Wrapping your Gifts

I am certain you have spent some time sorting out your fabric stash during your COVID lockdowns.

I hope you didn't throw anything out! You can up-cycle the pieces of fabric you think you won't use in a quilt.

Here is one idea as a wrapping material for a square gift. I used some quilter's cotton but you can use a silk/polyester scarf you never wear! A thin-weight fabric makes better knots. How about a new tea towel? Just fold it up to create a square and proceed.

Start by placing your fabric square, good side facing your table, with points facing North, South, East and West and your box in the centre.

Pick up the East and West points of your fabric and make a double knot. 

Try to keep the "petals" pointing out to the East and West.

Then pick up the North and South fabric points and make a double knot over the other knot leaving the "petals" pointing to the North and South

Doesn't that look great? 

The technique is called Furoshiki. For more ideas check out this link. I've used this to wrap (rectangular) books as well. Looks great

I got these ideas from the Textile Museum's Sustainability Workshops they ran over the last month. They made me remember my work trips to Japan in 1982 and 1984 when I saw Japanese women with their purchases wrapped up so nicely! 

Presents

Do you need any ideas for gifts this season? 

How about a pillow case? It folds up flat, weighs practically nothing making it perfect for mailing. AND it is perfect for any age!!

I've made lots over the years. You can see how it is done by clicking here. Easy for any skill level.

A tip: Use really good quality cotton fabric as this is an item that gets washed lots. I use quilter's cotton from reputable quilt stores.

Another tip: For your first one best stick to non-directional fabric. 

I've made this one for one of my kids...kids! He's in his 30's! Well, technically he is still my kid ;-)

It is to remind him his family members that live all around the world are thinking of him.

Great fabric! Post cards, stamps, fabric with words on it and that perfect highlight band- the air mail stripes.

Try one out!

Tip #13

When using your walking foot to attach the binding strip to a quilt or to sew many layers, it is a good idea to have both legs of the walking foot on the fabric.

Notice in the above image that the foot is in line with the edge of the fabric. So both legs are on the fabric. This will help bring the fabric layers forward in an even way. Only problem is the needle will hit the fabric quite far from the raw edge making your seam allowance abundant! 

There is a simple solution. Leave your foot where it is and move your needle to the right until you have an acceptable seam allowance. (see photo above). 

Many of the newer machines have the option of moving the needle to the right. 

Textile Museum Visit

I took the leap. I went somewhere that wasn't my own house or wasn't my friend's garden! 

An artist friend, Ginette Legaré and I went to a museum. OMG. The Textile Museum of Canada.

It's a small museum. It was perfect. I wore a mask. There was 2 other people in the entire museum because of their preordered tickets and timed entry. We saw them once but technically we didn't pass them as they were sitting down in one of the rooms. I walked to the museum and back. Good exercise!

We went to see Anna Torma's, Permanent Danger. Thirteen large-scale works. 

The gallery blurb says works from 2011...But exhibited was Party with Dionysos which was started in 2008 and finished in 2015. 

It's difficult to say when you start piece, there is much thinking and planning before you actually start and then sometimes the piece gets pushed aside for even a few years before you take it out again to finish it.  

The artist is from Hungary but immigrated to Canada in 1988. She lives in New Brunswick. I have been following her work for more than 15 years now.

My friend said when she and her sister go to see an art exhibit, they select one work they'd like to own. Mine was this one below.

Permanent Danger, 2017
Hand embroidery, reverse appliqué on three layers of linen fabric,
silk thread.

reverse side of Permanent Danger

I love all the embroidery on this piece. I love the back...maybe even more then the front. I'd hang it so you could see both sides. 

Artist Judith Martin often has the backs of her works hung so they are visible and are part of the message. 

Been Busy

 What's in the bags you ask?

TEN finished quilt tops! Ready to be sent to the long arm quilter's.

I'm not big on purchasing fabric on-line but I bit the bullet and went for it. I was so pleased with Sew Sister's website. The colours they show on the website are exactly what you get! I put in another order yesterday for the back fabric of two more finished tops! I'm on FIRE!!

I Love Colour

Funny I love colour yet I am often wearing black! 

Working on more scrap things...this time knitted socks.

These are the two leftover bits I decided to put together.

Who would have thought I'd get such a fabulous fabric!!

They're gorgeous!!

More Half Square Triangles

Half Square Triangles have got to be the most versatile blocks in quilting. Do you agree? There is just so much you can do with them.

