Electric Quilt Software

Did you know that your Electric Quilt software is one of the best tools for creating and planning your quilts?

Need ideas for a quilt?

Want to see how much fabric to buy?

Do you need templates?

Have trouble with rotary cutting instructions?

Paper Piecing is easy when you can print your blocks right onto the foundation
Wonder if the colors look good together? Print out just the colors or use the fabric libraries. You can even scan in your own fabrics if you like. Still need more fabric? Download fabric libraries from their website.

Not sure how many blocks to make?

How about drawing or designing your own blocks?

What about borders?

Want to test out quilting designs?

Electric Quilt can answer these questions and so many more. Take a look at their software you won't be disappointed. (you may however never make a quilt as you could spend hours having fun with this design software)

Curved piecing

Curved piecing can scare most of us away. I know it scares me! But this video from Penny will have you wanting to try this technique and maybe even enjoy doing curved piecing.

The one tip I have for you is regarding the sewing over the pins. I know that some of you do this and Penny even tells you in the video that she does, I would strongly advise against this. Sewing over pins can break needles that we all know, but it can also throw off the timing in your sewing machine which can lead to expensive repair bills!

So do what you will with her advice, me personally I like the way she pins this block, but once under the presser foot I would remove pins as I go along.

Curved piecing shouldn't scare you anymore after you learn the secrets to pinning!

Cutting bias binding

When you need to get a little extra stretch in your binding you have to cut it on the bias right? Yes most of us know this is true.

And for those of you who are new to quilting and who are not sure what we are referring to when we talk about the bias:
The bias is the stretchy part of the fabric Fabric has a straight grain (length of the fabric, cut end to cut end), and a cross grain (width of fabric selvage to selvage) which are at a 45 degree angle from each other. The bias runs diagonally across the fabric. And will have the most give making it perfect for curved binding edges.

The straight grain is the most stable part of the fabric. When you need some give in your fabric cut it on the diagonal, or bias and you will be able to ease it around curved or scalloped edges much easier.

But how many bias strips of fabric can I cut from one square?

Here is a great article that answers the very question. Take a look at "Sew What's New" this is just one of the many useful articles I have found there. If it has to do with sewing you are sure to find answers on this website. You may even find some new groups or friends there as well. Sew What's New is a free social network, of members who are passionate about sewing. Take a look and see for your self. (At least read the article on bias binding)

Happy Quilting my friends.
Chris

p.s. did you know that Quilting Weekly runs live quilting chats on the 2nd and 4th weeks of the month in 5 different time zones? Check out the details in their forum.

Measure your quilt top the right way!

When measuring your quilt top for adding borders or binding it there is a right and a wrong way to do it.

Watch this short video and see the correct way to measure. (The video is for binding, but this also applies to borders).

Quilting Machines, what do I need?

If you are new to quilting and are wondering what type of machine you need to get started you may want to have a look at my article at Online Quilting. It breaks this down into 3 simple categories and may just help you decide what is best for your situation.

Quilting Machines Covers everything from Domestic quilting machines to Long Arm machines. You will learn about the benefits and disadvantages of the different types of machines out there. This is a must read if you are a new quilter, or considering upgrading.

Hope you enjoy it! Your comments here will let me know for sure so don't forget to come back and leave them. Or better still subscribe to my feed and don't ever miss out on all my quilting lessons online!

Quick quilted gift ideas

Need some quick quilted gift ideas for the holidays? Well who says you have to make a whole quilt for everyone? I mean that would be nice, but if you are like me you wait till the last minute and then panic! So I thought I would take some of your panic away by giving you some quick quilted gift ideas that won't break your budget. Budget of time or materials!

Here are just 20 ideas to get you started. Oh and if you need more ideas, or some help with patterns. Check out The UFO-Orphanage Quilters gift page.

1. Pot holders – Made in holiday fabrics, or just use up your old orphan blocks


2. Table runners


3. Place mats


4. Aprons – Use up novelty prints, or holiday fabrics


5. Tote bags – There are many free patterns on the web for simple patterns. Just does a search “free tote bag patterns”


6. Grocery Bags – Similar to the tote bags, but may be similar to make as they don’t need pockets


7. Insulated lunch bags


8. Oven mitts


9. Napkins – In novelty prints or holiday prints. If you have a Serger it is even easier!


10. Pillow toppers – These are similar to a table runner but are meant to dress up the bed and fit over your pillows only.


11. Towels – If you have an embroidery machine, these are fun and simple. For those without embroidery you can do simple appliqué designs by fussy cutting designs from fabric and attach using your favorite appliqué method. Or simply buy decorative ribbons and attach them.


