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Should I cut away the backing behind my applique? Sometimes there are quite a few layers.
If you are hand quilting you should definitely cut away the backing to make it easier to get your stitches to be small and even. Otherwise, it is a personal preference. I rarely hand quilt, so I leave the backing to add stability. Machine quilting goes through the layers easily.
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Is it okay to hand quilt with silk thread?
Silk thread is less durable than cotton thread. It is more easily affected by sun and other light. Washing in hot water will shrink silk where it won't affect the cotton fabrics. And it is stronger than cotton and may cut through the fabric over time. However, if you can only achieve the effect you want using silk thread, go ahead if the piece will not see a lot of wear and will be kept away from direct sunlight.
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I've always hand quilted with my thread doubled, but I was told recently that the proper way to hand quilt is with a single thread. Is this true? Doesn't the thread break more easily?
I too hand quilted with my thread doubled at first. I always maintain that a person should do whatever she likes when making a quilt, but most people do hand quilt with a single thread. However, the thread used for quilting is heavier than regular sewing thread, so if you do decide to change make sure to get the proper thread. It comes in many colors and can be 100% cotton or a blend of cotton and polyester.
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My quarter inch seam doesn't appear to be all that accurate. After making several blocks which should have been 6 1/2", they all came out slightly different sizes, and none of them was as large as 6 1/2". What can I do to be more accurate.
1/4" is not the actual measurement for making accurately sized blocks. Some fabric is taken up by the turn of the cloth when making blocks. You need to learn to make a seam that is a few threads less than 1/4", otherwise known as a scant 1/4" seam.
Put your ruler under the needle on your sewing machine. Position it so that the 1/4 inch mark is slightly to the left of the needle, as much as would be taken up by two or three threads. Mark this measurement with a piece of masking tape or adhesive-backed mole skin (used for ill fitting shoes, and available at a drug store). While sewing, guide your fabric along the tape or mole skin to make your scant quarter inch seam.
Always use the same sewing machine when making up blocks for the same project. Always use the same chair too; things look different from a different height - just enough to change the accuracy of your sewing.
Keep practicing, and good luck.
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Is it okay to use silk thread to quilt with?
Silk thread isn't as durable as cotton, so for a quilt that will get a lot of use I would say no. However, if you want to use it in a wall hanging that will hang away from direct sunlight, go ahead. Sometimes the silk look is just what you need to make the finishing touch.
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How can I tell if a fabric is cotton? I had some old fabrics given to me and I can't tell if they are cotton or a mixture.
Take a small piece of the fabric and light it on fire!
If it is cotton it will burn slowly and steadily.
If it is polyester it will burn quickly and leave a plastic residue.
Silk and rayon both burn quickly but don't have the plastic residue. They both have a special feel that you can tell from experience.
Wool burns slowly and smells terrible. You can tell wool from the feel as well.
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Do I have to use flannel for a rag quilt? I have lots of scraps of regular cotton fabric. Can I use that?
YOu can use any fabric for a ragged edge quilt. Some fabrics will fray more than others, such as flannel and homespun. It depends on what you have and what effect you want to get. I think any fabric looks fine in a rag quilt. I'm getting more and more enamoured of this technique. I didn't like the look at first. It's so easy to do, that makes up for everything. No long-arm quilter to pay. No binding, which is an annoying after thought as far as I'm concerned.
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What is the difference between reverse applique and regular applique?
In regular applique the applique piece is sewn to a background piece, with or without turning under the edges.
Reverse applique is when you cut a hole in the background and put the applique piece behind it. The edges of the background piece are turned under and sewn to the applique piece.
Regular applique has the applique piece on top of the background. Reverse applique has the background piece on top of the applique piece.
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I like to hand quilt but I can't use a thimble on my underneath finger. My finger gets very sore. What can I do?
I had the same problem and solved it by quilting only for a little time each day, increasing the time gradually until the skin of my finger became harder and more used to it. Now I can quilt for quite a long time without pain. When it start looking ugly, I pumice it down. Try using Bag Balm or a similar hand cream. Bag balm is available in many quilt shops.