I've been sorting out boxes in the basement and found these large blocks (16 inches) mostly done! I added a few stars until the quilt top measured 80 inches square. It didn't take that long because I always have  box of HST's in different sizes and pre-cut squares ready to go. 

Looking good! I do love scrap quilts. There is so much to admire!

I had seen the quilt blocks (MY quilt blocks) on Pintrest ages ago when Pinterest first came out with a caption saying something like, "this is a nice quilt". Thanks but...there was no reference back to my blog or my name anywhere. I was very upset. Maybe that's why it ended up in the basement.

It's complete now and I need to buy some backing fabric. Next step will be dropping at off at the long arm quilters.

Tip #12

#12

Sometimes when trimming half square triangles the ruler slips because of the seam bulk.

Leave your baby finger off the ruler as a stabilizer. I learned this trick in Italy from Annie!!

Make sure your other fingers are "up" on their tips instead of having your palm flat over the ruler. That helps make sure your fingers are inside the cutting line.

You only have to cut yourself once with that super sharp rotary blade... am I right?! OUCH!

Cut while in a standing position. Your weight can lean in over the ruler holding it in place and you get a better sight line to make sure you are cutting accurately.

Tip #11

Here are a few tips for sewing a back for your larger quilts.

Often you have to sew two widths of fabric together to cover the back of a quilt PLUS the extra at the top, bottom and sides. The amount you leave as an overhang depends on how you will be quilting it. Check wth your long arm quilter to see what they prefer. Mine likes about 5 inches extra on all sides.

Below is my diagram to help explain how I do it.

To calculate the amount fo fabric I need, I use 40 inches as my Width of Fabric. With good quality quilters cotton you sometimes find it can be 42 inches. But I calculate using 40inches.

In the diagram below you see my fabrics that will equal 80 inches wide and the length of the quilt plus the extra.

Lay the two pieces good sides facing. I sew the seam on one side with the selvage still on.  I sew about 1 1/2 inches away from the selvage. When it's sewn I cut away the extra leaving a 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam allowance.

I am not a fan of a centre seam on a back fabric although there is nothing wrong with it if you want to leave it so.

If not, you can place the panels good sides facing and sew the other selvage side together in the same way. (see diagram below). Cut away the selvage leaving a seam allowance. You are left with a tube shape.

Using a scissor cut along ONE of the folds. (the fold in the fabric when it comes off the bolt)

When you open up the fabric you will have your seam lines at about the first quarter and the third quarter of the back.

I find doing it this way is less cumbersome and I do have control of the many metres of fabric as I sew.

I like to iron my back seam open so it is less bulky. (another good tip!)

Tip #10

#10

When you quilt by machine it is recommended you lengthen your stitch length. It will make the stitching smooth and will not pull on the layers of fabric and batting.

If your machine is computerized, every time you shut it off it will reset to the standard stitch length (mine is 2.2 mm). When you turn it on again you'll need to reset your stitch length.

I place a post-it note on the machine to remind me to switch the stitch length and remind me of what length I was using.

Scrap quilt. I found a bunch of unexciting triple rail blocks in a box
so I put them together and found  a way to
make them look good! I'm happy I turned  some nothing into something.

Tip #9

#9

Perhaps you've noticed antique quilts in museums with a very visible centre fold line. The eye picks up that middle crease very easily.

The best way to store your quilts is to fold them in thirds avoiding that centre crease.

If you want to be extra cautious, you can roll up a piece of fabric and place it in the fold then fold your quilt over that tubular barrier. That will help avoid a visible crease.

Some collectors like to lay their quilts on a guest bed and have them flat. The quilts are just piled up one over the other. I think that makes them more difficult to access but at least they lay flat. 

Another interesting way is to roll them. I use a pool noodle as my centre support. I use this method for my textile art work.

For the quilts that are in use, I fold them in thirds then roll them into a large cylinder shape. They stand upright in a basket near the couch readily available! Love to see all the colours!!

Tip #8

It is always nice to add a label when you make a quilt.

The label can have any information you like on it.

I usually write the date I finished the quilt. Other options are:

Made by
Made for
City, Country it was made in
Reason it was made
A special message for the recipient
If you name your quilts, you may want to include its title.

You can embroider the information on by hand or my machine.

You can write it out using a fabric marker that will not wash away in the laundry. Available at art supply stores. They come in different point thicknesses.

When writing on fabric, it is a good idea to lay the fabric on a piece of sand paper so it doesn't move and stretch as you write.

