Hand sewing - not my favorite or might I change my mind?

Today I took a workshop on Hawaiian appliqué.  Janet Elia of Taunton, MA, was the instructor. She told us a lot about the history. The pattern we did was the breadfruit. Cutting the fabric was easy and Janet shared a neat trick to unfolding the appliqué fabric after cutting it.

Then the part I was dreading started. Suffice it to say that I am not a fan of hand sewing. I machine stitch bindings on my quilts. So we started by doing some needle-turn appliqué. My first attempt at this technique wasn't stellar but then again, it wasn't horrid either. I was surprised at how you are able to just use the needle to turn the edge under as you stitch. I have made a pledge to myself to finish the appliqué. I have already done almost a fourth of it so it shouldn't take me long to complete.

So I overcame that hurdle but there were 2 more for the day. The next in the workshop was hand quilting. I never thought I would try it but for traditional Hawaiian appliqué, hand quilting seems to be the right way to go. Again, I won't win any prizes for my hand quilting but my stitches were consistent in size although a little bigger than ideal. 

Finally, at our guild meeting, Janet told us some history of Sashiko. More hand sewing! Although not at all the same, the stitches are similar to the hand quilting from earlier in the day. When you hand quilt, you are stitching through three layers - the quilt top, batting and the backing. For Sashiko, you are only stitching on the quilt top. It is a form of embroidery. The trick is that the stitches are a larger and the spaces between the stitches are about half the size of a stitch. This wasn't too bad, either.

So I am going to have to rethink my aversion to hand sewing. I enjoy all three of the hand sewing activities from the day. With just a small amount of practice, I was able to produce acceptable results. I also know that with more practice, my skill in each of three areas will improve. I'm not turning in my sewing machine, by any stretch of the imagination, but I am certainly going to stop avoiding all kinds of hand work.

I am very glad that I took the workshop and learned that not all hand sewing is tedious and unattractive.

Trying something new

Today I decided to try something new. I have an embroidery machine and had purchased "Edge to Edge Quilting on Your Embroidery Machine" by Amelie Scott. It sat on my shelf unused. Today I decided it was time to give it a try. I knew of another quilter that had used it successfully so why not give it a try.

I started by reading the instructions. I know, the coward's way. The author gives a detailed description of what you need to do and includes tips for success. It was quite informative and well worth the time spent.

The first thing one has to do is create templates from cloth or tearaway stabilizer. I chose to use stabilizer. There 2 stitch files for each design. You make a template for each of them. Basically, the 2 files are the same design rotated 180 degrees from each other. The field are used to stitch alternate columns. but I'm getting ahead of myself here.

The quilt is stitched in columns. The most complicated thing to do is to figure out how many columns are needed and therefore where the first one will be placed. It will be somewhere near the middle but not exactly depending on your measurements. Again, the instructions are quite thorough in explaining how to do the calculation.

You also need to determine how many times the file will get stitched in a column. Following the instructions, I found I would need between 4 and 5 for each column. I chose to stitch 4 full files and then skip stitches on the fifth hooping to just stitch the amount I needed plus a little off the side.

At the speed I have my embroidery machine set, each hooping stitches out in about 3 minutes. The time spent to rehab is significantly more but gets faster with practice. A lap quilt measuring about 55" x 55" is going to require a total of 45 hoopings. The total time will probably be between 10 and 12 hours. That seems like quite a long time but the resulting stitching is comparable to that from a longer for a fraction of the cost.

I would recommend this technique to anyone with an embroidery machine and quilt tops waiting to be quilted. Just start with something not too big and follow the instructions provided with the designs.

Find your piecing style

When I piece, I am all about efficiency. I chain piece everything. That means I don't break/cut the thread after each seam. I snug the next item to be stitched up against the needle and starting sewing. I like this style of piecing because it saves thread, saves time and eliminates problems with thread ends getting snagged an pulled into a ball on the back of the piece. I'm all about getting things done.

Others like to savor the success of each thing stitched. They cut their thread and begin again on the the next item. They enjoy the journey from beginning to end.

Which are you? Are you one to savor the journey or are you eager to get to the destination?