12. Basket liners


13. Casserole covers


14. Cell phone holders


15. Glass cases


16. Sewing kits


17. Thread catchers


18. Pin cushions


19. Pillows – Try out some photo transfer /printing techniques


20. Wine bottle holders - You know the ones that gift wrap a bottle of wine to take to a party.

If you need more help with patterns that were not found on the UFO-Orphanage Quilters gift page, just do a search for "free ____ patterns" (fill in the blank line with the pattern you're looking for) Example: "free pin cushion patterns" If you use the quotes around your search it will narrow your search and get more specific. Without the quotes, you will get searches for free, pin, cushion, & patterns. Does that make sense?

Oh by the way this was a tip I sent to my mailing list this week, if you want to get in on all my great tips don't forget to sign up for my mailing list at the top of this page.

Happy Sewing!
Chris

How wide should sashing be?

Quilting Weekly’s HOT TIP OF THE WEEK!

How wide should my sashing strips be?

This is a question that many students have asked me over the years and I thought I would shed some light on this subject for all of you.

Sashing strips are used in quilts for more reasons than just to enlarge a quilt. Sashing can be a crucial part of the design and should get some serious attention. Using sashing strips with or without corner stones, will make plain blocks take center stage, while busy blocks find a place to rest. But be careful on how large those strips get. Because sashing strips that are cut too large can over power the quilt block and the block may get totally lost.

Follow this simple rule and your sashing compliments the blocks, instead of competing with them.

A good rule of thumb states that maximum sashing width should not be more than ¼ of the finished width of you block. Example: A 12 inch finished block should not have sashing larger than 3 inches.

What about a narrow sashing strip? How small can I go?

Minimum width is more flexible. It all depends on the look you’re going for. Using our 12 inch block again for our example, you can use a framing strip of say 1 or 2 inches wide, or go for a really narrow one. A leaded glass effect can go as small as a ¼ inch. Just be certain the overall result is in proportion and is balanced.

By the way if you would like tips like these sent directly to your mailbox, leave me comment here with your e-mail and I will add you to my list! Better yet, head over to Quilting weekly and join us in our forum where we discuss things like this and more! (This site is free so go ahead and join)

Until next week, happy quilting my friends!
Chris

Don't Slip Get a Grip!

Quilting rulers and rotary cutters are the best invention to ever hit the quilting world, wouldn’t you agree? But many of us still have issues using these tools. This tip is not on how to use a rotary cutter and ruler, but more about ways to prevent errors and injuries.

First of all errors can lead to wasted fabric, which leads to wasted money. And let’s face it in today’s economy we can not afford to waste. Secondly slips can send you to the hospital for stitches which not only is painful but costly as well. Follow these simple steps to avoiding injury, maintain control and insure accuracy.

Keep your ruler from slipping by adding rubber dots (sold at quilt stores and fabric shops near the rulers), felt pads (like you use for furniture) or small dots of sand paper to the bottom corners of the ruler. Another method would be to use the ClearGrip or Invisigrip like discussed on this quilters review page.

Protect your hands, and keep them out of harms way buy wear protective gloves. Like the Fons & Porter Klutz gloves.

When cutting lot’s of the same size piece or strip, mark the bottom of the ruler with Omigrid glow tape. Like seen here on Fabric Depot. This gives you a clear visual on the size and if you put more than one layer of tape on the ruler, you will create a ridge that helps line up the ruler with the edge of the fabric.

If your rotary cutter blade does not retract automatically, get in the habit of closing it after each and every cut! If you drop the cutter on a toe………or finger…………….need I say more?

I hope this helps keep you safe and accurate as you cut your next quilt.

As always happy quilting to you!
Chris

3 more hot quilting tips for you!

Tip 1 - Handling the thread tails when satin stitching

Here is an easy way to handle the thread tails when machine satin stitching your appliqué pieces down. Insert the needle into the fabric and using your fly wheel (needle up button if you have one), grab the top thread and the bobbin thread should come to the top. Now lay the thread tail next to the appliqué piece and satin stitch over the thread tail. After several stitches the tail should be secured, you can then cut the tail and it will be completely hidden!


Tip 2 - Keep your quilting even over the entire quilt

Keep it even whenever you quilt. By this I mean your quilting in any given area of a quilt should be the same as any other area. If you quilt heavily on your blocks, then all your blocks should be quilted heavily. And remember to keep your borders quilted using the same density as you did the center of your quilt. When areas of a quilt are unevenly quilted, the less quilted parts tend to ripple and bulge.

