BORDER THOUGHTS

0925: frame ... like ... borders on a quilt. Border decisions are always some of the hardest to make. Borders can serve a lot of different functions: read more HERE

THE BEST KEPT SECRET ...

0919: underneath ... the longarm. As far as I'm concerned the possibilities for storage in the studio under the longarm machine are highly under-rated. I find this space is one of the best spaces where I can really pack away a lot of stuff. I don't know about you, but if I don't see it, I tend to forget about it. So, if I keep these tubs right in plain sight I've increased the chances of my opening them and dealing with the contents.
The original intention - the way the machine was designed - was to use this space for a continuous feed of batting which really doesn't suit my needs the way I find most of my work needing to be done.

Most people either bring in their own batting with the quilt top and backing or they buy from the stock I carry. I find myself cutting each length of batting as needed from the nifty batting pole storage system my carpenter set up for me. The rolls of batting are set up on a pipe system that allows me to either simply slide the roll off the inner pipe or I can swing the pipe around and pull batting off the roll for measuring and cutting right on the table.

Another nifty idea Jamie came up with is the addition of baby gates to the ends of my machine. Miso, my Sheba Inu sweetie dog was just an insatiable chewer when she was a puppy. I was in a constant state of fear she was going to chew through the cables hanging from the back of the machine. Not to worry now. The machine is rolled close enough to the studio wall so the baby gates when extended serve as a great fence for keeping Miso out of places where she should go. Also works great for grandkids. :)

Just a few tricks of the trade that make life a little bit easier in the studio.

And, you're right, sad to say, the tubs underneath the longarm are UFO's

... sigh ... someday ...

EDGE-TO-EDGE OR CUSTOM

0908: at night ... nothing better than snuggles with puppies and quilts

The top is pieced and now it's time for making decisions as to how to quilt this project. Many longarm quilters will have several questions that might help in the decision-making process but, bottom line ... everything can be boiled down to two basic questions:
•who is the quilt for
•how will it be used

When thinking about who will be using the quilt personal taste and design style general influence pattern choice, but the biggest contributing factor in choosing a quilting pattern is the second ... how will it be used.

You can see how I've used quilts in one of my guest rooms which is decrated around a forest theme. I have quilts on the bed, on the walls and hanging on the quilt ladder. I also have a quilt hanging over the back of the futon that is exposed to light from the window. This poses another risk to shortening the expected life of a quilt and so I'm careful to keep the blinds closed on that particular window limiting potential light damage to my Diamonds on the Double quilt.

If we take time to look at ourselves honestly in the mirror (or at the quilt projects we've finished) we are

1. very proud of our work
2. recognize finishing usually took quite a long time
3. aware of (but usually keeping the final figure quiet LOL) how much money has gone into the quilt to date

... but let's face it ... the cold honest hard truth is that most of us will probably only finish less than five heirloom quality quilts in our lifetime. We make quilts that are to be used, loved, washed several times in the washer, drug around behind toddlers and puppies, used to make the roof/walls of a fort, snuggled under during movie night with buttery popcorn or for picnics in the park on a sunny summer afternoon. Probably about the only stipulation or requirement we may have when giving a quilt to someone is that we don't want to see it later on the garage floor serving as padding for the "guy of the house" while he's changing the oil in his rig! :)

Quilts that take the kind of wear and tear I've listed above need to be filled with sturdy stitching that is continuous across the quilt top. Freequent stops and starts or thread knots are more likely to work themselves loose over time and become a potential weak spot in the overall quilting design. And that is why you will find most of us steering your decision-making process in the direction of choosing an overall or edge-to-edge design. These are the designs that provide more wearability to a quilt and thus allowing for a more extended or longer expected lifetime of the quilt.

These are three favorite edge-to-edge designs that provide texture avoiding the distraction of a repeating motif that can compete with the patchwork design and each design provides a nice alternative from the old tired much used "just stipple it" while keeping a traditional feel as the eye travels over the quilt.

     

The first picture on the left: 1283 CHERRIOS E2E: provides a more open quilt design which works well as you can see when used with a flannel quilt.

The second picture in the center: 1312 BAPTIST FAN E2E: this pattern gives the feel of baptist fan quilting without all the hours and hours of ruler work and time-consuming setup ... an affordable traditional fan look.

The third pattern on the right: 1557 BASKETWEAVE E2E: a brand new pattern following the lines of the traditionally hand-quilted design. You'll want to think it through as you set up after each roll keeping the stitching lines lined up but you'll find the end result is well worth the little bit of extra time.

Check through your pattern library. You'll not want to miss out adding these fresh alternatives for textural edge-to-edge quilting to you design library especially when there is such an amazing discount on the price this month. Remember to enter the coupon code: daisydaysbright_05 before you check out.

