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The Quilter’s Spring Cleaning!

You hear this all the time: I need to do spring cleaning! Spring seems to get us into the mood to clean and organize rooms, collections, drawers, clothes, etc. So why not the sewing room? I’ve started to tackle areas in my house that need it so I thought it would be fun to share some of my ideas on sewing room spring cleaning. Once you have things clean and organized, there’s no stopping your quilting!

Spring Cleaning – Fabrics

Fabric take up a lot of space in our storage areas, unless you are that rare quilter that only buys the fabric needed for a project and doesn’t build a stash. That’s definitely not me! I showed you my strip storage last week but I’ll go further into it and other tips this week.

Organize your fabric stash by size and color. This is key if you are a scrap quilter like me. But I think it also helps quilters who just want to know what they have before they plan a project. It also keeps you from buying fabric you already have. I’ve actually done that.

Here is how I do it. If I find a piece of fabric I really like, I will buy a yard of that fabric. Then I will cut that yard in half to get have two half yards. I fold up one of those half yards and store it in a tub with others of the same color:

Next, I take the remaining half yard and cut it in half along the fold to make two fat quarters. I take one of those, fold it up and store in a fat quarter/quarter yard tub.

Then I take the remaining fat quarter and cut that in half (photo below) into two fat eights. I roll the fat eighths instead of folding them for easier storage. 

If there is any yardage left, I cut that into strips. I like 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ strips. Or if you only want one fat eighth in that particular color, you can cut the remaining fat eighth into strips for your stash. So when I am done with a yard of fabric, this is what I end up with:

Creating a Strip Stash: I talked a little about this last week. And it’s another aspect of spring cleaning your fabric. Other than cutting strips from leftover fabric, I also cut strips from fabric that’s been sitting in my stash for a long time.

Sometimes it’s a fabric that I can’t remember why I liked it. And sometimes it’s a fabric it with a very bold pattern that may not look good when used in large cuts. I will cut these fabrics into strips and store them in the bins by color. You’ll be surprised by how well these fabrics now play in a scrap quilt. A change of perspective.

Here’s more of the strip containers I talked about last week:

I like these shallow tubs so it’s easier to see what I have and, also, the strips are less likely to get tangled and jumbled.

Making that Hard Decision. Sometimes there’s a fabric that you just know you will never use, even cut into strips. So what do you do with this fabric?  Here’s my stack accumulated while organizing:

First check with your quilting friends. A fabric you might not like may be one they will be excited to use. Take it to your next guild meeting and announce that it’s free to whoever wants it. Or finally, check with a local church or group that makes quilts to give away. They’re always looking for fabric donations. That’s what I’m doing with my stack. I’m donating it to the quilt group at my church.

Spring Cleaning – Tools

Tool Storage. It’s a good idea to store your tools in a way that makes them easy to reach or to find when you are needing them. This is what I do with important cutting tools and my rulers:

When you  get them organized and stored correctly, there’s a few benefits. First, you can find what you’re looking for when you need it. Second, you will find tools you bought and have either used once or never. Those are the ones you can set aside for donations.

Like the fabric you don’t want anymore, take these tools to your next guild meeting. There may be a quilter there who will want it or you can donate it for a door prize. Just make sure if they are used, that they are gently used and not damaged. Also be sure to include any  instructions for using the tool (if those were provided at purchase).

Spring Cleaning – Quilts on Display and Stored

If you like to display quilts around your house like I do, you will need to do a few things to keep them clean. Here are some tips on what I do. Please note: these tips are not recommended for antique or family heirloom type quilts. For those types of quilts, it’s best to look for advice from textile preservation professionals.

Light Cleaning: For wall quilts that can collect dust or cobwebs, use the soft brush attachment (like pictured below) of your vacuum cleaner and, on the lowest suction setting, brush gently across the surface of the quilt. Keep the tool moving constantly and do not to stop to avoid having suction concentrated on an area of your quilt. Never use any type of attachment that has moving parts.

For smaller items like table runners or pillows on display, I will gently brush them with a lint brush meant for clothing. Especially since I have a cat in the home and her fur seems to travel everywhere!

If the wall quilt has picked up a musty smell or another smell from the room it is in, it can be aired out by placing it outside (in a shady area) on a clean sheet. I would cover it with another clean sheet to keep it from getting any dirt, leaves, etc on it. For cleaning a large quilt, lay it out on a flat surface and vacuum with the soft brush attachment, lowest suction setting again. It can also be aired out using the same method as a wall quilt.

Do not shake quilts like you do for rugs since that can weaken seams.

Washing. If you must wash a quilt, be sure to use a gentle soap.  I wash on gentle and I throw in a few Shout Color Catcher sheets in case I’m worried about a fabric that might bleed. Be cautious of this if your fabric was not pre-washed. If you do not pre-wash and you are unsure of a fabric in the quilt, I would advise against washing and just stick with tips above.

If you do wash it and need to dry, it’s best to air dry it. You can put it in the dryer for 10 minutes or so on “air fluff” setting to get the dampness out. Then lay the quilt out on a clean sheet on a flat surface to finish. Never hang a quilt on a clothesline which can put stress on the seams. Also, do not wring out a quilt, which can damage and distort seams.

Storage. First, it’s a good idea to learn how to fold a quilt in a way that is the least damaging to the seams and fabric fibers. This is for large quilts. To begin, lay the quilt out flat and make a first fold on the bias:

Continue folding as the next 3 photos show to end up with a folded square.