Tip 3- Finding paper for creating your quilt designs

Don’t limit yourself to your quilt shops when looking for paper to design your quilts with. Try the grocery store for waxed paper, freezer paper or even shelf paper. If you can get you hands on some of that paper the doctor uses on the exam tables that would be a real treat. Ask the next time your at the doctors office you never know. Art supply stores are great for getting larger tablets of tracing paper. The other paper that works well is newsprint which can be obtained from your local newspaper. Just ask for the ends of the rolls. They tend to throw these out anyway if they are too small. (but may not be too small for quilt projects!)

Help!! fabric scraps are taking over!!!!

Are your scraps taking over the sewing room?

I know mine are! As a long time sewer, and quilter I find it hard to part with my fabric scraps. I mean I save everything from small to large, from strips to squares, and even blocks that did not make it to a quilt. Help! If I don't do something soon I feel that the scraps will take over the room.

Does this sound familiar? I know you are not alone here. After all you paid good money for that fabric, so why would you want to throw it away, right? But now that you have this overwhelming stash of scraps what do you do with them?

Here are some suggestions to help you take charge of your scraps. First of all you need to take the time to go through them. Sort your scraps into piles.

1. Sort by color


2. Then sort each color into piles by size.


3. One pile will be all pieces smaller than a 2 inch square. And here is the hard part....throw these away! Unless you do miniature quilts then you are allowed to keep them.


4. One pile will be for all the largest pieces of fabric


5. Then the third pile will be for strips that are more than 2 inches wide and long enough for use in either bindings or strip quilts.


6. Now you are down to the odd pieces. I suggest keeping only the pieces that can be cut into squares. Nothing smaller than 4 inches.

That's it! Your almost done. Take your large pieces and fold neatly by color, put them in a clear tub so you can see them. Mark your tub "Large Scraps"

Next take the strips and put them in a container too and mark then "Strips"

For the odd pieces I suggest selecting a size square you use often. And you could do several sizes depending on your scraps and your quilting preference. I find that 5.5 inches are a good size to work with and make the best use of my scrap piles. Sometimes I will cut smaller ones if I like the fabrics and can not get 5.5 inches from the scraps. Now put the newly cut squares into a container by color. (This is the best part) because you will now have precut squares all looking pretty in the box, and no more messy scrap piles.

Now that you have the hard part done..........reward yourself by making a quick quilt from all those lovely pre-cut squares!

One last thing, if you are the ambitious type, you can cut up your box of larger pieces of fabric into squares of a larger size too!

Now don't let your fabric scraps just sit looking messy, do something with them so that they find their way into a lovely quilt.

For ideas on making scrap quilts try these sites.
Scrap Quilts
Quiltville
Scrap Saver Patterns
UFO-rphanage for Quilters, Scrap Quilts
Happy and Scrappy this is a quilt class for making a scrap quilt. But the cool part is the class is done all online! And the best part is the class only costs $21.50 for a full 2 months subscription. That's 8 weeks to work with the lessons, download and print them out to work at your own pace. Not bad!

A tip on Scissors

Here is another one of my hot quilting tips for you!

This week’s tip is a simple one, but one that new quilters (and some of the veterans as well) should remember to do.

Scissors are a tool we can not be without

Your scissors are one the most important tool and one you can not afford to be without. So why do we have dull scissors in our sewing rooms? I know you may have one or two pair that is in fairly good condition but do you ever get them sharpened? And what can cause them to get so dull in the first place?

Let me address the question of how they get dull in the first place. Just like a good knife if we use it improperly it can ruin the edge. The same thing applies to scissors. The one thing that will dull your scissors quickly is cutting paper or plastic! If you need to cut paper patterns or plastic templates then what? You might be asking. The answer is simple; you need to have a pair of scissors for each task in your sewing room. Then label them for their intended purpose. Label 1 for paper, 1 for plastic and 1 for fabric. (Make sure if there are any scissor stealer's in the house that they know not to use the fabric scissors on anything but fabric!)

If you are buying scissors for the paper or plastic cutting buy the cheaper ones and replace as needed. Save your money and buy a good pair for your fabric. Fiskars makes some nice ones with spring loaded and cushioned handles. Ginger makes some of the best (also pricier scissors) on the market. They are well worth the money.

I am sure there are other brands available and I am not endorsing one brand over the other, these are just my opinions based on personal experiences. If you plan to buy scissors ask questions at your local fabric/quilt shops and see what they recommend.

As for keeping them sharp…………….well nothing lasts for ever so take them to a knife sharpener and get them sharpened. Many of the fabric shops have regular days when someone will be in to do sharpening so ask at your favorite shop. When should you get them sharpened? Your sewing machine needs a regular cleaning at least once a year right? Why not get your scissors sharpened around the same time? You can’t sew while your machine is being cleaned, so you won’t miss your scissors either!

Just remember your sewing is only as good as the tools you use! Buy the best you can afford, and keep them in top working order. Your sewing experiences will be much more enjoyable if you do.

Another helpful quilting tip

Sewing your quilt together involves many steps. Cutting, pressing, and sewing. Have any errors in these steps can cause you frustration when assembling the final product. One sure way to prevent problems is to double check your work along the way. Here are some places to keep checking as you work.

Cutting

1. When you fold your fabric for long strips, feel the fold line to be sure there are no spaces or gaps. If there are, you will have a wavy strip. Unfold the fabric and press it. Then refold the fabric and check again. Make your first cut to get a clean edge. Now cut your first strip. Unfold it and see if it is straight. It is important to check every few strips to see if you have any waves. Sometimes you need to re-fold the fabric and re-do the clean cut again. As the fabric can slip,or your fold can shift causing a crooked strip.
2. If you have lots of strips to cut the same size, put a piece of tape on the ruler to mark you line for cutting. Trust me this helps!

Sewing

1. When sewing strips it is important to keep your eyes focused on one spot. (I usually look at the point where my fabric meets the foot). If you look away or move your eyes around you tend to move the fabric too causing wobbles or wavy seams. So keep focused on one spot and you will sew straighter lines.
2. Square up your blocks. After joining two fabrics, press, and then double check the measurement. Sometimes you need to trim, or re-sew if it is too small (although minor adjustments can be made with pressing). I find that my quarter inch seams are varied. Some are exact, some are scant, and some tend to be generous. This can lead to uneven blocks as you add more pieces to them. If you sew a seam, press and check the size. If you get in the habit of this your blocks will always fit. And you will eliminate frustrations when you join your rows.
3. Make sure you match your intersections when joining block segments or rows to help keep things lined up. One sure way to do this is place a pin in the seam, making sure it goes directly into the seam on both fabrics. Let this pin hang straight between your fingers, and place a pin on the left and then right side of the first pin as close to the pin as you can. Then remove the first center pin.

Pressing

1. Press to the darker fabric in most cases.
2. Lift and set the iron down, do not slide the iron as this can cause stretching
3. Do not press bias edges until they are sewn to another patch. Especially with steam! They will stretch. If you need to press them for any reason, try finger pressing.

I hope this helps you increase your accuracy with your projects and eliminate some of the frustration in assembling your quilt tops.

Understanding machine needles

Let’s talk about needles. Last week in our forum discussion we learned how often you should change your needles on you sewing machine. If you missed out on the discussion, head over to Quilting Weekly and see what you we talked about. By the way, each week I will be posting a new topic in the general forum to help expand your minds.

But what size needle should I use?

Choose the correct size needle for your project by first matching the thread thickness to the fabric; then to the needle. Size 75/11 is suitable for nearly every part of the quilt making process; piecing machine appliqué and quilting. If aslightly heavier thread is used for quilting, such as 40 weight or metallic, a size 90/14 needle may be used. For a thicker thread, try using a 100/16.

The numbers on the packages what do they mean?

When you look at a package of machine needles you will see two numbers separated by a slash. The number on the left side of the slash is the European size (range of 60 to 120); on the right hand side is the American size (range of 8 to 21).

Did you know?

With machine needles the larger the number the larger the needle
With hand needles the larger the number the smaller the needle

Pick the best needle for the job!

For piecing & binding with cotton fabric and cotton thread
size 75/11 or 80/12

For piecing with flannel
size 90/14

For quilting with monofilament thread
size 60/8, 70/10, 75/11, or 80/12

For machine applique
size 60/8, 70/10, 75/11, or 80/12

For sewing batiks, silk, or fabrics with high count cotton thread
size 70/10

For embellishing with decorative threads
size 80/12 or 90/14

For adding binding and borders
size 75/11 or 80/12

Hope this information helps you make better decisions on what needle to buy or use for your quilting projects!

Quilting tip of the week

I am a little behind on posting my quilting tips, and do apologize to you all. I will try to get you caught up on the tips I have been sending to my members at Quilting Weekly.



This Weeks hot tip is:

I hear people talking about the "Bias" what does that mean?

Here is a definition of bias:

Any diagonal line between the crosswise or lengthwise grain line in woven fabric. The bias grain has more stretch and is less stable than the crosswise or lengthwise grain. True bias: intersects the lengthwise grain and the crosswise grain at a 45 degree angle.

Here are some other "bias" facts for you.

Bias bars: Purchased metal or heat-resistant plastic bars in varying widths that are used to make bias stems.

Bias bindings: Binding strips cut on the true bias (see above) grain, resulting in a binding that can be easily positioned around curved edges. When striped fabrics are cut on the bias, the result is a "barber pole" effect.

Bias seams: When bias edges of fabric are sewn together, a bias seam results. This seam can be easily stretched and distorted and must be handled with care.

Bias stems: Fabric strips cut on the bias grain so that they are flexible enough to bend without wrinkles or puckers when making floral stems or vines for appliqués.

Bias strips: Long, thin pieces of fabric cut on the bias grain.

That is about all I have to say about bias. Since I am behind this week, you will see a few more tips this week so that I can get caught up. I am sure you won't mind more tips...........right?

How a bobbin works

Candace at Crafty Daisies posted up this animated graphic that shows how a bobbin catches thread in sewing machines.





How cool is this!

Extend the life of your rotary cutting blades!

As quilters we all know how beneficial the rotary cutter is to our craft. But if you have been quilting for a long time, then you know it can get quite costly to keep replacing those blades! Well I have a way to help you get twice the mileage out of your blades.

One of the most obvious ways to tell if you need a new blade is when you are cutting and you get little bits of fabric, sometimes as small as a thread or two that did not cut on the first pass with the rotary cutter. This is a sign that you may have a nick in your blade. In most cases it is time to change over to a new blade. But wait there is a solution to this problem........

All you need is a blade sharpener. This article explains pretty well why you need one and how to use it.

Check this page out to see some of the choices and places to buy a sharpener.

I must tell you I personally have one and love it! It really does extend the life of my blades. One last tip for you, once you have sharpened a blade, take a permanent marker and put a dot or X on it so you know the next time it skips or doesn't cut properly you may need to finally through it out. Sharpening can only go so far, eventually you will need to replace the blade.

I have a plastic container or small jar with a lid on it to put the old blades in. Just because they are too dull to cut fabric doesn't mean they won't cut skin! So use caution when replacing or sharpening your blades!

Quilting Basics Explained

Look what I found! A web page that explains all the basics to quilting.... and they have done it so well that I just had to share it with you.

I know that I try to provide you with "free" lessons here, and this is about as good as it gets. The site is called "Sewing Center" Take a look. There are 3 pages of definitions with great pictures and explanations for all the basics to quilting.

Enjoy, and I love finding sites that do all the work for me! I am sometimes too busy to write here on my blog. So taking shortcuts to great sites makes my job a bit easier.

Thank you Sewing Center!

You say you want Quilting FAQ

Quilting FAQ (FAQ stands for frequently asked questions) But then you already knew that.

This is something that every quilter, new and old alike are looking for right? I know there are hundreds of pages out there on the internet today with plenty of helpful tips and tricks for quilting. I could just give you a long link list to go through, and I already started one on a previous post.

Linking to other sites is helpful and a great way to share traffic, but I thought it might be nice to have my own list right here on the site! That way you don't have to leave and go to the other sites only to have to add yet another site to that never ending bookmark list. If you're like me your bookmark list can get pretty long at times.

So for those of you who want to use the bookmark system of existing sites, read my post from January "Do you need quilting tips" and there are some great sites to view. Have fun!

And for the rest of you, I will be creating a list of my own tips over the next few weeks. So watch for my FAQ PAGE coming soon.(oh that means bookmark my site, or better yet subscribe to the rss feed)To subscribe just look for the "subscribe to: Posts atom " link at the end of my posts or use the feed reader buttons on the right side of the screen.

If you have a tip you want to share with me, please use the comments section or send them to my e-mail address which is located on the top and bottom of the site. I love a good tip..............Do you have one?

Do you need quilting tips?

If you are new to quilting there is a lot of great information on the web to help you. But you first have to find the sites that are most helpful. Well I have compiled a list of some of my favorites to help get you started.


Miscellaneous Quilt Tips From Quilters Around The World

Tips and Tricks for Creating Iron-on Transfers - T-Shirt Design

Quilting Help and Information

Victoriana Quilters Free Quilting Techniques

Another 50 Tips for Quilting
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Machine Piecing Instructions

This should keep you busy for a while.