Reverberations Quilt

 OR, "When Things Don't Go As Planned"...

My local quilt guild issues an annual design challenge.  The 2024 Challenge:  Make a two-color quilt.  I chose a couple of my favorite colors, then started designing in my EQ8 software.

How the design started:

Cuddle Buddies - Felix the Fox

Felix the Fox Cuddle(R) Blanket and Stuffie

When I spied this adorable "Cuddle Buddies" kit over at Missouri Star Quilt Co, I knew it was the perfect thing to make for my newest grandson, born just a month ago.  

Gnome for Christmas! RBD Project Tour

 Are you thinking about Christmas?  Now is the time! 

Gnome for Christmas is a new line of flannel making its way to fabric stores this month!  That gives us plenty of time to think of all the fun things we can make.  After all, there are only 245 days until Christmas!

Salt & Sand with Mr. Merman

Hi, all!  Thimblechaser here - taking over Quiltscapes' blog!

Look who washed up on shore!  Mr. Merman arrived just in time to join the Salt & Sand Blog Hop hosted by Carol at JustLetMeQuilt! 

Virtual Cookie Exchange and Gnomies for the Holidays!

Gnomies Pincushions and Soft Ginger Cookies

It's my turn to highlight some of my favorite Christmas Cookies on Carol's annual Virtual Cookie Exchange!

Give Thanks - RBD Project Tour

Just when you thought Summer would never end... all of a sudden the leaves are turning and it will soon be Fall! 

"Game Day" Blog Tour

More fun fabric by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs!  I was so happy that Lori invited me to play on the Game Day tour as well as last week's Happy Day!  I immediately knew what I needed to make for some of my favorite Little Rascals!

Throw Me A Curve (Sports Throw)  PATTERN by Deonn Stott
featuring Game Day by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs

Aunt M Quilt Chronicles - Chapter IV

You may recall that my sweet little 85-year-old Aunt began a quest last year to make quilts for her nine granddaughters!  With six down and three to go, the story continues.

On one of our weekly sewing days last Fall, Aunt Marjory came in with a wry little smile and said, "Oh, you're going to hate me."  What? Why?  Well, turns out she had Uncle Jack drive her to a local quilt shop a couple of times where she had become friends with the shop ladies.  She loves seeing all the fabrics and colors.  She had spied a nice outdoorsy panel quilt on the wall on a prior visit, and her new friend, Carol, got Aunt Marjory all set up with four "Bear Meadow" kits to make quilts for her four sons!

Bear in Mind, Owl Always Love You

Aunt M Quilt Chronicles, Chapter II:  It's never too late to start quilting!

My sweet Aunt Marjory, now 84 years young, has decided to make a quilt for all nine of her
granddaughters.

Owl Always Love You

"Owl Always Love You" 44" x 54" Wall Hanging/crib size quilt.  Now available:  PATTERNS & KITS 

As the Fur Flies... Quilts & Comforters

I love the texture and feel of cuddly plush fur fabric, a.k.a. "Minky".  This soft-as-mink (hence the name) polyester fabric is finding its way in to more and more quilts.  I'm guessing the name "minky" is now synonymous with all brands of this type of product because that was the first brand available - much like we call all tissues "Kleenex".   There is a huge variety of colors, designs, textures, stretchiness and quality of this stuff.  I especially love it for backing on baby quilts and lap throws, as it comes 60-inches wide.  My preference is Cuddle Soft - I can always find the color I need, and can depend on the quality.  It's not as stretchy as other brands I've tried, so it works beautifully for longarm quilting.  That sounds like a commercial - but as always, it is my own, unsolicited opinion. And kids (big kids too, lol!) just can't keep their hands off!  Here are some samples.

Best Tips for sewing with Plush Fur (Minky)

PRINTER-FRIENDLY 

 Here are my best tips for sewing with this cuddly plush fur fabric; cutting, pinning, sewing, pressing, quilting, binding, care and cleaning.

