Quilt Qua
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Calculating Fabric Requirements
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Greetings - This is just a small sample of the practical quilting information you will discover in The Machine Quilting Adventure. Using Machine Quilting by Alex Anderson as a guide, more than 325 quilters are engaged in a quilting Adventure that begins with making a quilt and ends with a finished quilt - with an exploration into machine quilting in between. Resources include written instruction, Worksheets you can use for this and any other quilt you make, a Discussion Forum where you can connect with the other 325 quilters on the Adventure, and video will be included as the class ... Read More...
Chain Sewing
Wed 24 Sep 2008
I always sew patches together starting with the patch in the top row, generally from left to right. I’m sure there’s no rule about that, and maybe it’s just because I am left handed. I find that having a system like that, and sticking to it helps keep my patches and blocks in the correct position. Place your patches right sides together and match all sides and corners. Line them up next to your sewing machine, ready to sew. Place the starting edge under the presser foot and stitch the patch together. If you are stitching triangles, as shown below, ... Read More...
Fusing Fabric
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Q: Hi My name is Beryl, I appreciate your tips for new quilters very much and am learning a from them. At present I am fusing some fabric prior to fusing it onto my quilt material. I am finding a bit messy (getting stuck to the iron and the ironing board etc.,) Can you advise me of the best and most practical way to use fusing please. Kind regards Beryl A: Yes, fusing material does present its challenges. When I use fusing material that has a paper backing, I cut a piece that is larger than the actual size ... Read More...
Quilt Backing
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Q: How do you start sewing through the three layers and know they will all fit together in the end? I have done a quilt with no border, but trying to sew the lines over my squares and the backing is too big. How do I make sure they are all the right size, as I have no really big surface to lay it all out. The lounge floor is the only place and not ideal as I cannot walk around it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you, Trisha A: You should always begin with your backing and ... Read More...
Help! My Kid Just Cut a Quilt
Wed 24 Sep 2008
There were a lot of funny things about this....That I took humor in on that day, not just that it is now 20 years later. It happened on just a nothing day. Stephanie was at preschool, and Bubba and I were home, quietly working. He was working in his room. And I was working on a quilt in the front room. This is the quilt the 4 year old cut. Click on the picture to see a larger image. Only 5 minutes earlier, I had been in his room, and he was playing on the floor with some trucks - ... Read More...
Blind Stitch a Label onto Your Quilt
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Q: How do I attach my label onto my quilt? A: A blind stitch is the most common method of attaching a label onto your quilt. This stitch is also useful for attaching the backing as well as applique pieces. Put your needle through just a couple of threads of the backing fabric and then the label. And it is easy to do: Step 1 Pull your thread with a knot through the backing fabric and have the needle come out right next to your label. In the picture to the left, you can see that the first stitch ... Read More...
Miter a Corner of Your Quilt
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Q: How do I miter the corner of my binding strip on my quilt? A: This is a technique that is simple, once you have seen it and done it a couple of times. Step 1 Fold the binding on top of itself using a 45 angle. Stop sewing when you get 1/4 inch from the corner of your quilt. Take the quilt out of the machine. Fold the binding back on itself at a 45º angle. You can stabilize the binding by placing a pin near the fold to hold it. If you do, be ... Read More...
Taking a Quilt Top Apart
Wed 24 Sep 2008
This quilt will be cut apart into sections. Q: I have a quilt that I want to make into something different. How do I take sections of blocks out of the quilt without ruining the fabric? A: There are several steps in this process, and if you are careful, you can easily take sections apart without stretching or tearing the fabric so you can use it in your new project. Step 1 Determine how you want to take your quilt apart. In my case, I wanted to have 9 blocks in each section. The first thing to do is look ... Read More...
Labeling Your Quilt
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Date – April 3, 2006 How often have you admired a quilt and wondered who made it and when it was made? If you’re anything like me, frequently once I sew the last stitch of binding on the quilt, I declare it complete – without a name label. Now that I have a collection of many quilts, when I made them has become a blur that I wish were different. And I remember all of the quilts I have given away with no identifying mark. You can prevent that by signing and dating your quilt. Fabric markers make it a ... Read More...
Seam Allowances
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Use ¼” seam allowances. Unless there are other instructions, seam allowances are ¼” wide. Before you start cutting fabric, it’s a good idea to see whether the pattern you are using includes the seam allowances. Often patterns do not specify a seam allowance, especially block patterns in books of block patterns. For example, when a pattern designates a 2” patch, it usually is a finished size. That means you need to add ½” to cover the ¼” seam allowance on both sides of the patch, and cut your fabric 2½.” Fold your seam allowances together. Unlike other types of sewing, ... Read More...