As I was journaling this morning I thought I might check in with the daily prompt generator and see what might be the suggested line of thought for the day.

TODAY'S PROMPT: "Know your limitations and be content with them. Too much ambition results in promotion to a job you can't do." - David Brent

This is so appropriate to what happens to me when coming up with ideas about how to quilt a quilt. I can easily come with a multitude of design possibilities that look good on paper but when it comes to the actuall execution of a given design plan, look out. Be sure to keep things in perspective before you start making suggestions to customers regarding possible custom quilting jobs. Have a good sense of the time that is going to be involved and what that means to your bottom line and their quilting budget. In another words, how much you charge for your services in quilting the quilt. Such was the topic of my conversation with Ruth yesterday.

Ruth has a quilt with flying geese units going all the way around the quilt. The size of the quilt is like a large double or queen bed sized quilt. The reason she called was to check in about how to do a p2p pattern so she could drop a motif in each one of the geese. Keep in mind, this means there are easily more than 200 geese units flying around the edges of this quilt. But not to worry, we have Creative Studio and that makes everything so much easier!

Everything we were talking about as possible quilting ideas for this goose border using p2p pattern was sounding do-able ... time consumming but do-able until I told her I would be clicking the boundaries of the geese and using the new stretch handles to tweak the motif placement. Many of our piecers are quite precise with their patchwork, but we're all human and we are working with fabric.

The only guarantees in the quilting process are: The fabric will move; our seams will be off kilter just a bit here and there; stretching will have happened as we pressed. There is nothing quite so humbling as when I quilt one of my own quilts. Yep, I'm human and even though I do my best, no matter how careful I am, and no matter how close I keep my seam ripper (and use frequently) my seams will on occassion wobble, my points might be cut off, and my borders might even flap just a tad.

This final bit of tweaking on each motif raises our level of precision in the quilting up a notch and that is what I call "quilt-show-quality" quilting and I do adjust my fees accordingly. And then there is the sky units of each goose. The question of the day ... leave it empty or put something in? But now, when you think about the added hours in finishing up the borders of the quilt, the clock is ticking and the job price is going up faster, almost, than gas prices these days.

The solution: Ruth and I both agreed (with no complaints from the customer) that doing a feather border pattern over the geese units would suit the overall quilting design just fine. The quilting could be finished in a timely manner and within budget. Having a clear sense of the possibilities is a must when choosing a design plan for a quilt, and coming up with a plan that matches ...

• how the quilt will be used
• who the quilt is for
• what kind of budget are we working with
• what is the time frame for a finish date to be met
• and, most importantly, developing a plan that reflects your style and is compatible with your skill as a quilter

All of these points are critical to keep in mind when working out a design plan whether for yourself or when working with a customer. There is a fine line we walk between the advice from Goethe and Brent as to when and how brave to be ... how much courage and risk taking are you up to on any given day, or is a "play it safe" kind of day. But once again, when all of these pieces of the patchwork puzzle are in place we have a win-win for everyone involved.

And with that said, I may be in and out a little during the next week ... Mike is flying in today for the first time since early January. It's been a long 4 months and I just might be a little distracted :)

... know your craft ... practice your craft ...

... and ... be innovative with your craft ...

PUMPKIN PATCH CLASS: DIAMONDS ON THE DOUBLE

Ah a day for petting the fabrics, playing in the scrap bins, and getting a little bit ahead on the cutting for several different projects while I prep for Saturday's class using my pattern called MQS 112 DIAMONDS ON THE DOUBLE at Pumpkin Patch Quilts in Lee. Here's what I worked on cutting:

... read more ...

LYNN'S SAMPLER QUILT

Isn't this the prettiest sampler quilt? I love the fabrics Lynn chose for her blocks and the center medallion being set off with the jewel points of gold is perfect. Check out those multi-colored corner triangles. How absolutely perfect to pull everthing help each of the fabrics pop. And Lynn made the perfect choice when she picked the border and "plain" block dark batik fabric to complement the primary color tone on tones.

We discussed possible options for custom quilting but I was afraid if weren't careful when making design and thread color choices we could easily have a "war" happening between the piecing and the quilting.

I designed a panto, an edge-to-edge quilting design for this quilt called 1485 RIBBONS AND LEAVES. I want the quilting to be fairly open and full of motion. The swirling of the ribbons and the tumbling leaves captured in the ribbons enhances the patchwork without distracting from the Lynn's skill as a piecer. Nice work Lynn!

A close-up of her center medallion ...

I used a King Tut varigated thread called Sheaves which has several shades of yellow to gold for the top thread and a Signature 100% cotton thread in a medium yellow shade for the bobbin. Batting is the 80/20 from The Warm Company (Warm Bond) so this quilt will wash up nice and soft with wonderful antique puffiness around the stitching lines.

