No Wavy Borders – Keep It Square

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

You’ve spent extra time squaring the blocks and sewing with a consistent 1/4″ seam, yet the quilt top still ends up with wavy borders.  What is the problem?

By applying the technique in this post, your quilts will have straight sides and be square with no wavy borders.

To achieve a nice square or rectangular top, opposite borders must be the same length.   Often quilters simply measure each side, cut the corresponding length and sew it onto the quilt top assuming that opposite sides are the same length.  Usually opposite sides are not the same length which results in an out out-of-square top.  Why does this happen when you have taken so much care in squaring up the rest of the top?  Any time you cut the fabric, the cut edge is vulnerable to stretching out of shape, especially if it is a bias edge.  Around the outside of the top, all yo have are cut edges making the top vulnerable to slight stretching.  It is important, therefore, to apply the following technique to arrive at the correct dimension for border lengths.

  1. Measure the length of the quilt top in three places; through the center, and about six inches from each side of the quilt top.  Average there three measurements.  Cut two strips for the side borders using the same average of the measurements.  If the border is a little longer or shorter, ease (distribute) the fullness evenly.  Sew the side borders on, press the seam toward the border.  Both sides are now the same length.
  2. Measure across the quilt, including the side borders, in three places; through the center and about twelve inches from the top and bottom edge.  Average the three measurements.  Cut two strips of border the same length using this average measurement.  Again, if the border is a little longer or a little shorter, ease the fullness evenly the length of the border strip.  Sew and press the seam toward the border.  The top and bottom of the quilt are now both the same length.

If you need border strips longer than the the width of the fabric you are cutting, sew two or more strips together with a diagonal seam.  Trim, extra away and press the seam in one direction.  Then cut the length needed for the border.  Although the diagonal seam uses more fabric, I always use a diagonal seam because it seems to be less noticeable on all types of fabric.

By sewing borders on opposite sides that are the same length, easing any fullness, the top will have the same length dimension on both sides and the same width dimension on both top and bottom.  The quilt top will be exactly or pretty close to exactly “square.”

If you are not already using this technique, I hope that you will give it a try.  I am positive that you will be very happy with the results.

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When Disaster Strikes

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

Have you ever had a heart breaking experience by ruining one of your quilt creations?

I recently read a post by Leah Day, creator of last year’s 365 Day free motion challenge, telling her story of how a series of mistakes and one large mistake permanently ruined her beautiful, show winning whole cloth, embellished quilt that took hundreds of hours to make, quilt and embellish.  Read about her Duchess Quilt.

There are two reasons I wanted to share her story with you.  First, we all have made mistakes in our sewing and quilting life.  Some have been recoverable, some, well, we just start all over again.  But, second, she tells the whole story of what finally ruined her prize winning quilt.  I want you all to be aware of her fatal mistake so that you do not make the same mistake.  There are many lessons to learn from her story.  Most importantly, what she learned about herself through these series of mistakes.  Duchess Quilt story.

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Preparing The Quilt for Longarm Quilting

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

Nolting Longarm

If you are considering taking your quilt to a professional longarm quilter, or are new to the world of longarm quilting, here are tips to prepare the quilt for the best quilting results.

  1. Do not baste the top, backing and batting together.
  2. Cut all thread tails and press the top.  Fold and drape over a hanger.
  3. Backing options:
    1. “fat back” – extra wide fabric, often about 93″ wide, 108″ wide, or 122″ wide.  Choose a width that is at least 8″ wider than the quilt top.  Purchase a length that is at least 8″ longer than the quilt top.  Finished backing must be a minimum of 8″ wider and 8″ longer than the quilt top.
    2. If making the backing from regular 42″ wide fabric, it works best to seam the fabric horizontally rather than vertically.  Finished backing must be a minimum of 8″ wider and 8″ longer than the quilt top.
  4. Backing preparation:
    1. washing is recommended
    2. press
    3. square up both ends of the backing making sure the ends are perpendicular to the length of the fabric
    4. fold and drape over a hanger
  5. Batting – purchase batting that is at least 8 inches longer and 8 inches wider than the quilt top.  Fold in half lengthwise and square up one of the ends.  Mark that end with a safety pin.  Note: batting is not necessarily folded lengthwise when packaged.  Measure both directions to make sure.
  6. Binding.  Some professional longarm quilters are willing to sew the binding onto the quilt after it is quilted.  Ask to see if they perform this service.  All that you would need to do is turn the binding to the back and hand stitch.
    1. Cut binding strips 2 1/2″ wide.  Measure the distance around the outside of the quilt top and add about 12 inches for the total length needed
    2. Join the binding strips with diagonal seams.  Trim excess, press seams open
    3. Fold the binding strip in half lengthwise and press wrong sides together.

