Showing posts with label how to quilt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to quilt. Show all posts

Saturday, August 12, 2023

How to Start Quilting with Freezer Paper Templates - The Quilt Ladies

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How to start quilting


Always remember that quilting has been done for hundreds of years and all the new gadgets are great.

You can still do things very simply and fill your sewing closet with new innovations as your talent grows.

No need to purchase a rotary cutter and mat your first time out. Take your time and enjoy.
Things needed to start a quilt project:


A sewing machine that sews a straight line, borrow one or purchase one at a large chain store. No need to spend hundreds on a machine to straight stitch. OR
Hand piecing can be done too. Everything is the same as a machine, but you hand stitch using the same ¼" seam allowance.


How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies1)Graph Paper
2)Freezer Paper – Plastic coated paper, like the butcher’s wrap meat in. You can purchase it at your local store or if you ask they may give you some at your butcher counter
3)Glue stick
4)Iron
5)Gray thread
6)Ruler
7)Pencil
8)Basic sewing supplies, Scissors, thimble, sew riper, etc.
9)Needles – for hand piecing Sharps size 7-12, for quilting Between needles size 10-12
10)Sewing Pins
11) Fabric and Batting


Fabric – The best rule of thumb is to purchase the best fabric you can afford. Always 100% cotton. Avoid loose woven fabrics. Wash cotton to check for color fast and iron if needed. If new to quilting it is always best to start with a light and dark color.

How to Start Quilting with The Quilt LadiesCutting – Rotary cutter, mat and ruler can be used if you have them. If you are new to quilting and are not sure you want to buy all these supplies try Freezer paper. It may be purchased at any grocery store. You will notice that one side is shiny, one not.
Draw the pattern pieces on to graph paper, the finished
size, the - - - line. The - - - - will be the sewing line


Add a ¼ inch seam allowance around the entire outside edge –the cutting line
(example – 2 inch finished size cut square 2 ½" x 2 ½") Cut pattern out
With a glue stick. Paste the pieces to How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladiesthe NON-shiny side of the freezer paper.

Cut the pattern out.




You can now iron the pattern to your fabric, shiny side down.
This pattern can be used over and over. It will leave no film on your How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladiesfabric.



Square -
Cut 2 squares the same size (finished size of square plus 1/2 inch) example cut 2 ½ x 2 Good to good Fabric
¼ inch seam allowance, sew
Trim threads
Open and Press to the dark

How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies


1)sew seam with a 1/4 inch seam allowance,
you may need to mark your machine with this measurement.



Beginner sewing machine

Rotary cutter, Mat, Ruler Set


2)
You can chain piece a few at a time


Cut thread and open












How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies







3)sew these together
How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies
Watch your color placement, sew good side to good side.






4) A 4-patch quilt square
How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies



Friday, October 28, 2016

Picking fabric for a quilt from a photograph

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This may seem a bit strange, but I love the colors in this dress and it's how I picked the colors for my this quilt. This post is from over three years ago and it has gone crazy on pinterest, if you would like to follow my boards HERE

Quilt Pattern is HERE
quilt fabrics from a photo in vogue
(photo from Vogue and I've had it for a while)

Can you see it?
 The purples, the pink/red sleeve, the green top

fabrics for a quilt

And a White added for the white Chair ! 

color fabric for a quilt


The only color that just didn't work for me was the black belt and I couldn't find anything I liked, so I just left it off.

Here's a look at one of the 16 blocks ! 
It worked ! 
quilt fabric chooses
Complete quilt pattern is here for you at 
The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Shop


The Quilt Ladies NOW on Kindle and NOOK

Sunday, October 25, 2015

How to Hand Piece a Quilt Block

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Let's do some hand piecing of a quilt block 

I hand piece or hand quilt EVERY Monday at my small group quilting group. Really...I'm just to lazy to get my sewing machine up to class, plus then I couldn't walk over. A new member last Monday and she asked LOTS of questions about hand piecing. 

So, I'm re-posting my basic hand piecing class,  first posted in 2010.

I feel all quilter's should at some time do hand piecing, I know you think I'm nuts, but it brings me back to the tradition of what quilters are all about. I try to do one every year or so. Your piece need not be a huge project, but please, try it.