1485 RIBBONS AND LEAVES is available in the store formatted for both Statler and Intelliquilter and marked down for one week only at an introductory discounted price of only $12. Pop on over to the store and add this great pattern to your library while the price is marked down.

... know your craft ... practice your craft ...

... and ... be innovative with your craft ...

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Susan's quilt ... a scrappy 9-Patch using all different shades of red and brown. Part of what makes this quilt so effective is the way Susan used so many different textures, so many different shades, and varied the scale of print. What really pops is the fabric that is a paisley with reds and browns and just one little spark of blue.

Light red is always a shade that is hard to grasp when on a search through your stash because we have labeled that tint "pink" so we breeze right on by the pink fabric basket. But look how well the pinks work in with the reds keeping a good flow of value across the quilt top.

Susan's plans are to use this quilt on her bed during the month of February. How perfect is that since this quilt looks to me just like chocolate covered cherries or strawberries dipped in chocolate. I would never have thought to use this color combination which just goes to show there is inspiration no matter where you look (or taste LOL).

I used an edge-to-edge quilting pattern called 1458 HEARTS AND VINES FLIPPED E2E for Susan's quilt and got to hone my "relocate to two points" while working on the quilt.

First I set up my rows with alternating plus and created a CSQ file of just two rows sized specifically for Susan's quilt top. I was pushing the limit of throat space as I rolled - the two row pass is about 17.5" but with the start/top point in the middle I actually needed 22" of sewing space. I ended up going back in and dividing my CSQ two row file into two separate rows when I got the the bottom half of the quilt. There is nothing worse than to be quilting along and get the "abort" message due to an obstacle in the sewing path! That is when you take time out, regroup, breath ... and have another chocolate covered cherry. LOL

I mentioned earlier that I used "relocate to two points" with each roll to set up the next two (or one) row. Because of quilt shrinkage I couldn't just use the start/end points. I used the points of the hearts in the quilting pattern and my crosshairs to check to make sure I kept the pattern lining up correctly as I stitched my way down the quilt. It took a little bit to get used to seeing the quilt design not line up on the screen but knowing that it was lining up on the quilt. I also drew a "throat space-quilt edge" pattern boundary for each pass so I could check to make sure the rows were going to fit in the stitching space. That little trick helped me know when to switch to a single row pass.

Like the way this pattern looks? Want to add it to your pattern library? It is one of 3 patterns that for one day only ... the MONDAY ONE DAY featured patterns markdown of 30%. The patterns featured for today only at only $10.50 per pattern are:

STATLER

• 1149 WOVEN HEARTS E2E
• 1457 HEARTS & VINES E2E
• 1458 HEARTS & VINES FLIPPED E2E

INTELLIQUILTER

• 1149 IQ WOVEN HEARTS E2E
• 1457 IQ HEARTS & VINES E2E
• 1458 IQ HEARTS & VINES FLIPPED E2E

... know your craft ... practice your craft ...

... be innovative with your craft ....

KALEIDOSCOPE QUILTING

Recently I taught a class at Pioneer Quilts based on my kaleidoscope quilt that is published as a pattern in Marti Michell's book Kaleidoscope ABC's. We had such a good time learning how to use Marti's Kaleido-Ruler making it much easier to complete the blocks.

Last week Darlene brought her quilt top in for me to finish for her. I thought you might enjoy seeing the "after class" tutorial I put together for the girls and how great Darlene's quilt looks. The "after class" tutorial is to serve as a reminder filled with those little class details, tips, and tricks we tend to forget the day after class ... but we still have more blocks to piece.

When I made my quilt, I used strips and scraps from a country red and blue exchange from a couple of summers ago. As you can see, this quilt works great as a scrappy stash buster and I love the circular motion created by the block units as your eye travels across the top of the quilt.

A GOOD BOOK, A GOOD SONG, AND EYE CANDY

A GOOD BOOK: I just finished two good books, one mentioned in an earlier post The Last Wife of Henry VIII. Insterestingly enough, Katherine Parr was a part of court life throughout all of Henry's wives so this book provides a different perspective as an overall view of his reign and desparation to sire an heir to the throne. The chronology of his life and keeping track of his many wives has been difficult for me to follow and this book helped to get "things" in order in my brain.

Another book I would recommend written by Elizabeth Chadwick is the tale of John Marshal father of one of the greatest knights of all time Sir William Marshal A Place Beyond Courage. It took a little bit to get into the story in the beginning, but once it started rolling it is a good read. I think the slow start may have been my trouble in transitioning from the 1500 and all of the Henry VIII drama going back in time to the mid 12th century.