The quilt charge quoted by your professional quilter usually includes the set up and quilting.  Some quilters include the thread, other professional quilters charge extra for thread, especially when using variegated or specialty thread.  Sewing the binding onto the finished quilt top is additional, but often well worth the cost, especially for large quilts that are hard to manage on the domestic machine.

If the professional quilter has to spend time preparing the top, trimming threads, pressing, squaring up batting and backing, these services may be added to the bill because they take additional time, often an hour or more, which is not included in the quilting charge.

Now that you know how to prepare your top, backing and batting, you can be better prepared for your longarm quilter and probably save yourself some money, too.

 

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Is A Universal Needle Best For Quilting?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

Domestic Machine Needles

After reading this post, you will know more about universal needles and be able to make the best needle choice for your quilting project.

Universal needles came on the market many years ago to take the confusion out of needle selection.  At that time polyester fabrics were big in the market.  Although intended to sew on both woven and knit fabric, these needles are, however, not the ideal needle choice to use universally on all projects.

The universal needle is designed with some of the characteristics a needle needs to sew well on woven fabric and some characteristics to sew well on knit fabric.  While the best needle for woven fabric has a sharp point (Sharps or Microtex), the best needle for knit fabrics has a rounded or ball point (Ballpoint).  The universal needle is designed with a point and shaft design somewhere between a sharp and ball point.  As a result, the universal needle may not work the best on batik fabric which is a tightly woven, high thread count cotton.  I have also found that the universal needle does not work well on some types of knits, especially those that are stretch or with Lycra.

Although universal needles can be used successfully, providing the correct needle size has been chosen for the thread choice, my personal preference is to use a needle with the characteristics needed to sew best on the fabric I am using.  By using a sharp or microtex needle on all woven fabrics and a ballpoint on all types of knit fabric, I know that there will be fewer, if any, problems with stitch quality or tension.   As a result, my needle drawer has a selection of needle types and sizes for sewing on different types of fabrics, using different weights or thicknesses of threads, and for specialty uses such as embroidery and free motion quilting.

Although universal needles could be used for sewing quilt patches together, I have found that I have much better stitch quality and fewer problems using a sharps or microtex needle.  The same is true when quilting on my domestic machine.  I usually use a top stitch needle for quilting with machine quilting thread which is usually thicker than regular sewing thread.  These needles have a sharp point and sew the best through the quilt sandwich.  The larger eye of the top stitch needle carries the thread easily.  Even when free motion quilting I often will use a #14 or top stitch needle for the best results.

Before starting your next quilting project, replace your needle with a new Sharps of Microtex needle designed for sewing on woven fabrics.

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Removing Sticky Residue

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

If you use fusible interfacing, or any of the other fusible materials for applique, embroidery, or other projects, then you probably have had the fusible residue stuck to your flat iron.  I have an easy, inexpensive and reliable method for removing the residue.

I learned this technique many years ago and have used it successfully every time residue has gotten onto or built up on the sole plate of my flat iron.  Use a new dryer sheet (not the foam kind) and wipe it over the bottom of the iron.  I usually turn my flat iron off and let it cool slightly.  While it is still a little warm, I wipe the dryer sheet across the sole plate of the iron.  The sticky residue wipes right off.

  In fact, this technique works well to rejuvenate the flat iron any time making the sole plate slippery again.

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Set Up For Perfect Edge-to-Edge Quilting

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

Are you unhappy with the results of your edge-to-edge quilting or wondered if there is a better way to set up and manage a panto?  After reading this post, you will have a better ideas on how to make your edge to edge designs look great.