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Many quilt magazines come with patterns attached to the middle of the magazine. I have cut out pattern pieces and lost them; how can I make sure the pattern pieces stay with the magazine they belong with?
You can staple a large envelope or plastic bag to the inside cover of the magazine and store the pattern pieces in there. Or you can get a zip-lock bag large enough to fit the whole magazine in and store the magazine and pattern pieces in that. Another suggestion is to not take the pattern pieces out of the magazine but trace them onto paper or freezer paper and use that instead.
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How far apart should I baste my quilt?
Baste every four inches or the width of your hand.
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Which will last longer, polyester or cotton batting?
Of course, there are no really ancient polyester battings around so it's hard to do an actual comparison. However, 200 or older quilts are fairly common in museums and privately owned. These were filled with cotton or wool batting. For a really long lasting quilt I would choose cotton.
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Sometimes the borders of my quilts don't lay flat. What can I do to avoid this?
Never sew a border onto a quilt without measuring and cutting to size. Measure the side of the quilt that the border goes onto, the opposite side and the middle of the quilt parallel to the side. Take an average of all three measurements and make the border this size on both sides. Do the same thing for the top and bottom. Measure again before putting on any more borders.
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Should I put the scrim of the batting next to the top of the quilt or the back?
The scrim is a layer of mesh that helps stabilize the batting, keeping it from getting lumpy, stretching or falling apart when used and washed. It is usually in the middle of the batting, but sometimes it is to one side. Put the scrim side toward the backing of the quilt.
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OK, I'm making this big king-size quilt. And there are about a gazillion pieces. Do you cut all the blocks and then sew or take a break and sew a little and cut more blocks????
I'm really tired of cutting blocks and am not half way finished....
I cut a bit and sew a bit. I tend to get tired of doing the same job too, and I make mistakes when I'm too tired, because my mind wanders.
You should at least sew one block together before you cut too much and make sure that you like the way it looks.
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I want to make a 9 inch log cabin block with 3 logs on each side. How do you figure out how large to make the center so it will all work out? I'm not good at math.
I have thought about this before and come to the conclusion that you figure out how wide to make the logs of the cabin, and then make the center to fit. If you want 1" logs, the center has to be 3" plus seam allowances. If you make the logs 1 1/4", the center has to be 1 1/2". Nothing else works out well.
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I have lots of quilts but only one bed. How can I display the others?
There are quilt racks that display more than one quilt. Put them on the hand rails of steps. Fold them and put them on shelves, or on end in a basket. People will want to unfold them to admire them. Drape them over furniture, or on the dining room table when it's not in use. Or you can use the table if you put a piece of plastic on it as they do in quilt show concession areas.
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Do you have any idea how they used to hang quilts from the ceiling and then quilt them?
Instead of putting the quilt frame on legs or sawhorses they would hang it from the ceiling using eye hooks or small pulleys. I used to hang my clothes above the heater to dry like that.
Make a quilt frame as suggested at http://www.quilterscrossroads.com/index.php?page=articles&art_id=17 .
Attach small pulleys on the ceiling, one for each corner of the quilt frame. Run ropes from the frame and through the pulleys. Attach other end of the ropes together so you can pull the frame up or down. You will need a hook on the wall to attach the rope to that secures the frame to the ceiling when you want it out of the way.
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My grandmother started a dresden plate quilt in the 1960s, and I would like to finish it. I don't have enough fabric! where can I get more?
The newer fabrics are quite different from the 70s, both in color and in pattern. Google "vintage fabric" or "reproduction fabric". Vintage fabric is that which was produced at the time it is from. Reproduction fabric is modern fabric made to look like older fabric.
Wash any newer fabrics before cutting them, but don't wash the vintage fabrics or your old quilt blocks except by hand with a mild soap. Be careful not to stress the fabrics by wringing them. You can blot between towels to absorb excess moisture. Hang to dry, don't dry in the dryer.
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I see that quilt batting containing bamboo is now available. Why would one buy this fiber?