Flying Geese Units - the easy way

One of the best ways to make flying geese units accurately is to use a specialized ruler such as the Wing Clipper or Wing Clipper II by Studio 180 Designs. My goal here, however, is not to send you to the store for yet another ruler. You can create accurate flying geese units by starting with squares and have little wasted fabric.
Now you can create flying geese units using the stitch and flip technique. With this technique, you start with a rectangle the size of the unfinished unit (or the finished unit plus 1/2" in width and height). You also need two squares the same size as the height of the unit. For example, for a finished flying geese unit of 3" x 6", the unfinished unit is 3-1/2" x 6-1/2". So you need a rectangle that is 3-1/2" x 6-1/2" and two contrasting squares measuring 3-1/2" x 3-1/2". You draw a line diagonal across the back of the two squares. One square is then placed, right sides together, on one end of the rectangle. Stitch one or two threads toward the corner beside a drawn line. Trim the corner off leaving a 1/4" seam. Now press the remaining portion of the square up and over the seam. Repeat these steps on the other end of the rectangle and ta-da - you have a flying geese unit.
The problems I see with this technique are the waste of fabric and the time it takes to do all of these steps for a single flying geese unit.
The technique I prefer makes four flying geese units at one time. Using our example for a 3" x 6" finished size flying geese unit, you will need one square that is 6" + 1-1/4" - 7-1/4" for the middle section of the units. For the ends of the unit, you will need four squares that measure 3" + 1" = 4" x 4". Unfortunately, you still need to draw a diagonal line on the back of each of the four small squares. There are tools that allow you to omit this step but remember, I'm all about saving you from having to buy specialized rulers and tools.
With the larger square laying right side up, position tow of the smaller squares wrong side up so that they are in opposite corners of the larger triangle AND the drawn lines meet to form one continuous line across. Now stitch 1/4" away from BOTH sides of the drawn lines. Cut the piece in half along the drawn lines. Press the small triangles away from the remainder of the larger square.
Finally, take one of the small squares and position it in a remaining corner of the larger square. with the line pointing through the corner of the larger square. Now stitch 1/4" away from BOTH sides of the drawn line. Cut the piece in half along the drawn line. Press the small triangles away from the remainder of the larger square. Repeat these steps with the other piece.
Now you have four flying geese units. Use your ruler to square them to 3-1/2" x 6-1/2" being sure to leave 1/4" seam allowance at the point. The point should be 3-1/4" from each end and 1/4" in from the side.
That's it for now. I'll post some photographs at some point to assist you will piecing flying geese units.

Tomorrow Succeeds with Preparation Today

It take time to get things arranged one wants them but once that work is done, it is simpler to maintain going forward. In this case, I am referring to the writing of patterns. One has to determine how much instruction to provide - will the quilters be novices or very experienced. One has to decide if multiple sizes should be offered or should a single size be included allowing the quilter to determine what modifications are needed to change the size.
Each of these decisions determines how much work needs to be done in writing and testing the pattern. There is no way that I would publish a pattern that did not have amply testing. In the case of my patterns, I test them after they are written and then send them out for a independent party to test.
That independent party happens to be my efriend and BFF, Joanne. Joanne lives in Tennessee but with email and chatting, we keep in touch. Her input has been invaluable in making my directions clearer and with fewer mistakes.
I am responsible for any mistakes that do exist within my patterns. all efforts are made to avoid mistakes but I am human so sometimes, something might get by me. If you spot something that you believe to be a mistake, please contact me with the particulars.
My goal is to have two patterns ready for sale by December 1. Instructions are written for both patterns. One is in the testing stage. The other is waiting for me to make before I send it off for testing.
Please stay tuned for more developments.

Time passes swiftly when you have a lot on your plate

I find it hard to believe that almost a week has past since my last post. I've started moving into my new sewing space. I have also gotten 2 new sewing machines and got rid of 1 old one. One of the new is to replace the old one as my portable machine to take to retreats, etc. It a small Brother that should be adequate for basic piecing.

The other machine is a Bernina 770 QE. This machine includes the BSR which is Bernina's stitch regulation foot. My free motion quilting should take a big step forward with this new tool at my disposal.

The journey starts with the first step

Crack the bottle of champagne on the bow - this ship is ready to set sail!

Maybe boating isn't the best metaphor for this journey but at this time of night, that is the best I could come up with.

My first pattern with be included in the December 2015 issue of The Quilt Pattern Magazine. I will tell the story of how I got to this point over the next few posts. Right now it is enough that I have started this blog.