Edge to Edge designs, or pantographs, are an easy method used by longarm quilters to make a quilt look very nice creating an all over, usually, repeating pattern.  The continuous line design is printed on a long roll of paper, usually about twelve feet long.  There are many different designs available and designers/vendors can be found on line by searching pantograph designs.

Follow these steps to set up your panto to achieve perfect edge to edge quilting:

  1. Roll the pattern out onto the quilt table with the directional arrows going from the right side to the left side standing at the back of the table.  The pattern sheet should be parallel to the track, but do not make any specific adjustments to the pattern yet.
  2. Load the quilt making sure that the top edge of the quilt is parallel to the take up roll.
  3. Turn the laser light on.
  4. Center the design.  Since most patterns repeat, check the pattern at both sides of the quilt top to balance the design.  Moving the machine head needle to both edges of the quilt top and note where on the pattern the laser is pointing.  Shift the pattern to the right or left to balance the design.  For example, if the design is hearts, shift the pattern until you have either complete hearts or the same portion of the heart on both sides of the top.
  5. Make sure the design is parallel to the top edge of the quilt.   Regardless of the

    Measuring To Make Sure Panto Is Parallel to the Track

    type of wheels on your system, the horizontal tracks are parallel to the quilt rolls and can be used as a point of reference to measure from to make sure your design will be parallel to the quilt top.   Choose one part of the design, like the “v” of the heart, adjust your pattern sheet to make sure the “v”  of all the same hearts is the same distance from your parallel reference point (track).  Do not measure from the edge of the pattern sheet as that may not be perfectly parallel to the design.

  6. After balancing the design right to left and rechecking the pattern distance from the back track, secure the pattern to the table in some way so that it does not move.  Painters tape works well.
  7. Place the clear plastic panto cover over the panto pattern.  Mark the sides of the quilt top on the panto cover using a dry erase marker.  Line up the needle with the edge of the quilt top, where the laser points, draw a vertical line on the panto cover.

Tip:  If you need to stop midway across the row, to save confusion when restarting, I mark an arrow at my stopping point to indicate which direction I will be going when I resume quilting.

Your pattern is now centered and parallel to the quilt and will sew evenly across the quilt.  You are now ready to start quilting.

A future post will give an easy method for the first and last rows quilted using a panto.

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It Took How Long To Find That Fabric?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

We think that we have it so hard sometimes when we have to look in several quilt shops to find just the right fabric for our project.  Of course shopping in many quilt shops does have its benefits as we usually can find something we can’t live without.

Our colonial fore-mothers, however, found fabric very scarce and often re-used pieces of fabrics.  And, because there were no textile mills in the colonies during the 1600′s – 1700′s, imported fabrics were very expensive.  The colonial women often had to resort to making their own linen fabric, not an easy task.  I did not realize just how much time and effort it took until I recently read the following from an article from The Museum of American Folk Art.

To turn flax into linen took sixteen months from planting to finished fabric: sowing, weeding, pulling up the ripened stalks, de-seeding, drying, retting (or rotting) them with a five day water treatment; cleaning still again, re-drying, and beating several times to remove the woody center . . . then carded with a heavy comb called a hetchel, and recarded several times to refine it into fibers fine enough for spinning into thread for weaving.  Wound into skeins, the thread was bleached in ashes and water for a week, rinsed, washed, dried, and rewound onto bobbins and shuttles.  The final fabric itself had to be bleached for weeks in the sun before it was cut, sewed, or embroidered.

Wool processing wasn’t any easier, although it wasn’t always necessary to raise the sheep themselves; fleece could sometimes be bought through trade.  After shearing it was cleaned of burrs and twigs, washed and dried, and then carded: the wool was rubbed with melted swine’s grease, then pulled through the fine wire teeth of carding combs, sometimes dyed at that point, sometimes spun first, wound into skeins, and then dyed.

After all of this effort, of course, the fibers had to be spun into thread and then using a loom, woven into the fabric.