Bamboo is very soft and breathable, making a warm, comfortable batting. It has natural antibacterial qualities, which make it great for people with allergies. Bamboo shrinks more than other fibers so it should be always washed in cool water. It is supposed to be great for machine quilting. I can't find information on hand quilting. It is very drapable, which would make it great for clothing.
Bamboo can be grown without much fertilizer or pesticides, as opposed to cotton which is a heavy feeder and requires a lot of pesticides. This makes bamboo more environmentally friendly.
At present bamboo is even more costly than other fibers, but this may change eventually as it becomes more popular.
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I like to quilt by hand, but marking my quilt is my least favorite part of quilting. How can I get around this?
You can stitch in the ditch.
You can do outline quilting, usually done around applique shapes.
You can use masking tape as a guide for straight lines.
You can buy a backing fabric with shapes that are suitable for quilting and follow those, quilting from the back.
Contact shelving liner is great for quilting around. Trace your pattern onto the liner, cut it out and put in place. When you finish one area you can move the liner to the next and use it over and over.
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 When pressing do you open up the seams or press them to one side, and why?
I always press to one side. I always seem to burn my fingers if I press the seams open. Also, I always think of how the seams will be sewn together. If a lot of seams are going to meet in the center as in a pinwheel block, I will make sure that the seams are pressed in different directions to decrease bulk. Because I like my corners to be sharp, before sewing I press the seams in opposite directions so they will butt firmly against each other. It is amazing how much this decreases the need to rip out seams.
If it doesn't matter which direction the seam is facing, press toward the darker fabric, so the seam doesn't show through the lighter fabric. I find this doesn't happen often, but if you're using very light and very dark fabrics together, you have to take it into consideration.
If you press to one side it decreases the chance of the batting bearding through the seam and any areas of loose thread tension showing that you may not have caught and fixed while sewing.
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How do you store you fabric stash?
I store my fabric stash in two dressers. I separate the fabric into colors, and fold each piece so that it will fit into the drawer on end. This way I can open the drawer and see all the fabric I have in one color at once. I also have a drawer for holiday fabrics and landscape fabrics.
I store each unfinished project in its own plastic box.
Some people store all their fabric stash in plastic boxes. I have also seen them on shelves in closets. Never store anything you want to keep in garbage bags; they may be thrown away by mistake.
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I want to make a rag quilt, but I have never used flannel before. How is flannel different from other cotton fabrics?
There are different qualities of flannel fabric - some is very thin and wears out more quickly. Stick to the thicker flannels. Be sure to wash flannel before cutting and dry it in the dryer. Flannel often shrinks much more than other fabric. Flannel is more stretchy along the bias, so be especially careful when sewing triangles.
Flannel makes a wonderful, soft feeling quilt. Whoever you make it for will be sure to enjoy it.
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What is longer lasting for a baby quilt that will be frequently washed, tying, hand quilting or machine quilting?
Machine quilting lasts the longest. Don't forget to stitch in place for a few stitches, or back stitch when starting and stopping.
Tying a quilt makes it more fluffy, which may cause carbon dioxide to pool around the baby's face. This is a possible cause of crib deaths. Actually, baby quilts should be avoided when putting a baby to bed. Also avoid pillows and other soft bedding. Save the baby quilts for wall hangings, or older children.
When I heard this I stopped giving baby quilts to new babies, and started making colorful wall hangings too small to be used for a blanket.
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How shall I bind my Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt?
Look at the instructions on binding oddly shaped quilts here: http://www.quilterscrossroads.com/index.php?page=articles&art_id=24
You may have to make your binding a little narrower to go around the frequent corners more easily.
Or you can turn the backing and front inward and sew together with a blind stitch, having no binding at all. This may be the easier method.
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What do you look for when buying an iron?
I personally like an iron that doesn't automatically shut off; I hate waiting for it to warm up especially if I'm doing paper foundation piecing when I have to start and stop again frequently.
I also like a teflon or other non-stick plate so that if I happen to melt fusible webbing to it the melted webbing wipes right off.
Steam is a necessity, of course, but if you happen to find an old one at a yard sale that doesn't have steam, buy it. There are no steam holes in the bottom, which makes it better for fusing.
Some people have trouble with their wrists if the iron is too heavy; if this is a problem for you, there are some light-weight irons out there.
You may not be able to find an iron with every feature. An inexpensive, simple iron may be the right thing for you.
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How do you do hand quilting over thick seams?
I do a stab stitch, but I don't do this anywhere else as I don't like the way it looks on the back.
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What paper should I use for paper piecing? What kind of paper works best?
I have never heard of a paper that didn't work well for paper piecing. If you can find a paper that you can see through, such as tracing paper, it is easier to use, but any paper will work as long as it's tearable. What is important is to use a very close stitch length. This makes the paper tear off easily.
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What is your inspiration for quilt designs?
I like to look through magazines to see what other designers are doing. I frequently get ideas from seeing two or three things that I in a magazine and thinking of how they would look when put together. I also live in a very beautiful area. When I'm driving I frequently stop to take photos and I think of how I would make this scene in fabric. This has frequently been inspiration for a quilt.
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What is the best fabric to put on the back of a quilt?
This is a personal choice, and it depends on what you want to do with the quilt. Muslin is great for hand quilting; it shows off the quilting because there is no pattern to distract the eye. It has a good thread count for hand quilting as well. If you are machine quilting, or if you are a less than perfect hand quilter, you may want to use one of the fabrics in the quilt, or fabric that compliments the quilt in another way, for instance carries on the theme that's on the front of the quilt.
I like to use up some of the larger pieces of fabric left over from the front. I make these into long stripes going the length of the quilt. Sometimes I put in leftover blocks as well.
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How do you calculate how much fabric you need for a quilt?
I have more than one way that I can do it. One way is to design it using quilting software such as Electric Quilt. When you have the size and colors that you want you can print out a fabric calculation. I find that the most recent version of this software does a better job than the earlier versions. If you would like to buy this software, click on the following link and I will get a commission that helps me to keep this website going. Here is the link:
Another way to calculate how much fabric you need is to use "The Quilter's Pocket Reference" by Peggy Scholley. I will have a link to buying this up soon. It's an inexpensive book which tells you how much fabric you need for backings, different patchwork shapes and sizes, bindings, borders, and so much more. I use it a lot, and heartily recommend it.
Another way to calculate fabric yardage is to use the instructions at http://www.quilterscrossroads.com/index.php?page=articles&art_id=30 . This is an article I wrote a few years ago. The information is still timely.
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I had a teacher tell me not to prewash my fabric when I first started quilting. Since then I have read that fabric should always be prewashed. Which do you do?
I always prewash my fabric. It removes chemicals used in dying and weaving the fabric. It preshrinks the fabric, and prevents excess dyes from bleeding into adjoining fabrics on the quilt.
Your teacher may have told you not to prewash the fabric because unwashed fabric has sizing on it which makes it easier to sew. You can have this effect by using spray starch on the fabric when ironing it. Wash your quilt when it is done if you use spray starch, or it may attract insects.
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How can I keep my rotary cutter blade sharp longer?
Only cut fabric with your rotary cutter. Save old blades ones to cut other materials, like paper and leather. Use a self healing plastic mat. Be sure to close the cutter when not using it. don't drop it on the cement floor like I do occasionally (I always have to change the blade after that). If you take the blade apart and turn it over when it gets dull the second side will cut for a while longer.
I recently have invested in a rotary cutter blade sharpener made by USA Sharpeners, and I have found that it prolongs the life of my blades by quite a bit.
I know that rotary cutter blades are costly. If you look around you may be able to find a place that sells packages of ten for a large savings, or you can buy extra blades when they are on sale.
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How can I avoid having puckering on the back of my quilt when machine quilting?
Make sure you have basted the quilt really well. The backing must be smoothed down and attached to a table or floor firmly to prevent shifting. This can be done with masking tape or clips, whatever you have. My husband has some carpentry clamps that I use on the edge of the table. Some people starch their backing fabric to firm the backing up a bit and make it less slippery. Cotton batting is also less slippery than polyester. Smooth the batting on top of backing, then the quilt top on top of all. Baste using safety pins or a needle and thread. Safety pins can be up to two inches apart, but no more than four inches apart. Basting with thread is done diagonally, across and up and down, no more than four inches apart as well. If you take care with basting you should be able to avoid puckers on the back of your quilt.
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Is there another way to attach the binding to a quilt rather than blind stitching? I dislike hand sewing.
I think that blind stitching is the best looking way to attach binding. I like doing it while at my quilt group, so I have someone to talk to, or while watching tv. Otherwise I get bored with hand stitching. I have tried a straight machine stitch, but for me the binding doesn't lay right when I do this, puckering or twisting. I think that taking time to put on the finishing touches correctly makes a big difference in the way the quilt looks, and if I spent all that time making the quilt I want it to look good.
However, you may try making up some samples pieces and try experimenting with the different stitches on your sewing machine to see what you can come up with. A stitch that sews mainly in the ditch and puts a stitch out sideways to pick up the binding may work, but remember that it will show on the back too. You can use an invisible thread in the bobbin, and thread to match the binding in the top.
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How can I quickly make a batch of quarter square triangle blocks?
For four blocks cut four squares of fabric 1 1/4" larger than the finished block. Fold a square in half diagonally and press. Put the square right sides together with another square and make two seams 1/4" away from the folded line. Do the same with the other pair of squares. Cut on the folded lines, and press the seam allowances to one side. You have four squares with two triangles each, but the bias is at the edges of the fabric.
Now fold and press one of the squares diagonally again. Take two of the squares and pair them with right sides together, butting the seams against each other. Sew 1/4" on either side of the folded line. Do the same with the other two squares. Cut in half on the diagonal lines and press the seam allowance as before.
You now have four squares with quarter square triangles. The outer edges are on the straight grain of the fabric to minimize stretching out of shape.
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Should I change the thread color on my hand quilting to match the fabric patch I am quilting? This quilt will be entered in a show that will be judged and I want to do the right thing.
This is an individual choice, depending upon the effect you want to make. If your applique or piecing is the part of your quilt that is most important, you may want your quilting to fade into the background. In this case you may want to make your quilting stitches insignificant by matching the fabric. On some quilts the stitching is an important part of the effect you are making, and then you may want to make the stitches stand out more. I have seen the scales on a fish outlined in gold thread, giving the quilt some sparkle. I tend to use one color of thread for my quilting. The stitches aren't the most important part of the quilt, but they aren't unimportant either.
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Can I use a flat 100% cotton sheet for backing for my quilt? I would like my quilt to match my other bedding. Sandra
It is important to find a sheet with a lower thread count if you are going to be hand quilting the quilt; it is difficult to pull the needle through if the thread count is too high. Sheets are nice because you don't have to sew a long seam together and they are often less expensive than buying fabric.
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I have heard that you can use washable crayons to mark a quilt and it is cheaper than buying marking pens for this purpose. Is this true?
I wouldn't use a washable crayon without trying it out on every fabric in the quilt. What if it doesn't come out properly? If you need an inexpensive marker use an ordinary piece of soap that is almost used up. These will make a finer edge than a crayon (unless you sharpen the crayon) and will wash off easily.
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What do you think of the sewing machines that reproduce the look of hand quilting? Dianna
My sewing machine will do a stitch that looks like hand quilting if you don't look closely, but in my opinion anyone can see that it isn't really hand stitching if they take the time to look. It uses transparent thread in the bobbin which comes to the front of the quilt, leaving a "space" between the stitches. I like to think my quilts will last many years, and I'm not sure that transparent thread will last as long as the rest of the quilt. Also, it takes a long time to stitch a row of the "hand quilting stitch", as it does with other machine embroidery stitches. This doesn't relax me as hand stitching does; in fact it makes me impatient with the process. All in all, I prefer to either quilt by machine with an ordinary stitch, or to quilt by hand.