What sparked all this interest in English historical fiction? From way back I've always loved any good book or movie about King Arthur, Robin Hood, King Henry VII, and even Princess Diana and that has continued to the present with a renewal of that interest being sparked by the TV series on showtime The Tudors and the reading of two best sellers by Ken Follett Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. I like the comparitive views presented by reading books from the perspective of the Church and the Kings and their lords.

A simple resource to help me keep track of where I am "in time" as I read has been a chronologial listing of English Monarchs. I appreciate a good story that is historically sound and well-researched.

A GOOD SONG: Being fairly new to the blog scene I find myself spending way too much time exploring different blogs and adding them to my favorites to come back and check out. As time goes on I find myself editing my bookmarks deleting some and adding new ones. And, a few are becoming regular favorites ... enough to maybe even think about starting a blog roll. One of those sites came to light this morning.

Part of our regular morning ritual is reading the paper over breakfast. Mike reads word for word the items of interest to him while I quickly scan the headlines over his shoulder asking an occassional question about an ariticle here and there. I'm interested in only one part of the paper and must anxiously wait until he finishes reading the comics before I can delve into the daily crossword puzzle. Oh how I love the days when I'm incredibally inteligent and rue the days I don't know nuthin' 'bout 'nuthin'.

So, to tie all this together ... crossword puzzles, a good song, and blog rolls? I found a blog that posts all the answers to the Star Tribune crossword each day with comments, links, and general repsonses to the clues, the words, the themes ... you name it. Good quick reading and much easier than hunting up a word in my crossword dictionary.

But what about the good song? Today there was a link posted with 65D: Give it a go: TRY. "TRY me, TRY me..." What a great start to my morning!

THE EYE CANDY: we had some special visitors come walking down the driveway just proud as ... well, you can see ... there were five of them in all ... not a bit afraid of me ... and very intent on eating seeds that had fallen naturally along the fenceline of the pasture.

I love the color of their feathers and the fanned topnot on each of their heads.

I love the way the line of flowers leads your eye across the picture. This is a concept I try to teach in my quilting classes when dealing with the layout of scrappy quilts making them works of art rather than jumbles of color and fabric.

Isn't this little garden of purple flowers just the greatest study on value? Texture and scale differences are minimal, but the change in value holds your interest and makes you come back for a second look.

And, finally, a photo entitled A Mother-Daughter Portrait.

I love you Eryn.

POSTAGE STAMP HEXAGON QUILT

As promised, here is the story of the Hexagon quilt. I started the hexagon quilt in the early 90's as a take-along project while waiting for our kids during music lessons, contest performances, cross country races, and track meets. It was small and easily fit into my purse in a plastic birthday card sized envelope. I had everything I needed ...

• pre-cut fabric hexagons
• card stock foundation papers
• basted hexagons
• scissors, needle, and thread
• the project (at that time it was small enough to fit very nicely into my bag without being wadded into a ball like a rag

But after this kids graduated and went away to college part of my "empty nest" was no more waiting time to be filled and the hexagon quilt was put away for another day, to work on sometime, and soon a forgotten UFO. Until, last summer.

One of the things Eryn asked for last summer was the hexagon quilt. Did I still have it? Could she have it? Could it be her quilt to finish? Absolutely! And, even better, Eryn would be visiting during her in-between homes moving time which happened to coincide with our Scrappy Sister annual quilting retreat.I had been using 30's reproduction prints for the hexagon quilt, and, at the retreat, we just happened to be trading strips of 30's reproduction fabrics. Eryn got to take my place in the strip exchange so she would have a stash for cutting new hexagons. She circulated through the tables during the retreat driving hard bargins with the ladies as she traded strips for different strips she liked better. We got her set up with a rotary cutter, a stacked template like I describe in yesterday's post, and the UFO quilt kit.

I would hear off and on about surprise "squishies" arriving in the mail as different Scrappy Sisters mailed 30's scraps to Eryn to help her along the way to finishing her quilt. And what progress she has made!. When I gave the UFO to her it measure about 18" in length and about 12" in width. Check out the length now! I think it must be nearly 4'x6'. It covers the top of her dining room table. The desired finished length is still up in the air. She has decided it will be a large wall hanging rather than a bed quilt. And from the looks of things, I think it might be time to think about ordering the half hexagon card stock from Paper Pieces.


While I was visiting Eryn earlier in June we found some great looking organizing containers for her hexagons. She used the antique sherbet glasses for sorting the unbasted hexagons by color. By the way, if anyone knows the name of the crystal pattern for these glasses, let us know. I know it is hard to see that pattern on them from this picture. I'll ask her to send me a picture of just one so you can get a good look at it and help us identify the pattern. She is looking for more. She has eight right now but would like more since she has more that eight colors. I think she needs about 4 more.

