Quiltivate

Basting with Safety Pins

Here's a helpful post over at Red Pepper Quilts detailing how she goes about basting her quilts using safety pins. I am so thankful for these little suckers. I follow about the same technique as this post except that I start in the very center of the quilt and I pin about every 6" (because I end up tightening things up as I radiate out on the hand-quilting). 

How do you baste your quilts? Do you use thread or safety pins, or another technique?

Shout-outs to the CraftGossip.com blog for the original link and you can buy curved safety pins from the Quilt in a Day store.

Ice Cream and Hand-Quilting Videos

 

Grab some ice cream and snuggle up in front of your computer ... with your quilt! Amy a la Mode posted some fantastic, short instructional hand-quilting videos. In the second video, she gives a tip on tying knots in the thread that I'm definitely going to be doing from now on. Check 'em out!

Sewing Machine Needles Demystified

"Oh, a sewing machine's needle can be changed too?!" Just kidding - I knew they could be changed, I just haven't done it because I didn't have a clue what the differences were between needles ... until now! Sew, Mama, Sew has a guest blog from Manda at Tree Fall where she details the different type and sizes of sewing machine needles and when to use what. 

I'm telling you, quilters - we are so spoiled with free access to these incredibly helpful tutorials and guides. Be sure to give a shout-out to Craftzine for the link, Sew, Mama, Sew for posting the great guide, and Manda at Tree Fall Design for sharing her expertise with us!

Bias Binding + Puppets = No Swearing

I always get to the end of making a quilt and get so excited that it's almost done, then I realize slip-stitching the binding seems to take an eternity (and that's even after I've hand-quilted the whole thing)! I am so encouraged by this video from Amy at Angry Chicken! 

Amy shows how easy it is to finish an edge with bias binding (which you can either buy pre-pressed and packaged from the store, or you can make strips of fabric into bias binding on your own). She takes the binding and does two separate sweeps with the sewing machine and that's it! It's super simple and looks great. Wahoo for simplifying binding! Thanks, Amy!

[And thanks to Chloe from Blisstree.com for the link!]

Gorgeous Seams = Gorgeous Blocks

Check out this ridiculously beautiful BACK SIDE of a quilt block! Caro from the splityarn blog posted some tips on how to press your seams beautifully so the front of your quilt blocks turn out great. 

[Thanks to the WhipUp.net blog for the link!]

New Blocks - June, Week 3

Orchards, Gardens and Frogs! Summer quilting at its best:

Jericho Walls




Leap Frog




Path Thru the Woods




Practical Orchard




The Garden Patch

Feet for Any Occasion

Have you ever wondered how to get all three layers of your quilt through your sewing machine at the same speed or how to get perfect 1/4" seams every time? I definitely have, and now I need wonder no more! 

Florence from the Flossie Teacakes blog did a very helpful post on the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog this week explaining some of the sewing machine feet available and how they might be useful for different projects. 

I have the cheapest sewing machine money can buy and I've often thought that meant that I'd be limited on what I can sew. But, I have yet to try different feet for my machine and I'm beginning to think that might make all the difference. I am particularly interested in the Quarter-Inch Foot. 

Speaking of the Quarter-Inch Foot, the Craftzine blog linked to another helpful post from Rhonda at the Joyce's Daughter blog on how to use the 1/4" foot and seam guide. 

Thanks, all, for the helpful foot tips this week! 

New Blocks - June, Week 2

I hope your summer weather is more summery than it is for us in Colorado, but this rainy stuff does make for some perfect quilting weather! Here are this week's five new blocks:

Indian Squares




King's Crown




Patchwork Fantasy




Pinwheel Variation




Tea Leaf

Compacting Quilts

Here's a helpful tip from Becky on the Piece O' Cake blog on how she folds her quilts to make them nice and compact for packing them to take on trips.  Check it out!

I do my hand-quilting in the living room and put the quilt I'm working on on the bottom shelf of the coffee table when I'm in-between quilting sessions. I have an over-sized queen in the works right now and it's huge, so I think this will be handy even for that. Thanks, Becky!

New Blocks - June, Week 1

Here's a set of blocks to kick off summer right:

Five-Patch Churn Dash




Ladies' Wreath




Little Sawtooth




Pinwheel Square




Summer's Dream