Tag Archives: machine quilting

The Emperor’s Jewels QAYG Quilt-Along – Block 2

30 Friday Oct 2015

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I’ve decided to try to post a few blocks as quickly as I can so you can get a feel for whether you’d like jump in and join me. Block 1 is a horizontal block. Block 2 is vertical, so bear this in mind when making your fabric choices. Part of block 1 will be in contact with block 2.

So for this block you’ll need a piece of background fabric 12.5″ X 8.5″ and three pieces slightly larger than 3″ square (you’ll see what I mean later) and a further three pieces slightly larger than 1.5″ square. You’ll also need some batting, some background fabric, some freezer paper and 12wt thread. With regards to the backing – the back will be very “patchworky” so I’d use a variety of fabrics.

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Cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than 3″ square and a piece of freezer paper 3″ square. Place the freezer paper on the wrong side of the fabric shiny side up. (This is contrary to most techniques but there is method in my madness. All will be revealed.)

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Fold one seam allowance over onto the freezer paper and carefully iron it. Make sure not to let the iron touch the bare freezer paper.

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The fabric sticks to the freezer paper and stays in place. Do the same with all the other seam allowances.

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Do the same to the other two squares of fabric. Take the background fabric fold it in half so it measures 6.25 X 8.5″ and lightly press the crease. Then open it out and fold one edge into the centre create and lightly press the new crease.

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Repeat the last step with the other end of the fabric, then open it out, fold in half the other way and lightly press the crease. Your fabric should then look like the piece below.

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Take one of your 3″ squares and centre on the background fabric, using the creases as guides as to where the corners should be.

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Use the hot iron to press the square to the background. This will lightly attach the freezer paper to the backround. Gently turn it over and set the freezer paper more securely by pressing the back of the fabric. Do the same with the other two squares, using the other creases to centre the squares. The outer squares should overlap the centre one, as shown

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Applique the outer squares first and then the centre one. Then flip the block over and cut out the black fabric inside the stitching and gently pull out the freezer paper as shown below.

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Next cut out three 1.5″ squares of freezer paper and repeat the earlier process on your smaller squares of fabric and press them onto the middle of the larger squares.

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Applique them and then cut the back away and remove the freezer paper.

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Then sandwich the block as per block 1 and draw a line 1/4″ outside the large squares and quilt with 12 wt thread. Draw a second line and quilt it and then you’re done with block two.

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Second finish for 2014

02 Sunday Mar 2014

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I made a baby quilt using foundation piecing techniques and scraps from my last baby quilt. This because I’m trying to use stash wherever possible. I pieced the back too and used my cloud ruler template to machine quilt it.
Take a look…

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I did buy some fabric in February and I did donate half the value of it in charity – just so you know I’m keeping my promise. 🙂

I also bought some fabric on the first of March because I’m making a quilt for my daughter and didn’t have many of the flowery fabrics needed. I saw this beautiful pattern my Verna Mosquera called Mon Ami and it reminded me of the lovely weekend my daughter and I spent in Paris last year so I decided to make it for her.

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Here are the fabrics I’m possibly using. Some from stash, some new and all have to be washed because it’s an appliqué quilt. 😦

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Oh my! What a long absence.

18 Wednesday Dec 2013

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I’m sorry I’ve been away from the blog for so long but I really did need to take a rest. Anyway to make up for it here are some photos of my recent finishes.

This is a baby quilt I did for a young relative’s new baby. I hope she likes it. I haven’t heard since I sent it.

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These images are from a coverlet I made using McKenna Ryan fabric and quilting with Aurifil 12wt. Click on the pics to get a better view. I’m afraid the photos don’t do it justice it looks MUCH nicer in the fabric so-to-speak. 🙂

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This next photo is of the Camelot quilt which I recently had machine quilted even though the blocks are hand-pieced, so that I could have it ready to give as a wedding present to some young relatives.

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And last but not least Mr Tiggy “hiding” but sprung in the laundry sink. Sigh…

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My ideal sewing machine – manufacturers please take note – :)

11 Saturday May 2013

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If you could have anything you liked in a sewing machine, would it be fancy with lots of bells and whistles or pared down but sturdy? Would it be single purpose e.g. digital embroidery or would it be multi-purpose?

I’ve been thinking about this a great deal recently and here’s what I’d like in my ideal sewing machine:

  1. Three types of stitches – straight, zig-zag and buttonhole.
  2. Clip on feet
  3. Easy needle clamping, no hard to hold, fiddly little screwdrivers
  4. Reverse stitching
  5. Needle up/needle down
  6. Auto threat cutting
  7. Slide in/out plate – no screws!
  8. Easy to load bobbin
  9. Easy bobbin winding
  10. Sews multiple thicknesses of fabrics easily, without jumping – almost industrial strength.
  11. Easy top and bottom thread and presser foot tension adjustments
  12. Automatic buttonhole
  13. Drop down feed dogs for free-motion quilting
  14. LARGE THROAT for quilting – at least 15″
  15. Free-arm and extension table
  16. Hard cover or comes with it’s own “wheelable” storage bag
  17. Good storage for bobbins, feet and all the tools etc.
  18. Under $800
  19. A decent light that actually illuminates what you’re sewing
  20. A 10 year warranty

That’s not too much to ask is it? It probably is but I guess I can dream.