This is my travel quilt box, would you believe it's an old Ethel M Chocolate box from Las Vegas about 25 years ago. It has everything but scissors, you just can't travel with them anymore. I have gotten into the habit of keeping it all together. This box has been on many vacations, fishing trips and even at baseball/football games in many towns, when the boys still lived with us, they are 35 and 33 now ! 


hand piece a quilt

Cut an assortment of fabric, 
For one block you will need
8 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"
and
4 - 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"
I just cut a pile of each and put the colors together as I piece.

marking lines to hand make a quilt

Mark a 1/4" seam line on fabric back, I use a ruler and pencil.

hand stitch a quilt

Knot your thread and do a rocking stitch. After a bit you will not need the line, notice my thumb,
 I use it as my measurement guide, some add a mark on their nail, but I don't like mess up my nails, aka manicure !

how to hand piece a quilt block

I use a thread about 18-20 inches long and string piece, knotting at the beginning and end of each block. Finger piece them open.

sewing a quilt by hand
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.

how to hand piece a quilt



Open and finger press. Add 2 1/2" x 1 1/2' to side.
how to piece a quilt
Draw sewing line, Pin and sew on line,

hand piece a quilt

Finger press to the outside.



how to hand piece a quilt block

Take 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" and draw sewing line on each end, sew to 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" Do 2 times.
how to hand piece a quilt block
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.

how to hand piece a quilt block

This is the back of my hand pieced block.


how to hand piece a quilt

Two finished blocks, each block has a finished size of 4"

Take some time, don't take it all to serious, pick a comfy chair, good light and just have some HAND piecing fun.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

How to Put Quilt Fabric Colors Together

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Question “How do you see quilt fabric colors going together?”

I answered very quickly, “You just see it.” 

But the question has stayed with me.
 So, I have broken down how I do it.


Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies1) Start with one fabric. Take this one fabric and work from it. Is that one fabric, a dark, medium or light color?




This is a Dark







Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies





Add the light and medium. Move and change it until you like it.
Lay them out in front of you.














Pick your Quilt Fabric Colors by The Quilt Ladies






Then add, a dark medium, a light medium, until you have the mix of what you like.








2) Choose colors and patterns you love. An average a twin size quilt will take me about a week to piece together, and if hand quilted another, 3-4 months. If tied or machine quilted 3-4 weeks, you have so much time and cost involved you have to love it.


3) Natural or background colors. These are the corner stone. More often than notPick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies the background color is your light color. Your background color helps bring the blocks together. It does not always need to be a light either, dark or medium work well to, any color can be used.

4) Color Wheel. I’m not a big fan of the color wheel, I do like when colors pops and on most of my quilts the start fabric is not the most prominent color used it in, it is just a starting point.

5) Make one block. This should always be done, a Quilters practice, cut only fabric for one block and live with it for a few days. Especially, if it’s something you’ve never tried before. Most times you will know right away if you like it or not.

6) Have fun. This is the best way to ensure quilt success, when you enjoy the process, your quilt will be fantastic.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Make a Quilt Triangle with The Quilt Ladies

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How to Make a Quilt Triangle

Just like the square if you are not ready to purchase a rotary cutter and mat. You will need to make a freezer paper pattern.  How to do Square's HERE

Take the FINISHED size of the square you want and add 7/8 of an inch.
example:
for a finished size 2 inch square you will cut your fabric 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
for a finished size 3 inch square you will cut your fabric 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"

for a finished size 4 inch square you will cut your fabric 4 7/8" x 4 7/8"

And so on, either make you freezer paper pattern or up with a rotary cutter and ruler.


Tutorial to make a quilt triangle



I've used a 3 inch FINISHED Square cut 3 7/8" x 3 7/8"

A light and a dark.







How to make a quilt triangle
On the Wrong side of the light fabric draw a line from corner to corner.




This is the cutting line NOT sewing line





How to make a quilt triangle

On your sewing machine sew a straight seam, 1/4" from the line.








How to make a quilt triangleTurn and do the same thing on the other side.

(when I have many to sew, I do chain piecing, one right after another, not stopping the machine until all finished and then turn and do the other side)

If NEW do them one at a time.



Tutorial to make a quilt triangle
Cut on the drawn Cutting line.



You have 2 triangles







Open them up and 2 triangles






How to make a quilt triangle


Press your seam to the dark fabric and trim the end tail off.







How to make a quilt triangle
This is your finished triangle


GIVE IT A TRY.... IT'S NOT HARD.








I recently posted a block on Facebook and there was a lot of take about points.

Here's how I do it.


how to not cut off triangle points in quilting

Pieced together a triangle to a block



how to not cut off triangle points in quilting

Added this as a strip to another piece.  Pin as much as you need, check as you pin to make sure
you have the 1/4 seam allowance. 



how to not cut off triangle points in quilting

On this seam I had to move the needle in just 2 threads to make the point perfect.

Press the fabric 



how to not cut off triangle points in quilting

The point. 

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