When you have quilts folded and stored, be sure to refold them periodically. It’s recommended that refolding every 3 to 4 months is a good timeframe. This keeps the fabrics from breaking down in the folds or developing permanent creases. It’s also a good idea to refold large quilts that you have displayed on beds, ladders or draped over sofas or chairs.

For smaller quilts like wall hangings or table toppers, I hang them on skirt or pant hangers to store in a closet when I am not using them.

Here are some random do’s and don’ts for storing quilts:

Do not store them in the basement or attic of your home where the temperature and humidity is not at ideal levels.

Do not stack too many folded quilts on top of one another.

Do not store quilts in plastic containers or bags. Plastic can trap moisture which could develop mold that will stain quilts.

Do use clean white sheets to cover a stack of quilts for protection. You can also store single folded quilts in large pillow cases or make a case for the quilt out of an old white sheet.

Two other ways to store quilts is to roll them or to drape them over extra beds. Rolling large quilts may be difficult for storage since there would need to be a large space to store those rolls. But rolling them is a good way to avoid any creases from folding, so if you have the storage space, consider doing this.

If you drape them over guest beds, be sure they are not in direct sunlight that could fade a quilt. If there is direct sunlight into that room, you can cover the stack of quilts with a clean, white sheet to protect them.

So that’s it for my spring cleaning tips. Let me know in the comments below what you do to get your sewing room in shape for more sewing. I will enter you in a drawing for my new holiday pattern, Wrap it Up. It’s never too early to start on those!

The drawing will be on Monday, April 13th. **We have a winner! Congrats, Rena Green!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Considering Fabric Color – Part 1

Last week I reviewed how to choose and match prints when picking out fabric. For this week and next I will concentrate on tips for choosing the colors of fabric for your quilts. I’ll cover a bit of color theory too that will assist in your choices. Choosing the fabrics based on color, contrast, how they play off each other are things to consider when shopping. So, let’s talk about color!

Color Basics – Contrast and Color

One of the basic things you want to think about along with color is the contrast between fabrics you choose. Color and contrast actually go hand in hand. If you want your block designs to boldly stand out, you want fabrics that highly contrast with each other. If you want your quilt to read quieter, chose fabrics that have less contrast with each other.

Contrast is achieved by considering the value (tint or shade) of the each color you choose. For example, pink is a tint of red where maroon is a shade of red. This photo below shows that:

Knowing the difference between shade, tone and tint and how that effects the contrast between your fabrics can go a long way in helping you choose fabrics.

  • Shade is taking the pure color, for instance blue, and adding black to it to make it darker, for a dark blue.
  • Tint is taking the pure blue and adding white to make it lighter, making a light blue.
  • Tone is adding grey to a pure color to make it less intense. Most colors around us in the world are tones of pure color.

Here’s an example of auditioning fabrics for contrast. This first stack of fabrics below has pieces very close in shade so there is hardly any contrast:

Use that selection above for a “quiet”quilt. Now look what happens when I replace two of the fabrics with colors that are a lighter (tinted) version of the same color it replaced:

See the change? This will make elements of your quilt pattern more enhanced so it will stand out. So far I have used all “cool” colors. Look what happens when I remove two of those fabrics and replace them with fabrics that fall into the “warm” category:

Another way to choose colors when at the quilt shop is the color wheel. This is something you can carry with you to remind you of how colors contrast and which colors are “warm” or “cool”. Here’s my color wheel:

You can tell by looking at it, which colors are warm and which are cool.  Notice how the colors next to each other on the wheel have less contrast between them than colors further away. For the highest contrast, choose colors that are opposite on the wheel.

Alternate Ways to Achieve Contrast

As you know if you are a regular blog reader, I am mainly a scrap quilter. I love to use a lot of different color fabrics of all types of prints in my quilts. Scraps quilts are a riot of crazy contrasts so, how do I achieve an interesting contrast in a scrap quilt as a design element? Here’s how.

One way is to add consistent color into the scrap quilt. I will often add in one uniform color that ties things together, making it look less chaotic. Here’s two of my quilt patterns below that do that:

 

In It’s a Tie , on the left, I added in the black stars for some contrast to the rest of the table runner in the front. I usually use a black or other dark print when I want to add contrast into a scrap quilt. The quilt on the right, Follow the Stars, has a crisscross design created by strategic placement of black print fabric in each scrap block.

A second way to achieve contrast is to alternate between cool and warm colors for your blocks. Here’s an example of two blocks in a quilt of mine:

 

The block on the left is all cool colors and the block on the right is all warm colors. Alternating blocks like this in a quilt creates contrast in your quilt as the blocks play off each other. Here’s the whole quilt that shows how the contrast works:

The blocks above are more uniform in color than a lot of my scrap quilts, but you could make all nine blocks in different color combinations, making sure to make four of them in warm combos and the other five in cool combos to get the same effect.

Finally, working in contrast can come from the background fabric too. With  my quilt, Marbles & Jacks, I created contrast by alternating the light and dark backgrounds of the blocks and between warm and cool colors as well.

If the background fabric in these quilt blocks was a uniform tan print, it would be a little quieter.

So that’s it for this week. Next week, we’re going to put some of these concepts into action as we choose fabric.

Happy Quilting and Happy Holidays!
Deanne

2024 Block of the Week – Block 7

Oh my! Here we are already at block 7! This BOW sew along has gone so fast. I hope you are enjoying them. If you are just joining us, here’s a link to last week’s block 6 post. From there you can get links to the previous posts as you work your way through.

If you are new to the BOW, we are piecing blocks that I have chosen that reflect my love for traditional quilt blocks. Some of these blocks date all the way back to the 19th century! I try to give you a bit of history on the block itself and share some tips to help you stitch it up. So let’s get started.