1) Cutting:  Use a rotary cutter with a sharp blade, a mat, and a long ruler for better, straighter cuts.  You may get a little fur flying after each cut, so gently scoop up the fabric then shake it out over a garbage can, or take it outside to shake it off!  Use a piece of batting, a dry washcloth or your hand to wipe off the little bits of fur left on the cutting board.  Then get out the broom, dust-buster or vacuum to get the rest off the table, floor, your hair, your clothes, the bottom of your socks…

My hubby had a good laugh as he came down to the sewing room and snapped this pic.

2) Pinning:  Face it, this stuff is so soft it’s slippery!  Basically, pin it to death.  This stuff also has a "nap", especially noticeable with a shorter length of fur.  Feel it with your hand to determine which direction you want the nap to run.  One direction is smooth, and the opposite direction will make the pile stand up against the grain.  If pinning is not sufficient, try using a glue stick to baste edges together.

3) Sewing:  Use a bit larger needle, size 90/14, ballpoint.  For stitching, refer to #2.  Pin, pin, pin. Remember the nap?  This stuff will often slide in the direction of the nap.  When stitching two layers together, it helps if the nap is traveling in the same direction.  If you are sewing minky to a layer of cotton, put the minky on the bottom so the feed dogs can do their job.  Sew slowly and carefully so as not to stretch the edges.  You may need to tuck in the furry ends so you can easily see to line up the edges.   And, if you happen to have a walking foot with upper feed dogs to help feed the fabric under the needle evenly with the lower feed dogs, you will have even better luck sewing this stuff.  If you are piecing large pieces together, say for a quilt backing, stitch along the lengthwise grain if possible, as it has less stretch.  Again, check the nap, then pin, pin, pin!  Or go and buy the 90-inch stuff for your backing, relatively new on the market.

4) Pressing:  NOT recommended.  Since this product is polyester, it should be relatively wrinkle-free.  Don’t iron directly.  Press from the back with a damp press cloth or piece of muslin.  If you iron on the front, you may end up with an iron-shaped imprint.  Also, try to resist ironing super-textured plush fur such as dimple dots or rosebuds, as ironing will flatten out the texture.  Trust me.*Ü*  You may also throw it in the dryer with a damp cloth on low heat for about 10 minutes to release the wrinkles.

5) Quilting:  I admit, I love quilting with this stuff because it really shows off the machine-quilting! I also prefer to quilt a little less densely so the loft can come through and be truly cuddly, like a warm hug from grandma.  When setting up for longarm quilting, keep the lengthwise grain (selvage edge) at the sides with the stretchy cross-grain pinned at the top and bottom.   Use lots of pins, with minimal space in between, say every 1" to 1-1/2".  Make sure the nap is vertical, heading from top to bottom of the quilt, so when you take up the quilt you're not going against the grain. If quilting on a domestic machine, spray-baste or pin-baste your layers together and quilt using a walking foot.  For free-motion quilting, drop the feed dogs and use a darning foot.  Quilt with confidence, you'll love the result! 

6) Binding:  Quilts using plush fur may be bound with regular double-fold cotton binding, single strips of minky, or self-bound by bringing the backing around to the front.

This binding ↑ is made with 2" single-layer strips.  Join the strips to make the length you need, then apply to the back of the quilt using a 1/2" seam allowance.  The corners are mitered, and the binding is brought around to the front and machine-stitched using a serpentine stitch.  See my plush fur binding tutorial HERE.

 

Again, a walking foot is very helpful.  When applying the binding, be careful the quilt doesn't stretch too much on the stretchy edges, then be careful the binding doesn't stretch too much on the lengthwise edge.   

7)  Care & Cleaning:  This product may be washed and comes out just as luscious as before it went in the washer.  It doesn't shrink or fade, pill or shed.  Machine-wash cold, tumble-dry low, or hang to air dry.  Do NOT use fabric softener.  Instead, a dryer sheet is sufficient to take out any static. Keep it clean and it will last forever.

Happy Sewing!

