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elcome to the free weekly web-based email newsletter for quilters. Here, we talk about anything and everything related to quilting. I pay more attention to machine quilting, but also cover some techniques used in hand quilting because sometimes you have to hand-stitch a part of your quilt even if you are using a machine.
Inside, you will learn:
• Fundamental quilting techniques like paper piecing, appliqué, stitch-as-you-go, binding your quilts and much more.
• Where to find patterns for your quilts, and how to choose them.
• Tips like: squaring the blocks, securing the backing, getting even stitches, strengthening stitches, matching seams, determining the size of sashing and borders, washing your quilts.
• How to pick and combine fabric colors.
• Where to get the best deals on fabric and other quilting supplies.
• And many, many other things every quilter needs to know.
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Recent topics covered in the newsletter:
What is Paper Piecing?
If you have never tried quilting before but would like to experience the joys of this ancient art, all you need to start you off is a little method we call Paper Piecing.
Paper piecing, also called "Paper Foundation Piecing" (sometimes also called "Foundation Paper Piecing") or PFP by quilting fans, is a method used to construct quilting blocks easily and accurately by sewing fabric directly to the lines of a paper pattern.
Unlike traditional template piecing, PFP is a good technique for making miniature quilt blocks. It also allows the quilter to create complicated designs by doing one block at a time. What more, with PFP, you can use little scraps of fabric lying around.
Anybody can do it. It does not require any particular skill but involves a series of steps which anybody can follow.
Paper Piecing Then and Now
Quilting has been around for hundreds of years. The oldest quilted work was found in Egypt worn by a 3200 year old Pharaoh statue. However, Paper Piecing evolved much later -- during the great "quilting age" in 19th century Europe. The oldest record found which used paper piecing was a quilt top dated 1889.
Over the years, quilters used old magazines, catalogs, typing paper to do PFP. However, there were no standard procedures and most crafters invented their own system.
It was Lesley-Claire Greenberg, acknowledged as the mother of "modern day foundation piecing" who drew guidelines and procedures and made PFP easy and methodical.
Compared to the old PFP method, the student will notice that modern Paper Piecing Patterns has numbers and letters. A typical pattern has a block with sections drawn with numbers or letters to indicate the sequence of sewing.
Tools to help you
Before starting to paper-piece, here are some tools which you will need to launch you into your new hobby:
Paper -- There are several kinds of paper which you can use:
a) Freezer paper -- this is readily available in craft stores and is easy to use because it sticks on the fabric. Its disadvantage however is that there is no available pre-cut size for your printer. You have to cut it to letter size for printing your patterns.
b) Tracing paper -- Lightweight and transparent, this is great for tracing those patterns and lets you see through easily. You must remember though that due to its thinness, it shrinks under hot iron. So if you're going to use this type of paper, iron first to pre-shrink it. Another disadvantage is that it only feeds one at a time in a printer and doesn't hold up well under rip-outs.
c) Cheap Typing Paper -- Use the cheapest typing paper so it is transparent enough to see through. Aside from being less costly, typing paper feeds through the printer well and can be easily removed from the stitches.
Light source -- you will need a light source to see if your fabric is aligned with your pattern. A good light source would be a desk lamp or a home-made light box. If neither is available, you can make do with a large flash light. You can also use the light of your sewing machine.
Rotary cutter -- A rotary cutter is a rolling razor blade which you will use for cutting fabrics into shapes, strips and pieces. More manageable than scissors, it will help you cut angles and corners better.
Scissors -- Scissors are always handy to have around for cutting threads, paper patterns and fabric.
Cutting Mat -- When using a rotary cutter, make sure you have a rubber cutting mat to protect the surface of your work table and to prevent fabric from slipping your grip.
Quilt pins -- longer than other pins, you will use this to pin your fabric and paper pattern in place.
Quilting thread -- Use 100% cotton thread. Available at most craft stores, these will provide you with a variety of colors to match the fabric you're working on.
Iron -- Keep this handy as you have to iron the seams before sewing the next fabric in place.
Wooden iron -- You can also use a wooden iron to flatten the seams instead of steam/hot iron.
1/4 foot -- The 1/4" allowance for the seams is a standard for quilting and paper-piecing. This little tool will help you achieve an exact 1/4" seam by using the edge of the foot as guide.
