting daughter, Stephanie, and engineering son, Bubba, were growing up, each year for Christmas they got some handmade gifts - at least two. One was a pair of pajamas to wear the night before Christmas (so we would have great Christmas morning pictures) and the other was a special Christmas outfit. For Bubba, it usually meant a vest or shirt (I wasn't too excited about making pants), and for Stephanie, it was a dress. As she got a little older, she became involved in choosing the fabric and design for the dress. And then one year, she surprised me. ... Read More...
Quilted Lazy Susan Cover
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Having a coordinated dining table is a nice touch in any home. Linens, cushions, even coasters can be coordinated to complete a nice, put together look. Then, there’s the Lazy Susan on your table – that plain, utilitarian Lazy Susan. If you want to create a well thought out look in your dining room, here’s how to do it using your favorite things – fabric and quilting. First of all, select fabric that you will use for placemats. You might stick with a simple placemat, using a piece of fabric for the front and back, or you might choose to piece ... Read More...
Can I use batik fabric in my quilts?
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Even more than 2000 years ago, people were searching for fabric with a design. Eastern and Middle Eastern countries, including India, China, Japan, Persia and Egypt, developed a process for creating designs in fabric that is still being used today. Artisans in Java and Indonesia further developed the process known as Batik to reflect the culture and religion of their countries in the richness of the colors and detail of the designs on their fabrics. A batik fabric of white and blue. Click on the picture for a larger image. When I began quilting in the early 1980s, the ... Read More...
What is a fussy cut?
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Fussy cuts, designs cut specifically from a piece of fabric to be featured in a quilt project, are great ways to add interest to quilts. A fussy cut can dress up a traditional block quilt with flair. If you are making a quilt that features fussy cuts, you don’t want to be caught shorthanded on your fabric. If your quilt project features licensed characters like The Care Bears, you can easily fussy cut different bears from the fabric to feature in your quilt. As you can imagine, this will take more fabric than simply cutting pieces the way you normally would. Making ... Read More...
Should I pre-wash my quilting fabric?
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Dierdre McElroy, hand quilting, fabric and thimble expert, recently explained several good reasons in support of the great “pre-washing” debate. As you know, the quilting world is somewhat divided on whether to pre-wash fabrics before quilting. Dierdre says prewashing is necessary. First of all, fabric manufacturers add sizing to their fabrics when they dye or print it. “You don’t know what the true construction of the fabric is without actually measuring the thread count,” she says. Dierdre also says the fabric must be pre-washed to prevent a skewed finished project. If quilting fabrics are not pre-washed before making the project, you run the risk ... Read More...
Make a Quilt Using Blue Jeans
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Blue jeans make a fun type of quilt, but frankly, the only blue jean quilt I knew of was a rag quilt. That was until Quilter Mandy sent a pattern in from Doreen in Bismarck, North Dakota. To make this quilt, you sew circles of blue jean fabric and squares of shirt, apron, skirt, or other cotton (or maybe even flannel) fabric. This can be a scrap quilt, or you could lay out the shirt fabric in a special design - it's up to you. This is an easy-to-make quilt that you can finish completely on your sewing machine - ... Read More...
Using Denim in Quilts
Sat 07 Jan 2012
When many quilters clean out their closets, they usually don’t see old clothes. Instead, they see fabric that could have been used in a quilt. One of the frequently asked questions by quilters is whether they can recycle their old blue jeans into quilts. The answer is absolutely! When working with denim, you must remember to keep the other fabrics in your quilt similar in weight. A quilt made from broad cloth and thick work denim would be skewed over time because the weight of the fabrics are not similar. This blue jean quilt looks like a Cathedral ... Read More...
Pre-Printed Fabric in Quilts
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Have you seen the fabric that is printed to look like a quilt top? Many quilters refer to it as “cheater fabric,” but it can actually be a handy tool of sorts for the beginning quilter. Preprinted quilt tops are generally found with baby quilt prints, but if you look, you can find fabric that can be used as a full quilt top or large throw. Either size can give the beginning quilter some needed practice. If you cannot find cheater fabrics in your local craft store, you can find them at various sites online. As with any fabric, if buying from ... Read More...
Feed Sacks for Quilting
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Quilters have been recycling since the 1800s. Way back then, feed and dry staples were delivered in barrels. Someone discovered that cotton was effective for shipping – much lighter weight and easier to stack for sure. A few companies began using cotton bags for packaging their feed. It didn’t take long for quilters in the family to realize those empty bags made great sewing fabric. While not every household needed to order feed for livestock, most did need flour and sugar. Feed sacks were used for these standard dry staples, putting them in almost every household in the country. When ... Read More...
Mildew on Fabric
Sat 07 Jan 2012
If you have a sizeable stash of fabric, you probably know that mildew is not your friend. Actually, it’s difficult to think of any case where mildew is actually a good thing. Why is mildew your enemy? Because the mold by-product will attack your fabrics. In addition to leaving a musty odor, mildew can discolor your fabrics and sometimes eat away enough fibers to actually rot your fabric. To prevent mildew damage to your fabrics, follow these tips: Make sure your stash is stored in a dry area. It does not need to be damp or wet; if you keep your fabric shelved by a window ... Read More...
Host a Charm Pack "Swap Meet"
Sat 07 Jan 2012
A purchased package of Charm Squares Sure, you can go buy charm squares. There is a great selection of charm fabrics out there. You could also take a more fun approach to growing your charm collection by organizing a charm swap. The first step is to determine the size of the charms you will swap. Most charms are cut into 5-inch squares. The size can vary, though. Select a size and stick with it. Next, invite your quilting and sewing friends. In addition to letting them know the date and time of your charm swap, don’t forget to let them know ... Read More...
Using Hand Dyed or Marbled Fabric in Quilts
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Have you ever wondered what you might do with hand marbled or hand painted fabric? Several years ago, I decided to learn how to hand dye fabric. It has been an excellent investment in time, since I gained a very in-depth understanding about color and value. A natural spin-off of simple fabric dying is marbling, and quilting daughter, Stephanie, and engineering son, Bubba, and I spent hours on our patio with those plastic concrete tubs marbling fabric. It is great fun to create the designs floating on water and then see it transfer onto the fabric. Once done, we had ... Read More...
Storing Quilting Fabric
Sat 07 Jan 2012
Maybe this is the year to get the entire stash of fabric organized. Maybe. If it is, here are some tips for storing long lengths of fabric. Most quilters store their fabric by color – reds together, yellows together, etc. When it comes to prints, it becomes a little more difficult. Many of us look at a print and pick out the main color and keep it in that group. Others keep all of their prints together. I keep my prints mixed in with the colors, and separate my batiks, wools and flannels. Within the batik, wool and flannel piles, the fabric is organized ... Read More...
Clever Fabric Hideaways
Sat 07 Jan 2012
These are creative storage spots designed to hide fabric from anyone who doesn’t understand why you need it at all! A box labeled “Christmas ornaments” or “baby clothes” In the freezer wrapped in butcher paper and labeled “meat loaf” Go shopping with a friend, trade bags before you get home, then declare “This isn’t mine, I’m just holding it for a friend” The trunk of your car A wire hanger covered by a dress or blouse – this is good for about 2 yards In plain sight – on an open shelf, neatly folded ... Read More...