deanne – Page 5 – Snuggles Quilts

Fabric Appliqué – It’s Really Not Hard!

Hi Readers! If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know one of the things I like to do is needle-turn hand appliqué. Early on when I began designing quilts, I would always feel like something was missing until I added an appliqué motif. At times I have to force myself to design a pieced only quilt, because I know not everyone is as passionate about appliqué as I am.

My aim in talking about appliqué in the upcoming blog posts and teaching people this technique is to dispel the myth that it’s difficult. I hope with my tips and advice, you decide to try it if appliqué has been a stumbling block for you in the past.

Here’s some of the things you can create!

These are beautiful pieced quilts on their own, but I think the appliqué adds even more beauty!

I do all my appliqué by hand however, you can do appliqué by machine! I do not do or teach the machine appliqué technique very well so I am not your resource for that. If you are interested in the machine appliqué technique, do a Google search and you will find many designers that specialize in this type of appliqué.

Supplies and Preparation

This post will familiarize you with the supplies I recommend and the prep work that you need to do when doing hand appliqué. This is only what I recommend. There will be other appliqué teachers recommending different supplies and tips. I say, try them all and see what works best for you.

Needles: These are an essential tool for hand appliqué. Finding the right needle for you is important. These are my favorite brand, John James Gold ‘n Glide:

These needles come in various lengths. The higher the number, the shorter the needle. I like size 9 because I feel it’s the right length for me. I recommend you test different size needles to see which length fits you best. I’ve also found that this brand of needle glides easier through all types of fabric, including batiks. This is something you need to consider. If you have trouble getting your needle to go through the edge of your appliqué because you are not using a good needle, that will make appliqué more frustrating.

Also, change your needle often if you appliqué a lot. Needles will bend out of shape and also become dull with usage. A good rule of thumb is to use a new needle every time you start a new project. Another piece of advice is change your needle for every 10 hours of use, which could happen if you are working on a large project.

Threads: This is actually where a lot of designers have different advice. My favorite thread to use is a 100% cotton thread. Here’s some of the threads I use:

I like Mettler brand 50 wt, 100% cotton with a silk finish. The silk finish helps it to glide through the fabric easier and there are a lot of different colors if you like to match your thread to the appliqué piece color. We’ll talk about color matching in a later post.

Other Tools: Here are two other items I can’t live without. Roxanne’s Glue Baste-it and Sewline brand marking pencils.

I was so happy when this glue came on the market! It replaced the pins I needed to secure my appliqué pieces. I’ve been doing hand appliqué for almost 30 years and have had many finger sticks from appliqué pins over those years. As for the Sewline marking pencil, this is a mechanical type pencil with chalk lead. The lead comes in a variety of colors (white, pink, green, and yellow) so the marking shows up on all colors of fabric. It’s erasable and completely disappears with a bit of water on a Q-tip.

Good Lighting: Finally, good lighting is essential when you are doing hand appliqué. If you want to keep your stitches as small as possible so they are almost invisible, you need to have good light to see and, in some cases, a magnifier on that light. I have a desk top light and a floor light, for when I am sewing in my TV chair.

Other items like scissors (both for fabric and paper) for working with templates and appliqué pieces and rulers for positioning appliqués come in handy.

Let’s Begin!

Templates: Time to move onto the first steps when beginning to appliqué. Most patterns will have their templates printed right on the pattern pages (left). I recommend copying those pages onto card stock and cutting out the templates to make them sturdier.

It’s a good idea to make these templates more sturdy so when you are tracing the shapes onto the fabric, the templates don’t lose their shape from repeated use.

Tracing: The next step is to trace your shapes onto the fabric for the appliqué piece, using the templates. For needle-turn appliqué, the templates are traced on the right side of the fabric. Templates are usually ready to use as is from the pattern, however, some patterns will tell you to also trace a template “reversed” which just means to flip it over and trace some that way. This usually happens with non-symmetrical shapes.

My example below shows the method I use. Trace around the template and leave at least 1/4″ between tracings if you are tracing several shapes on a piece of fabric. For needle-turn appliqué, you need this space to cut out the shapes with enough fabric to turn under while stitching, as opposed to machine appliqué technique with no seam turn-under.

Preparing the Appliqué for Stitching: Next step after tracing is to cut out the shapes and prepare them for stitching to the quilt top. Cut the shapes out about 1/8″ outside the drawn line. This creates the seam allowance that is turned under when stitching. Then, you will use your scissors to clip into the seam allowance up to, but not over, the drawn line (last two photos).

The clips in the seam allowance make it easier to turn under the seam and keep the original shape of the appliqué piece. The curvier an area of the appliqué piece, the closer your clips should be and there should be more clips than you would have on a straight side of an appliqué piece.

So, this is it for this week. Below, I have a link to part 1 of my appliqué mini video tutorial series that covers the things I talked about today.

Next week, I will give you tips on laying out the motif and stitching.

I’m also giving away a prize package at the end of this series for those of you who comment and/or ask questions each week. I will have a drawing a week after the last installment on 1/9/23. You will get a pattern, a pack of appliqué needles, glue and a small scissors set!

The drawing will be on Monday, January 9, 2023. **We have a winner. Congrats, Debbie Toth!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Get Ready for a New Year of Quilting!

Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions. Admit it… you do! We try to stick with them, but most of the time they fall by the wayside by the second week in January. Well, this is my advice on resolutions for quilting in the new year. I know, I know… I’m a little early with the new year stuff, but I know a lot of people will be busy over the holidays, so I thought this was a good time to put this out.

There are things that hold us back from our quilting fun and there’s something we can do about those things. Inspiration, de-cluttering and organization all work to move us forward. I’ll talk about this “theory” of mine this week. Let’s go!

Inspiration

Get inspired in the new year by going to your favorite quilt shop and looking at all the new fabrics available. Sometimes a beautiful line of fabric will inspire you! I have built up a stash and when I am looking for some inspiration, I will look in my fabric cupboard, lay out a grouping of fabric and the ideas come to me!

A second source of inspiration, at least for me, are books of antique quilts. especially those from the 19th century. Here’s one of my favorite to page through:

There are hundreds of these books available in libraries and for purchase online. I have fun looking at a block from this era and then coming up with a way to use it in a design of mine. Sometimes that entails figuring out a way to make the block easier to construct… since I do not like “y” seams or curves. Here’s a block called the Album Cross. On the left is the 19th century version and on the right is my updated version:

If you look closely at my block, you can see I modified it into 4 units made from the “stitch & flip” method to avoid “y” seams. It’s all straight seams! On the left is one of the units that make up my block and on the right is the quilt pattern I made from this block:

If you are into interesting geometrics for piecing, new ideas for borders or appliqué, you can find inspiration in everyday things. Here’s some photos I took of parts of buildings and walkways that I later used to inspire an appliqué design.

Wherever you draw your inspiration from, dip into it over the holidays and get inspired for the coming year.

De-clutter!

This is always a good idea, and not just for your sewing room! I think de-cluttering any space makes room for inspiration and creativity.

Fabric: One place to start in the sewing room is your fabric… yes, I said it… you don’t need some of that fabric! Go through your stash and look at all your fabric pieces and honestly decide if it’s something you will actually use. If you know you won’t, don’t hang onto it. It’s just taking up space. Here’s what you can do:

Donate the fabric you will not use to your church or to a group that makes quilts for people in need. Many of these groups rely solely on donations and can always use fabric to continue what they do.
Check with your quilting friends. Just because you don’t like it, doesn’t mean one of your friends won’t. Invite your group over and have them bring fabric they do not want anymore and have a fabric exchange party. If there is fabric left over that no one wants, that goes in the donate pile.

Once your fabric is pared down to what you know you like and will use, it’s time to sort it by color and size so it’s easy to find when you are ready to gather fabric for a project. I’ve done blog posts about fabric organization in the past. Here’s a look at one of my organized bins:

I have several of these for my 1/2 yards and my fat quarters and 1/4 yards. My 1/8 yards and fat eights are rolled and stored in bins like these for easy access. Larger cuts of fabric are stored in a cupboard folded and organized by color.

De-cluttering fabric also includes cleaning your sewing space. Instead of fabric stacked on your cutting table or on your sewing machine table, that space will be clear so you can use it to cut fabric and sew! Those tubs I use for my fabrics are easy to find at any store that sells containers. They also stack nicely in the cabinets.

Tools: Have you even been to a quilt shop and saw a tool you just had to have? And when you got home you stashed it in a drawer and have not used it? I can say “yes” to both of those things. Here’s what you can do with that tool:

Take it out and actually challenge yourself to make a project with it. It doesn’t have to be a big quilt either. If it’s designed to make a big quilt, make one of the blocks. You may find out you like the tool and will use it in the future.
Donate the tool to your quilt guild if they have a tool borrowing library (if they don’t… that’s a good idea to start!). There might be someone in the guild who would like to try out the tool before buying one of their own.
Finally, do what I suggested above for the fabric. Invite you quilting friends over and have them bring tools they do not want or use. Do a tool exchange! There’s bound to be someone in your group who would like to try it.

UFOs: De-cluttering definitely applies to UFOs as well. There are two things I consider UFOs. One is what I call “orphan blocks” and the other are abandoned quilt tops. I have a lot of both! Here’s some suggestions for these. For the abandoned quilt top:

Take it out and assess what needs to be done. If it was supposed to be a large quilt but you only have a few rows of blocks, consider turning it into a wall hanging or a table runner. You get the benefit of getting something finished and you make use of a pattern that you liked enough to start.
Another idea for that quilt top you don’t think you’ll ever finish, see if a quilting friend is interested in it. You never know, they might be thrilled to finish it!

For what I call “orphan blocks” first I need to explain why I have a bunch of blocks hanging around. I like to make blocks from scraps to audition fabric color before I cut into good yardage so I end up with a lot of blocks that are then tossed onto a basket.

Here’s a few things you can do with these blocks:

Frame them! You can frame it to hang in your home somewhere or you can give it as a gift to a friend or family member who is not a quilter.

Make a mini quilt! Take a block and dive into your stash to create some scrappy borders on it to turn it into a mini quilt. Quilt and bind it and now you have an instant candle mat or mini wall hanging for you or a friend!

Pincushions! Use the orphan blocks to make pincushions for you or to give as gifts to your quilting and sewing friends. The pin cushion below literally took me 45 minutes to make from an orphan block!

I used crushed walnut shells for the filling. You can find that at pet stores as I believe they are used for bird cages. Or you can use whatever you prefer for the filling.

