Quilting

By
administrator
on July 2, 2008 8:32 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

3M Corban tape... my daughter and I found we can use this tape as thimbles, it is flexible so give a little more mobility in quilting seems I've seen it in some of the quilting catalogs too of late.

Instead of making the bunch of very small stitches at the beginning, just start with your normal quilting stitch length, leaving a tail. When finished quilting, make the quilter's knot just as in hand quilting, burying the knot and the thread in the batting. Works beautifully and looks ever so much nicer.

Quilters Buzz: Ruberized Backing

By
administrator
on June 25, 2008 4:41 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hey, thanks for the great response about my "Daisy Dew Drop" creation! (Pattern is in the works, give me a week or so!)drop%20rubber%20backing.jpg

More than a few of you have emailed requesting the product used to add a rubber backing to the "Daisy Dew Drop" to make it a floor drop.

Here is a photo of the product called "Rug Backing-Saf-T-Bak".

I have ordered up a bunch.  It retails for about $10. Email me at quiltersbuzz@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing.  And I will ship it off to you.

SEAMS

By
administrator
on June 18, 2008 11:35 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
When pressing the seams in your quilt block, always press the seam flat first, the way it was sewn. This sinks the thread into the fabric and reduces the bulk of the seam. This habit can eliminate the "hanging-up" on the walking foot while machine quilting.

Keeping needles Sharp

By
administrator
on June 12, 2008 10:48 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Keep a bar of non-moisturizing soap on the table next to your quilting chair. When you sit down to quilt, thread about ten needles with thread, stick them all into the soap, and Voila!! You have sharp, threaded needles waiting! When finished with each one, stick the empty needle back into the soap! They remain sharp and rust free for ever so much longer!!

Before washing Fabric

By
administrator
on June 10, 2008 10:27 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Before washing your fabric, trim the corners off the selvage edges at a diagonal. This prevents the cut edge from raveling in the wash, and is a great way to tell at a glance if you've pre-washed that fabric!

Removing Pencil Marks

By
administrator
on June 6, 2008 11:56 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
To remove pencil marks, according to the August issue of Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts, "Quilt Patch Queries" by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly, suggests the following:
"Make a solution that is one part water, three parts rubbing alcohol, and one or two drops of Palmolive or Joy dishwashing liquid. Do not use Dawn -- it may bleach out the fabric. Use a cotton swab to apply and gently scrub with a soft toothbrush. Wipe dry with a cloth. Again, test this before applying to your whole quilt . . . We hope this helps and remember to TEST, TEST, TEST! We also want to let you know that many a priceless, beloved antique quilt still has pencil marks on it."

To restore old blocks/quilts

By
administrator
on June 4, 2008 6:15 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
try the following recipe:
1 Gallon Water
1 Quart Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Soak quilt in mixture then wash in mild detergent. Your colors will return to their original brilliance.

How to Make Star Ways Quilt Pattern

By
administrator
on June 4, 2008 6:04 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)


Create an out-of-this-world appeal in your baby's room with this creative quilt pattern. Download a photo and the patterns for the Star Ways Quilt in this three-page PDF.

To make the Star Ways Quilt Pattern:

  1. From black background with colored dots, cut 24 X 351/2-inch rectangle. Fold along 351/2-inch line. Cut off 45 degree triangle from each corner, making hexagon. Fuse pieces of strip webbing to edges of hexagon. Remove paper. Cut four 7 X 42-inch strips.

  2. From royal blue, cut 28 X 42-inch piece. Cut 4 X 17-inch piece of webbing. Fuse to remaining blue. Trace pattern A 6 times and cut out. Remove paper. Cut four 23/4-inch squares.

  3. Cut and fuse two 10 X 17-inch pieces of webbing side by side to gold. Trim unbounded piece. Remove paper. Fold fabric in half where webbing meets. Cut four 2 X 34-inch strips of gold. Using 45 degree angle marking on ruler, cut and discard triangle from end of double-folded strip. Move ruler over 2 inches along same 45 degree angle marking, and cut 2 diamonds. Continue cutting for 40 diamonds.

  4. Fuse 8 X 17-inch piece of webbing to remaining gold. Place patterns face up and trace 6 of piece A, 4 each of piece B and C, and 2 of piece D. Cut out. Fuse 12 X 17-inch piece of webbing to green. Trace 6 of piece A and 4 of piece E. Cut out and remove all paper. Cut two 23/4-inch strips into four 23/4-inch squares.