Finishing School Lesson I - Design It!

 
Sampler featuring Riley Blake Designs "Sweet Nothings" by Zoe Pearn

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONSDesign
Layout * Setting * SashingFor today's "Quilting Basics" lesson we're going to grow a fabulous quilt!Using the nine blocks from our "Building Blocks" series,
we'll see what it takes to make a quilt just the size you'd like!COURSE INSTRUCTOR:   
Deonn at Quiltscapes 

COURSE SUPPLIES:*Design Wall, batting or flannel-backed plastic tablecloth
*Nine 9-1/2" (unfinished size) Building Blocks quilt blocks
(see previous step-by-step tutorials↓ here)
I - Squares, II - Triangles, III - Flying Geese
(actually any 9-1/2" blocks will do!)*Inner Border print:  3/8 yard
*Outer Border print:  3/4 yard
*Binding: 1/4 yard
*Backing:  1-1/8 yard
(But is that all??  We'll soon see...)
Note:If you are just joining us, you can
get started here ↓ to assemble a basic sewing kit:
   Tips, Tricks & Tools 

 
COURSE INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1) - Design Wall - the Fun Begins!If you are lucky enough to have a design wall, you're all set!  If not, here is a snappy idea to get going:  Buy an inexpensive flannel-backed plastic tablecloth (plain, no print) and pin it to a wall with the flannel side facing out.
A standard size is about 52 x 70".
This is a great portable design wall - so lightweight - just roll it up and put it away, then unroll and continue designing or sewing.   Or you could use batting, flannel, fleece, etc. or just lay out your blocks on the living room floor. ☺
Now, relax, take your time and enjoy the process!

Step 2) - Lay Out / DesignLay out your nine quilt blocks, 3 x 3 in an arrangement that pleases you. 
27" x 27"
Friendship Star, Double Four-Patch, Shoo-Fly
Nine-Patch, Dutchman's Puzzle, Nine-Patch,
Ohio Star, Rail Fence, Sawtooth Star

Add a border:

33" x  33"You'll notice that the quilt looks a bit jumbled.
The balance is OK, but the border print is so busy
there is no place for your eyes to rest!
How about adding a little stop border?

36" x 36"

Now that seems to help define the quilt and allows your eyes to rest,
but it still needs more definition:

38" x 38" Wall Hanging or Table Topper

Ahh, much better! 

Step 3)  Quilt, Bind & Enjoy!Now we can quilt it, bind it and hang it on the wall or use for a table topper.
But what if you want it a little bigger, say for a baby quilt?

How about just adding another fun print for a border,
and making the outer border larger?
40" to 45" square is about the right size for a baby.

42" x 42" Baby Quilt

This quilt would require an additional:
3/8 yard for the middle border (stripe)1-1/4 for the backing

PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS ←  Wall Hanging

 Now, what if we don't want to go to all that work of sashing, borders and more borders?  Let's put it en pointe  (on point)!  Tilt each block 45o  -- This will widen the quilt block size from corner to corner, and you will need to add filler blocks, or setting squares and triangles.  Then you can decide
if you want to add a border, sashing, more borders, wider borders, etc.  

Here we go:

38" x 38" with setting squares and triangles

45" x 45" - with border

47" x 47" with stop border and outer border

54 x 54" - Sashing and larger borders

60 x 60" Lap Quilt with Setting blocks, Sashing and two Borders

This Lap-size quilt will require:
Setting squares and triangles: 1-1/8 yards
Sashing:  7/8 yard
Middle Border:  3/4 yard stripe
Outer Border:  1-5/8 yard
Binding:  1/2 yard
Backing:  3-1/2 yards cotton, 
or 1-3/4 yards plush fur (Minky - 60"wide)

OK, it's not over yet!  What if we'd like an even larger quilt?  Well, this time, it may require making a few more blocks, maybe even some alternate blocks.  Let's see what happens when we add 4 more Nine-Patch blocks, and use some large quarter-square triangle blocks as our setting blocks?
Watch this one evolve!