We are so fortunate today not to have to go through all of this to have fabric to cut up into little pieces and sew back together again into quilts.  No wonder there are very few quilts in existence today from this time period.   Every piece of fabric had a purpose in clothing needed for survival and just plain living.   Every scrap of fabric was valuable.  Little scraps were saved for new items and any fabric with any life left in it was set aside to be reused again.

Next time you are on a hunt for that perfect fabric, just remember how blessed we are today to have fabric so readily accessible.  And just think, if we had to pay for fabric in today’s wages for all of those many hours of hand labor to create the fabric in colonial times, what would our fabric cost?  It is hard to calculate, but we would probably have to take out a loan just to purchase a yard of fabric.  We can thank our industrious forefathers, inventors, and the industrial revolution that we have access today to relatively inexpensive (by comparison) fabric.

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Four Health Reasons To Quilt

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

Do you need a REAL reason to justify your quilting addiction to your family and friends? Guess what? There is scientific evidence that what we do in our quilting endeavors not only brings us a personal sense of satisfaction, but it is good for our health, too.

After reading “Want To Be Happier?” by Catherine Newman, Ladies’ Home Journal, July 2011, I am happy to report that the creative force at work in us when we are working on our quilts has a number of health benefits.

  1. Your brain is flooded with dopamine and seratonin (happy brain chemicals) when you are doing meaningful work with your hands. Kelly Lambert, Ph.D., neuroscience, Rahdoolph-Macon College.
  2. Stress levels decrease.  Not only does quilting “cultivate mindfulness,” but when physically quilting, either by hand or concentrating on the repetition of machine quilting, it creates a ‘cognitive distractor,’ which will distract you from stress. You “feel a sense of accomplishment that increases your ‘reward chemicals’ and decreases the chemicals related to stress or anxiety.” Dr. Lambert.
  3. There is a drop in heart rate, blood pressure and perspiration.  Data from a 1995 study by Robert H. Reiner, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, published in Journal of the American Medical Association, of women who sew showed these physiological changes.  I think quilting would rank right up there with sewing.
  4. Quilting calms the brain.  Marie Pasinski, M.D., Harvard neurologist commented that, “Any type of repetitive motor activity can calm the brain.”  I would call quilting a repetitive motor activity.

Think about the types of activities we are engaged in when making a quilt.  From the start of the project until the quilt is complete, we are using our hands cutting, matching patches, sewing, squaring up, more sewing, and quilting.  These are all mindful activities.  The activities are often repetitive as we sew the same two patches together over and over.  With each part of the quilt completed – blocks, strips of blocks, and borders, we are driven on by the meaningful nature of what we are doing and feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Quilting certainly can be counted as an activity that generally promotes good health. We all can use those happy brain chemicals to help us feel good.  Except for those occasions when our machine tension is out of whack or we have sewn the same two patches together wrong for the third time, participating in an activity that reduces our stress level is certainly a good thing.  And, since having a healthier heart rate and lower blood pressure promotes a longer live – well, just that much more time to make more quilts!

I am not sure if swiping your credit or debit card at your quilt shop counts as “meaningful work with your hands,” or if it raises the heart rate in anticipation of a new quilt project.  Either way, it is a necessary part of making provision of fabric for us to enjoy the other health benefits from quilting.

So, next time someone questions you about all that time and energy that goes into quilting, just let them know that you are on a health kick and the research validates that the quilting activities you do promote good health.

Happy Quilting!

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Thread #, wt. or Tex – What Does It Mean?

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

What do those thread numbers on the end of the spool or cone mean and why should I care?  After reading this post, you will understand the different ways thread is numbered and how to choose the best thread for your project.

There are at least five different methods of measuring thread that provide information on the thickness of the thread and possibly its construction.

Wt. after a number refers to the weight of the thread.  The smaller the weight number, the heavier or thicker the thread.  A 30 wt. would be a heavier or thicker thread than a 50 wt. thread.

A # before the number is the Number Standard, a system developed in Japan known as the Gunze Count system.   As with weight (wt.), a smaller number also indicates a heavier thread.  Therefore, a #50 thread would be a heavier, thicker thread than a #70 thread.

Also commonly seen are two numbers, such as 50/3, which is the composition standard system.  The 50 in the same as a #50 thread and has 3 plies twisted together.  Although this system was originally developed for cotton thread, it has been adopted for plied polyester threads.