Block of the Week

Block 7:

The name of this block is Paradox. Kind of an interesting “twisty” design to this one. You can find the instructions for this block here: 2024 BOW Block 7.

A little block history. This is a distinct style of block that has its origins in the Amish community in the late 19th century. Amish women were very creative and innovative in designing a new style of block that was not seen in other quilter’s work. Traditional blocks from this time were a bit more basic whereas the Paradox block has a really intricate design, even though they used the same geometric pieces like half-square and quarter-square triangles and squares.

There is an exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) called Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women that contains about 50 quilts from about 1880 to 1950. There is also a book by Janneken Smucker, a historian and scholar of Amish quilts and culture. Sounds like a really interesting book! The SAAM actually has the largest collection of Amish quilts than any other museum. Find more information from the Smithsonian here.

Tips of the Week – Choosing color prints.

This block has 4 different color prints so I thought I would go over some of my tips for choosing a group of color prints when you are planning a quilt or even just a block.

Color Theory  – Just a Bit!

Color: Before you shop for fabric, dig out this little contraption and let’s have a lesson:

You probably recognize the color wheel from grade school art class. We learned about the primary colors of red, yellow and blue. From those colors, all the other colors are created. That’s why they’re called “primary” colors.  

The first group of colors created by combining primary colors are called secondary colors. These are orange (from red and yellow), green (from blue and yellow) and violet (from blue and red).

The color wheel can help you with getting the right contrast in your quilt in addition to picking out fabric colors. Notice the closer that colors to each other are on the wheel, the less contrast between them. The most contrast is achieved with colors that are farther away from each other. This is where complimentary colors come in. A color that is opposite of another on the wheel provides the most contrast and is called complimentary. For example: red and green are across from each other so they are considered complimentary and there is high contrast between them.

Shade, Tone & Tint: Knowing the difference between shade, tone and tint and how that effects the contrast between your fabrics can go a long way in helping you choose fabrics.

  • Shade is taking the pure color, for instance blue, and adding black to it to make it darker, for a dark blue.
  • Tint is taking the pure blue and adding white to make it lighter, making a light blue.
  • Tone is adding grey to a pure color to make it less intense. Most colors around us in the world are tones of pure color.

Another way contrast can be achieved is by combining “warm” and “cool” colors or have blocks that alternate between warm and cool colors throughout a quilt.

Summing it up… if you want a quiet, muted quilt, choose colors close to each other on the wheel, with the same shades, tints or tones. If you want a high contrast quilt, choose colors far away from each other on the wheel, with different shades, tints or tones. Of course there are a lot of complete books on color theory and this is just a tiny snippet of information. If you are interested in a more in depth explanation, you can surely find some of these books at the library or online.

Using Color Theory in Choosing Fabrics

So here’s a real world example of some of what I talked about above.

One way contrast is achieved is by considering the shades and tints of the each color you choose. Tint is when white is added to a color to make it lighter and shade is when black is added to a color to make it darker. For example,

pink is a tint of red where maroon is a shade of red.

See the difference in these fabrics? They’re all the same base color, red, but when used in a quilt, they will each make it look a bit different.

Here’s another example. Pick out fabrics you would like to use in your quilt and stack them up like these fat quarters I used below:

There is not much contrast between these fabric because they are all close to the same shade within their color family. But now, in the photo below, I have switched out two of the fabrics for fabrics tinted lighter than the originals.

The above are all cool colors as well and close to each other on the color wheel. Look what happens when I add in some complimentary colors from the warm side:

Removing the brown and purple fabrics and adding the gold and red fabrics makes the stack of fabrics more vibrant.

So keep these tips in mind when choosing fabrics for this block. Do you want a certain portion of it to “jump out” more. That’s the trick for color. You can pick out an element of the block and use color to emphasize it if you want. Or…. you can play and make it scrappy!

I added a touch of black again in this block to emphasize a shoofly design in the center. 

Well, that’s it for this week! Make sure to leave a comment or ask a question below and be entered into the drawing for the fat quarter pack:

The drawing will be the week after this sew along ends. Good luck and see you next week!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Using Fabrics with Directional Prints

A lot of quilters shy away from fabrics with directional prints. My advice is not to! As a scrap quilter I use a lot of different fabrics in a block and a quilt. There are times that I don’t care what print is on a piece of fabric and what direction it goes in because in a scrap quilt, the “chaos” of all those fabrics together is the point. But, if you are wanting a more uniform looking block and quilt, there are ways to use directional prints to make them look more uniform. So let’s talk about it!

Directional Prints and Straight Seams

Using these fabrics takes planning when you are cutting the pieces for your unit or block. The first example I will show you is a unit made up of a square and bordering strips. This the easiest to do because you are working with straight seams. Here’s the fabric I chose for this example:

I purposely chose one fabric with a nondirectional print (the pink) to go with the tan fabric with the directional print to make this example easier. As you can see, the lines on the tan fabric run in one direction. So here’s what happens when I cut 1 1/2″ strips from this fabric to border a square of the pink fabric:

As you can see, since I cut all the border pieces for the pink square from the same 1 1/2″ strips, the longer strips on the top and bottom have the print moving in the opposite direction as the side strips. To make them all go in the same direction, I need to cut the 1 1/2 x 2 1/2″ side strips from a 2 1/2″ strip instead of a 1 1/2″ strip.

