Quilt Qua
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How to Photograph Quilts
Wed 08 Feb 2012
How to Photograph Quilts Many quilters have faced difficulties when it comes to photographing quilts for quilt shows, websites, and personal documentation. The colors don’t come out right, the design gets distorted from perspective, or you can’t see the fine details due to slight blur. If you’ve had difficulties photographing your quilts in the past, here is some advice to help you take betting quilt photos and show off your handiwork! Camera – Many quilters frustrated with the poor quality of their quilt pictures assume that the camera is to blame. However, with a few simple tricks, you can probably ... Read More...
What's the best way to wash/display an heirloom quilt?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
When you get a precious heirloom like a family quilt that has been handed down for generations, your first thought might be to hang it on a wall. Don’t hang it up just yet! Antique quilts need special consideration. Since quilts were made to be on beds, sometimes it’s best to display them as coverlets instead of as wall hangings. If you hang an old quilt on a wall, you run the risk of damaging the fabric fibers and stitches.Hanging a quilt on the wall creates a pull on the fabric. If you do decide to hang some of your quilts, ... Read More...
How do I attach a label to my quilt?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
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. Thisstitch 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 comes up from the purple backing and goes ... Read More...
What's the best way to cut straight fabric strips?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
Dear Girls, I have a recurring problem in that I never seem to cut my fabric straight no matter that I have the right equipment and so when I sew I always have something out of alignment. Please help me its driving me crazy. Thanks sew much. Marie Burton from the land down under and you have my permission to print about me. Answers for Quilters To ensure that your quilt will be the shape you want it to be, your first cut must be straight on the cross-grain of the fabric (perpendicular to the selvedge). It’s easy, ... Read More...
Do you have any tips for sewing perfect triangles?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
Here are some tips for sewing triangles for pointy points: "Thread bunnies" - this will help with all of your chain sewing. A "thread bunny" is a small scrap of fabric that you put under your presser foot to begin and end chain sewing. By sewing the thread bunny before you feeding the first patches in, you are more assured of having a smooth starting edge on your patches. (Translation - your machine is less likely to "eat" the first patch, since it has already had a shot at the thread bunny!) In addition, the thread bunny holds the thread tails. That means ... Read More...
What are Half-Square Triangles and how do you sew them together?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
Isosceles Triangle Sandwiched Between Two Long Triangles (Half Rectangles) Spells Spring in These Blocks! 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 ... Read More...
An Alternative Way to Sew Flying Geese Can Increase Accuracy and May Save Time, Too! The Flying Geese pattern is quite versatile and really very simple to sew. You see these geese used as a border, as strips between other blocks, and often just as st
Sat 14 Jan 2012
An Alternative Way to Sew Flying Geese Can Increase Accuracy and May Save Time, Too! The Flying Geese pattern is quite versatile and really very simple to sew. You see these geese used as a border, as strips between other blocks, and often just as strips in an entire quilt. If you look carefully, often you can see a flying geese patch within a block. In the Robin's Nest quilt block, half of one of the patches is a flying geese block, and the other half is a simple rectangle. (It's at the bottom of the nest, where the ... Read More...
How do you Hand Sew Patches for a Quilt?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
Hand Sewing Patches on Your Quilt When I was first learning how to quilt, some experienced quilter told me that "every quilter must make a quilt completely by hand." From start to finish - hand sewing the patches and hand quilting. I bought the story. And I made a queen size quilt entirely by hand. Cut each one of the patches with scissors, sewed every one of the who-knows-how-many patches together by hand, and hand quilted it. It took two years! And when it was finished, I was pretty happy. Forget the fact that a few years later ... Read More...
How do I make sure that my 1/4 inch seam allowance is accurate?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
Sewing a One-Quarter Inch Seam Allowance 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 ... Read More...
Are there some really easy quilt block patterns or deisgns?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
5 Quilt Blocks Made from Strips It's great fun to make quilt blocks using strips of fabric. One of the things that makes it fun is that it is easy. Below are 5 different block designs using simply strips of fabric. Each block is simple to make. Just sew strips together, cut them off to the correct length, and then sew them together as patches to make the block. Each block is defined as a four-patch, five-patch, or nine-patch, and the widths of the strips to sew and square patches to cut are written below the block. This Country Charm quilt block ... Read More...
How do you make a Double Irish Chain Quilt?