More great tips to come.

Tip #7

#7

Consider a label on the back of your quilt.

The label can be an extra block that was sewn into and integrated into the back.

The label can be an appliquéd piece that is attached using the blind stitch after the entire quilt is quilted.

This label is a star block.
It was appliquéd onto the back fabric after the quilt was quilted.
The background fabric of the star block is the same as the back fabric
 making it melt into the back fabric and accentuating its 8 dark blue points.

It can be appliquéd onto the back before quilting, making the quilt stitches go through the label and holding into place forever.

I have also seen labels on the front of quilts! As a diagonal corner piece of fabric in one corner of the quilt.

Remember, it's your quilt. You can do it how you want.

Tip #6

#6

Make sure the binding is "full" when you roll it from the front to the back. You shouldn't feel any space in there. The quilt and batting should fill up the entire space as you roll the binding strip to the back. 

Hope that makes sense. I was on a jury for a quilt show and that was a criteria!

Tip #5

#5

To hide the blind stitches when attaching the binding strip to the back of the quilt, use a thread colour that is the same colour as the binding strip and not the backing fabric.

This rule also applies to appliqué. The thread should be the colour of the piece being appliquéd not the background colour.

Hope these tips are helpful.

Tip #4

#4

If you plan to use up scraps to arrive at the length of your binding strip, you should use pieces that are the same value. Mixing light bits and dark bits can be very distracting when viewing the quilt. It's like a frame for art work. You want your viewers to be looking at the work not the frame.

I used 9 fabrics for this quilt binding.
You can see 5 of them here.

Tip #3

#3

Use a diagonal seam when joining strips to create the length you need for a binding strip. That makes your connection flatter and less bulky. It also makes the join 'disappear'.

Place strips good sides facing. Sew a diagonal line.

Cut off the triangle leaving 1/4 seems allowance.

This is what it look like on the back after ironing.

This is what it looks like on the front after ironing.

Fold the bindings strip in half and iron.
You can barely see the join.
The bulk of the fabric is 'spread out' so the strip lies flat.

Tip #2

#2

A binding strip should be cut at 2 1/2 inches wide. Fold and iron in half, lengthwise, before attaching it to the quilt. Two reasons; 1) the binding is a section of a quilt that over time gets used up so having a double layer of fabric there is a good idea and 2) the folded edge helps you achieve a clean look when you roll it over to the back and blind stitch it to the backing.

  

Tips (tip #1)

I imagine most of you are doing more quilting than usual as we all stay home and isolate.

When I teach, I sprinkle my classes with lots of tips to help my fellow quilters. 

I plan to share these with you on my blog over the next few weeks.

Tip #1

When sewing a binding strip to the quilt, it is best done using the walking foot. That's because of the thickness. Using a walking foot will ensure all layers (top, batting, backing) feed into the machine together.

Fabric Strips

Years ago, I learned a technique invented by Sharyn Craig. Half log cabin block.

I use her 'old' method. I have seen recently she has a new one, like from a few years ago, where she cuts the strips to the sizes needed.

I guess that was her tweak for her first method. When using her first method some of the blocks come out wonky.

I have figure out a way to use her old method and still get a pretty square block so I am sticking with that.

These are not quilts to put into a juried show. Not all the seams coincide. These are the quilts I make to use up all the strips I have. I guess they become memory quilts because I remember the other patchworks I've made using those fabrics.

I love putting all the colours together. I've made several using this method. Love them.

These are blocks I found while reorganizing the shelving in my studio.

They were already made, just sitting in a shoe box. I think I originally wanted to make this one large which is why they were still in the box...waiting for me to make more.

I decided to sew them up to whatever size it gave me. Turns out it's 40" x 50", or 104 cm x 128 cm approximately.

This one will be quilted in a few days. Then the relaxing part of sewing on the binding- one of my favourite steps in quilt making.

Small Squares

I love the look of a scrap quilt. Scrap just means little bits of fabric leftover from other quilt projects or clothes that are used up or grown out of. Bits of memory, I guess.

I have been sewing these little squares together for several years. A few at a time. Today, I got a chance to sew on another chunk.

As I picked off the bits of thread from the quilt-top I got an opportunity to really look at it!

I love it!

Butterflies.

Red birds and invisible birds.

A fox, a chick and a goose.

A few spools of thread, of course.

There is lots to discover...and I didn't even plan it like that.

In this time of isolation, take the time to see the nice things. You might be surprised.