Here’s the last photo a little bigger so you can see how the print is now going in the same direction in all the border strips:

So, it will take a little planning, and maybe a little more fabric if the pattern doesn’t have specific cutting instructions for prints, to make this work. Now here are the two blocks finished. The one with the prints going in two directions (left, below) is not bad looking, but the other one, to the right, looks more uniform if that’s what you are going for.

Directional Prints and Bias Seams

So now how do you handle directional prints when you are stitching bias seams as you do with half-square triangle (HST) squares and flying geese? Here’s my tips for that.

Below are the pieces to make 4 HSTs. Lay them out as shown and then lay the tan print face down on the color print. Stitch diagonally a scant 1/4″ on each side of the diagonal center from the same direction on both square sets (see where my finger is pointing).

Once you cut the units apart and press open, you will get 4 HSTs where, no matter how they are arranged, the directional tan print will not go in the same direction (the print on the blue fabric is also a directional but I’m choosing to focus only on the tan fabric for this example).

That doesn’t necessarily look bad, but here’s the steps on what to do to make the stripes in the tan fabric go in the same direction. First, repeat the above step but stitch one set of squares diagonally in the opposite direction of the other (where my finger is pointed in the last two photos):

Below are the photos of the stitched squares (left) and then the HSTs cut apart and arranged.

The stripes on the tan fabric are now going in the same direction. Now I put the two concepts together in the churn dash block below. It has both straight and bias seams. All the stripes are going in the same direction by using the steps I’ve covered.

Another block unit that requires a bias seam is a flying geese unit. The steps are a little different from the HSTs, but not much. You just need to pay attention while stitching your pieces together.

The secret to using directional fabrics for flying geese is that the directional print will go in the opposite direction from how it was placed for stitching. For example,  if you position the directional print horizontally, the print will run vertical after stitching and pressing the corner open. The photos below show this:

To finish the flying geese unit, I need to lay the next square face down on the other side of the rectangle with the print going horizontal so when done, the print will then be vertical like the first side (finished geese on right, below).

The hitch comes if you are piecing these flying geese into a star block with the grey fabric in the center, print going in one direction. If you make all 4 flying geese with the print going vertical… this will happen:

Two of the flying geese in the sides will have the stripe going in the wrong direction. To remedy this, make two flying geese units with the stripes going vertical and two with the stripes going horizontal.

So in the photo below, you will notice that the stripes go in the same direction on both geese units as they do in the center square:

Here are all four geese units stitched into a star block:

Well, that’s all for this week! Leave a comment below or ask any questions you may have. I will enter you into a drawing for my quilt pattern, Star Wheels, that will give you lots of practice with directional prints if you choose!

The drawing will be on Monday, June 12th. Good luck! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Elaine A.!***

Happy Quilting,
Deanne

Fabric Prints – The Challenge and The Fun!

Fabric prints can present a challenge to many quilters, but can also be fun to play with. I thought about that this week while I was going through my fabric stash picking out fabrics for my next project. At times I come across a piece of fabric with an unusual print and wonder… why did I buy that? and how will I use it? I’m going to talk about fabric prints in this post,  including how to use them to their advantage in your quilt. Let’s get started.

Fabric Prints

The prints in a fabric make a difference. I like to pick prints based on where on the quilt I’d like to draw attention. If I want to emphasize a border, I choose a larger print. If I want a part of a block or the quilt to be more of a backdrop, I use a smaller print. That’s sort of a simplistic explanation so I will show some examples coming up.

Here are three fabrics of the same color with different types of prints

Three pink fabrics, but with very different looks based on the print scale and size. The fabric on the left has a small print, printed closely all over the fabric. The center fabric as a print that is a little larger but it’s more spread out, which makes it a bit less prominent. Finally, the fabric on the right has a very large print. 

I would not use these fabrics the same in making a quilt. The fabric on the far right will definitely be the “star” where ever you put it in the quilt. It would make a great border. If you chose to use it in a block, it would need to be paired with a solid or a very small print fabric for a background fabric so as not to clash with it or distract from it. Here’s what I am talking about:

Which fabric would you pair with that pink print? Of course, the one on the left makes the most sense because it fades into the background and won’t upstage the pink fabric at all. The one on the right doesn’t look bad though. The grey looks good with pink and the print is a different scale. This would tone down the effect of the pink fabric and if that’s your goal, that would be a good choice.

Here’s an example using blocks from one of my quilts.

Where does your eye go in each block? The block on the left is very harmonious. My eye may be drawn more to the dark blue star points because it has a more subtle, spaced print and it’s not a light shade. But that might be it. Now, the block on the right as more print contrast. The big print on the purple fabric helps to draw your eye outward. See what a print difference can do?

Finally, a background fabric print can make a big difference.

The background fabric on the left is a large, bold print that I feel will probably clash with the prints in the color print fabrics. Recognize that this 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 works a bit better with the color prints because of a more subtle print even though it’s still prominent.

Finally, the background fabric in the last photo has a smaller print that’s more subtle due to the tone on tone color scheme and the smaller scale of the print.  Because of this, it does not clash with any of the prints of the color fabrics and truly acts as a background.

Directional Prints

Sometimes, a fabric will have a print that goes in a single direction. You’ll hear these fabrics referred to as “directional prints”. Directional print fabrics can present a challenge and, many times, quilters will shy away from using them. But don’t be afraid of using these types of fabric. It can actually be fun to play with directional prints.

