A week of Quilts - Day 2

On the weekend, Karen challenged me to show off my quilts...3 per day for 5 days.  I thought about this and have decided to show of a different theme of quilts each day.  So, there will be more than 3 quilts each day, but it will be fun.

I apologize ahead of time for any fuzzy pictures.....I am using the camera on my phone.  I want a new camera, but am not sure what to get, so I am holding off.

Today I am sharing my Lone Star quilts.  I really do like making these quilts.  I strip piece them and have found them very enjoyable to make.  I have sewn 3 bed size lone stars.  One went to a friend for their 20th wedding anniversary.  One is very dog chewed (memories of a family pet) and sits on our bed as an under quilt....keeps us warm in the winter.  The third is still under construction.  This is a very large broken star quilt in yellows and blues.  I have finally found the right colour thread for it and as soon as my backing fabric arrives, I'll quilt it.

This little lone star measures 15".  The star is make up of 1" cut strips.  The star measures just over 7" from point to point.  I made this in 2005 and quilted it with WonderFil's Invisafil thread.

Mini Lone Star

I think this is the quilt that started it all.  I call this Whitefish Star.  It measures 33" x 33" and is made up of 1 3/4" wide strips. I stitched this in 2000.  I bought a bundle of Fat Quarters at a Quilt shop in Whitefish Montana. 

Whitefish Star

This is the only quilt I have ever (and ever will) enter into a competition.  The judge's comment was a poor choice of fabric for the backing and to watch my tension.  I used whatever I had for the backing....its a wall hanging! And I quilted this quilt with twin needles.  I don't think the judge understood. I still love it!

quilted with twin needle

   

The rest of the quilts are samples of my Lone Star and Friends pattern.  I created this pattern to teach 3 types of stars, the lone star using 3 fabrics and two other pieced stars. The quilt is easy to sew, but teaches some precision piecing techniques.

Asian Lone Star and Friends

I sent my hubby to the store to get me fabric.  He chose well for this Asian Lone Star and Friends.

 This was my first class sample.  Used fabrics I had in my stash.

Christmas Lone Star and Friends

This Lone Star quilt was made with non traditional Christmas fabrics.  Not sure I like it, but it makes a great class sample.

Am I Blue? Lone Star

When I chose the fabrics for this quilt, I wanted anything but blue!  I didn't do too well choosing fabrics!  But I do love this quilt.  I quilted it with a hologram thread.  The stitching really shines.

Feathered Lone Star

This is the last Lone Star I stitched.  It is a sample for my class and used as the picture for the printed pattern.  I used WonderFil Tutti (50wt cotton) thread to quilt this.  Love it!

A week of quilts - Day 1

The challenge has been received and accepted!  Ack!  What have I got myself into?

Karen Walker, a quilting buddy I met last year at the Handi Quilter Academy in Salt Lake City in Utah challenged me to post 3 quilt pictures a day for a week (5 days).  I then have to challenge someone every day to post their quilt pictures.  

I thought this would be a great blog post.  A way for me to pull out all those quilts I have stacked downstairs and really look at my work and maybe do something with them....like get them out of the basement and onto some of my walls.

I was very disappointed to see the fold creases in these quilts.  I did try pressing and steaming and some of the creases came out, but not all.

Elaine's Windows 15" wide x 35" long

First up....Elaine's Window.  Many, many years ago my Dad started doing stained glass.  He used to work in the aerospace industry working on planes.   He is very particular and found that stained glass was the perfect outlet for him.  He was semi-retired for almost 2 years and started doing more and more stained glass.  A friend from church had found an old window and asked my dad to re-do the leading on it.  Guess what?   Never been done, and now its in my sister's sun room and she loves it!  I was just starting to learn to do stained glass on fabric and took a rubbing of Elaine's window.

The quilt on the right is my first completed attempt using my own hand dyed fabrics.  I love it!  The quilt on the left is the one I used as a class sample for promotion.  I have taught this class using a reverse applique method and the bias tape.  In the class students learn how to make their own bias, which saves a lot of money!

Avril's Window 15" wide x 38" long

Next is Avril's window.  I named it after my niece, Avril who is now 10.  I did most of the reverse applique stitching while she was propped in my arms as a 6 month old.  So I can say the method is pretty easy.

My Rose Garden 27" wide x 23" high

I have always wanted wild roses in my yard.  I live in a pretty part of the country and the Alberta Wild Rose is our province's flower. I stitched this version of my roses.

Spring 40" x 40"

And last up is Spring.  The vision was to create 4 quilts that would be similar, yet different enough to represent the 4 seasons......maybe I'm an eternal optimist and always want it to be spring with all that is promised with new birth, etc.  An interesting note on Spring, this quilt took over 47 meters of 1/4" wide bias tape.  Purchasing that stuff when I was making these quilts was very expensive, so in my classes an important part of the class was teaching students to make their own bias.  Way much cheaper.  I think this quilt took less than 2 meters of black fabric vs. 47 meters of purchased bias.  Very economical.

All of these quilts were made between 2000 and 2007.  I think I need to start with more Stained glass quilting projects.

That's it for day 1 of the quilt challenge.  

half, quarter and split half square triangles

I spent a lovely Friday sewing triangles. I've decided that many of my quilting samples should be a consistent size. So I'm going to spend some time working on samples for classes that are 2 by 3 feet... 24 inches wide and 36 inches long. This is a challenge. I usually just wing it, see whatever size the quilt ends up.

This is a sample for my half square triangle quarter square triangle and split half triangle squares. I just learned the term split-half triangle while doing some Pinterest searching the other day. I never knew what to call those squares made of two quarter triangles and one half triangle. Now I know. Split half triangle square perfect name.

Custom Quilting - February Special

I'm offering a special price for custom quilting for the month of February.


Book your quilt in during February and get 20% off the price of medium density quilting. Price for this is regularly 3¢ per square inch.  Now only 2.4¢ per square inch. 


A quilt that is 60" x 90" would be 5400 square inches.  At 3¢ per square inch the total would be $162.  At 2.4¢ per square inch the new total would be $130.


Give me a call at 403-819-8126 to book your quilt in for quilting.

Allison

2500 feathers

treated myself to Adam Chenevert's 2500 feathers dvd. I've had lots of fun drawing.  

Welcome to 2015

We always start the new year with "where has the time gone"!    Let's not worry about where it's gone...let's just get on with our plans for this year.

During the summer of 2014 I started working part time at WonderFil Specialty Threads.  I was hired to write a monthly newsletter to our retail customers, to our homebased customers and to teachers who use the WonderFil threads.  I have also started writing a weekly/monthly newsletter to our Threaducation Centre supporters.  I have also started writing the CalgaryThreadGirls blog which is our way of keeping everyone up to date on events at the Centre.  AND....I am excited to say that I am looking after the Handi Quilter Training and Rental Studio!  I get to teach and encourage and support long arm quilters.

So, my plans for the coming year?  

to dream about quilting, to think about quilting, to talk about quilting, 

to write about quilting!....and to QUILT!!!!!

As this is my personal quilting blog and the blog I use to promote my longarm quilting business I may post about events at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre and the Handi Quilter Studio on occasion. I expect I'll make a brief comment and attach a link to the Calgary Thread Girls blog.  

I will try to post pictures at least monthly of the quilting projects I have done as well as ideas that I have found interesting and informative.

I'm still available to do custom quilting for you.  Just give me a call.

I am going to re-cap my quilt challenges from last year.  I had a challenge to finish a number of quilts that have been sitting around for quite a while.  My goal was to get them to the next stage.....completed quilt tops, quilted and bound and unfinished quilt tops to the completed stage.

My giant broken star in blues and yellows....Always reminded me of fields of grains and a bright summer sky.  I pulled it out half way through the summer and noticed a diamond that is in the wrong place.  It got folded back up and put away.  I thought I had enough fabric for the backing, but am short.  :(

Arabesque
July 2014, the border is on.  The backing is prepared...just need to load and quilt.   This one is done and on my bed!!!!!   I quilted the dark and light blocks with alternating free hand designs.  I'm very pleased with this quilt.  I will even go so far to say its my favourite.

  

 Asian Stack and Whack.  This I've pulled out a couple of times.  I was trying to decide on whether or not to make more blocks for a bigger quilt, but have decided to add a yellow and blue zinger and a nice wide border of the print fabric.

Aussie Stack n' slash...it's quilted.  I just have to trim and bind.  I'll post more about this quilt with pictures soon. (Completed) We have done much snuggling under this puppy!

 Batik Blazing Star....some strips cut....that's all.   :(   Think I may make this my new year's priority project. The last time I worked on this I was trying to decide on the background.  I don't have enough of any of the fabrics, so it will have to be pieced.  Not gonna shop for anything for this quilt till I get to the backing.   And that's a promise!

  

AHG Mystery.  I've already completed one of these.  But as with many mysteries, fabric choices are always a challenge.  I want to use the big blue circles for lots of quilting. Hanging my head in shame.....not much more done that what's shown here.  

 Blue and White Dresden Plate.   I see a trend developing.  I see another year of challenges coming on!

 Foothills Sampler. The backing is ready to go.  All I have to do is load it and get it done! I will need to look for a fabric for the binding as I made this quilt so long ago and don't have any fabric left.

 2 Quilts to be given away  (Completed)  These were both completed this year and gifted. 

 Gordian Knot.  not done....no more to say.

Double 9 patch (Update....gave the top away to a friend who will finish it for her daughter!)  Can I count that in the completed column?

 Hand Dyed Lone Star not done

 Hand Dyed Pinks  not done

Western Retreat Mystery (completed in May 2014 and put on display at Heritage Park Festival of Quilts.) completed Woot Woot.  Done and is used every day snuggling on the couch.  I was trying my hand at ruler work and am not sure if I like it or not.  I found it very slow and quite a challenge.  May have to try more ruler work.

  

  

 Xs and Os - paper pieced scraps (gave away...see I do check things off one way or another)

This is not the end.  I did get a lot of other projects done.  Some I started from scratch and completed and some I just started.  I think I'll wait a while to start my 2015 list.

Have a great start to your 2015.

Who'd a thunk?....how to get an accurate seam allowance

Spent a lazy afternoon on Sunday.  After a dynamic and rocking service at church in the morning, hubby and I treated ourselves to a lovely pedicure!  He still won't choose any colour and the girls at the nail salon tease him more and more!  We then went home and just vegged in front of the TV.  I had the first season of Hawaii Five-0 on the TV and since I have watched most of the episodes, was not quite paying attention.  My lap top in my lap kept the other part of my brain working.

Here's what I learned yesterday afternoon from Pinterest.

How to sew with an accurate 1/4" seam allowance.  

OK, I've been sewing with a 1/4" seam allowance forever!  I know how to do it right!  I know how to trick my machine and use my favourite, regular sewing machine foot instead of a patchwork foot to sew 1/4" seams.....don't I?

I started looking into this because I am writing the draft for my January WonderFil Newsletter and our focus thread this month is DecoBob.  DecoBob is an 80wt thread that is "perfect for piecing". And apparently you will get a much more accurate 1/4" seam allowance.  Well, before I started spouting, I thought I'd do a little research to add to what I already know about machines and 1/4" seam allowances.

Sewing machines use little metal teeth (feed dogs) to feed the fabric from the front of the machine to the back. As the fabric is fed through, the needle will go up and down through the fabric and make a stitch with thread.  If the feed dogs don't move the fabric, the needle will stitch in one place.

Instead of just one feed dog, there are often 3-7 sets of little metal teeth that work to feed the fabric. Some of these teeth are placed close together and on some machines, further apart.

  

Many 1/4" or patchwork feet are narrower than a normal or standard sewing foot to allow you to feed the fabric against the edge of the foot and get your 1/4" seam allowance.  

   

If the foot you use is narrow as you go over the feed dogs, the fabric won't be fed evenly and some sewers complain of the fabric pulling to one side as they sew.  Can you see that the foot and fabric are not covering the feed dogs completely?  I find that when I sew with a 1/4" foot, my fabric tends to drift to the left and I am always pulling my fabric to the right against the edge of the foot.  I solved this problem by using my open toe or satin stitch sewing foot and moving my needle to a position on the right, closer to the edge of the foot.

   

Many computerized machines will have a needle centre position.  When the machine is turned on, the needle will set itself to be in a centre position.  Use the features on your machine to move the needle closer  to the right edge of the foot.  My centre needle position is at 3.5mm.  The full width of the stitches are 7mm.

I did some testing.  I cut a number of strips of fabric 2" wide.  I sewed 3 strips together with a needle postion of 6mm (what I have always used for my 1/4" seam allowance).  I lined my fabric against the edge of my foot. I pressed these seams very gently to make sure I didn't stretch anything. You will have to look closely, but you can definitely see that the sample sewn with a 6mm needle position does not quite measure 5" (I moved the ruler over 1/2" for more visibility).  The centre strip is just shy of the 1" mark.     

The sample sewn with the 6.5mm needle position, measures much closer to that desired 5" amount. The centre strip is a much more accurate 1".  
   

So, its only a few threads you say.  But imagine a few threads at every seam and suddenly a 6" block with 6 pieces of fabric doesn't measure the desired 6"!  So, going forward, I'm going to sew with a 6.5mm needle position on my machine.

Now the next challenge is sewing a straight line.  One of the Pinterest posts suggested masking tape and another one suggested Post-It Notes.  I think I may prefer the masking tape as a physical guide because it will stay in place longer than the Post-It Notes.  Below are some of the great ideas I found this weekend that set me on the right track.

seam allowance tricks

more seam allowance tricks

even more seam allowance tricks

I challenge everyone to CHECK YOUR 1/4" SEAM ALLOWANCE!