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Machine quilting a
repeated design
Select
a suitable design and then use a copier that can enlarge or reduce to
achieve a size that will fit the blocks, then cut freezer paper into
sheets the size of the block you intend to quilt. (One sheet for each
block) and trace the design onto one sheet of freezer paper, and pile the
sheets up with the traced one on top. Staple the stack together in the
corners. (I cannot imagine that instead of tracing the design that the
Xerox copy could not be put on the top of the stack)
Then
using an unthreaded sewing machine, “sew” through the design following the
pattern on the top sheet. All the sheets will become marked with
the design. Unstaple the sheets and iron a marked freezer sheet (one
with pattern holes) onto the block, shiny side down...be sure it is
centered…( if it is the same size as the block this should not be a
problem)
Now
quilt (with thread of course!) following the holes which show the
pattern…and remove the paper when finished. (Again, I am not entirely
certain that it would matter if instead of tracing the Xerox copy onto the
freezer paper that it could not just be stapled to the top of the pile...)
It
dawned on me that if you have a plastic stencil you like, why not use
that to trace and duplicate? Instead of marking fabric with the stencil
over and over?
Piecing half-square triangles
World-class
quilter Diane Gaudynski has the following tip for piecing half-square
triangles. Press the diagonal seams in the half-square triangle unit open,
and the block or unit they are a part of will be much easier to assemble
and machine quilt than if you press the seam to one side. Diane also
“starches the dickens” out of those units and advises this tip is a key to
making a Feathered Star block come out perfectly.
How to
Finish Quilts
Have
you ever experienced the following symptoms?
Overwhelmed
by unfinished projects.
Can’t
find that fabric or gadget you bought recently.
Surfing
from quilt book to quilt book without really taking it in.
Thinking
“How am I ever going to use up all this fabric?”
Even
when you can quilt, you don’t want to.
If
you are feeling overwhelmed or apathetic about quilting, chances are you
are experiencing too much of a good thing. If you eat a nine-course dinner,
you lose interest by dessert.
Here’s
one solution. Choose a few projects you’d like to finish. Pack the rest of
your fabric, books and notions in boxes and put them out of sight. This
leaves you with a clean, uncluttered workspace. Don’t shop for more fabric
during this detox stage. When you
begin to regain interest, start pulling out your stash in small stages.
Small
is beautiful! Enjoy the little things.
Piecing Accuracy
For piecing
accuracy, world-famous award-winning quilter Diane Gaudynski recommends
using fine cotton thread with an appropriately-sized needle. Diane is
enthusiastic about using #50 Aurifil Egyptian cotton thread, or Superior’s
MasterPiece cotton thread, along with a #70 Microtex Sharp needle. Use a
smaller stitch length than the default setting on your machine when you use
finer thread. When piecing, use a neutral thread color that is no darker
than the lightest color in your fabrics, to prevent stray threads from
showing through. If you are piecing an item such as a bed quilt that will
be used on a regular basis and see heavy use, use three-ply thread.
Diane
Gaudynski also offers the following pressing tip. Spritz a pieced seam on
the wrong side with a bit of starch before you open it up for pressing,
“set” it with your iron, and then open it up and press from the top.
Diane also
highly recommends using a cone thread holder for all your machine sewing
needs. Place the thread holder behind your machine which will allow the
thread to unwind smoothly and freely to the needle. This will help avoid
the thread catching on a burr on the spool, which inevitably leads to
broken thread.
Check out
more tips and tricks from Diane at her web site: www.DianeGaudynski.net.
Secure the Stitch
This tip
comes from our very own Guild member, Holice Turnbow: when stitching a ¼” seam, reduce the
machine stitch length to 1.5 mm for the first and last ¼” of the seam. This will secure the seam without the
need to backstitch or stitch in place to lock the stitch. Thanks, Holice!
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