After she bastes the hexagons she sorts them into her Fiestaware tea cups. Her new search now is to find brown Fiestaware. Do they even make it in brown? I think the cinnabar might be her closest bet. She's done a great job working the reds into the quilt. I tended to avoid the reds when I started because they seemed to jump right off the quilt at me. She has also added some of the more bold colors that have joined the palette of 30's prints ... the darker blues, the brighter oranges, browns (which are very hard to find) and, for today's project she has been working in the black prints with grace and style so they look like the belong in the quilt. Not an easy task.

During our antique outings we also found this primitive tool boxs. I thought it would be a good storage piece for my studio or to use for display in the different shows I go to. Wrong! It is perfect for storing the 6" squares of fabric before they are cut into hexagons. Another bin is used for her cutter, scissors, needle case, and template, and she uses an antique aluminum measuring cup for corralling her pre-cut card stock shapes.

How big are the hexagons? Eryn is working with hexagons that measure 3/4" on the side. Just the right size to not make the quilt seam "klunky" and yet big enough to allow centering of fussy cut prints from the conversational prints of the 30's.

STAR BOUQUET

One of the things I did while I was in Alabama visiting my daughter was to help her with her first real quilt. You'll remember me posting about the sock monkey quilt she wanted to make for her friend who is expecting her baby in October.

While Eryn worked on piecing blocks, I basted fabric hexagons to card stock forms which she will add using the hand-piecing English Paper Piecing technique to her hexagon quilt. She has been working on her hexagon quilt for about a year now but that story is for another post. Stay tuned!
Bottom line ... when I got home I realized how much I like revisiting this hand piecing technique. It's a nice change from sewing like a mad-woman at the longarm or piecing samples for classes and patterns as fast as I can make them on my home machine. So off I went to Paper Pieces to see what kinds of projects they had that might interest me.

To begin with, anything on sale will always catch my eye and they are currently running a special on all star patterns. Two patterns and four charm pack pre-cut shapes later I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the mail. Tuesday was a happy day at our house.

But as I opened the package and looked inside my pattern I groaned. What on earth was I thinking! Yes, read the fine print on the pattern. I think ... no, I know ... when I was ordering I had a hard time visualizing just how small the pieces must be to make a quilt that finishes at ... look again, you read it right the first time ... 14" x 16". Those little pieces are smaller the my thumbnail!

The sides of the hexagons (that's how you measure hexagons) is 1/2" and the little six-pointed star finishes from point to point a total of 3 1/2". The good news is I now have a use for those tiny scraps in baggies at the back of the drawer.

I gathered up my red, white, and blue scraps and decided today was the day to tackle this project. After all, I only need to make 23 stars. I haven't even thought about the diamond shapes yet that are used to connect the stars. We'll just take this one tiny baby step at a time.

First step was to create a cutting template. I found with the hexagon quilt using a template with the 1/4" seam allowance added on makes a big difference when pre-cutting the shapes. I like to use the extra-thick template plastic from EZ Quilting. I trace the small finished-size card stock on the template plastic and then use a ruler to add the quarter inch. After I have one shape cut out from the template plastic, I put a piece of double stick tape on the back, stick it to the template plastic and cut out another layer. I usually end up with about 4 layers stuck together. Then I don't have to worry about trimming away the edges of my template as I cut my fabric shapes with the rotary cutter.

Then next step was to gather my fabrics. I don't need big yardage for this project - I just need a strip about 2" x 10" for the jewel shapes ... 11 different blues and 12 different reds. I can also cut the hexagon star centers from this yardage. Not making much of a dent in the stash but every LITTLE bit helps. I have plenty of patriotic fabrics in my stash. I absolutely love red, white, and blue, and, two years ago our small quilting bee traded fabric strips in country reds and blues at our annual retreat.

After the fabric shapes are cut I'm finally to the basting step and it was just as I remembered. Relaxing! Put in a movie to listen to and look up occasionally in the really good parts, sit back in the rocking recliner, snacks and beverages close at hand and enjoy the afternoon. (Opps, I think I forgot to tell you, I dropped my DH Mike at the airport early this morning to fly to San Diego. He is playing in a three day trombone fest with our son ... 76+ trombones in concert with the San Diego Symphony and Marvin Hamlisch in a big star spangled Fourth of July celebration firewroks and all. What a great sound! If you live in the San Diego area you'll not want to miss this concert. So, it's just me and the dogs for this Fourth of July holiday.)

Of course, after all those little pieces were floating around on the cutting table I had to think of some way to keep things organized. Hooray for me! So far I have two stars completely sewn together and all the pieced basted for two more stars. What better way to celebrate the Fourth!


