The Basics -- Churn Dash

I just finished my Basics Quilt Class.  Here's one of the squares I learned to construct ...
The square: The Churn Dash

Why it's a Basic: Look closely.  Do you see it?  It's a 9-patch.  The elements are half-square triangles and 2/3s of a rail fence.  

What I learned: This square helped me put it all together.  We've been working hard on those silly little squares and then, bam!, the more advanced "basic" squares put them together.  I didn't like the look of the churn dash, then I put this together.  

What I like about this square: The construction. The fabric.

What I don't like: nada

Would I do anything differently: zip

The Basics: An Easy Guide to Beginning Quiltmaking by Kathy Delaney

Taught by Barbara R. at the Prairie Quilt Shops

Just a reminder, this unfinished quilt was photographed on an ottoman and may not appear square, but it is!

Twisting the Center

I learned a lot from my basics quilting class, but Twisting the Center is my favorite.  It happens when four corners meet in a middle.  It happens during ironing pressing the seams together: one presses the seam to set it then checks the back.

When the seams are properly aligned, they seem to just fall open.  Then, it's apparent which way to press the remaining seams.

Counter-clockwise!

And once they're pressed, it's a perfectly flat square!

Now, when we got to the more difficult blocks, Barb warned that not every square gets twisted in the middle.  Once this skill is conquered, it's sort of addicting.

Oh, and one presses the seams one doesn't iron.  It stretches the fabric and you will get in trouble with the quilting class teacher.    A good teacher knows how to get the point across.  It worked.


The Basics: An Easy Guide to Beginning Quiltmaking by Kathy Delaney

The Basics -- 9-Patch

The square:9 3.5" squares sewn together

Why it's a Basic: This is as basic as it gets... Like the 4-patch, other patches work off of its construction

What I learned:  It takes me a while, but I got much better as cutting fabric. Those seams are lined up! and yes, Virginia, we have 1/4" squares

What I like about this square: Visually, it's one of my favorites (probably it's the blue).  The colors. I love the birdies. The orange fabric was in my stash and I raided it.  

What I don't like:  Not a whole lot.  Probably, I would say I don't like that it took a while to conquer, but really, I like this one.

Would I do anything differently: Nada.  This was a good one.

The Basics: An Easy Guide to Beginning Quiltmaking by Kathy Delaney

Taught by Barbara R. at the Prairie Quilt Shops

Just a reminder, this unfinished quilt was photographed on an ottoman and may not appear square, but it is!

The Basics -- Rail Fence

The square:  Rail Fence

Why it's a Basic:  it's a modified 4-patch:  sew together 3 strips of fabric to create a 5-inch square

What I learned: Whew, this one was hard.  I took those seams apart so many times, I resented this square.  The problem? the 1/4 inch seam.  

What I like about this square:  It's done. I like the idea of it, but this particular Rail Fence was hard -- it's a whirligig of sorts, isn't it?

What I don't like:  took a long time to conquer

Would I do anything differently:  It was an early square and I'm not sure the tree fabric works ... but it has birdies on it, and I love the birdies

The Basics: An Easy Guide to Beginning Quiltmaking by Kathy Delaney

Taught by Barbara R. at the Prairie Quilt Shops

Just a reminder, this unfinished quilt was photographed on an ottoman and may not appear square, but it is!

The Basics -- 4-Patch

The square: The Four-Patch

Why it's a Basic: 4 5-inch squares sewn together

What I learned: my machine doesn't do a 1/4" seam very well. I learned how to adapt to fix that problem. I learned the proper way to press a square. I learned the proper way to match seams. I learned the ironing trick to help the square lay flat.

What I like about this square: I matched that middle seam up without guessing! I remember thinking, this is worth the money the first day!

What I don't like: Not much. Now I think I made poor fabric choices, but this is a learning experience

Would I do anything differently: Nope. It's the most basic of squares, but don't underestimate it's importance.

The Basics: An Easy Guide to Beginning Quiltmaking by Kathy Delaney

Taught by Barbara R. at the Prairie Quilt Shops

Just a reminder, this unfinished quilt was photographed on an ottoman and may not appear square, but it is!

Four Corners -- That Meet in the Middle!

My first square.
The Basics Class.
Prairie Shop Quilts.
those four corners meet in the middle. Already worth the money.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Machine Quilting 101

When I started learning to quilt, I looked at blogs and read lots of books. This helped me decide what I did and didn't like. Project #2 and the yet-to-be completed Project #3 were found online. These sources helped me piece together a quilt top. Blogs helped me learn how to properly make a quilt sandwich and finish my quilt. But I knew enough about my sewing skills that I knew I would need help with the actual quilting of my projects. A local quilt shop, Prairie Shop Quilts, held a Machine Quilting class this weekend led by the very capable Elvia Illig.

Elvira had a list of supplies we were to bring to class, including a prepared quilt sandwich of muslin and batting. I purchased my muslin at a different store and unknowingly, or perhaps ignorantly, purchased 2 yards of very w-i-d-e muslin. 92 inches to be specific. Well, I figured it out and made my 1 yard muslin practice quilt and drew the very specific grid Elvira requested for her class. I used the purple marker that says the ink will vanish in about 48 hours. Here is my work:

Assuming the ink was light sensitive, I folded the muslin up and immediately put it away. (I did this Friday morning for a Saturday class.) Did you guess what I'm about to say? Yep, when I got to the class all my markings were gone. 48 hours? I laugh at the 48 hour time frame, ha! No bother, marking it up was easier the second time around.

During class, Elvira gave us some great hints.

• use thread that matches your fabric
• use monofilament thread when quilting "in the ditch" It's invisible and won't interfere with the fabric.
• If you're having problems with your quilting, do some diagnostics: re-thread your machine and your bobbin; change your needle
• In the middle of your stitching, when it seems like what you're doing is horrible, keep going. There is beauty in abundance.
• To start and end your thread do the "bobbin trick." Pull the bobbin thread up through the batting. Practice this. A lot!
• A fast needle and slow hand movements are the key to machine quilting.

These are the stitches that Elvira demonstrated and we "learned":

• How to use the scary foot (aka walking foot)
• In the Ditch
• How to use the free motion foot (feed dog down)
• How and why to use quilter's gloves. Use them once and you'll know why.
• Meandering. Stippling (Meandering, Jr.), and microstippling (Meandering III)
• Loops, Loops and Stars, Pebbles (small circles), and circles
• Flames, Heartbeat, and Waves (I never did try Waves)
• in the border: Alphabet (l's and e's) and Continuous Leaves in a border
• Tear drops (graded) and Baptist Fan
• and lastly McTavishing

This is my attempt at circles, loops, and pebbles.

Things I learned:

• I thought I knew how to use my machine. I mean. I do know how to use my machine. But machine quilting? All bets are off! If I threaded that machine, I threaded it 25 times. Truly. As I was getting in the groove, the thread was gone. Get in the groove, snap, the thread broke. I was very frustrated. Elvira did what she could to diagnose the problem... re-threaded the bobbin, changed the needle. Snap. it was frustrating. After I got home, I showed Dave my attempt and told him how frustrated I was at the thread continuously breaking. Nonchalantly he said, "change the thread." Says I, "the instructor said the thread was good." As I was practicing in my sewing room, snap goes the thread. At this point, it wouldn't hurt to change the thread... and if I can actually see the thread wouldn't that be good? It worked. The thicker thread stayed in the machine and I learned a little more about how to machine quilt.
• I need an extension table for my machine. The small surface is hindering what I'm able to do. I found a project on e-How to make an extension table. If I continue to quilt, I'll need a new machine. Until that happens, a homemade table will work.
• I need to find the right needle speed for me. And this might change once I get that extension table. A fast needle and slow hand movements are the key. Fast needle and jerky hand movements = jumped stitches. Jumped stitches are bad. Bad. Uniform stitches are good and uniform stitches are formed with slow hands and a fast needle.
• I need to practice. Rome wasn't built in a day. Quilting may or may not be for me. But I won't know unless I practice.
• I should take more classes. It's good for technique.