45" x 45" with hourglass setting blocks
(Don't you love the secondary pattern of large green stars
when quarter-square triangles are added as setting blocks?)

54" x 54" with border

57" x 57" with a stop border

63" x 63" with additional stripe border


70" x 70" with sashing

70" x 91" - And there's the bed size! (Double the number of Sampler Blocks)

Please send me an email if you'd like the math formula for the setting squares and triangles to put blocks en pointe, or to make the quarter-square triangles, or if you'd like a fabric /cut list for the larger quilt projects.  Now I just need to make this quilt.  Hmmm, how should I put it together?  So far, I have 135 different options...  Don't you love the creative process of quilting??

Easy Applique' - Machine Blanket-Stitch

Cut it out, stitch it on, done!  For applique' the easy way, a blanket stitch is my go-to.  Many recent projects have had some sort of applique', and all of them used a blanket stitch.

Applique' turned this Simple Sadie quilt into something super sweet for my niece's new baby!  I love to take clues from a cute print and enlarge the motif.  

Simple Sadie quilt with Giraffe applique'

  (I also took clues from the print for the quilting motifs.  Fabric: Gigi Giraffes?)

A blanket stitch is formed with a straight stitch along the outer edge of the applique' followed by a perpendicular stitch in and out of the applique' shape.  

I think it gives a neat, clean finish to raw-edge applique'.  Don't have a blanket-stitch option on your machine?  Try another decorative stitch, blind-hem stitch, even a shortened zig-zag stitch.

Here are a few TIPS:
* You know that little hole on the hook of the bobbin case?  Now is the time to thread the bobbin through it!  This creates a little bit of extra tension so the bobbin thread won't peek through to the top.

Or you can reduce the top tension by a little.  Or do both.

* Test your stitches on a scrap of fabric.  If you find that it puckers too much, try using a stabilizer such as freezer paper.  Press the waxy side of freezer paper to the wrong side of your fabric.  The stitches will perforate the paper and you can tear it off afterwards.  Play with the stitch length and width to see what looks good to you.  I generally use a width of about 2.0 to 2.5 with the stitch length also at 2.5.

* I like to match the thread color to the applique', but some people use black thread overall for a rustic, folk-artsy charm.

* Position applique' using lightweight fusible web, glue stick, 505 fabric adhesive spray, or pin in place (see more ways to prep and stitch in my raw-edge machine applique' basics tutorial:  I ♥ Applique').

* If possible, use an open-toe foot so you can see where you're stitching.  If you position your needle to the right, it will be easier to gauge where the fabric should line up.

*Stitch in the ditch for the forward-moving stitches - the needle should hug the applique' edge for the outline stitch in the background fabric.  Aim for a perpendicular line from the edge for the horizontal stitches.  That can be a bit tricky on curves, but if the needle is down, it's easier to accomplish. Pivot with the needle in the "ditch", either before or after the horizontal stitch.  Sometimes, you just have to slow down and operate one stitch at a time.

* Some machines have a needle down option - very useful so you don't lose your position, especially when pivoting to change directions.  Otherwise, use the hand wheel to position the needle down.

*Lock stitches at the beginning and ending by holding the fabric so you get a couple of stitches in the same position.  If sewing around a shape, overlap the end stitches over the beginning stitches.

Little wall-hangings for choir seamstresses using scraps from our choir dresses.

Blanket-stitch applique' worked great on these ↑ polyester scraps.  It also worked beautifully on Minky plush fur too!  (See some faux fur tips HERE.)

A comfy, cuddlesoft comfortor for someone special.

The other day, my Aunt & Uncle came over to make some quilts for gifts, also blanket-stitch applique' projects.  Uncle Jack cut everything out and Aunt Margie got a good start stitching them down.  We used 505 basting spray to adhere the pieces.

They both rocked it!!  (See their final results HERE.)  Ü  Not bad for a couple of 83-year-olds!  Loved it!

Armed & Dangerous.

Happy Quilting!