Busy, busy, busy…

23 Saturday Mar 2013

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Ever had one of those weeks! Well I’ve had one of those fortnights! Driving from one end of Sydney to the other several times (2.5 hour round trip each time) plus trying to organise tradespeople. Why is it people don’t do what they say they’ll do when they say they say they’ll do it?? One of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe I fear.

Anyway amidst all this to-ing and fro-ing and hassling and supervising I have managed some constructive sewing.

Oh, before I forget I want to thank you all for being so supportive about my Andalusian tile templates and class. I hope to start working on it soon once I clear the decks of current projects. I really appreciate your support.

Here’s what I’ve accomplished in the last week. First of all I made an English paper-pieced block from a Japanese quilt book. I made four of them and then played around with the layout for sewing them together.

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I also completed an Octagonal Orb block (designed by Elizabeth Hartman) for the Greater Western Sydney Modern Quilt Guild’s quilt. You can find the tutorial for this block here.

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Then I sandwiched the Bed of Roses quilt ready for quilting.
P1050645I’m hoping to stabilise the quilt by stitching along the major seam lines and then I might try to practice some free motion quilting and if it’s good enough then I might let loose on this quilt. Otherwise I might do some big stitch quilting on it.

What sewing plans do you have for the weekend?

 

What to do with quilts – continuing the conversation

03 Thursday Jan 2013

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Thank you all for your thoughtful and interesting comments. I have a small family that already has been given quilts so I can’t really heap more on them, especially as they 13,000miles away and postage costs between of $50 and $85!. I don’t have a huge number myself but I dislike the idea of them sitting in a pile waiting to be used. I make them because I want them to be used.

I also don’t have much available wall space to display them which is why I asked what you do with yours.

Many of you spoke of giving them to charity which is a wonderful idea for machine-made quilts but I don’t think it’s a good idea for hand-made quilts. I have toyed with the idea of selling my quilts to raise funds for research into Juvenile Diabetes and I may still do this. I’m investigating the logistics of doing so.

Anyway, thank you for joining in the conversation. I always enjoy reading your thoughts.

Machine quilters look away!

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

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I gave machine quilting a try on my “manly” quilt but I just didn’t like it so I unpicked it and re-quilted with 12wt cotton big stitch hand quilting. It’s going to take longer but I think I’ll be happier with it and it will look much better.

I took the quilt to the Greater Western Sydney Quilt Guild where Amy of Badskirt re-named it the Chevron Explosion which I think is a much more dynamic name and I intend to use it. She also took a photo of the progress so far.

 

Busy, Busy, Busy…

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

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I’ve been very busy recently. My copywriting business has suddenly become busy again – always good for the bank balance – and I’ve been ploughing on with the Kaffe knitting as well as designing a new quilt and putting it together. What’s more the postie’s been busy too.

Yesterday he brought the last part of my Hancock’s order – three lovely Kaffe threads, gorgeous colours, and a lovely Kaffe shirt stripe. Those threads look too lovely to use.

 

 

 

Then the postie came today with a Snoopy Postal Bag (I’ve never seen one of those before!), and inside were thousands of tiny quilt pins and this fantastic doodah for closing them.

Thank you Sylvia! My dear friend traipsed half of NY state looking for these for me and I’m very grateful.

A New Quilt Design

Here’s a photo of my half completed new quilt design. I’m planning on machine quilting and then embellishing with Sulky Blendables large stitch hand quilting afterwards.

Mr Tiggy “helped” me lay it all out but in the end the room wasn’t big enough for both the quilt and Tiggy so one of them had to go! He wasn’t happy at being evicted from the sewing room as you can see.

Free Motion Quilting

06 Monday Feb 2012

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Do you FMQ? I’ve tried it but haven’t practised enough. You may recall that a while back I took Deborah Louie’s Machine Quilting Classes but I haven’t really done much since then.I have done a few Stitch in the Ditchers and Straight Liners but no FMQ.

I recently found the Craftsy Website and they had a special on and so I purchased their Free Motion Quilting and More Video classes. While the teacher seems a little distracted and could do with putting her thought in order before she films, I have found it reasonably helpful. I’m half way through and I really like the video platform. You can take notes on the page during the video and when you do it stops the video and bookmarks the place so you can revisit it. Very clever!

 

How about some FREE FMQ?

The Quilt Show has offered everyone free access to their FMQ videos for Super Bowl Sunday so here’s the link. These lessons also include instructions for spray basting on a wall. Enjoy!

I’ve Been Scrap-Busting!

19 Thursday Jan 2012

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I thought I’d see how many projects I could make using up scraps. Here’s my first attempt. It’s a Quilted Breakfast in Bed Set – Coffee Plunger Cosy, Egg Cosy and Serviette Ring.