Have a happy and safe holiday celebration.

STITCH OUT SAMPLER

Hooray for a day of sunshine! Even for an Oregonian, the rain is getting to be a bit much for this time of year. It's time for sandals, short pants and sweaters to be packed away. Let's see if I'm as ready for summer after next week when I visit my daughter in the Alabama heat and humidity. Then I'll be glad to be back in the cloudy cool Pacific Northwest - where we do love our roses!

My Joseph's coat has been a real distraction as he shines in all his glory outside the window at my desk. The color variegation and the multiple blossoms on one stem - I know they have a name for that type of rose, just can't remember right now - is truly a wonder to behold.

Just a note: click on any picture to enlarge and see the quilting up close and personal.

I took today to play with my longarm machine. I wanted to get a stitch out sampler of some of the new patterns and to review some of the functions and procedures with Creative Studio, our new software for our Statler Machines. You never know how much you've internalized the processes until you step outside of the box and begin actually applying them in new and different ways. Some of the things I tried today were as easy as pie. I found others that made me think a little bit to work it out, and then I found those processes that need a little more time with the manual.

When I looked at the designs for this latest release I found a common thread running throughout. Most of these new designs are all about TEXTURE.

I played with the traditional clamshell pattern taking it a step further by adding echoes to the shape to help make it an easy edge-to-edge design, and then adding additional textural patterns inside of the clam shapes. The possibilities are endless.

The clamshell is a design that appears to be easily executed but has in the past been one that put me a little on edge. Keeping the curves nice and rounded; keeping the spacing accurate; managing to keep the points out of the curved line above and below - these are some of the challenges when executing this design. The computer driven machines help with the accuracy but there are set-up issues with the alternating trim design. I'm not a big fan of multiple tie-off points which is a part of alternating patterns. And, through all of this technical jargon, much thought, and many hours at the computer mouse in hand, I finally came up with some designs that are easily executed, accurate, and give a fresh new look to an old favorite.

There are 14 designs in the collection ... 6 single blocks, 6 edge-to-edge designs, and two bonus edge-to-edge designs added in to increase the flexibility when working with a Classic rather than an Optimum. The bonus single rows will also allow other options with an odd sized quilt when the rows just won't divide up right and the pattern becomes too distorted. This collection (1207) is on sale this month for almost half off the total value is purchased individually ... and ... if you drop a comment (say, "Put my name in the hat!") in the box at the end of this post you'll be entered into a drawing to get a free edge-to-edge pattern! This picture shows a row of 1217 Clam Bubbles E2E and a row of 1208 Clam Double E2E. I had no idea the two different patterns would fit together so easily like that!. Fun surprises all around.

Two fun edge-to-edge designs I've shown you before as line drawings are just as cute stitched out. 1218 Sock Monkey and 1220 Cloudy Cascades sitiched out like a dream today. I had run a single pattern of them before as a test. Today I wanted to include them in actual stitch out for my customers to review. Sometimes it's hard to translate what you see on the screen to how it might look on a quilt top. Much easier when you're looking at an actual stitch out.

Cloudy Cascades gives you a chance to practice with Alternating function in the Creative Studio program so the mountains don't march down the quilt top in rows.

The tiger stripe blocks and triangle are really all about texture. These designs would look so good on an lodge type quilt, a guy quilt ... think about the texture that is created with a baptist fan but now make it into wavy lines following a diamond shaped pattern. 1210 Tiger Stripe 1, 1211 Tiger Stripe Triangle, and 1212 Tiger Stripe 2 look good stitched out to the desired size be it large or small so density of quilting is easily controlled and balanced.

And, last of all, I do several "soldier" quilts throughout the year and I'm always looking for ways to create designs that work for both men and women, are utilitarian in nature as these quilts will be well-used and well-loved, and the designs must set-up and stitch out easily. 1197 Ripples & Stars and 1216 Clam Star E2E are two new designs that will meet those needs. Both patterns are offered at half price during this next week. Be sure to visit the Mountaintop webstore to take advantage of the sales.

Remember to participate in the poll at the top of the side bar, and get your name in the hat for a free pattern to add to your Statler Library. The drawing will be held first thing in the morning July 1st!

SPLICING BATTING SCRAPS

I mentioned in a previous post that it is a rare occasion when I will splice together batting scraps for use in a quilt. However, when I do use batting scraps in a quilt, there is a way to splice them without creating a gap or a ridge where the two pieces are joined. This is how I do a batting splice.

I quilt as much as I can with the first piece of batting working my way down the quilt. I stop quilting about 6" from the edge of the batting. Flip the top up out of your way and lay the second piece of batting on top of the first piece. Cut through the two pieces of batting with a wavy or serpentine line as shown in the picture. Make sure you are going out to the edges (top/bottom) of the two pieces of batting.