Sewing a One-Quarter Inch Seam Allowance
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Over the years, quilters have found that a ¼” seam allowance is perfect. It is enough to keep the pieces together without adding bulk to the finished top. Sewing accurate ¼” seam allowances every time will go a long way toward sewing square blocks that are all the same size. The time you spend now marking your machine or testing the measurement of your presser foot may save you time, frustration and fabric in the long run. To test your machine measurements for a ¼” seam allowance, cut two small scraps of fabric 1” by 4” long, then sew ... Read More...
Rag Quilt Instructions for Seam Allowances
Wed 24 Sep 2008
A Quilter's Question Q: I just recently purchased a sewing machine (3 days ago, and i have never owned one before). I have made a couple small (baby size) rag quilts by hand and I am working on a bigger one (started by hand) and I am hoping to finish it on the sewing machine. I am just starting to sew the blocks into rows, and I have a question if someone could give me some advice. When you have all of the rows sewn together and are ready to start sewing these together, how do you deal with the ... Read More...
ZigZag or Serge the Edges of a Square or Triange Patch?
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Quilter's Quandry Q: I wanted to thank you for all the helpfull information about quilting....I believe I am ready to start... My big problem now is that I am not sure if to zig zag the edges of my squares and triangles for the baby quilt that I am trying to make...(I don't have a serger machine).. Thanks again A: If you are going to sew the squares and triangles together into a patchwork quilt, you do not need to zigzag or serge the edges. Miraculously, just sewing the squares together will keep them from fraying. It's always kind ... Read More...
Isosceles Triangle Sandwiched Between Two Long Triangles Spells Spring in These Blocks!
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Every Spring brings a new generation of insects and flowers, and this spring is no different. To welcome warmer weather and our new crop of butterflies and blooms, we are bringing you three traditional quilt block patterns. They are: Bird of Paradise (also known as Garden Walk from Eleanor Burns Egg Money Book) Butterfly Block Lily of the Field Click on the image of each of the quilt blocks for a FREE pattern. Or, click here to get all three patterns in one pack. In all of these patterns, the isosceles triangles in a block or patch are created by ... Read More...
Square in a Square Block
Wed 24 Sep 2008
The first time I saw this simple, yet stunning quilt pattern was on the cover of a quilt book featuring Amish quilts. The quilt featured a large square in the center, set on point, and surrounded by triangles, so it looked like a diamond. As I looked at the quilt, I realized that it would be quite simple to make. The trick, if any exists, is to make sure that as you sew all of those bias edges, you keep them from stretching and getting out of shape. Pictured below is one quilt patch of the square in a square. ... Read More...
Simple Tricks for Stitching Accurate Patches
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Use a scrap to start your chain, and begin on the wide end of a triangle. Getting patches square and the same size seems to be an ongoing challenge of quilters. Here are a few things you can do to check and improve the accuracy of your stitching: Watch the cut edges of your patches as you are sewing on the machine – instead of watching the needle. By focusing on the edge of the fabric, and making sure that it lines up with your mark of a 1/4 inch seam allowance (whether that is tape on your throat plate ... Read More...
Secrets to Successful Sewing on the Bias
Wed 24 Sep 2008
It's amazing how many different tips and shortcuts there are for various steps in making a quilt. It's as if there were a constant contest running for developing a new way to do the same old thing. Or maybe it's just that quilters are always looking for a different way just to be different. Whether you are a beginning quilter or an intermediate or advanced quilter, sewing bias edges can be challenging. It's always a challenge for me. I can't even begin to count the number of seams I have ripped out because when I got to the end of ... Read More...
How to Keep Those Stretchy Bias Pieces in Line
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Do those bias edges on your patches stretch as you sew, like mine do? Here's a suggestion - Cut freezer paper templates the size of your finished patch. Iron them onto the back of the patch, and then sew the patches together - with the freezer paper still attached. Not only will this give you a great, straight stitching line that will guarantee an accurate seam allowance, it will stabilize the bias edges and keep your fabric from stretching out of shape. Sewing circles and curves will be a breeze using this freezer paper secret. Just iron the freezer paper ... Read More...
Freezer Paper on Quilts? Why and Where do you Get It?
Wed 24 Sep 2008
Reynolds Freezer Paper is a great tool for quilters. Q: I live in the UK and have found the use of freezer paper mentioned in many articles on the web about quilting. What is it? Next time I am on holiday in the states I will get some if it will be useful. I do not think it is available in the UK or is sold under a different name / use. A: Thanks for asking! I admit it's a bit strange, but it is the paper we wrap our meat in before we put it in the ... Read More...
Perfect Borders for Perfect Shaped Quilts - Every Time!
Wed 24 Sep 2008
You've spent hours creating a beautiful quilt top, and now it's time to add borders. The most obvious way to measure your quilt for borders is to run a tape measure or ruler along the sides of your quilt. That was the way I used to do it, and the result was several quilts that were misshapen. Not bad, but still not square or rectangle - kind of wavy. When the kids are using the quilts, it doesn't really matter, but when you are making a quilt to hang on a wall or on your bed, that's entirely different! In ... Read More...