Ready to get a head start on holiday sewing? This Ready to get a head start on holiday sewing? This #holidaytrimmingsquilt is a fast and easy project. The pattern releases TODAY! Head over to Shereece's site @sewhookedontreasures to grab your copy.
It's time to get excited! The #holidaytrimmingsqui It's time to get excited! The #holidaytrimmingsquilt pattern release is coming June 9th. I was happy to test this lovely quilt and even more happy with the way it turned out. Thanks, @sewhookedontreasures. I can't wait to show the full reveal!!
Blocks complete. Now it's time to sew the top toge Blocks complete. Now it's time to sew the top together. Look for this fun new quilt pattern coming soon from @sewhookedontreasures!

#holidaytrimmingsquilt #quiltpatterntester #patchworksampler
Fun fabric pull to test the lovely #holidaytrimmin Fun fabric pull to test the lovely #holidaytrimmingsquilt by Shereece @sewhookedontreasures. 

Does the new Hustle and Bustle fabric by @official_basicgrey on a Grunge Hits the Spot background put you in the holiday spirit?
This is my most recent finish. I stitched the last This is my most recent finish. I stitched the last bit of binding just about a half hour ago! I love the fabrics in this quilt and they were just random fabrics from my stash. The pattern is #theellaquilt by @kitchentablequilting. I may have to hang this in my family room until it finds a new home.

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day14 #patchworksampler
Today's prompt is pressing matters. I love flat bl Today's prompt is pressing matters. I love flat blocks and these three items are my essentials for achieving that: white fluffy bath towel, cheap Black & Decker iron that steams like crazy, and a Jackson's Woodworks square clapper.

I have a wool pressing mat, but I like the bath towel better. It has enough nap to "grab" the fabrics for a super flat press and it can be tossed in the washer and dryer. 

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day12 #patchworksampler
One of my cherished quilts is one I didn't make. T One of my cherished quilts is one I didn't make. This album quilt was made by members of a club I ran for many years when I had a brick and mortar shop. Several members continued to meet in my home monthly until COVID hit. 

It is special to me because it is a reminder of what is important; the friendships, camaraderie, and encouragement that developed within the group. 

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day9 #patchworksampler
This super scrappy quilt is one of my favorites fo This super scrappy quilt is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First it is proof that any fabric works when you cut it small enough and second I pieced it on a little mini retreat with a couple of friends. The pattern is Rectangle Wrangle by Bonnie Hunter.

I love, love, love scrap quilts, the more fabrics the better, and that's how I justify buying all the fabric I do.

This particular quilt was chosen for today's prompt because tomorrow it will be on its way to Poland along with nine others from my "quilt room" (see day 3 prompt).

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day8 #patchworksampler #scrapquilt
Lesson learned. I could write a book on all the th Lesson learned. I could write a book on all the things I've learned through quilting, but one I can't seem to get through my head is that I don't like foundation piecing, paper piecing, or hand piecing.  Slow stitching is a concept I can't wrap my head around.

This String Spiderweb was started at a retreat so I jumped on the bandwagon without thinking it through. I have a bunch of these units made but no interest in continuing. As I was snapping the photo though, I had an idea. Stay tuned.

Are there quilting techniques or methods you don't enjoy?

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day7 #patchworksampler
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borders, jelly roll, piecing, Uncategorized · May 26, 2015

Porch Swing Borders…and my border confession

The UFOs are piling up in my sewing room so I need to at least finish some tops so I can move them and their leftover bits out of there (and into another pile haha!).  Today I sewed borders onto the Porch Swing top.  This was the quilt that caused me so much trouble so I didn’t tempt fate with anything fancy.  Just a single slab border for this one.

porch swing top

This Thimbleberries fabric was perfect for this quilt.  It was one of those wonderful barn reds that work so well with traditional quilts.  I’m always so conflicted about using up these old fabrics because I know I can’t get them anymore but this particular one had been aging long enough.  The selvage read “Christmas Valley 1995.”  Wow, sure didn’t think I had it that long.

porch swing border

As I was sewing these borders on, I started thinking about how my border technique has changed over the years and decided to come clean about how I do it. I’m not trying to convert anyone to my methods, I’m just suggesting that you sometimes need to try different techniques and find one that clicks with you.

In a nutshell, I don’t measure borders at all; simply cut them and slap them on. Right about now probably every long-armer is cringing and wishing I had never written those words, but I have sewn lots of borders and this works for me.

For many years I dutifully measured the center of my quilt, then both sides, averaged the measurements, cut the borders precisely to that measurement, pinned the strips to the top (easing in the fullness all along the length), then carefully sewed the borders to the top.  This meant that no border was exactly the same size as the edge of the quilt top so what I ended up with was fullness either in the top or the borders on all four sides.  That fullness then had to be “quilted out.” For years, I even taught this method for borders but felt like a fraud because that’s not how I was doing it. It just never made sense to me because that extra fabric had to go somewhere and I would end up with puckers in the quilt or wavy borders that didn’t lay flat. It wasn’t fun trying to ease that excess out while quilting.  For me it did not seem logical to cut borders a certain length then try to make the top fit those borders. Plus, it often seemed a top that started square did not remain so after quilting. This was particularly true when there was dense quilting.  Some areas would shrink more than others with the heavy quilting.  In the end, I realized I cared more that my quilt was flat rather than square so I stopped measuring.

Now, I simply cut a length of fabric a little longer than the quilt top, sew it on and cut off the extra fabric.  It sounds counter intuitive but I always sew with the border fabric on top.  For some reason that works better for me in preventing wavy borders.  Since I’ve been doing this, I never have to ease any fabric when I’m quilting and both my top and borders are nice and flat.  For many years I followed the adage to “fit the top to the borders” but since I started fitting my borders to the top, I’ve been much happier with the results.  Maybe my sewing has become more accurate over time or maybe it’s just luck, but it is rare when a quilt ends up with any significant difference in length side to side or top to bottom.  I don’t make quilts to show so no one ever measures, but for my purposes, this works just fine.  As always, your mileage may vary so if you are happy with the way your borders turn out, keep using the method that works for you!

 

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In: borders, jelly roll, piecing, Uncategorized · Tagged: 40 yard dash challenge, Porch Swing, scrap quilt, Scrap-Basket Beauties

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Comments

  1. Norece says

    May 26, 2015 at 9:04 am

    Better hide as the quilt police are going to come after you!

    I had the same issue with wavy borders when measuring the quilt top. I finally decided to just make more blocks and leave off the borders.

    I will give your way a try. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Pat in Appleton says

    May 26, 2015 at 9:19 am

    .

  3. Pat in Appleton says

    May 26, 2015 at 9:22 am

    I don’t think my comment posted … It was: gasp! 😉

  4. Jacqi says

    May 27, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Have no fear! At market RJR was saying they are going to reopen the Thimbleberry vault. I think they are going to come out with new stuff. I don’t know if they are going to freshen up the colors or keep them the same.

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