When you finish the cutting line remove the small loose scraps and fit the wavy line back together. At this point, you can use spray adhesive to keep the batting pieces in place if you are concerned about them shifting during the quilting process.

I will use the process if the quilting is of medium scale and fairly consistent in density so I won't have to worry about the batting coming loose with repeated washings and daily wear and tear. I will splice batting (only my own and never a customer quilt) on small projects, baby quilts, and even throw size, but I'm reluctant to do a splice on a full bed size quilt. I don't like the idea of a potential weak area going all the way across my favorite king size quilt ... especially when I know how my husband pulls the covers!

Lots of Fun Stuff to Check Out

What a fun-filled great day ... work sandwiched in with play is a good balance. We had two students play their trombone solos today for league competition and they did so well. They have 5 more weeks to polish everything up before district where they compete to qualify for state.

Lunch out with my hubby is a very rare happening and is always a great treat ... followed by a quick but careful drive through the snow to get me back home and Mike off for his afternoon trombone students.

After a quick chat with my friends Al and Barb in NC I spent the rest of the day at the computer getting all the pdf's written and uploaded to my yahoo newsletter site so you will all know about the SALES, NEW DESIGNS, and FREEBIES I just uploaded to the "store" and my yahoo file sections.

I didn't want any of my blogger friends to miss out on the good deals, so I'm posting the list with links here, too. You'll find ...

All the new designs I've created over the last month in the CATALOG 1 folder

Two new wholecloth designs complete with directions and tips in the WHOLECLOTH folder

Two free patchwork projects that are great for stash busting and using up batting scraps in the FREE IS GOOD! folder

A free Statler pattern in the FREE IS GOOD! folder

A sales flyer in the SALE!SALE!SALE! folder ... and you might want to bookmark this link to have handy while you go through the sales ads.

And yes, I did have way too much fun creating my little valentine guy with AutoSketch.

HAPPY FEBRUARY!

LITTLE BITS

So much for a foggy morning with sun burning it off early and a clear cold day to follow. I had to cancel lunch with a friend and reschedule my hair appointment. Snow and temperatures below freezing seem to be more of the weather for today. I can get off the mountain fine but wouldn't be able to make it back up to my house later this afternoon/evening. And who doesn't love an excuse to stay inside and "play in the quilting studio?"

The tip for today: I have several chain pieced units all hooked together ready to be cut apart before moving on to the next step. I could use scissors to snip them apart, but I love my handy-dandy chair ripper. The base is very heavy holding it in place while I cut the units apart using the seam ripper that just fits in the base unit. For this particular model, the seam ripper and base unit are two separate pieces which comes in handy when packing up for traveling to classes.
I received my chain ripper as a gift several years ago from my friend Pat. I don't see this particular design on the market any more, but there are other chain rippers out there in a couple of different designs. Things to think about when choosing which you might like to add to your notions basket:

• Do you want the ripper tip blunted or left as a sharp point?
• How much does it weigh? (makes a difference when flying or carrying our
  "studio" to class and how sturdy is it on the table when doing the actual
  "ripping" apart.)
• Does the point have a safety cover when not in use?
• Does the ripper unit double as a regular seam ripper and a chain
  ripper?
  

And finally, from the newspaper ... did you know ... The first four notes of the Hallelujah Chorus" are the same as the first four notes of "Yes, We Have No Bananas."

A QUILTING DAY FOR ME

When this hobby becomes your career there is a shift in thinking from what pleases you to what will market well. What pleases you is still a part of the decision making process because that is part of what gives your product the stamp of your personality to your product. So when the rare day happens that you get to work on projects that will never be in a show, never be used as a class sample, never be published, it becomes a real treat. I got to have one of those days today.

When we woke up this morning we had a light dusting of snow and freezing temperatures. Schools called late openings and I called my Tuesday sewing group to let them know we wouldn't be having class today. The temperatures warmed through the day and I was snug as a bug in a rug enjoying working on a quilt for my daughter-in-law Andrea. She needs a "new Momma" quilt. She is in the hospital at complete bed rest awaiting the arrival of our grandbabies - twins, Colin and Lucy. We're hoping she can make it to at least the end of February before having the babies. She's been in the hospital since the week after Thanksgiving. It's been a very long haul and she's being a very good sport through this ordeal. And, I think I need to get this Momma quilt done pretty quickly. So today I started cutting.

This quilt features the fabric line from RJR called Sweet as a Rose. I was able to pick up the quilt kit while in Houston for quilt market. I got a good start on piecing the blocks today but I wanted to share a tip to help make piecing the square-in-a-square block a little easier and more accurate to piece.

