Machine Quilted Fat Quarter Quilt
|
 |
| The Stack n Whack quilt blocks with sashing. |
Next up will be a t-shirt quilt.
Stay tuned.
And now for the rest of the news - -
Happy Quilting!
Stress No More About Machine Quilting
of Using Fat Quarters in a Quilt
 |
| Machine Quilted Fat Quarter Quilt |
Fat quarters are those little bundles of joy found on table tops in quilt shops.
They love it when you cut them up and put them in a quilt! And they add quite a bit of variety to your quilt.
But, how do you use them? And what if you don't really want your quilt to look like a scrap quilt, but rather a quilt that was planned?
I'll admit that, probably like many quilters, my collection of fat quarters began before I had a clue what I would use them for.
Years ago at the Houston Quilt Festival, I got several fat quarters - because I loved the fabric and couldn't get yards of it. It was available only as fat quarters.
Those treasures sat on my shelf for years until a few months ago when quilters asked for a quilting resource about how to use fat quarters in a quilt.
With that prompting, I pulled them out and got serious about finding the right block and other fabric to go with them.
The quilt is finished, and the information is ready for you to add to your Quilting Toolkit.
This information includes:
- my best tips and techniques for machine quilting - gathered from scores of expert machine quilters, tested by me and other quilters on our home sewing machines. Your machine quilting CAN be perfect using these few simple techniques.
- how to cut your fat quarters so you get the most from it. There is a "best way" to lay out your squares and triangles so you get more from your precious fabric. Remember, you only have one chance at cutting - if you need one or two more patches, you don't want to think that "if I had only cut it a different way - - -"
- a fun pieced border that will impress your family and friends with your quilting skills. This border looks really complex, doesn't it? But it's not. Making this border is simply a matter of strip piecing and cutting - easy, easy.
- adding pieced cornerstones - cornerstones can be extremely useful, especially when your borders are pieced and it isn't so easy to line them up so they go around a corner nicely. See the options I chose from and why I used the pieced blocks I did.
- how to draft a block and make your own templates. For those quilt blocks you can find patterns for, it's the way to go. But often quilt block patterns aren't the right size. Follow this method, used by professional quilters, and you'll never be without a pattern again - whether it is the middle of the day or 2am in the morning.
Even if you aren't making a quilt using fat quarters, this DVD Mentor is jam packed with information you can use for any quilt you make - from quilts using yardage to scrap quilts and fat quarter quilts.
You'll be happy you took advantage of this great information during our FREE SHIPPING time. Just until the end of the month, you can get this at our Special Introductory Price which includes free shipping.
Remember, you, too deserve a great holiday gift of your choice - that is, something that gives you pleasure and will make your quilting life easier and help you create more quilts with ease.
Quilting Tool - Accuquilt GO!
Every once in a while, the engineers of the world do something wonderful for us quilters.
Decades ago, we were blessed with the invention of the rotary cutter, and I'll admit it took me a few years to decide to invest in my first one.
After all, I had a great pair of scissors, and getting a rotary cutter was quite an investment. I knew I would need to replace the blades - at an additional expense - and what if I didn't like it or couldn't make it work?
But, finally, I invested, and now I have several rotary cutters, mats and rulers. And every time I start to cut fabric for a quilt, I thank the guy who brought the rotary cutter to quilting - saving hours of time and increasing the accuracy of the pieces I cut.
The engineers have advanced quilting one step further recently.
This cutting system for quilting not only increases your speed in cutting fabric, but the patches it cuts are perfect. And you don't need to get special mats or rulers, or worry about having a large enough space for cutting your fabric.
Remembering back to the introduction of the rotary cutter, I think I remember hearing about increasing the accuracy of my patches then. And, anyone who uses a rotary cutter has probably had the experience of a ruler slipping causing an inaccurate cut in a strip or patch for a quilt.
Using this new device, it appears that all of those inaccurate cuts will be completely eliminated.
Not only that, but because there are no sharp cutting blades exposed, it looks like it would be impossible to cut yourself (or anyone else) as you cut your fabric.
Engineering son, Bubba, would appreciate that, since I just about cut his little finger off one day when he stuck it right in the path of my rotary cutter!
You can layer your fabric right sides together so that once the patches are cut, they are ready to take right over to your sewing machine to piece together.
The basic cutter is light weight and easy to carry to a class, and it's small enough to tuck away into a closet or under a bed.