How do you identify a directional print? A fabric has a directional print, sometimes referred to as a “one-way” print, when there is a clear up or down to the pattern on the fabric. Here are a couple of examples of directional prints:

Notice in the fabrics above, the print runs in one direction so it would look different in a quilt block based on how it was pieced into it. Compare the two above fabrics with the two below:

The design on the above fabrics are considered not directional because which ever way you turn the fabric, the print looks the same. You can see it clearly in the fabric on the left. The “starburst” design is symmetrical and looks the same no matter which direction you turn it.

There can be one-way, two-way, three-way and even four-way directional print designs. If I use a directional fabric and want the design to all go in the same direction within the block, I try to stick with a directional fabric that isn’t too complicated.

So that’s it for this week. Next week, I’ll share tips on how to use directional prints when making some simple block units. Leave a comment or ask questions below. See you next week!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Fabric Color – Color Theory and Choosing Fabrics

The last few weeks, we talked about one block quilts and two (or more) block quilts and how the design of those blocks effects the look of the quilt. Now it’s time to talk about color. Choosing fabrics and color is often something that gives quilters nightmares when they are beginning a project. I’m here to help you get rid of those fears with some color theory and fabric choosing tips. Let’s go!

Color Theory  – Just a Bit!

Color: Before you shop for fabric, dig out this little contraption and let’s have a lesson:

You probably recognize the color wheel from grade school art class. We learned about the primary colors of red, yellow and blue. From those colors, all the other colors are created. That’s why they’re called “primary” colors.  

The first group of colors created by combining primary colors are called secondary colors. These are orange (from red and yellow), green (from blue and yellow) and violet (from blue and red).

The color wheel can help you with getting the right contrast in your quilt in addition to picking out fabric colors. Notice the closer that colors to each other are on the wheel, the less contrast between them. The most contrast is achieved with colors that are farther away from each other. This is where complimentary colors come in. A color that is opposite of another on the wheel provides the most contrast and is called complimentary. For example: red and green are across from each other so they are considered complimentary and there is high contrast between them.

Shade, Tone & Tint: Knowing the difference between shade, tone and tint and how that effects the contrast between your fabrics can go a long way in helping you choose fabrics.

  • Shade is taking the pure color, for instance blue, and adding black to it to make it darker, for a dark blue.
  • Tint is taking the pure blue and adding white to make it lighter, making a light blue.
  • Tone is adding grey to a pure color to make it less intense. Most colors around us in the world are tones of pure color.

Another way contrast can be achieved is by combining “warm” and “cool” colors or have blocks that alternate between warm and cool colors throughout a quilt.

Summing it up… if you want a quiet, muted quilt, choose colors close to each other on the wheel, with the same shades, tints or tones. If you want a high contrast quilt, choose colors far away from each other on the wheel, with different shades, tints or tones. Of course there are a lot of complete books on color theory and this is just a tiny snippet of information. If you are interested in a more in depth explanation, you can surely find some of these books at the library or online.

Using Color Theory in Choosing Fabrics

So here’s a real world example of some of what I talked about above.

One way contrast is achieved is by considering the shades and tints of the each color you choose. Tint is when white is added to a color to make it lighter and shade is when black is added to a color to make it darker. For example,

pink is a tint of red where maroon is a shade of red.

See the difference in these fabrics? They’re all the same base color, red, but when used in a quilt, they will each make it look a bit different.

Here’s another example. Pick out fabrics you would like to use in your quilt and stack them up like these fat quarters I used below:

There is not much contrast between these fabric because they are all close to the same shade within their color family. But now, in the photo below, I have switched out two of the fabrics for fabrics tinted lighter than the originals.

The above are all cool colors as well and close to each other on the color wheel. Look what happens when I add in some complimentary colors from the warm side:

Removing the brown and purple fabrics and adding the gold and red fabrics makes the stack of fabrics more vibrant.

Building a Colorful Quilt

So here’s a fun little experiment. Here’s how to build a colorful scrap quilt starting with the primary colors. Let’s say the quilt pattern you have takes a yard of each color fabric (not including the background) and has 12 blocks from each color. 

The quilt made from these 3 colors would be pretty enough. But what would it look like if you added more colors based on some of the lessons I gave you earlier. Instead of, for example, getting a yard of each fabric above and making 12 blocks from each, you can turn this into a scrappier quilt by taking each of the yards of fabric and splitting them into three 1/3 yard cuts in each color family. For instance, instead of 1 yard of red, I substitute 1/3 yard each of red, pink and a brown fabric that has a red/pink print (middle stack in the photo).

I did the same for the blue and the yellow fabrics as well. Now I can make 12 blocks from each stack, but instead of them all being one color there will be 4 of each color. See the side by side comparison of the 3 color quilt and the 9 color quilt below:

Or you can even mix the colors within each of the blocks to make it even scrappier like I did in this block below:

So here ends the color theory lesson. Hopefully this gives you more confidence when you look at a quilt pattern and wonder what colors you want to use to make it. Step out of the box and have some fun!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

2022 Block of the Week – Block 6

Hi! Welcome back to my block of the week sew-along! We are now on to block 6 in the series. You can still join in on the fun. Here are the links to the previous weeks: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 and Week 5. The patterns are all free and you can download them all from those previous blog posts. As I did in the other week’s posts, I will share some tips. This week, color choice and color contrast. Now on to block 6!

2022 BOW Block 6 – Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

The instructions to make this block can be found here: 2022 BOW Block 6.

Most versions of Robbing Peter to Pay Paul are those that have curved seams like this one:

I was only able to find this one version that is pieced from the 1897 LAC (Ladies’ Art Company). This pieced version also has the name “Arizona” given by Nancy Page in 1936. It is thought the name for this block came from a phrase credited to King Edward VI. In his 16th century reign, he actually ordered St. Peter’s church in London to sell land it owned to pay for repairs to St. Paul’s church.