Organization

Finally onto organization. I consider organization to include cleaning. Cleaning spaces and tools. Clean off your cutting space and your sewing table like I mentioned in the decluttering section. Organize your tools so they are easy to grab:

Organize your block pieces by creating mini design boards from 13 x 13″ pieces of cardboard covered with batting:

The photo on the far right shows these boards stacked up with block pieces (like the center photo) ready to carry to the machine for stitching.

Another way to organize is to label your pieces based on how they are labeled in the pattern. If the pattern you are using doesn’t label the pieces, create your own labeling system by writing a letter next to the list of each piece being cut. I use a piece of tape on the stacks of pieces:

Keeping quilt pieces labeled and separated helps to keep you organized throughout the project and makes it easier to store in a bin like this when you have to put it away before it’s finished.

Well, that’s it for this week. I hope some of these ideas will help you get ready for a fun and productive 2023 of quilting! Share your comments below and we can all benefit from everyone’s inspiration, de-cluttering and organizing ideas!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Coordination and Quilting Go Together

Like PB & J, coordination and quilting go together. What is coordination? One of the definitions you will find in the dictionary is: the organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively. Well that sounds like something we do when quilting all the time! Whether it’s fabrics, blocks, borders or a combination of all those things, coordination makes the quilt sing. Even scrap quilts! Let’s get started talking about this.

Block & Border Choice

One of the times to consider coordination in quilting is in choosing the blocks for your quilt. Also, if it’s a one block quilt, coordinating an interesting border can be used to set off the blocks in the quilt. Consider these three quilts below:

These are all one block quilts. But by doing interesting settings with the blocks and borders, they are unique in their own way. The quilt on the left, Marbles & Jacks, achieves an interesting look from the change in background color. I coordinated it by having the star in the center of the block opposite from the block’s background color.

Follow the Stars in the center is all the same block too! By just rotating the blocks in different directions, I created an interesting pattern with the black checkerboard accent. This creates another thing that comes from coordination… a secondary design.

Finally with an on point block setting, like in Homestead Hearth on the right, plain blocks and then a pieced border from the same fabrics as the blocks is another type of coordination. The plain blocks between the pieced blocks and the border help to set off your colorful blocks and the pieced border frames everything and draws you eye back to the blocks.

Secondary Design

More so than in a one block quilt, coordinating blocks in a two block quilt is a fun way to achieve a the secondary design I mentioned above. To get a secondary design, you need to choose two blocks that will make another design appear when they are pieced into a quilt top. My quilt Twinkling Log Cabin is a good example of this. Here are the two blocks that make up the quilt:

So here’s the quilt with the blocks put together. If you stand back from it and concentrate on the light portions of the log cabin blocks, star designs will seem to appear to your eye.

Also, if you don’t know there are the two blocks on point that make up the quilt before it is shown to you, the quilt looks like it has nine large center blocks with an interesting pieced border like below:

Looking at it that way makes you see a completely different quilt. Now that’s some interesting coordination!

Fabric Coordination

Another time to consider coordination is when you choose the fabrics. Color and contrast are not the only things to consider. We often look at the colors of the quilt on the cover of the pattern and work to find something close (or sometimes the exact fabric). You won’t always be able to find the exact fabric used in the sample because fabric companies often elect not to reprint a certain fabric. This is when you want to consider the print and scale of the prints, as well as the colors, in the original because the print can be as important in re-creating the quilt.

Here’s an example. The fabric on the left is the original fabric in a quilt I wanted to reproduce. However, that fabric was not to be found anywhere, so I chose the fabric on the right.

I managed to find a fabric about the same shade and with a print similar in scale. The print isn’t quite as tight as the original, but they read close.

Coordination also comes in to play when you are choosing the fabrics to make blocks. If you have a larger scale print in one of the fabrics and want that to stand out, choose fabrics with smaller scale prints so they read more as solids. Here’s an example:

Imagine if this fabric above was the fabric for your blocks, in different colors but with the same print. Now I need a background fabric. Here’s a couple of my choices:

Which one would you choose? I would go with the fabric on the left since the print is more subtle. Some of the print is the same size as in the focus fabric, but since it’s spread out more and the print is lighter, they will work well together. The fabric on the right should be used with a focus fabric with a more subtle print that reads more like a solid, in my opinion. You might disagree… that’s what makes quilting so fun!

My basic advice is to coordinate the prints so they don’t battle with each other. Here is another example. The focus fabric on top is pretty wild, so any other fabric in the block needs to have prints that are more mild. Especially if you want that top fabric to stand out.

Here are two blocks in one of my quilts side by side. Study the print sizes in each block and you can see how print coordination can change where your eye goes.

In the block on the left, most of the prints are the same scale except for the dark blue. The scale is bigger and spread out more so that helps make that fabric more of the focus of the block. The block on the right is a little more “alive”. The dark brown smaller print for the star makes it stand out, but the large print in the purple fabric also draws your eye.

So, I hope this little lesson in coordination in quilting is more clear than mud. LOL! These are just “rules” I have followed throughout my years of quilting. You can adopt these or not. It’s up to you! The main thing is to have fun coordinating blocks, borders and fabrics and making a unique creation!