However, you may want to think about taking it to a class, because you may end up cutting the fabric for everyone in the class and not have time for sewing your patches! On the other hand, you could let everyone cut their own fabric with the cutter.
Cutting fabric is not only easy but flexible. You can cut individual patches from small pieces of scrap fabric, or you can cut many layers of fabric from yardage - including long bias (or straight grain) strips for binding or borders.
You can also get dies with fancy shapes - butterflies, stars, flower petals, leaves - in addition to many different kinds and sizes of triangles, squares, hexagons and rectangles.
Recently I visited Rosie's for a demonstration of the system. I had read a lot about it, but had never seen it in action.
Candy showed me, from start to finish, how it worked and showed me some of the blocks they had created at Rosie's Calico Cupboard.
It really is quite an amazing machine, and my imagination ran wild with the possibilities. I can just imagine how much time I can save cutting fabric, and giving me more time to sew. Plus, I don't know about you, but every time I cut fabric for a quilt, I somehow end up with wasted pieces - usually because the ruler slipped and whacked a tiny slice off the side of a strip or patch.
Candy was kind enough to allow me to take some video as she was showing me how the AccuQuilt Go! system worked, and you can see it for yourself below.
If you are interested in getting one of your own, Rosie has them at a fabulous price - if you ask for her 40% coupon off - you'll save a bunch! And, she'll happily ship it right to your snail mailbox.
You can email Rosie:
Rosie at Rosie's Calico Cupboard - rozgonzalez@cox.net
Be sure to let her know you are a How-to-Quilt.com newsletter subscriber and she will take extra fine care of you and your needs.
Oh, you can also cut and fringe squares for rag quilts in one simple step. Think of it - you can layer your fabric, cut and fringe the squares, so all that is left is sewing your rag quilt together and washing it to make it raggy."
Postcard Quilts for the Troops
Valentines' Day Roundup Next - Deadline January 21!
 |
If you missed the deadline to send Christmas fabric postcards to Penny’s Postcard Posse, you can still participate in the next roundup.
Our next big holiday is Valentine’s Day 2010. The deadline for submitting your cards is January 21, 2010. That means you have more than a month to work on them and get them sent in!
If you have never participated in Penny’s Postcard Posse, here’s what we do. We collect the fabric postcards you make and send in and distribute them to the men and women protecting our countries in the military. It’s admittedly a small contribution in comparison to the time they spend away from their families to protect the quality of life we enjoy. It’s a way quilters can share their love of the craft to brighten a soldier’s day.
For Valentine's Day 2007, the Postcard Posse sent 217 postcards to Canadian troops stationed in Afghanistan. By Christmas 2008 quilters sent in more than 2,200 postcards that were forwarded troups to the Middle East. All in all, more than7,300 postcard sized quilts have been sent to soldiers abroad.
During the year end holidays, take a few minutes to make a card or two. And to get you started, download a package of free Heart Quilt Block patterns. These are full size patterns that can easily be made into small fabric postcards.
The directions are very easy. You’ll find free designs to get you started at www.fabric-postcards.com.
You'll find tons of free fabric postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com
Please send your cards to:
Diane Malaznik
14215 Westmore St.
Livonia, MI 48154-4149
Diane is doing a fabulous job keeping the pictures updated, and if you have sent cards in, let your friends and family know that they can see pictures of them here: www.Fabric-Postcards.com
Remember you can get FREE postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com
Special Note - we are in the process of changing the Picture Gallery on the Fabric-Postcards.com site. It may take a few days, so bear with us. Not to worry - We have all of the pictures and will get everything squared away soon.
Featured Block in Video - Empire Cross Quilt Block
This quilt block is fairly easy to sew together, and uses just 3 different fabrics.
Visit www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com to see other quilt block videos and get free patterns, including free fabric postcard patterns for Penny's Postcard Posse.
Enjoy!
December Quilt Block Patterns
The December selection of free quilt block patterns includes a variety of 4 patch quilt blocks, ranging from the easy to make to some that are a little more complex.
Click here to download your December FREE quilt block patterns
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Crazy House |
Dogwood |
Empire Cross |
Indian Hatchet |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Lily Palm | Mayflower | Old Star | Rock of Ages |
 |
 |
||
| Rose Mosaic | Steps to the Altar |
Click here to download your December FREE quilt block patterns
Hundreds of quilt block patterns to choose from. Patterns include full size templates and rotary cutting layouts. Click Here
|