When sewing the triangles on to the sides of the squares most patterns direct you to crease the middle of the square and the triangle and then match the creases for accurate placement of the triangle on the square. I like to use the point trimmer from Judy Martin. I trim the corners off the triangles before sewing them on. Then when I place the triangles on the square the nipped off corners fit right up to the edge of square. No creasing ... no guessing. And, my square in a square comes out right to size each time.

I don't know what it has taken me so long to get on the pillowcase bandwagon. But today I jumped in with both feet and had a ball. I've always had seasonal pillowcases and special pillowcases to match the quilts, but I always made them the way my mother taught us when we were growing up. Her pattern features a cuff and hem all from one piece of fabric. She always had us use French seams, too, so there were no raw edges on the inside.

But today, everything clicked into place about how to make these pillowcases with the little accent strip and the separate cuff. I was still able to do my French seams, so no raw edges for me. I think our new Winter pillowcases turned out pretty great, and I have a Puppy Pillowcase/quilt bag for delivering Pat's Puppy Love quilt to her. We're almost finished with the binding!

For the last thing of the day, I'll let you in on a little secret. I really like the way the February Free Pattern of the Month is going together.

QUILTING AND BACKS

First of all, isn't this the prettiest design for an overall edge-to-edge design? In helping my friend Linda come up with a possible quilting plan for a customer quilt, her request for an E2E pattern to go with the rest of the Gossamer Collection resulted in this design.

This was clearly a "slap me on the forehead" moment as this design grew from under my mouse. Using the elements common to the designs contained in the Gossamer collection as a foundation, this design just kind of fell into place. When I saw what the repeats looked like, I wondered, "Why didn't I think of that before?" I knew immediately I would be using it on a customer quilt waiting in the cupboard.

Yesterday I referenced the "dreaded tucks" that can sometimes magically (and I don't mean that in a good way) appear on the backings of our quilts with no warning. I wanted to share a few thoughts as to what I think are contributing factors to the tucks or pleats happening and welcome all comments and thoughts as to why you think tucks/pleats happen.

I remember, when I first started quilting with my first longarm machine, hearing about the importance of working with a backing that was square and straight. I asked everyone I knew as to what was the best way to square up a backing. Not many straight-forward answers to that question. So, by trial and error, I kept my fingers crossed and tried different methods.

I have noticed a significant decrease in the times tucks/pleats happen as I'm quilting - almost never (knock on wood) any more, but every once in a while. I get a surprise as I get ready to unload the quilt. One of the things I think has helped is how I prepare my quilt backings.

1. My backings that are 8" longer and 8" wider than the total length/width of the quilt top.
2. If I have to seam the backing, I create a seam with 1/2" seam allowance and I press the seam open.
3. I tear all edges. I start with the first edge of the fabric and tear across giving me a straight edge across the width of the fabric.
4. I measure from the torn edge to the desired length and tear again. I know now that I have the same measurement in length across the entire width of the fabric. I will continue in this manner until I have the number of lengths needed to equal the total length or width needed for the backing after it is seamed.
5. Next, I remove all selvage edges. This will allow the edges inside the quilt to give with the movement and stresses put on the quilt in daily use and life. You know ... when he pulls the covers.
6. You will notice the edges may be a little distorted. Steam them right back into shape with your iron and join the lengths together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Remember to press the seams open. 99% of the time this will give you a backing that is square and straight and ready for quilting on any machine - longarm, mid/short arm or domestic.

Since I,and my customers, too, have been preparing my backing this way, I rarely have tucks/pleats in the backs any more. I do advocate tearing when purchasing extra wide backing fabric. Customers bringing in backing with the extra wide fabric that has been cut most often have backings that are not square and barely fit the quilt top because of the overall shape of the backing. Frequently, these backs come into the studio in the shape of a parallelogram because they have been wound crooked on the bolt. If they won't tear for you in your local quilt shop, you will need to buy extra fabric just to be sure to have enough.

Some other thoughts about possible causes of tucks/pleats:

• sticky batting - the backing fabric gets hung up on the batting causing a wrinkle
• un-ironed backing fabric or backings with semi-permanent fold creases which are easily quilted into a tuck/pleat
• quilting with the take-up bar riding too low on the bed of the machine causing the bed of the machine to push the fabric/batting around causing a pleat/tuck to be quilted in
• saggy baggy backings with warps or distortions in the fabric; excess fabric folds in on itself causing a tuck/pleat (I will stuff batting scraps between the backing and the bar the backing bar to help keep an even tension on the backing fabric)

Add your comments and we'll have a pretty good problem solving list to help all of us banish the "dread" tucks/pleats once and for all. Also, do a google search with the words "squaring quilt backings." You will be amazed at all of the responses that come as a result of your search.