Leave a comment below with your questions or thoughts. I will have a drawing for a copy of my Twinkling Log Cabin quilt pattern on December 12th from those who comment. **We have a winner! Congrats, Lynn Hyman!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

2023 Block of the Month Preview!

Welcome to the preview of my 2023 Block of the Month series! As with the previous years, each block will be released to the public on the 15th of the month starting in January of 2023. If you are subscribed to my newsletter, you will get the block at least a week early! (Newsletter sign-up can be found in the right sidebar.) And…. the patterns are FREE! Yes, you heard that right, they are free! You will be able to download the pattern instantly as soon as it’s available.

Just like previous years I will offer a limited amount of wool kits for sale in my shop on the 15th of the month also. When my wool supply runs out, the kits are sold out for the month, so be sure to hop over to the Block of the Month page at my shop as soon as you can. There are also complete patterns for previous year’s BOMs for sale there.

Here’s a preview of all the blocks. They are not complete, some will have little details added when they are released, so they will still be some surprises.

Now here’s the really fun thing about this BOM project… every 3rd month, I will include instructions on how to piece together the 3 installments into a wall hanging that measures 12 x 42″ so that you can have it finished and hanging for the season!

For example, the blocks for January, February and March… along with a few pieced borders (instructions will be given in the 3rd month) will make a charming spring wall hanging!

Above are the blocks that make up the first 3 installments. Once you are done in March and follow the instructions that are provided in month 3, you’ll have the spring wall hanging!

Now, if you do not want 4 separate seasonal wall hangings, you can wait until the end of the year and make one large wall hanging that measures 36 x 54″ with instructions that will be provided then.

Getting Started

So, are you ready to get started? Find the fabric requirements and the cutting instructions here: 2023 BOM Starting Instructions. This PDF will give you the cotton fabric requirements and other supplies needed. The amounts of wool needed for each month’s block will be given when each monthly installment is released.

Here are some of my recommendations of my favorite additional supplies for wool appliqué. Some I sell in my shop but for those I do not, I have provided a link to where you can find them.

1. When I am working with wool appliqué on cotton (and this also works for fabric appliqué), I like to reinforce the edges of the cotton fabric background piece so they do not fray with all the handling during stitching. To do this, I use Fray Check.

This is an optional step but I have found that by doing this, I do not lose any of the fabric in my seam allowance so it’s easy to join these blocks when they are completed. Simply apply it to the edges as shown below:

2. Fusible web is needed for my wool appliqué technique. My favorite brand is Heat n’ Bond Feather Lite. Fusible web stabilizes the wool shapes and helps to limit the fraying of the wool pieces. It’s also the way you bond the wool pieces to the fabric background for stitching.

Most quilt shops sell this brand. For my BOM this year you’ll need approximately 2 1/2 yards. You can also buy it by the 35 yard bolt here if this is something you use a lot. If you have a different favorite brand of fusible, by all means use that one!

3. My very favorite stitching supply is Roxanne’s Glue Baste-it. I use this glue to attach and position any thin wool pieces, like stems, that are not created by a template.

This glue also comes in handy if the corners some of the fused shapes become unattached in handling the block before you get them stitched down. A little “dot” of this glue will take care of that.

4. My favorite needles for wool appliqué are John James chenille needles. I like size 24 because they are a good length for me and have a larger eye for threading floss or perle cotton. Choose the size that’s best for you.

5. Finally, my favorite threads to use are perle cotton. I like Valdani perle cottons in size 8. I feel size 5 is too thick and size 12 is too thin.

I like to use neutral colors from light to dark to stitch my projects. The lighter the piece of wool, the lighter the thread I use. Sometimes, I even like to stitch the whole project in a darker thread for a primitive look. However, if you want your stitches to blend in completely, you can use perle cottons or floss that matches the color of the wool piece you are stitching.

If you need a refresher on wool appliqué, here is my wool appliqué 3-part series.

So, that’s it for this week! Get ready for a fun year of BOM patterns. I think you will enjoy this one no matter which option you choose to make. See you in January!

Happy Quilting & Stitching!
Deanne

More Handy & Time Saving Tips for All Quilters

Hi, I’m back this week to share more of my favorite handy and time saving tips! These are things that I do when I am working on a quilt project, things that came out of my desire to make my quilting experience more fun and relaxing. Some of these tips will save you from future headaches and assure that you can complete that quilt. Let’s get started!

TIP #1

Have you ever begun to piece some units and either lost your top or bobbin thread or ended up with a jumble at the beginning of the seam? To combat this, use what I call a “leader/ender” scrap.

This is actually a good use of some of those scraps you accumulate from trimming units like flying geese. Start your stitching with this leader/ender scrap first, then stitch how ever many units you have in your stack and then end with this leader/ender scrap.

This has the added benefit of conserving thread. Instead of pulling the units you’ve stitched out away from the machine and clipping off a long section of thread, just snip the thread behind the presser foot after the leader/ender is part of the way through, and your units are completely through, to release your stitched units!

TIP #2

Staying with the stitching theme, always backstitch at the beginning and at the end of a seam. It takes just a second to do this, but it makes a big difference. All you need is a few back stitches for security.

The unit on the left was stitched without back stitching. Notice how I can pull the seam apart quite easily. This can cause trouble when you are joining units and are trying to nest seams. If one of the seams is pulling apart, you will also have trouble aligning seams for the block you are stitching. The unit on the right shows the strength of backstitching.

