The Quilters Thread

cherryblossomzel · 5 October 2014 at 11:02AM

I'm happily doing the top of a quilt at the moment. I changed by mind about the pastel squares, as it ended up looking for too nursery-like. So instead I'm doing patchwork scraps in no particular pattern in bright colours. I've still only got relatively small patches, but so far it look really nice.

I have a question though: when do you wash? Before quilting on the batting or after? Or both? The top that I'm doing will do duty as a chair cover, throw cushions and placemats.

snoozer · 5 October 2014 at 12:34PM

I love those wall hangings Csarina.

I finished the hand sewing on the baby quilt, I just need to get DH to photograph it and then I can give it to the baby.

I've also nearly finished the celtic top. I'm quite pleased with it considering I've had to cobble it together - it's a very simple design though. I have to decide what to make next, I think I might go for something small.

snoozer · 5 October 2014 at 4:13PM

I've been meaning to ask - how do you like to work? Do you start a project and work through to the finish before starting another? Do you like to work on several things at once? Are there things that you know you will never finish?

For me it's all of the above. Mostly like to start and work through to the finish but because people will keep on having babies it's not quite worked out like that this year. I do like to cut out the next project while I'm quilting the first though.

At the moment I have all the blocks made (100 in total) for a big quilt which I didn't sew together because I decided it would be too big to go under the throat of my machine. Now I've got the bigger machine I'll be able to finish this but probably not till after the new year.

I've also got half a dozen blocks of my Japanese project but I think this is going to be ongoing with a lot of hand sewing so I'm not going to rush it.

The celtic quilt should be finished this next week.

I also have half a dozen blocks made for a blue and cream quilt that I decided I wasn't keen on I might turn them into something to give away, maybe a table runner.

And then I have a few rows of a sampler quilt which was my first project which I will never finish - it's not what I want to do now.

AlwaysAllie · 5 October 2014 at 5:10PM

Hi

Hope you can help.

I bought a new sewing machine last year and it came with an extension table and quilting kit. Only today got round to playing and having my first go at free motion quilting. Did watch some YouTube videos - not very good ones, can anyone suggest some good ones?

Anyway, decided to just play anyway........and this is what the front looked like

- not bad for a first attempt imo!! However knowing that apparently tension is an issue, the back looked like this despite me adjusting the tension wheel from 4 down to zero........help!!!!

AA

[Deleted User] · 5 October 2014 at 5:39PM

Your thread tension is too loose and you need to slow down a bit. Turn the tension dial up to 5+ sew a bit if you are still getting loops put it UP a bit more until there are no longer loops on the back. Are you using a quilt sandwich? Fabric, wadding fabric.

Free motion quilting takes a while to get used to, It took me 2 years to get really confident. Look at the demo on Missouri Star Quilt Company You Tube site. You will have to put in free motion quilting, you should find it ok.

Make yourself up some practice quilt squares and practice on them. Before you start to use FMQ on a quilt warm up first on one of your practice squares. I wear gloves when I am FMQ I find it easier to control the fabric.

If you need any more help PM me.

AlwaysAllie · 5 October 2014 at 5:55PM

Deleted_User wrote: »

Your thread tension is too loose and you need to slow down a bit. Turn the tension dial up to 5+ sew a bit if you are still getting loops put it UP a bit more until there are no longer loops on the back. Are you using a quilt sandwich? Fabric, wadding fabric.

Free motion quilting takes a while to get used to, It took me 2 years to get really confident. Look at the demo on Missouri Star Quilt Company You Tube site. You will have to put in free motion quilting, you should find it ok.

Make yourself up some practice quilt squares and practice on them. Before you start to use FMQ on a quilt warm up first on one of your practice squares. I wear gloves when I am FMQ I find it easier to control the fabric.

If you need any more help PM me.

Wonderful thanks. I was lowering instead of increasing the tension:rotfl:!!

Have got some quilting gloves somewhere, just have to find them!

Yep, have practice squares so will just keep at it.

Many thanks again
AA

System · 5 October 2014 at 6:44PM

I've just found you :T

Have been dabbling with patchwork and making bags for a while as Mum taught me to sew as a child so I've sort of always done it.
Have posted a few recent things on Flickr here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/127106559@N06/

However I've recently got inspired by watching the tutorials on here:
http://quiltingtutorials.com/

She makes things look easy

I was getting so bogged down in getting things 'right' (choosing colours, matching seams, pressing seams the 'right' way) that I never finished anything!
So I've now started a quilt for DS for C...mas, using a gorgeous jelly roll that I was saving cos I didn't know how to use it

- so I've done a sort of jelly roll race, it took a mere 2 hours to piece the top - now I'm adding borders and will start quilting next weekend I hope. Straight lines for now, I'm hopeless at FMQ.

I've recently moved the dining table into DSs old room (had to take it apart first :rotfl:) and it's sooo much easier than the little MFI desk I used before, and I've sorted my stash and tools so I'm all set

Looking forward to many happy years of quilting now I can relax and enjoy it. Oh yes, the other thing I did was arrange it so I can shut the door of my 'sewing room' so I can leave things out without 3 cats sleeping on them! It's the little things... :rotfl:
Gotta go, being called to help with dinner!

Edit:
Wanted to thank Miffy for starting this thread, and snoozer and others for all the inspirational and lovely makes

miffy257 · 5 October 2014 at 8:50PM

Cherryblossomzel I tend to wash things when I have completely finished them and put in colour catchers if they are brightly coloured.
snoozer like you I seem to have several projects on the go but I usually prefer to work on something from start to finish. I actually really love the quilting and binding part almost as much as the piecing.
AlwaysAllie once you get the tension right it's just practise, practise practise. Must admit I don't find it easy and that's why I tend to do straight line quilting.
Deleted_User hope you have found time to do your Christmas trees.
Welcome rosyq your work is lovely and like you I am a great fan of Jenny Doan of the Missouri Star Quilt Company, her tutorials are so,good and she has a great personality. We are hoping to,do a Jelly Roll Race at one of our quilting sessions.
Lucky you to have a sewing room and what is it about cats loving to lie on your work. Always shooing my 3 off!!!!!!
Haven't done a jot of sewing this weekend but have manged to talk myself into making 3 smaller quilted objects by Christmas so must get a wiggle on.
Happy Quilting all

[Deleted User] · 6 October 2014 at 9:04AM

I did get the the sewing room for half an hour yesterday. Getting my cataract removed this afternoon, so doubt if I will be back at the machine for the rest of this week, will have to see how it goes.

I am afraid I start a project and then do not finish it. I have a nine patch top I pieced years ago, needs layering and quilting. I will get round to it one day.

When I made it I was still hand quilting, now I do quite a bit on the machine, it really only needs stright line quilting, just need to get myself motivated to do it, Also have an Amish style quilt I am hand quilting, have not done anything on it for yonks, the background is black so can only do it in day light.

I do need to practice some other style of machine quilting, scribbling gets a bit boring after a time.

alec_eiffel · 6 October 2014 at 9:30AM

Good morning,

I like to have one project on the go at a time, mainly because I do everything by hand so it takes such a long time I don't want to feel as though I have a ton of things on the go with no sign of any of then being finished. Having said that, I do have two projects on the go at the minute, I started the smaller one because the other quilt is so big I know it will take a long time to finish so I wanted a smaller project as a bit of respite when the long haul felt it would never be over.

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