Sewing Machine -- Paper piecing requires small stitches which can only be done by a sewing machine. Hand sewing is not feasible as stitches will be uneven and big, aside from the fact that hand stitching will eventually tear the paper.
Last minute tips to remember
Start Small -- Begin with small projects. Choose designs which are easy to cut and assemble. Avoid overly-ornate designs which can overwhelm you. Choose easy blocks. Choosing easy blocks will help teach you the basics of quilting and color combinations.
Free Block patterns are readily available on the net and will give you myriad choices. Example of easy block patterns are: the Rail-fence, 4-patch, 9-patch or the checkerboard.
Use 100% cotton -- Although there are a lot of fabrics to choose from, the beginner should start working on cotton. It is easy to work on and holds creases well unlike poly-cotton blends which puckers when washed.
Remember the 1/4" seam -- This is one of the most common mistakes of beginners. Always allow 1/4" seams around your paper pattern and keep it even to produce crisp-looking blocks.
Don't backstitch -- there is no need to do a backstitch at the end of the seams. Once the quilt top is finished, the stitches will hold the sections together.
Pre-wash -- Pre-wash, especially if you're using dark or vivid colors. Pre-washing will tell you if the color bleeds and at the same time, pre-shrink cotton fabrics. If colors run, rinse the fabric with some vinegar to fix it.
Always Press! -- Remember to press the seams after sewing to keep it flat and even. You can finger press or use a wooden iron. An iron would be more work, but it works better in keeping the seams really flat.
Keep these things in mind and you're ready to do the real work. The next chapter will take you step-by-step through making of a block using paper piecing. Each step is fully illustrated and will make you a paper piecing expert in no time at all.
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Fabric YardageBuying fabric for quilts is approached differently by many quilters. Some quilters purchase exactly what they need for a specific project. Other quilters buy large quantities of one fabric for their "stash" just because they really like it, not knowing what they are going to do with it. And many quilters just buy quarter yards or half yards so they can have a small piece of everything!
After a quilter has been quilting for some time they have a fairly large "stash" of fabric and really don't have a fear of running out. Many times if one fabric is short, a creative alternative is worked out and actually enhances the quilt design. In other words the quilt turned out better because the quilter ran out of a specific fabric and had to substitute another fabric and make another design decision. So running out of fabric is not always bad, it can be a new opportunity.
Estimating yardage to make a quilt can be a little confusing at times. All you need to know is the number and size of each piece you'll need. Then a little simple math and you will know how much fabric to buy.
When you choose a purchased pattern or take one from a book and don't make any significant changes you can usually use the fabric requirements listed in the pattern with confidence that you'll have enough fabric. I usually prefer to buy at least one-fourth to one-half yard extra of each fabric - just for insurance, shrinkage, or for small cutting errors. Even experienced quilters cut a strip wrong once in awhile! If the strip is cut too large it can be trimmed down but if it is cut too small another strip would need to be cut and the small one retired to the scrap bag.
If you are designing your own quilt and have a sketch on graph paper and you know the cutting size of each portion of your quilt, all you will need a piece of scrap paper and a simple inexpensive calculator. You will have to work in decimals when working with calculator. The only decimals you will need to know are .25 = 1/4, .5 = 1/2, and .75 = 3/4. If some of your pieces measure in eighths, simply round up to the next quarter.
Divide your sheet of scrap paper into columns, listing each fabric color you will need for your quilt. As you calculate the needs for each portion of the quilt, write the total number of inches of yardage in the appropriate column.
For example, you need to cut 24 squares 4 1/2". Allow approximately 40" of usable fabric in a strip. Punch 40 into your calculator (width of fabric) and divide by 4.5" (size of square needed) = 8. You can get eight 4 1/2" squares from each 4 1/2" strip (40" wide). Clear your calculator. Then punch in 24 (total number of squares needed) and divide by 8 (number of squares from each strip) = 3. You need three strips 4 1/2" wide. Clear your calculator. Punch in 4.5 (width of strip) times 3 (number of strips needed) = 13.5. You need 13.5" of yardage to cut these squares. Write this number in the appropriate column on your scrap paper.