Sat 14 Jan 2012
March seems to be a good time to work on an Irish Chain quilt. Why not a Double Irish Chain? This Double Irish Chain quilt is more traditional, using light fabrics as a background, with the chain being a contrasting colors. Click on the picture for a larger image. It looks complicated, but really it is pretty straightforward. The quilt is made from only 2 basic blocks. Block pattern A in a Double Irish Chain Quilt. Block Pattern A is a 5 patch made of 25 square patches. In this example, each square patch is 2 inches. Block pattern B in ... Read More...
How do you sew strips of fabric together to get a new piece of fabric?
Mon 09 Jan 2012
Quilters are known for taking a perfectly good piece of fabric, cutting it into little pieces, and then sewing them back together. Generally these pieces are triangles or squares, but sometimes, quilters will cut strips of fabric and sew them together. Using "strip piecing," you can design a piece of fabric that can be cut up and used to create some really interesting quilts or wall hangings. One of the challenges of sewing fabric strips is keeping the sewn together strips straight. Although this sounds like it would be easy, if you aren't paying attention, you may end up with ... Read More...
How do you Strip Piece a 9 Patch Block or Patch?
Mon 09 Jan 2012
If you are sewing a block together that has a simple 9 patch with alternating colors, the fastest way to sew it together is by using a technique called "strip piecing." Follow the step-by-step instructions below. The video will guide you along as well. Cut strips for your block or patch. The width of your strips depends on the size patches in your block (or patch). If you want 2 inch finished size squares, cut your strips2 1/2 inches wide. If you want the dark fabric in the corners, you will need twice as many dark fabric strips as light fabric strips. ... Read More...
How can I sew on the bias so it doesn't stretch?
Mon 09 Jan 2012
The bias of fabric is when you cut across the grain. Usually the cut is a 45 degree angle, but it can be any angle really. It's amazing how many different tips and shortcuts there are for various steps in making a quilt. But, maybe it shouldn't be so amazing. After all, most quilters are pretty resourceful and creative. And even though they may have the benefit of having someone show them a technique, we are still always looking for a better way - one that will save time or allow us to create a more perfect ... Read More...
Is there a quick way to sew patches together?
Mon 09 Jan 2012
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, take care not to stretch the fabric ... Read More...
How do you figure out fabric requirements for a quilt with square patches and half-square triangles?
Mon 09 Jan 2012
Note that if you are cutting strips in order to make squares, no matter what size square you are cutting, add 1/2 inch to the finished size of your square, and 3/4 inch for half square triangles. For example, strips to make 3 inch finished size square patches will be cut 3 1/2 inches wide. Strips for half square triangles will be cut 3 7/8 inches wide. To make squares, you will cut 3 1/2 inch pieces from the 3 1/2 inch strips, making 3 1/2 inch squares. It will take 3 3/4 inches to make 2 half square triangles from a strip ... Read More...
Is there an easy way to keep the patches in your blocks where you want them?
Sun 08 Jan 2012
If you sew your block together in following some kind of system, you are more likely to end up with the patches in the right place. Of course, if you are anything like I am, you still might sew some upside down, but for the most part, all of the patches will be where you want them, facing the way you want them. As I cut my fabric, I place the patch pieces in stacks arranged as I will sew them. This helps keep me organized and knowing that I have cut all of the patches I need to make the ... Read More...
Do you cut stripes & squares lengthwise or from the width?
Sun 08 Jan 2012
I generally cut from selvedge to selvedge for strips that will be cut into patches - either squares or triangles. I cut the fabric lengthwise when I need a longer strip for a border. As with so many things about quilting, I'm sure it is a matter of opinion. The consideration is the length of the piece you will need. If you are cutting squares, it really doesn't matter so much, because you will have 2 sides on the straight grain and 2 sides on the cross grain. If you cut triangles, you should end up with 1 side on ... Read More...
How can I sew set in seams where the corner is flat and not all puckered and bunchy?
Sun 08 Jan 2012
How to Bind a Quilt Once your quilt is finished, you will want the perfect binding. With The Ultimate How to Bind a Quilt Mentor, whichever of the 6 different methods you choose, you'll have smooth and square corners and even edges all the way around your quilt. www.HowToBindAQuilt.com Do you find yourself shying away from sewing diamonds and some triangles because you think that sewing the set in seams (or Y seams) will be too difficult and your corners will be a mess? For many years in my quilting, I avoided anything that wasn't a straight seam, ... Read More...
Working with seam allowances.
Sun 08 Jan 2012
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 ofblock 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, seam allowances ... Read More...