Two other methods of measuring thread are Denier and Tex which measure the actual weight in units of Denier or Tex of a standard length of thread.  With both of these systems the higher the number, the heavier the thread.  For example a 120 Tex would be a thicker thread than a 70 Tex thread because the standard length of the 120 Tex thread weighs more than the same length of a 70 Tex thread.

On the thread rack it will be common to see different brands or types of thread using any one of these measuring systems.  You will find #50 thread, 50 wt. thread, 50/3 thread, or even Tex 50.  Do not compare one 50 thread of one measuring system to another 50 in another measuring system.  They are not the same size or thickness.  When comparing threads it is important to compare using the same standard of measurement, such as wt. with wt., or # with #.

Understanding these numbering systems will help you choose the thickness you want for the type of project you are working on – sewing, embroidery, or quilting.  Remember, that the thicker the thread, the larger the machine needle you will need.  The eye of the needle and the groove to carry the thread increase as the size of the needle increases.  A #12 needle is smaller than a #14 or #16.  Use a #12 for thinner thread and a #16 for very thick thread.  On a longarm, use a #20 for thicker thread and a #18 for thinner thread.  (The reason is the high speed sewing)  Using the wrong needle size can result in skipped stitches and poor stitch quality.

Tips for thread choice:

  1. Decide what relative thickness you want for your thread based on the project.
  2. Choose the thread by comparing the numbers only in the same system.
  3. Based on the thickness of the thread, determine the needle size.
(some thread information courtesy of Superior Threads)

 

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Make Thread Tension Adjustments With Confidence

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Joyce Blowers

After reading this post, you will know how to adjust your tension to achieve a balanced stitch on any kind of sewing or quilting machine.

We have been spoiled by sewing on our domestic machines which often include such features as thread sensors, scissors, all kinds of stitches, and an automatic tension adjustment.  These machines are factory designed and adjusted for sewing on two layers of fabric with regular thread.  When more than two layers are used, as in a quilt sandwich, we are changing the parameters that the machine was designed for.  As a result, the tension may become unbalanced causing the stitches to not form correctly.

Correct Tension

What is a balanced stitch?  Stitches are balanced when the top thread and the bobbin thread knot together either between the two pieces of fabric or in the batting of a quilt sandwich.  When the stitch is not balanced railroading can happen.  Railroading is when the top or bottom thread become more prominent and lay on top of the fabric.

Often owners of domestic sewing machines are afraid to touch the tension dial for fear of “messing something up.”  Longarm quilters look at the tension dial and panic because it does not have any numbers on it.  In fact, learning how to adjust the mechanical tension on a longarm may be the biggest learning curve faced by a new longarm quilter.

Regardless of the type of machine, thread tension adjustments are made in the same way.   If the thread has railroaded on the top or there are loops of the bobbin thread showing, the top thread tension is too tight.  The top tension must be decreased by turning the dial to a lower number, or counter clockwise if there are no numbers.

If you find the thread railroaded on the bottom or loops of top thread showing on the bottom, either the bobbin tension is too tight or the top thread tension is too loose. This could be corrected by either decreasing the bobbin tension or increasing the top tension.  Since it is a little more difficult to change the bobbin tension, the preferred method is to increase the top tension by turning the dial to a higher number, or clockwise if there are no numbers on the dial.

Do not be afraid to adjust the top thread tension if the stitch is not balanced.  An unbalanced stitch is not only unsightly, it has no strength and will pull out easily.  So, it is important to make tension adjustments.  Always test you sewing and quilting on a practice piece of similar fabric or similar quilt sandwich using the same thread top and bobbin that you will be sewing or quilting with.  If you discover an unbalanced stitch, make adjustments and test again until the stitch is balanced.

Whether sewing or quilting, on a domestic machine or a longarm, always check your tension and do not be afraid to make the necessary adjustment to achieve a balanced tension.  Think about which side you are seeing the thread laying on the surface or loops are showing.  That is the too tight side.  Make your tension adjustments and test again.  You will be glad you took the time because your project will look the best with a balanced tension.

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