Interesting trivia, King Edward VI was a boy king and mostly a figurehead while those behind the scenes battled to rule. He was 9 years old when he became king and his reign ended at age 15 upon his death. It is thought he died of progressive tuberculosis, although it’s not clear because he also had the measles before that. 

Color Choice and Contrast

Well, enough of the history lesson on the renaissance years! Let’s talk color choice. Choosing colors for a block or an entire quilt should not be scary. In fact, if you understand how colors play off of each other based on their shade, tint and how they contrast, choosing color is fairly easy. One of the best tools to use is that simple color wheel we learned about in grade school!

Bring this tool with you to the quilt shop. You can choose general color families you want for before going and then use this tool to hold up to fabric bolts to pick the correct shade. Look at the photo above. On the left, you can tell the colors are “warm” and on the right they are “cool”. You can choose all your fabrics from the left side for a warmer look or from the right side for a calm, cooler look. The closer together colors are on the wheel, the less they will contrast for a calm, quiet look. The opposite is true of the colors are further away from or opposite each other. The contrast will be high and designs will pop more.

Here is a brief description of shade, tint and tone that will also help you in choosing fabrics:

  • Shade is taking the pure color, for instance blue, and adding black to it to make it darker, for a dark blue.
  • Tint is taking the pure blue and adding white to make it lighter, making a light blue.
  • Tone is adding grey to a pure color to make it less intense. Most colors around us in the world are tones of pure color.

Here is a real world example of color choice and contrast. This first stack has fabric very close in shade, so there is little contrast:

When I replace two of the fabrics with the same color, but lighter (tint), look what happens. More contrast!

The two above examples feature cool colors. Now, watch what happens when I take out two of the fabrics and replace those with warm colors:

Look at the contrast now!

Another tip on picking fabric: pick out a bolt that you want for the quilt and then look at the selvage. Yes, I said that!

On most fabrics, you will find a series of “dots” or other marks with the colors that were used in printing the fabric. Use these colors to find bolts of fabric that will coordinate nicely with your already chosen piece. And you don’t even need to stay in the same fabric line.

Once you have fabrics at home in your stash, here’s a simple way to choose what you want for your latest project. Pick out fabrics and lay them out on a table. You can either stand back and look at them all together or take a photo on your phone and look at that. A fabric that doesn’t quite fit in will probably “jump out” at you as you look at the stack. Take that fabric out and replace it with another. Repeat until you get the look you want. I call this “auditioning” the fabric.

Well, that’s it for this week. Come back next week for block 7 and some more tips and techniques.

Remember, comment or ask questions throughout this series. At the end, I will have a grand prize giveaway. This will include my book, two of my newer patterns, some fat quarters and sewing scissors!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

More Fabric Facts

Last week I talked about choosing background fabrics, pre-washing fabric and other fabric facts. This week, as we move onto actually using the fabrics, I’ll talk about things like fabric bias, cutting up fabrics for scrap quilting and squaring up fabrics. So, let’s get started.

Fabric Grain & Bias

The grain and bias of a piece of fabric determines how that fabric will perform in a quilt block or quilt border. The lengthwise grain of the fabric runs parallel to the selvage and is the most stable grain of the fabric.

 

The photo on the left shows the lengthwise grain ( the line I am pointing to). As you can see by the photo on the right, the fabric does not stretch a lot when pulled in this direction. It’s a good idea to cut in this direction for long pieces needed for the project like border strips, if possible.

The crosswise grain is a little less stable than the lengthwise grain. It’s perpendicular to the selvage. As you can see in the photo below, there is a little more stretch to the fabric in this direction.

Finally, the bias of the fabric is at the 45 degree angle from the selvage. This is where the fabric is the least stable.

As you can see in the photo on the right, the stretch in the fabric in this direction is more than the lengthwise and crosswise grains. Since it has a lot of stretch, binding for scalloped edge or circular quilts are often cut on the bias. Beware, any seam sewn on the bias (like in half-square triangle squares) must be handled with care when pressing or ripping out so the fabric is not stretched out of shape. Once fabric is stretched on the bias, it usually stays distorted.

Cutting Up Fabrics

As you are aware by now, my favorite type of quilts are scrap quilts. That’s why I like to cut up fabrics and have lots of smaller cuts in my stash. I mainly work with 1/2 yards, 1/4 yards or fat quarters, and 1/8 yards and fat eighths. Also strips…. lots and lots of strips! So here is my process:

Sometimes if I have a yard of fabric I bought a while back but do not think I can use it in a big chunk, I cut it up for scrap quilting. I also purposely buy a yard or more of fabric I like to do this.

First step, I lay out the yard of fabric and cut it into two half yards (each approx. 18 x 40-44″).

One of those half yards is folded up and put aside for storage. The other half yard is cut in half on the fold (center photo below) to make two fat quarters that are each approximately 18 x 20-22″ (last photo below) :

Like the half yard, I fold up one of the fat quarters for storage. The other fat quarter is folded lengthwise so it is 11 or 12″ x 18″ (photo on the left below). I cut it in half to make two fat eights (right, below).

One of the fat eights is stored with others fabric of the same size, rolled for storage instead of folding. That’s actually an easier way to store pieces of that size.

The other fat eight is cut into strips (below).

The photo below shows all the different sizes I now have in this color print. Two 1 1/2″ and two 2 1/2″ strips, a fat eight (rolled for easy storage), a fat quarter and a 1/2 yard. 