TIP #3

Pin units before stitching! Seems like I am being “Captain Obvious” here but I used to skip this step and I advise you not to. Especially if you really want crisp points and aligned seams.

First, align and pin the seams for the units you are joining and then pin the ends of the units. Yes it takes a minute, but if you stitch without pins and then have unaligned seams that ruin the look of your block. Then you will have to rip out stitches and start over, wasting more time.

The pinning also works great in helping to align diagonal seams, like when you are joining half-square triangle squares.

Align those diagonal seams first as shown in the photo on the left. Next, pin that seam before pinning the rest of the HST units together. As you can see in the last photo, the diagonal seams are aligned perfectly and come to an even point 1/4″ up from the edge.

TIP #4

I have a confession. I have never been adept at using a seam ripper without putting a hole in my fabric. So if you do have to rip out stitches, or “un-sew” as we quilters like to say, I have a tip that makes that chore a little easier for those of us who don’t use a seam ripper. All you need is a small, sharp tipped pair of scissors like these:

The smaller and thinner the better to avoid ripping your fabric. Then use these scissors as shown. Insert the tip under a stitch and snip. Snip stitches about 4 or 5 stitches apart. Once this is done, you can carefully pull apart the seam from the top and then snip the remaining threads.

Now for some other random tips:

TIP #5

Use a small notebook stashed by your machine to record when you last cleaned and oiled your machine and also when you changed your needle last. This will help you with the maintenance of your machine and keep you from having unexpected breakdowns. I also use it to record what thread and stitch length I am using for a project in case I need to pull it off the machine before it is finished to do something else.

TIP #6

You know those bookstands they make for recipe books for the kitchen? They work great for holding patterns or magazines. If yours doesn’t have the handy holders on the bottom, use a binder clip to keep the pattern or magazine in place.

TIP# #7

Finally if you have a small magnet laying around, like one of those souvenir magnets you get on vacation, you can use that as a pin corral! Just attach it to your sewing table, with a removable Command strip, by your machine and your pins will go nowhere.

Another pin solution is to go to an auto parts store and buy the magnetic dishes used by mechanics to corral screws, nuts and bolts. These work great for pins and have a weighed bottom so they’re fairly hard to knock off your table.

Well, that’s it for this week! I hope some of these tips are ones you find helpful and time saving. Enjoy your next quilting project by putting some of them to use. Share some time saving tips with me in the comments below and you will be entered into a drawing for my new pattern Strips & Stars:

The drawing will be on Monday, November 28th. Good luck!**We have a winner! Congrats, Joan!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Handy & Time Saving Tips for Beginners and Experience Quilters

Whether you are an experienced quilter or just beginning, there are things that you should do before you start a quilting project to make your experience more enjoyable. At least these are the things I like to do. There is nothing worse than starting on a project and then having to stop to fix things! If you have some routine things you do before starting a project that you would like to share, feel free in the comments below. Let’s get started.

Tip #1

A good place to start is the pattern. This seems like something that everyone would know, but reading the pattern through prior to starting a project is the best advice I can give a beginner. We experienced quilters often skip this step, but we should not either. Here’s an example of one of my patterns:

I like to put all my cutting instructions for all the fabrics right up front. Including for the binding. This way, you know you have enough fabric before beginning or, if you run out, you can get more before it sells out. Now all patterns are not like this, that’s why it’s a good idea to read it through. This leads to tip #2.

Tip #2

When you are buying fabric, I recommend adding at least 1/8 yard to what is stated in the pattern, especially if you are a pre-washer. I already add extra in my fabric requirements on my patterns but not every designer does. This also saves you if you make a cutting error or if you lose some fabric in squaring it up. That extra 1/8 yard can be cut into strips and stashed if you end up not needing it for the current project. We all like to build a stash, right?

Tip #3

Make sure your machine is ready. After every project completed, I will clean out the bobbin area and under the throat-plate. That handy little brush that came with your machine works great! Also, oil the parts of your machine that your owner’s manual dictates. Trust me.. your machine will love you for that!

Cleaning will keep your stitches smooth and even. And you won’t get clumps of lint interfering. Finally, definitely take your machine into your local service shop or the shop you bought it from for a yearly maintenance check and deep cleaning. It’s worth the money spent for the headaches it will save.

Tip #4

Check the accuracy of your 1/4″ seam before beginning the project, even if you have a 1/4″ quilting foot. There are things such as needle position or thickness of thread used that can effect the 1/4″ seam that most patterns require. Before you start sewing the pieces for your project, sew a seam on a scrap piece of fabric and measure it.

If you don’t have a 1/4″ quilting foot, you can use markings on your throat plate and some painter’s tape and give yourself a guide. Here’s the mark on my throat plate and how you can line up your fabric:

If this mark is too difficult for you to see as you are chain-piecing, add a piece of tape to extend this guide using a tape measure and masking or painter’s tape. Start by laying the measuring tape under your needle at the “0” line. This will also help you to measure if the marking on your throat plate is accurate if you have one. (See my little white arrow in the photo above.) Lower the needle by hand to make sure the needle matches up with the “0” line. Then, find the 1/4″ line on the measuring tape. Use this as a guide to place a piece of tape (or determine the accuracy of the mark) on your throat plate.

Now the left edge of the tape (photo on the right) is an extended guide for the edge of the pieces you are stitching. Test this on scrap fabric before you start sewing your project.

Tip #5

This applies to your cutting tools. You can’t cut your project’s pieces if your cutting tools aren’t in tip top shape. And one of those tools is the cutting mat. You should keep your cutting mat clean to avoid cutting mistakes. If your mat has debris on it from precious projects, it can cause your rotary blade to skip and cut your piece wrong. Here’s some easy cleaning tips:

You can remove bits of fabric fiber that get caught in cuts in your mat by rubbing a gum eraser (artist’s eraser) over sections you have just used to cut. You can also use a soft toothbrush. Another way to remove bits of fiber or lint from the surface is by wrapping your hand in packing tape and lightly running it over the mat. Or use a lint roller that you usually use to remove pet hair from clothing.

Finally, when you are using your mat, try not to continuously cut in the same place when you are cutting fabric. Yes, these mats are self-healing but they do wear out. To get your mat to last as long as possible rotate your mat often to avoid cutting in the same place. Some mats are even double sided so if yours is, flip it occasionally and use the other side. Taking care of your self-healing mat will make it last for years longer than expected. Try to keep your mat from direct sunlight or extreme temperature changes and definitely never iron on your cutting mat.

Tip #6

Finally, organization helps to create a relaxing quilting experience. I like to label my stacks of pattern pieces with a small piece of tape with the letter shown in the pattern so I know which piece I need instantly. I also like to stack individual pieces or block units to make chain piecing quicker and easier.

Well, I think these six tips are a good start for making sure you are ready to sit and sew an afternoon away! Comment below with some of your favorite tips. Also, if there is a subject you’d like me to blog about in the future, perhaps a tip or technique, let me know as well.

I will draw a name from commenters below and you will win a copy of my newest pattern, Strips & Stars!

The drawing will be on Monday, November 28th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Joan!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Scrap Quilting – What Can I Do with All These Strips?

I’m always talking about my fabric strip collections and the size of the strips I collect. So for fun this week, I decided to search out some traditional blocks from the Ladies’ Arts Company and challenge myself to make them from strips.

Here’s some of my strip bins spread out as I choose strips. Of course, Addie was supervising from her perch on the cutting mat.

My strip collection is made up of 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips. The blocks I decided to feature are ones that are strips only, a combination of strips and squares cut from strips, and blocks that look a bit more challenging, but the pieces are still cut from strips.

First up, here’s the most simple ones – the “patch” blocks. 4-patch, 9-patch and 16-patch blocks.

You can make these blocks from 1 1/2″ or 2 1/2″ strips, depending on how big you want the block. And if you want to make several at a time, make use of strips sets. A strip set is made when you join 2 or more fabric strips together and then you sub cut them into units. When you stitch these strips together, alternate your sewing direction. That helps limit distortion of the strips and the strip set.

This is what sub cutting looks like with a strip set made up of 2 strips to make 4-patch blocks.

If you are a beginner to quilting, the “patch” blocks are the easiest to master. And you can make some pretty quilts from these blocks alone. Here’s my quilt, Seaside Cottage, that has a center made completely from “patch” blocks that were all made from strip sets.

One of most well known blocks made completely from strips is the Rail Fence. This is another easy to piece block for beginners.

These blocks are fun to make because you can use strip sets or you can use 16 random strips for a really scrappy version. The Rail Fence block got it’s name from the split rail fences common among country roads. We’ve talked before about how women often named blocks after everyday things. This is one of those examples. Other names it’s been known by is Fence Rail, Interlocked Squares and Fence Posts.

Now for one of my favorite blocks. When you combine strips and squares, you start to get some really interesting designs. The most well known of these is the Log Cabin block. This one is the Courthouse Steps version:

Now, here a a couple of interesting strip and square blocks that I have not made before.

The block on the left is called Domino and the one on the right is called Stone Mason’s Puzzle. Very geometric looking! Both of these blocks are made up of four separate units, each of which are made up of strips and squares. Blocks made up of this many pieces can sometimes be off in measurements because of all the seams in each unit. To make sure the block measures correctly when you are finished is to measure the separate units as you go before piecing them into the block. That’s why I keep a small ruler by my sewing machine.

This is a step that you should adopt in your everyday quilting. By measuring the units that make up the block, you avoid a block that measures incorrectly once you piece all the units together. It takes just seconds to do and will save you headaches caused by having to “un-sew” later.

Finally, there’s blocks that use squares to create corners so you can make things like flying geese. Yes, these can be made using your strip supply! The first thing you need to do is master the stitch and flip (also known as folded corners) method. I have done blog posts on this technique in the past and I also have a mini video tutorial showing the steps:

If you follow the tips in the tutorial, these blocks will be very easy for you. The flying geese unit is the most well know made from this method.

Master making these and you can combine them with squares for the Eight-pointed Star block.

Add in more strips and squares and a block like this is created.

Another kind of unit that uses the stitch & flip method is this one:

I’m not sure what others call it, but I call it a cornered square. When making this unit, you start with one large square and four smaller ones. I started with a 2 1/2″ square and four 1 1/2″ squares. It’s important to measure this unit as you add on the corners to make sure it stays measuring 2 1/2″ each time you add a corner (see photos below)

Now you can combine these units to make some interesting designs. Here’s one below where I just changed the tan fabric to a lighter one on some of the corners to make a “secret star” appear.

Now combine the flying geese units, some cornered square units, a few strips and a square and you get this interesting block:

The tan squares and strips make a “wheel” design around the star. In fact, I made a whole quilt out of these blocks called Twilight Desert.

For this quilt above, I also alternated the background of the blocks between tan and a color print to make it more interesting.

Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you enjoyed my tips on playing with strips to make some interesting blocks. Have fun in your stash. Here’s Addie who decided to sit on my block samples to make them her own.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

The Essential Quilting Tool – Fabric!

I’ve been cutting out several projects and this is what the edge of my cutting table looks like:

Oops! Looks like it’s time for me to do some sorting and organizing again. Does this happen to you? Since I’ve been looking at this pile all week, I figured I would do a blog post about the essential quilting tool… fabric! Besides the pattern, that’s where it all starts. If you don’t have fabric, you don’t have a quilt. Well, at least not a traditional quilt! Here’s my random musings on fabric stashes, my thoughts on choosing background fabrics and some ideas on color and print contrast.

Fabric Storage

As a scrap quilter, I like to have a stash of fabrics of many different sizes, from strips up to half yards. Of course I do often buy fabrics in 1 and 2 yard cuts for backgrounds, but I have been known to scrap piece my backgrounds too. Here’s how I store my smaller cuts of fabric in one of my cabinets:

Most of them are actually in there when not stacked on my counter. I have the tubs labels with size and color. This makes it easy for me to “shop” my stash. As those of you who are familiar with my quilt patterns know, I collect a stash and chose fabrics for my projects from there instead of shopping specific lines. So, when people ask me “what fabric is that in this quilt?” Sometimes I do not know unless I still have some left and I can refer to the printing on the selvage.

So now on to how I fill these tubs:

I will often shop the pre-cuts when I am in a quilt shop to stock my tubs but, if I really like a particular color print fabric, I buy a one yard cut. Then it’s time to cut it up into my own “pre-cuts”. I cut that yard piece in half for two half yards.

In the last photo, you will see I have folded up one of the half yards to store away in my tub of red 1/2 yards.

Next, I cut the remaining half yard in half on the fold to make two fat quarters. Like with the half yards, I fold up one of the fat quarters and store it in the fat quarter red bin.

Finally, I cut the remaining fat quarter in half to make two fat eights. Because fat eights are so small when folded and are hard to store that way, I roll those as I show below (photo on right).

Now, if I don’t want two fat eights of that particular color, I will cut that last fat eight into 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips. That’s what I will be doing with that mess on my cutting table… cutting it into strips.

And how do I store strips? In these tubs below that are shallow and divided with acid free cardboard.

I like these shallow tubs because they are easy to stack and store in one of my cabinets. As you can see, they are labeled with the color and size strips inside.

The reason I keep only 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips is because those are the sizes I use the most, especially for scrappy blocks and for bindings. However, you can use these shallow tubs for any size strips you collect. These can even be set up to store charm squares and even layer cakes, if you collect those.

Choosing Fabric for Backgrounds and Playing with Contrast

Something I don’t see covered a lot when people talk about how to choose fabric, is how to choose the fabrics for your background. Whether it’s for sashing, borders or for the background in the blocks themselves, the fabric you choose can make a big difference.

Here’s some things to consider. First, dark background or a light background? Here’s an example of the same quilt pattern made up with the two different backgrounds:

With the lighter background, the whole motif is more subdued and subtle. When you choose a black or dark background, that gives you the opportunity to choose colors for the appliqué motif that are brighter and will “pop” off the background. It makes the quilt more vibrant. Amazing that you can change the look of the same quilt with just the background choice.

Another consideration is the print on the background fabric. If you want the background fabric to fade into the background, you choose a subtle, small print. If you want a bold background, you can choose one with a larger print. However, when choosing prints for your background, you need to consider the prints on the other fabrics in the block.

Here’s an example. I chose these three fabrics for a block:

Now I paired them with 3 different backgrounds of various print size:

The background on the left has a large, bold print that I feel will clash with the prints in the color print fabrics. If you want to use this background, I recommend choosing color prints with less prominent prints. Recognize that the background fabric will be the “star” in your quilt with such a bold print so make sure that is your intention.

The middle photo has background fabric that is a little better with a more subtle and blended print and, finally, the background fabric in the last photo has a smaller print that’s even more subtle so it does not clash with the large prints of the color fabrics. That’s probably the background fabric I would choose for my blocks.

Here’s an example in two blocks that shows how the print sizes on the fabrics play together.

In the photo on the left, the prints on the background fabric and the color prints are about the same size so no particular fabric stands out. To create more contrast, for the block on the right I chose color print fabrics with different size prints. I also made the middle color print darker to create more contrast so the larger print on the purple fabric doesn’t completely overwhelm the block.

How about changing the background within the quilt by having blocks with contrasting backgrounds? Here’s an example:

I alternated between a light background and a dark background for the blocks. And I also changed the star points within the blocks to the opposite of the block’s background. Lots of interesting contrast in my quilt, Marbles & Jacks!

So, that’s some of my random thoughts on fabric as the essential quilting tool. Share your thoughts below in the comments for a chance to win the Marbles & Jacks pattern above. The drawing will be on Monday, November 7th. **We have a winner! Congrats, Debbie!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Upcycling in the Sewing Room

What is upcycling? Upcycling is also known as creative re-use of things. You can just re-use them as they are for another purpose or you can transform them into a new useful item. I like to upcycle because it saves money, is fun and has the added benefit of not adding to the landfill! So, this week, I’ll talk about upcycling items to use in the sewing room and also some items that can be used in the sewing room that weren’t necessarily designed for it. Let’s get to it!

Upcycling Items

The first item I “rescued” was this old coffee mug holder. Since all our mugs are in a cabinet, I decided to use this one for my sewing room. I use it to hang my scissors and rotary cutters. It’s parked at the corner of my cutting mat so I can reach these supplies quickly.

Next up … what did I do with this?

Instead of adding it to my recycling bin, I use it to store my fusible web!

I used to fold my Heat n’ Bond but then I had to deal with pesky fold marks which sometimes caused damage to the glue side of the fusible. Now, I roll it and slip it into the cardboard tube! No more fold marks and it’s easy to slip into a drawer for storage.

Empty prescription bottle? Use it to store bobbins!

I use it just to store a random assortment of bobbins. You can also use a bottle for each color of pre-wound bobbins that you use often for your projects. This keeps them sorted and also helps to keep them from unraveling.

Here’s another unique way to store bobbins… it’s actually pretty funny! If you have some of those old pedicure toe separators lying around, you can use them to store bobbins.

The bobbins fit in the toe spaces and it also serves the purpose of securing the thread so the bobbins don’t unravel. Also, the far right photo shows that these are easily stackable in a drawer by your sewing machine.

This next one is really unique! If you are a golfer, or live with one, you find a lot of golf tees floating around your house. I know I do! You can upcycle these by using them to pair a bobbin with a spool of thread. That way you can keep the spool of thread and the bobbin with the same color thread together.

Unusual Items to Put to Use

Now onto some items that you can purchase at the store to put to work in your sewing room. Obviously these items weren’t manufactured with the sewing room in mind, but I’ve found a spot for them!

Ergonomics is a big thing to consider when you are sewing, especially for long periods of time. Here’s a way to tilt your sewing machine to add to your comfort when sewing.

Yes, that’s a door stop! Grab a pair from your local hardware store to do this:

Since I have done this, it has relieved some back and neck strain since the machine is angled toward me. No more hunching over to see what I am stitching.

Another item that is not made for the sewing room but comes in handy is that roll of blue painter’s tape. I use it to mark the cutting line on my ruler so it’s easy to find my measurement, especially when I am cutting a large amount of strips the same width. And, it leaves no sticky residue on your ruler. You can re-position a piece of tape several times if needed.

Finally, if you are always hunting for those scissors when you are sewing, try making a scissors necklace! You can find the ball chains (left photo) in the craft store, thread them through your scissor handle and there you go. Instant scissor necklace.

So, that’s it for this week. Share with me in the comments below your favorite item that you have upcycled to use in your sewing room. You will be entered into a drawing for my new pattern, Strips & Stars:

The drawing will be on Monday, October 31st. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Jen W.!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

By Annie #SewPink Initiative: Shining Star

Welcome everyone to the By Annie #SewPink Initiative for 2022 Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Click on the graphic above to go to the home page for this year’s events. Also, here are links to donate, to the blog hop schedule and the #SewPink photo contest! The blog hop features many of your favorite designers with projects they have designed for this event. I hope I am on your list of “favorite designers” and I do have a new project to share.

This is my third year participating. Here are links to my previous projects created for this event: Courage and Hope & Love. My project for this year is called Shining Star.

It’s a celebration of the breast cancer survivors in your life who are your “shining stars”! I have two family members who are survivors, my mom and a sister, and they are my shining stars for sure. This pattern combines my favorite things, quilting and wool appliqué. The appliqué can also be done in fabric if you are not a fan of wool appliqué. This pattern is also available in a PDF instant download.

For fun, I am planning to give away a Shining Star pattern to one of the blog readers this week! Leave a comment below and I will draw for a winner on Monday, October 24th. Those outside the US are eligible for the PDF version.

If you are interested in learning wool appliqué, I have a 3-part mini video series that takes you from template creation to stitching.

Why do I Participate?

As I said above, I have two breast cancer survivors in my family. My sister was diagnosed in her early 30s, so I have been getting mammograms yearly since my early 30s. My mom is a two time survivor and needed to have a mastecomy with her last bout, but she’s still going strong!

Because of my family history, I am vigilant myself when it comes to exams and tests for early detection. There have been great advancements over the years like 3D mammograms and MRI guided biopsies (both of which I have had). I also have a yearly breast MRI in six months after my mammogram. These advancements could not be made without funds raised from initiatives like this. I am grateful to all who work in this field of study to hopefully someday find a cure.

1 in 8 women in their lifetime will be diagnosed with breast cancer…. and you do not have to have a strong family history to be one of those women. That is why I urge you to do the self-exams and make that yearly mammogram visit at the minimum.

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer. To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

To find screenings available near you:

This year we are again joining forces with Fat Quarter Shop to promote a fundraiser. Their goal of raising $20,000 to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

ByAnnie.com will match every dollar raised on the #SewPINK fundraising page.

Make sure to check out everyone’s blog posts this month for lots of ideas and inspiration:
Oct. 1 :ByAnnie.com Kick off