  5. Fuse 12 X 17-inch piece of webbing to fuchsia. Trace 6 of piece A, 4 of piece E, and 2 of piece F. Cut out and remove paper. Cut two 2-inch strips, and follow Step 3 to cut 8 diamonds. Cut five 2 X 45-inch strips of binding from royal blue.

    Star Ways Quilt Pattern
    ©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
    Here are pieces D, E, and F of the quilt pattern.
  6. Center 8 gold diamonds on black print hexagon to form star. Pin and fuse. Alternate green and blue squares touching gold edges, and fuse. Using ruler to assure exact lines, place 8 fuchsia diamonds touching points of gold diamonds. Pin and fuse. Center black print hexagon on blue rectangle and pin. Fuse.

  7. Arrange 8 gold diamonds in each corner of blue background to make 4 stars. The inner points of stars almost touch black print hexagon, and outer points are about 1/4 inch from blue background edges. Pin and fuse.

  8. Place motifs on two 7 X 42-inch strips (follow photograph on PDF of Star Ways Quilt Pattern for placement). Each side panel contains 2 green circles, 1 fuchsia circle with gold ring, 1 fuchsia star with gold trail, and 1 small circle of each color. The green circles are 21/2 inches from ends, and other motifs are evenly spaced between. Pin and fuse.

  9. Stitch side panels to blue center. Press seams toward side panels. Trim remaining two 7 X 42-inch strips to exact width of center and sides. Place motifs in order on top and bottom panels. Moons are 11/2 inches from ends. Pin and fuse.

  10. Stitch top and bottom panels to center. Press seams toward panels. Place backing face down and center batting. Place quilt top face up over batting. Pin and hand baste.

  11. With sewing machine on medium zigzag stitch, use gold thread and zigzag around edge of each diamond, starting with center. Change thread to match motif and zigzag around each fused piece.

  12. Stitch together binding strips to make 1 long strip. Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Stitch binding to quilt top, beginning in middle of 1 side and leaving 3 inches of binding free. End stitching 1/4 inch from each corner. Begin next side, and repeat for all sides and corners. End stitching about 6 inches before binding ends meet. Stitch ends of binding, trim excess, and finish stitching binding. Trim batting and backing. Miter corners, turn binding to back, and blind stitch in place. Remove basting.

Quilt Market

By
administrator
on May 26, 2008 10:13 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
School House at 2008 Quilt Market in Portland Teaches the 3 W's - Who, What and When
Gina Halladay May 17, 2008
Know More: Quilt Shows, Alex Anderson, Anna Maria Horner, Heather Bailey, International Quilt Market, Mark Lipinski, Quilt Market, Quilts, School House

The fun begins at Quilt Market...with the School House. A few thousand quilt shop owners went back to "school" today as the International Quilt Market kicked off in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center. The show started Thursday and goes until Sunday. 

Quilt Market is a trade show for quilt shop owners from around the world - they come to preview and place orders for new and exciting fabrics, notions, patterns and more! Quilt Market School House is one small part of the events at the 2008 International Quilt Market ---

The Quilt Market School House was busy teaching the three W's! 

Who's making the goods

What are they making, and

When can we get our hands on it!

At School House, the makers and shakers in the quilt industry get a chance to do a bit of show and tell (and some entertaining, as well) in a 15- to 30-minute "school house" presentation.  It is an opportunity to see, hear, touch and feel.  Most class sizes range from 30 - 100 people and each time slot has 16 concurrent sessions. There were actually over 200 school house presentations today! There is definitely something for everyone.

How to built a Quilt Rack

By
administrator
on April 5, 2008 7:44 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
Tools & Material

Tools

Materials

  • Lumber of your choice sufficient for the  pieces listed in the quilt rack dimensions
  • Wood screws: 8 flat-head wood screws        #6 x 1 1/2"; 4 flathead wood screws             #6 x1"
  • 3/8" wooden pegs
  • Assorted grit sandpaper
  • Finishing materials

Quilt Rack Dimensions

These dimensions may be altered slightly, but keep in mind that drastic alterations may
not work. For example, a quilt rack that is too tall may be top-heavy and likely to topple over.











The quilt rack is made up of eight simple components.

  • 2 stiles-- 1" x 8" x 32" each. (The main vertical uprights that frame the piece.)

  • 4 horizontal cross members-- 1" x 2" x 26" each. (3 at the top as hangers for the quilt and one at the bottom as a brace. The inside measurement from stile to stile is 26")

  • 2 horizontal feet-- 1" x 2" x 10" each. (These are secured to the bottom of the stiles and help stabilize the rack.)Stile designs.

Shaping

Now that the eight pieces are sized, it's time to put the final touches on four of them before assembly.

  • Let's start with the feet. Using your power miter saw or miter box, trim the ends of each            1" x 2" x 10" piece at a 45° angle. The angles slant toward each other at the top of each foot.

  • Choose the particular cut you want for the top of the stiles. You can use a rounded-top cut, which will require a band saw, jigsaw or scroll saw, or select a simple dog-eared cut. For a rounded-top stile, mark the piece for the round cut by locating and marking the width center. Make another mark the same distance from the top. Use a compass to scribe the curve       from the marked center point.

  • For a dog-eared look, determine the center of the top edge of one of the 1" x 8" x 32" stiles. From that center point, measure 1 1/2" out on each side. You now have the middle 3" of the   top edge of the stile. From each side of that 3" mark, use a combination square and pencil      to mark a 45° angle to the long, vertical side of the stile. After you mark and cut one stile,    you  may use it as a pattern for the second. Place the ends of the pieces against a    stationary, vertical surface in order to ensure two equal pieces when cut.

Drilling and Assembling





























Drill holes as indicated in the drawing.
  1. First, use a square and pencil to transfer the center mark at the top of the stiles down about 7" on the outside face parallel with the long edges. Determine the side to face out by choosing the most favorable wood grain.
  2. Make a mark perpendicular to the first mark 6" from the top all the way across the stile to    form an upside-down "T." Make certain that the respective marks are parallel to the top and sides of the stile since the "T" will determine where you will drill the holes for the recessed screws. Drilling diagram.

  3. Measure and mark the spot for each hole, as described below, making a small pencil mark across the respective lines of the "T." The three spots where the lines intersect will mark        the centers of your holes.

    • The first hole, which will hold the screw for the top cross member, will be 2 1/2" from the   top of the stile, centered on the 7" pencil mark.

    • The other two holes will be located 1 1/4" from each outside edge of the stiles,      intersecting the pencil mark running across the piece.

  4. For the bottom cross member, which serves primarily as a brace, determine the center        point of the stile at the bottom and use a light pencil mark to transfer that point 5" up. Then    measure 4" from the bottom, making a small pencil mark across the previous 5" mark.         That will be the spot for your bottom brace.


  5. Exploded view of the quilt rack.
    Once you have marked one of the stiles, lay it down on a flat, smooth surface. The marks you just made are for countersink holes for the screws that will hold the piece together,           so they need to be just 1/4" deep.

  6. Now that the countersink holes are drilled, drill pilot holes for the screws. Use a 1/16"          twist bit to drill through the center of the countersink holes and all the way through the stiles. Exploded view.

  7. After drilling the pilot holes in the stiles, do the same in both ends of each 26" cross       member: Determine the center of each end by marking diagonal lines from corner to          corner. The intersection of the lines will be the center point. Now drill pilot holes        approximately 1/4" deep, using the same 1/16" twist bit used on the stiles.

Assembly

Assembled view of       the quilt rack.
  1. Start with the top cross member. Place a screw in the top recessed hole of one of the stiles and, using a Phillips screwdriver, turn the screw into the pilot hole until the tip begins to emerge on the other side. Now place one of the cross members against the screw tip, align the pilot hole, and turn the screw into the wood. Repeat for the other stile. Continue until you have put all of the cross members, including the bottom brace, in place. Be sure not to overtighten, so that you can adjust the cross members if needed.

  2. After installing the cross members, measure 3" from each end of both "feet." Then measure    up from those points about 3/4" (approximately to the center) of the feet. If everything fits together properly and is correctly adjusted, tighten all screws.Assembled quilt rack.

Finishing Hints


Finish your quilt rack with your favorite finish-- oil, lacquer or polyurethane. Water-based polyurethanes are environmentally friendly, but do require a different finishing technique. Before applying the finish, rub down with a damp cloth. Allow the wood to dry and then sand to        remove the raised grain. Repeat this process several times to reduce the tendency of the water-based finish to raise the grain. (The same technique should also be used before applying water-based stains.)



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