Doing this with most of my color prints helps me to build a large stash of fabric. I use tubs labeled with color and size to store these. Here’s an example below:

The fabrics I use for backgrounds generally remain in large chunks, like 1 and 2 yard chunks, unless I plan to make the backgrounds of my quilts scrappy like the color prints used.

Squaring Fabrics

Before you start cutting fabrics for storage (like above) or for the quilt you have chosen to make, you need to square it up. Squaring up your piece of fabric is a very important step that should not be skipped. Especially if you are cutting long strips that you will sub-cut into smaller pieces. If you start with a distorted strip, all the pieces you cut from that strip can be off in the measurements. This is even more important if you are making strip sets and sub-cutting those. You need to square up fabric because it’s often not square when you buy it off the bolt. What causes this is when fabric is rolled onto the bolt by the manufacturer, the selvage ends of the fabric can shift in the rolling process.

I made a mini video tutorial on how to square up fabric. I think this will give you a good idea of what you need to do with each fabric you want to cut. I recommend squaring it up after pre-washing fabric if you like to pre-wash your fabric.

So, that’s it for this week. Leave a comment below or ask any questions you may have and you will be entered into the drawing for my quilt pattern, Bountiful!

The drawing will be on Monday, February 14th. Good luck!***We have a winner! Congrats, Shirley!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Let’s Talk Fabric

Since fabric is essential to quilting, I wanted to talk about things like choosing fabric, caring for fabric and cutting tips. I talk about this and other fabric facts in this post. Since fabric is so expensive, you want to make sure you have the right fabric for your project and that you know how to care for it while it’s in your stash. There are things to do before you shop and after you shop. So let’s get started!

Before Heading to the Quilt Shop

I don’t get a chance to head to a quilt shop more than 3 to 4 times a year, so before I go I like to have an idea of what I am after. Here’s good tip: inventory your stash before you go to the shop. There have been times where I have returned from the quilt shop with a piece of fabric already in my stash. I guess I really liked it!

If you have a project you are planning to get fabric for, I suggest making “test” blocks from scrap fabric in your stash.

In the above photo, you can see I have a block that was in a project I was planning. I pulled scraps from my stash to audition color choice. If you don’t want to make your quilt project in the same colors as the designer, this is a good way to decide on your color scheme prior to heading out to the shop. You can then use these blocks to make mini quilt gifts for friends or family. Candle mats, oven mitts, whatever!

At the Quilt Shop

One question that I am asked often is: “Should I buy more fabric than is noted on the pattern?” The answer is not 100% yes. Here’s my advice. If the project you are shopping for is from a designer who’s patterns you have made often and you have never run out of fabric, then trust the fabric amounts they list on the pattern. If the pattern and designer are new to you and you are not sure they figure extra fabric into their fabric requirements, add a little extra if it makes you comfortable. Here are the reasons you may need extra fabric:

  • When squaring up the fabric, it’s possible to lose some of the length if the fabric was wound a bit wonky onto the bolt.
  •  Or if you like to pre-wash your the fabric, there could be shrinkage.
  •  Finally …. cutting errors. We all have them!

After deciding how much fabric you need, stack bolts of fabric (or precuts) in a well lit area of the shop to see if the fabrics “play well” together. If you are not sure about what colors look good together here’s a tip. Once you pick out a bolt you like, look at the selvage:

 Those little icons printed on the fabric are the different colors use in the printing of this fabric. Use those to find additional bolts of fabric in those colors for coordination. They don’t have to be from the same line of fabric either!

Finally, if you really like a piece of fabric and think you will use it in other projects, get it now. Fabric companies turn over lines of fabric constantly and don’t often reprint a line unless it is super popular. Also, even if a fabric is reprinted, your favorite shop may not choose to carry it again if they decide to buy newer lines.

When You Get Home

Pre-wash or not?

I fall in the “not” category. I find that the fabric is easier to cut without washing because the fabric retains the sizing it came with. I also like that “antique” look when the quilt is washed after quilting. So, here’s some pros and cons below to ponder in making your decision. Keep in mind this is not a complete list, just things I consider the most important when making my decision.

  • Pre-washing Pros:
    • All the fabrics that are going to shrink will shrink so the finished quilt and pattern will not be ruined by fabrics shrinking differently.
    • Certain fabrics might bleed, like purples and reds, and transfer to other parts of a quilt when the finished item is washed.
    • Chemicals used in the processing of the fabric are removed in pre-washing. Some people are allergic to these chemicals so this is a benefit to them.
  • Pre-washing Cons:
    • It takes time. The extra steps of washing and ironing adds time to the prep when getting ready to make a quilt.
    • It washes out the sizing. Some quilters like this sizing which tends to make the fabric easier to cut. I like the “stiffer” fabric that, for me, seems to cut easier.
    • Most of the quality fabrics today do not shrink much and the fabric dyes are much more stable to prevent bleeding. There’s also laundry products, like Shout® Color Catchers, that prevent color transfer.
    • Fabric edges fray which can distort the fabric. This will require you to waste more fabric when squaring up.

If you want to pre-wash fabric and are worried about fraying here’s a tip: you can prevent most of the fraying by cutting a corner off the fabric or cutting the non-selvedge edges with pinking shears.

When You Are Ready to Cut

Finally, before you cut your pieces from the fabric, here are a few tips.

First: Read the pattern and find all the pieces that need to be cut from each fabric and plan your cutting. In my patterns, the pieces to be cut from each fabric are all listed at the beginning of the pattern and listed from largest piece to smallest:

Some patterns do not list everything at the beginning of the pattern, so that’s why I recommend you read the pattern first before you begin to cut. 

