Decorative Stitch Quilting

 

How many ways are there to quilt a piece? We all probably started out learning  'stitch in the ditch'. The lines were there and it was easy to tell where the stitches "belonged". If you look out on the web you'll find tons of tutorials on free motion quilting. It is truly an art form in its own right. The texture and interest it can provide a quilt is amazing.  There are a few techniques in between; more intricate than stitch in the ditch and maybe not as challenging as free motion.


Jacquie Gering has some great quilting on one of her pieces that are actually her machine's decorative stitches! I'm all over those stitches and I have my own stitch book that I put together with a sampling of every decorative stitch my machine provides. I use them whenever I can, but I never thought of using them to quilt.  So I did a test of some simple stitches to see the effect on a  quilt block.

 

I think this is a great technique. If you give it a try, be sure to keep in mind the amount of thread you'd need to complete a piece; decorative stitches always use more thread than straight stitching.  You can see that some stitches are more effective than others. The one in the center is my favorite. What do you think? And have you ever tried this technique? I'd love to hear from you so please leave a comment.

What Color Coordinates?

In this post I'm referring you to a lovely website by Jessica called Design Seeds. On this site you can slide the R G B bar at the top of the page to develop a particular shade, tint, or tone of any hue. Then (and this is the really fabulous bit), the screen will pop up with a design that has that colors and others that coordinate. It's really quite fabulous so give it a try!

Everyday Color

We all know which colors we like and the difference a certain shade can make  in a quilt. Take a look at the two photos below and imagine an entire quilt made of either block.

 

If you're a color junkie like me, it's a no-brainer. The colorful second block is the hands down winner. It has energy and interest.

The color basics that we use with our quilting can be carried over to other aspects of our lives. Whether it's the throw pillows you select for your sofa or the flowers outside of your home, use those color rules that serve us so well in sewing. Below is another example of color when serving food. A fried egg with toasted pita and Morningstar bacon strips (if you're not familiar with the product, it's a vegetarian option to bacon and really quite yummy) on a cream colored plate vs. the same food on a terra cotta colored plate.

 

 

I know which one I think is more appetizing! So take the color theory that used in your sewing into all aspects of your life. Hhhmmm...now should I wear the beige scarf with my dark brown sweater or the blue one...

Ode to Shark Month

In my Design Essential a la Heather post, I talked about looking at a fabric in a new and different way. It can open the door to new ways to use your stash.

Well, since it is shark month and all, I just had to share this great picture. It comes for a 2013 calendar by Ron Schmidt called Dogma a Dog's Guide to Life - set your own course, but watch out for potholes. It shows that things are not always what they seem!

Isn't it great? Enjoy the rest of shark month!

Repurposing Tins

I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves the little mints that come in little tins. Lots of companies make them. There are Altoids and Starbucks just to name a couple. Oh, and then there is jewelry that comes to you in tins as well. I especially like the Brighton tins because quite often my initial B is on top and who doesn't love something monogrammed?

But what do you do with those sweet little tins? In the book club I belong to we found that we all enjoy handwork (we do everything but read in book club...loooong story). I put together a little sewing kit with small notions in one of my tins. (The nail clippers aren't for a quick manicure; they're just smaller than my scissors and clip threads nicely.) It snaps closed nice and secure and is easy to toss in my bag.

 What do you use these cute tins for? I'd also like to know if you do any art on the outside to customize them. Leave a comment and share your ideas for these fabulous tins.
 

Sunday's Super Tip - A Little Scrap Can Help

There are times when I'm stitching a square and the thread get's all hosed up. It's usually because I started to stitch too close to the edge.

It's ugly and lumpy and I have to rip it out and start over. Blah!

What I've started doing is stitching on a scrap piece of fabric first and then chain piece on the block I'm sewing.

It makes for a smooth transition and no more thread nests. Yeah!

Hope you like this idea. Any tip that makes it easier to complete a project is a tip worth sharing!

 

 

 

English Paper Piecing...Seriously??

So I had this great idea...I enjoy hand sewing so why not have a project that I can keep in my handbag to work on when time permits. I like the idea.

But what fits the bill? Beading is fun, but it's a pain if you drop them...which does tend to happen. So that's out. I enjoy hand embroidery, but the piece I want to work on is a bit big to carry with me. Oh! But what about that gorgeous pillow I saw in Modern Patchwork magazine. It was designed by Joanna Wilczynska. I'd love to have that pillow.

But, it's English Paper Piecing. I've tried it before in a block of the month quilt. It wasn't too bad. The thing is that you cut out each of the little shapes in card stock and the fabric a little bigger. Then fold the fabric over and stitch it down by hand. Then press it really well and sew the pieces together.  Voila! I know I can do that.

So I went onto quiltingdaily.com to download the pattern pieces:

A few things you may not be able to tell from the photo...the edges of the triangles are about 1 inch long. O-N-E which equates to very small. Then there's the number of pieces: 23 hexagons, 138 squares, and (get this)170 triangles. Itsy bitsy triangles.

But the amount that I want this pillow outweighs the fear of these little pieces. So, I ask myself, are there any shortcuts? Yes there are I find out. There is a paper you can run through your printer to print the pattern pieces. Also, you can leave it in your work as a stabilizer. Woo hoo! And, I find out, you can use spray adhesive. Sounds pretty easy and a lot faster than stitching each side down by hand. But rather than spray; I use a glue stick. Which didn't. Stick that is. I had more glue on my fingers than the fabric.

But even after the itsy bitsy sticky obstacles, I am going to persevere. I have great fabric and I really want that pillow. So wish me well as I travel the English paper piecing path.  I'll report back on my progress because I really want that pillow.

 

Sunday's Super Tip - Starching Makes a Difference

I have issues when I sew. Don't worry; I'm not going to burden you with a laundry list but there is one that I in particular that I do want to share.  When I cut out pieces especially if there's a bias edge, I get a wavy edge that drives me nuts. You'll see it in the example below

Yes, I know there is more than one problem with these blocks, but humor me and pretend it's just that wavy edge. It was enough to make me want to throw up my hands and walk away.

Then my friend Kathy sent me a demo on starching. It's on Alyssa Lichner's Pile O' Fabric site, which is an awesome web site and blog, I must say. Here's the link to the "Starching your Fabric" tutorial. Her technique is great and it's made such a difference for me. The fabric has a great hand and is much easier to work with. Now I can hold my head high and say 'have starch; will conquer'!

Hope you like this idea. Any tip that makes it easier to complete a project is a tip worth sharing!