Triangles would be estimated the same way. If you need 4" finished half square triangles you would need to cut 4 7/8" squares and slice them diagonally. Remember that one square will make two triangles. Calculating as shown above, you would be able to cut 16 triangles from a 4 7/8" strip. When calculating with eighths, round 4 7/8" up to 5". If you need 64 triangles, punch 64 into your calculator (number of triangles needed) divided by 16 (number of triangles in each strip) = 4 strips. Punch 5 into your calculator (4 7/8" width of strip rounded up to 5) times 4 strips = 20". You will need 20 inches of yardage to cut these triangles. Write this number in the appropriate column on your scrap paper.
Continue for all the pieces needed in the quilt using cutting sizes as needed and writing the totals in the appropriate column according to the color of fabric needed.
When estimating borders, all you need is the cut width of the borders and the number of strips you need to cut -- piecing as needed. A large quilt would need two strips (width of fabric) for each side of the quilt = 8 strips. A medium size or lap quilt might only need six strips. Multiply the number of strips needed by the width of the strips. The total is the amount of yardage you'll need for borders. Write this number in the appropriate column on your scrap paper.
When you have figured every portion of your entire quilt in each color of fabric, all you need to do is total up the running yardage of each fabric and divide by 36 (number of inches in a yard). This will give you the yardage you'll need to buy for that particular color. Remember to add at least one-fourth to one-half yard for insurance, shrinkage, and cutting errors.
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Pre-washing fabric
There is quite a lot of discussion in the quilting community concerning pre-washing fabric or not pre-washing fabric. Many quilters are certain there is no need to pre-wash fabric and as many quilters insist that fabric must be pre-washed.
I pre-wash all fabric, backing, cotton batting, and flannel before cutting. I will list some of the reasons I pre-wash my fabric.
1.Pre-washing removes sizing and other chemicals left in the fabric during manufacturer. Some may have allergies to new fabric.
2.Pre-washing shrinks the fabric so the quilt won't shrink unevenly in later washings. Each fabric will shrink at a different rate and this could cause lumps and unevenness in the quilt. I have had first quality cotton fabric shrink as much as four inches in width!
3.Pre-washing insures colorfastness. If a fabric bleeds too much it can be treated with a salt or vinegar rinse or discarded before using it in a quilt. After a fabric is sewn in a quilt it can easily bleed onto other fabrics.
All of my new fabric is taken directly to the laundry room where I keep a small mat, ruler and pinking rotary cutter. I trim all the cut edges with a pinking rotary cutter. This helps alleviate the strings that hang from the fabric after it is washed and dried. When fabric is dry, I simply fold the fabric in my preferred method to fit my storage totes. I usually do not put the fabric away for several days to be certain the fabric is dry. I do not iron fabric until I am ready to use it. If I iron it first, and fold it for storage, it needs to be re-ironed again just before using anyway.
Flannel fabric will shrink even more than regular quilting cottons so it should be pre-washed. If flannel fabric becomes too soft from washing and drying, a light spray of spray sizing or spray starch when ironing would renew the body or stiffness of new fabric.
Cotton batting will shrink quite a lot and will give your quilt the "antique" look. If this is the look you wish to have, do not pre-shrink your cotton or cotton blend batting. If you don't want this shrinkage to occur, you would need to pre-shrink your cotton and blend battings. You do not need to preshrink 100% polyester batting.
Most brands of batting will have pre-shrinking instructions on the package. If not, simply fill your washing machine with warm water. Unroll and place cotton batting in water. Turn washing machine off and let the batting soak for at least thirty minutes. Do not agitate. Spin water out on a very short spin cycle and dry the batting in the dryer on low temperature.
Pre-shrinking fabric is a necessary and important step to quality quiltmaking. If you wish your quilt to be flat and smooth you don't want your fabric to be shrinking at uneven rates.
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Quilt Tools From Common Household Items
A quick and easy light box
Items you'll need to make the quick and easy light box. Some of these items you'll already have around the house.
A child's plastic step stool -- you know the kind that has four legs and sort of reminds you of a very small table -- these are available at discount and even "dollar" stores.
A florescent "light stick" -- 18" long -- available at hardware and discount stores.
A 12" x 18" piece of 1/8" thick Plexiglas -- available at hardware and discount stores -- they'll usually cut it for you.