Second: Be sure to square up the piece of fabric prior to cutting. Squaring up your piece of fabric is a very important step that should not be skipped. Especially if you are cutting long strips that you will sub-cut into smaller pieces. If you start with a distorted strip, all the pieces you cut from that strip can be off in their measurements. These is even more important if you are making strip sets and sub-cutting those. You need to square up fabric because when it is rolled onto the bolt by the manufacturer, the fabric is folded and the selvage ends of the fabric can shift in the process.  In the photo below the strip on the left was cut from the fabric before it was squared (note how it bows away from the line on the cutting mat) and the strip on the right was cut after.

If you do not know how to square up your fabric, I have a mini tutorial video showing the process here:

I hope that video was useful to you! Now you are ready to start cutting your fabric and getting to work on your newest quilt project. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I will draw a name from those of you who comment to win a copy of my newest pattern, Trinkets.

Just about all the pieces in this pattern are cut from strips and strip sets that require your fabric to be squared, so you will get a lot of practice! The drawing will be on Monday August 16th. Good luck! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Susan!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Quilting Tips… Fabric, Threads and More

The last few weeks, we’ve talked about cleaning your machine, using the right needles, caring for your cutting mat and building a fabric stash. So, this week I thought I would throw in some tips on fabric and threads and various other tips that will make your quilting experience fun and more relaxing. Let’s get started!

Fabric Facts & Tips

The common belief is that fabric has a width of 44″. But, you can not depend on all of that as usable. One reason is the selvage of the fabric.

Selvage is the tightly woven, finished edges of fabric on the lengthwise grain. This prevents the woven fabric from fraying or unraveling. The selvages are cut off before you cut from your piece of fabric. For that reason, the actual usable fabric width is between those selvages. You can also lose width from pre-washing the fabric if that’s something you do. For those reasons most patterns, mine included, assume 40″ of usable width. So, here’s a few tips:

Tip #1: Don’t assume the pattern writer of the pattern you want to make assumes 40″ width of fabric unless it’s stated on the pattern. If I do not know the width assumed, I will purchase about 1/8 yard extra than noted on the pattern. This also allows for width lost when squaring the fabric up, pre-washing it or for cutting errors … we all make them!

Tip #2: Cut largest to smallest pieces from a piece of fabric. My patterns list all the cutting instructions up front and go from the largest piece to the smallest.

Not all patterns are written this way. So, it’s a good idea to read the whole pattern through, front to back, before you start cutting. That way you can be sure not to run out of fabric.

Tip #3: It’s a good idea to understand the grain of the fabric and bias so you know how a fabric will behave in a unit or block you are creating. It’s also important to know this because some patterns will tell you to cut certain pieces on the lengthwise or crosswise grain. Here’s a brief run down:

The lengthwise grain (warp) of the fabric is parallel to the selvage. This is where the fabric is  most stable.

The crosswise grain (weft) is perpendicular to the selvages. It is a little less stable than the lengthwise grain.

Bias of the fabric is at a 45 degree angle from the selvages of a piece of fabric.

On the bias,  the fabric is the least stable and has the most stretch to it. That’s why binding cut on the bias is used for quilt tops with scalloped edges or for a circular quilt. Also, any seam sewn on the bias (like in half-square triangle squares) must be handled with care when pressing or ripping out a seam so the fabric is not stretched out of shape. Once fabric is stretched on the bias, it usually stays distorted.

See how stretchy it is on the bias?

Thread Facts & Tips

Tip #1: Remember last week’s post about cleaning your machine of lint? That lint comes from the fabric, batting and thread you choose to use. Let’s focus on thread. The higher the quality thread, the less lint will be created. It’s that old adage “you get what you pay for”. I like Auriful 100% cotton 50wt thread.

 

I have found this thread has created the least amount of lint compared to other threads I have used. Aurifil is a high quality cotton thread that is manufactured in a way that makes it less lint producing.

Tip #2: I like to keep an array of neutral threads so I can match the shade to the fabric I’m piecing.

This way, if any stitches are visible in the seams, they won’t show as much if the shade is closely matched to your fabric. You wouldn’t want to use a black thread when piecing light fabrics together or white thread when piecing dark or black pieces of fabric together. 

Tip #3: Believe it or not, if your needle is old, it can damage your thread. It can help to create more lint, fray the thread or even break it. So, make sure to have a fresh needle for each project. Needles are not expensive, so keep a good supply on hand.

Tip #4:  Did you know the way the thread is wound onto the spool determines how you should use it on your machine? Most sewing machines these days come with horizontal and vertical spool holders. Certain types of spools are meant to be used on one or the other.  Using the spool on the correct holder allows the thread to unwind as it should.

Cross-wound thread looks like below and should be used on a horizontal spool holder:

This allows the thread to unspool from over the top of the spool pin to keep it unspooling smoothly.

Horizontally wound thread looks like below and is meant to be used on the spool pin vertically.

They can be used on a horizontal spool pin but they perform best on a vertical spool holder so the thread unwinds at a 45 degree angle. This keeps the thread from getting caught in the space between the thread and spool causing tension problems.

Tip #5: Random last tip… snip your thread at a 45 degree angle for easier needle threading! It really works!

So, that’s it for this week. Leave a comment or ask a question below and I will choose someone to win a spool of Aurifil and my pattern, Twinkle Twinkle.

The drawing will be on Monday, February 8th. ***We have a winner! Congrats, Jackie Brooks!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne