Quilt-Along Step 4

Step 4:

   1.  Take row D and measure its length.  Mine was 30 1/2" long.  My row C is now 30 1/4" long due to the quilting - Remember when I measured it in step 2 and it was 30 1/2" long?  I'll be able to stretch row C (I'll pull on the bottom a little in whatever square needs it.) the quarter inch to make the seams intersect and the vertical rows to match.  Here is the new row next to the one I've quilted"

2.  Put the new row wrong side up on your quilted row. Check that the seams on the row you are adding are pressed the opposite of the first row.  Match the seams and pin.  Roll up the quilt on the right side as before.

Note: Here is a photo of how I fold the quilt in an accordian pleat (the part that would be on my lap) to make machine quilting easier.  It is weight that makes it difficult to quilt, so try to keep it level on your lap and left side.  Hanging over the sides makes it harder to quilt evenly.

3.  Starting at the top, and using a walking foot, position your quilt to start stitching after bringing the bobbin thread up to the top of the quilt.  Sew your seam with a steady speed - remember the walking foot is doing the pushing, not you.

Here is my added second row smoothed over the batting.

4.  Next we pin baste the row before quilting.  Lay the quilt with the new row on your left( if you're right handed). Gently pull the two layers away from the seam you just made and pin the row down:

This will keep wrinkles from forming when you quilt it. Once you've pinned it turn it over and run your hand over where you will quilt. Photo below shows you a wrinkle I found on the back.



I remove the pin, smooth out the area and reset the pin.  You might have to do a few of these.  And when you turn it over, check the front also that it's smooth.   Quilt your added row as before.  You now have the technique in full.  You can do all the remaining rows in the same fashion, just flip the quilt when you are done with the right side, and do the rows on the left starting your seams at the bottom of the vertical row.  This keeps the bulkiness of the quilt to your right.  I'll post again next Thursday with the borders and to give you time to do your rows.  But you can email me any questions whenever you like.  See you then.

Yard Sale Find

Hi, sorry, sick with a cold and my post on the quil-along will have to wait.  That comes of having such an intense thursday.  I've started a sewing circle at our church - St. Ann's Sewdality.  Our first meeting was yesterday and 7 lovely ladies showed up with enthusiasm and plenty of ideas.  We pray and make quilts, blankets or afghans for those in need in the community or our parish.  And our first quilt is going to a parishoner who is undergoing surgery.  Our patroness is St. Ann, the mother of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  She is the patroness of Christian families and among other things, seamstresses.  Note: we ask for intercessions (just as a child would ask its mother for help in getting dad to agree to something) not worship a saint since Catholics believe the saints in heaven will help us.

    They were enthusiastic about tying quilts and getting them done fast and of the 8 of us - only 2 do not have sewing machines. We range in ages from 20 somethings to 80 somethings. One will hand piece and the other will assemble kits from squares and strips cut by others.  Our second quilt is one I am donating.  I found this quilt at a yard sale.  Here it is:

I bought it at the yard sale for $2.00 and it looks like brand new.  I know some mom and baby are going to love it.  Okay exhausted my energy - off for some tea and then a nap.

Step #3 of Quilt-Along

For Step #3 we'll begin with our 38" square of backing fabric.  Iron it nicely, fold in half and iron the crease at the outer edge.  Do this for both sides.  We'll use these small creases to mark the halves of our quilts.   Now I laid the back on my carpet with wrong side up.  Next I placed my 38" square of batting on top of it.  Now I went around the edges with safety pins and pulled the back tight through the batting by sticking the pins into my carpet pad.  If you use a table to sandwich, you can use double sided masking tape about an 1" from the edges of the backing to make it somewhat tight. This is an important step to reduce pleating of your back when you are quilting.

Our quilt has 5 vertical rows of blocks.  Take the middle vertical row (C in my case) and measure it.  Mine is 30 1/2".  Make a note of yours. I centered the row on my sandwich 3 3/4" from the top and bottom and    15 1/4" from side to side.  If you are using 3 rows, use row #2.  If an even number of rows, email me. See photo below. 

You can see the pins on the edges. We left room for the border all around. Now pin your row at the corners,  along the seams and in the center of the block. Once that is done, I take out the pins and pin them all around the edges of the quilt to stabilize the sandwich.  Turn the sandwich over and run your hand on the pinned back to see it if is smooth.

Take your sandwich to your sewing machine.  When I quilt, I use the same thread in top and bobbin, a Microtex 75/11 needle, feed dogs down, a single needle plate, and a open darning foot. I am going to do a large meander over the row staying about 1/2" away from all the edges.  Don't worry - as you add more rows and quilt, you can fill in spaces that may look empty.  This is to anchor your sandwich and get the hardest part of the quilt quilted.

You could also use a foot with a plastic foot. Note:  If you've never quilted on your machine, stop and make a 12" square sandwich to practice.  Pin your sandwich around the edges and one safety pin in the center.  Set up your machine.  Bring your bobbin thread to the top of your sandwich and take a couple of tiny stitches to anchor the threads.  Now with your hands on both sides of the foot - start to sew and use your hands to guide the sandwich going at a steady speed.  When you start to do a curve, slow down a bit so you won't get big stitches.  There are a lot of good how to machine quilt books out there.  I started by quilting small charity quilts and haven't looked back. Hey I've still got a lot to learn, but with the practice, they are starting to look better and better.  That's all it takes - practice.  Here's a site to see a machine quilter in action:  http://www.daystyledesigns.com/stippling.htm

Or you might like to do straight line quilting.  I do all the above but use my walking foot and guide.  See below:

This will give me straight row quilting.  By lining up the guide 1/4:  from the edge I get a straight lines through  all the blocks evenly spaced. Reverse the guide for the other side of the blocks. If you use the edge of the blocks you'll have a nice pattern of spaced lines. Whatever you want to do.  With this method all you need to do is two lines and you're done with the row.

Roll up your quilt on the right side of your row of blocks and place it under the needle.  Bring your bobbin thread up to the top, and take a few tiny stitches to anchor your threads.  Meander at a steady speed over your block leaving a 1/2" free of quilting on all the edges and guiding the row with your hands.  Here is my completed first row - took about 10 minutes.  Ps:  I put the tape from the top and bottom blocks of the row and stuck them to the batting to remind me which end was up.

That's it for this step.  If you have questions, please email me.  See you friday - Thursday is going to be way buzy for me.