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How can I get out brown age spots on an antique quilt?
Wash by hand in a mixture of buttermilk and lemon juice. Never wash an antique quilt by machine. Rough handling may make the fabric shred.
Or use diluted oxyclean. Follow the directions on the box. Some spots, such as those from blood or poor storage, may never come out.
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What is the difference between ironing and pressing?
Ironing is moving the hot iron back and forth on the fabric to take out wrinkles. This is great for uncut fabric and clothing, but not very good for quilt blocks or cut fabric as it can distort the fabric, making it off square.
Pressing is used to crease seams in the proper direction to make your sewing more accurate. Push the seam to one side with the side of the iron, then hold the iron in one place for several seconds to make the seam lie flat.
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What is the best paper for paper piecing?
Any paper works well for paper piecing. I always use ordinary printer paper. The biggest problem I find with paper piecing is taking the paper off. If you make your stitches very close together the paper tears easier. I used to try really hard to get every bit of paper off of my piece, using a tweezer for the tiniest pieces, but now I leave those pieces behind. I don't find any difference in the finished piece.
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How are quilts at quilt shows judged?
Quilts are judged on standards of presentation, design and creativity, and workmanship. Some of the things judges look for are:
is the quilt clean, free of threads and markings, and pleasing to look at and touch,
a there good use of color and balance, lights and darks, and a color accent to add interest, if the use of borders, binding and other finishing elements add to the look of the quilt,
are the corners precise, applique elements smooth, and does the quilting or tying enhance the look of the quilt,
is the quilt construction adequate to last the life of the quilt.
These are just some of the things judges look for. Judging is also subjective; if a judge happens to like a particular type of quilt that quilt may get a higher score than a type the judge doesn't care for. For instance, I like purples and greens and quilts and fabrics with leaves more than other kinds, and would probably give a green and purple quilt with leaves a higher score than a red and black quilt with boats.
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I am making a lap sized quilt, and will be quilting it by hand. The fabric I want to use for backing is slightly stretchy. Will this be a problem? Janine
I would be reluctant to use a stretchy backing; you are making things more difficult for yourself by doing this. Save the stretchy fabrics for clothing.
However, if you really want to do use the stretchy fabric, be very careful not to let it stretch while you are basting your quilt. It may distort the quilt top. Putting the quilt onto a hoop may stretch the fabric. If you are aware of what may stretch the backing, and take care not to do so, you may have success with this. Good luck. Rebecca
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Do you have any of those sayings about quilting? I want to include them in some cards I'm making for my quilt guild. Georgina
I found these at www.homesteadinginfo.com
They're great! Rebecca
1. A day patched with quilting seldom unravels.2. A quilt is a treasure which follows its owner everywhere.
3. Ask not what your fabric can do for you, but what you can do for your fabric.
4. Asking a quilter to mend is like asking Picasso to paint your garage.
5. Before Prozac, there was quilting.
6. Blankets wrap you in warmth, quilts wrap you in love.
7. Blessed are the children of the piecemakers for they shall inherit the quilts!
8. Blessed are the Piecemakers.
9. Dying to Quilt!
10. Finished is way better than perfect!
11. Friends are like fabric - you can never have enough!
12. Good friends are like Quilts. They age with you, yet never lose their warmth.
13. I am a material girl. Wanna see my fabric collection?
14. I am a quilter and my house is in pieces.
15. I love quilting and have plenty of material witnesses.
16. I only think about quilts on days that end in "Y."
17. I only quilt on days ending in "Y."
18. I'd rather be stitchin' than in the kitchen!
19. I'm creative. You can't expect me to be neat too.
20. I'm not messy. I'm creative!
21. I've spent most of my life making quilts. The rest I've just wasted.
22. If there are no Quilting Bees in Heaven, I ain't going!
23. In the crazy quilt of life, I'm glad you're in my block of friends.
24. May all of your ups and downs in life be with a needle and thread.
25. May your sorrows be patched and your joys quilted.
26. My soul is fed with needle and thread,
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