How To
Viewer Q&A : Quilting Hoop:How Taut is too Taut?
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 17:38 | 
admin 
A viewer asks," I was watching your video on YouTube (great video by the way!) and have a quick question.
My understanding was that the three layers needed to be very taut so that the "quilted" look would appear. Do I have mine too taut since I can't go back and forth and get 3-4 stitches on my needle at a time? So how taut is taut? "
If the quilt is taut in the hoop there won't be any give to allow for the needle to bend and to go through the steps of the quilting stitch. It should NOT be tight like a drum but rather loose enough so with the quilt securely in the hoop you can gently move the the hoop up and down and the quilt will move and catch the "wind", then tighten the wing nut all the way! The beauty of the hoop is it keeps your quilting area defined it maintains the tension of your quilting area.
Thanks for your question.
Tags: Viewer Q&A :Leaf Points with Needle-Turn Applique
Mon, 08/02/2010 - 09:17 | admin 
A viewer asks, "Is there a book or pamphlet that would be good for a beginner to applique showing needle turning points and freezer paper method?" She was also looking for details on needleturn.
I haven't come along any really good books that give great pictures or details on needle turn. Much of what I learned came from workshops and classes at Qulit Shows. I always needle-turn without the use of freezer paper. I like to keep my work simple, the less steps the more enjoyable for me.
For leaves, tuck the point with three folds. 1. Tuck, needle-turn, as you come up to the point, then when you get to the point trim any excess fabric. 2.Fold again horizontally to your leaf, and also trim the next long side of the seam allowance. 3.Fold under the next long side and begin needle turning from the point you just created and down the long side of your leaf.
Hint: Before you begin appliqueing the long side after the point, take one stitch AT the point and give it a tug. This helps to give you a sharp leave point.
Second Hint: The fabric you are using matters. Loosely woven, inferior quality fabrics make a BIG difference for applique. If the fabric doesn't comply with your folding and tucking and it frays then you should select a better quality cotton. To name a few top quality lines: Robert Kaufman, Hoffman, Moda, P&B, South Seas Imports..There are many others as well. Be sure to purchase great quality fabric from a reputable Quilt Shop and to avoid the $3.99/yard specials at the mega stores.
Third and final Hint: Thread matters. Be sure you are using a thin cotton, 50/3. 60/2(even better) or silk( best choice). These thin cotton or silk threads will blend into your applique fabric to near invisibility. Be certain to match your thread to your applique fabric. My favorites are YLI silk 100wt( amazing!!), Aurifil 50/2( so thin and beautiful), YLI Soft Touch.
Hobbs Batting - Battling Batting Questions
Sun, 07/25/2010 - 09:36 | admin 
There is so much more to batting than most quilters realize.
For hand quilting, I have used many of the cotton batts and have not been happy with the results. They often beard, which is when the fibers come through to the top while quilting. They also make a mess as you are quilting, because the batting fibers that are not between the layers, but around the edges, tend to shred and get on the quilt top. Another draw back is cotton batting can sometimes be more dense and therefore a bit more difficult to hand quilt through.
Cotton/poly blends work very well! And my favorite is Hobb's Heirloom 80/20. The cotton is thin and even and the poly portion allows you to needle easily through the layers.
100% polyesters are great for wall hangings, quilted clothing and for getting tiny quilting stitches.
I use Hobb's Wool Batting for most of my quilts. I love this 100% wool batting!!!! Don't be scared off by wool. This batt washes very well and is so easy to quilt through. It has a slightly higher loft, but that only enhances your quilting stitches.
A word on washing and shrinking battings. I pre-"wash" all my batts before I put the layers of my quilt together. I am not looking for an antiqued look for my quilts so I want all the shrinkage out of the batt, the same reason I wash all my fabrics. You can read more about this in my blog post regarding pre-washing fabrics.
Please DON'T AGITATE THE BATT IN YOUR WASHER!!!!! If you agitate the batting WILL FALL APART. You won't make that mistake twice! To pre-shrink your batting just fill your washer tub, insert opened batting, soak for a moment to wet and then just SPIN and dry in your dryer. Now it is ready to use.
Scrim. Many batting are prepared with a substance called scrim sprayed on the outside. This is intended to keep it from bearding. This sticky, hair spray like covering is unneccesary and unwanted for hand quilters. It makes hand quilting more difficult, having to quilt through an added layer of chemicals. I like to keep my quilts as natural as possible and these chemicals have been shown to degrade and discolor fabrics over time. So always look for a no-scrim batting. The ones I carry have no scrim.