A 12" x 18" piece of clear but frosty self-adhesive shelf paper -- this is optional -- place it on the Plexiglas to diffuse the light when tracing.
I bought everything for about $10.
Now turn the step stool upside down -- with the legs sticking up -- place the "light stick" lengthwise between the legs. Place the Plexiglas on top.
That's all you need! An instant light box! And it's light weight! You can put the pieces in a tote bag or plastic bin and take it to workshops or classes.
Easy way to hand wash small pieces of fabric or applique.
Items you'll need -- A salad spinner from the discount store -- it is plastic and designed to spin excess water when washing lettuce and other salad greens. Usually cost less than five dollars.
If I purchase small pieces of fabric such as charm squares or block of the month kits, I usually like to preshrink the fabric. After all stitching is finished; I also soak my appliqued block in warm soapy water to remove the washable glue stick. When I purchase vintage hankies, I launder them carefully by hand. So I find many uses for the salad spinner.
Here is where the salad spinner comes in -- after rinsing the fabric, hankie or applique blocks I place them in the salad spinner and spin. The excess water spins out and the small fabric pieces or blocks are not dripping wet so are easier to separate and hang to dry. They dry faster and I don't get wet trying to hang them on the clothesline or hangers.
A perfect circle for machine quilting.
Items you'll need -- some you'll already have around the house.
Three junk CD's -- many of these come free in the mail!
Double stick carpet tape -- plastic tape that has sticky on both sides. You could also use office type double stick tape.
A small piece of cushiony shelf liner -- available at discount stores
Using the double stick tape, layer three of the CD's together. You will need the three to make the circle thick enough. Cut a circle of rubber shelf liner slightly smaller than the CD's. Use the double stick tape to stick the shelf liner to one side of the CD's.
Now you can machine quilt perfect circles with your free-motion foot. Place the rubberized side of CD stack down on the quilt. Butt the CD against the edge of the free motion foot on your machine. Holding the CD firmly, move the quilt so the machine stitches around the CD in a perfect circle. Practice a few times and you'll get it just right. What a great handy tool for easy machine quilting.
Protective sheet for applique paper patterns
Items you'll need -- 3/4 yard heavyweight clear plastic table cloth vinyl available at Wal-Mart, variety and discount stores. Trim it evenly (they never cut it straight) using rotary cutter, mat and ruler. Cut it in half so you have two squares approximately 26" square.
I use a light box when composing my applique projects. Rather than placing my paper pattern directly on the Plexiglas, I place my paper pattern between the two pieces of clear table cloth. The static cling keeps the original paper pattern enclosed in the vinyl. This keeps my original pattern totally clean from the glue stick and sticky fingers. When I am finished composing the applique block, I wipe the glue stick off vinyl with a damp cloth. Allow to dry (or dry with towel) and peel apart to remove the pattern. Pattern is clean with no glue mess and can be put away.
Self-stick paper reinforcements
These little white donut shaped stickers are very useful in a lot of areas in the quilting studio. Of course the obvious is to mend torn pattern pages in your three-ring binders.
Other less obvious uses for self-stick reinforcements --
I place them around the hanging hole on my clear acrylic rulers and tools. This way I can see where the hole is when I am trying to hang the ruler on a nail on the wall.
I use them to label bobbins -- write on them any information you want to know such as type of thread -- this way you can keep the cotton quilting, embroidery, and polyester sewing thread bobbins separated.
I place them on the reverse button of my sewing machine touch pad. That way I have a "bull's eye" to aim for when I want to stitch in reverse. When I took my machine in for maintenance the repair man thought that a good way to mark the center of the "touch button".
The Mouse Pad Pincushion
I actually figured this out when I was doing some emergency hand work at the office where I work. I stuck my straight pins in the spongy type mouse pad and just loved it. The pins stood up to be easy to grab and they did not sink into the padding of the pincushion. Buy an inexpensive mouse pad and use it as it is or cut it in smaller pieces and place one at each work area that you usually need a pin cushion.
There are many simple tools that are useful in the quilt studio that are available in office supply stores, variety stores, and home centers. As you browse in these other types of stores, be sure to keep in mind things that can be used for your quilting.
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