'It' and the Dare to Doodle

Yea, I have seen the blogs, looked over the tutorials and read the books (oh so many books) that say "Get a dry erase board and doodle. It will help you to learn good eye hand coordination and improve your quilting skills." I ignored that advice. I made excuses like "its not really like actually quilting", "I am not good at drawing things", and "it can't possibly help me, its just silly".

Until, one day during a back to school sale I picked up this 'thing'.

Scary? YES! You mean I have to use it?

When I arrived home that day I walked in the house and leaned it up against the guest room wall still wrapped in its plastic, and scurried away quickly as if it was taunting me! Telling me I was not good enough, I had no right to think I could handle the failure and disappointments I might make upon its pristine glistening white face.

Weeks went by, then months. Every time I passed the guest room I could hear it, still taunting me. One day while sitting in the living room visiting with family I was asked to draw out examples of my quilting, to which I quickly changed the subject. Later that evening and after a few glasses of wine I summoned up my courage and marched into the guest room. Before 'it' could utter a word, I tore away the plastic wrapping, wadded it up and tossed it on the floor. I sat on the guest bed and pulled the cap of the pen off and wrote this:

You Will Not Defeat Me 

I will over come this fear!

I doodled swirls and I swear I thought I heard giggling. Quiet taunting laughter as if my sad crooked jerky swirls were a joke. I used my sleeve and wiped the swirls away, it got quiet again. I drew more swirls and more and more swirls, until the evil whispering laughter ended. I put the dry erase board away in my quilting room. It's shiny white face silently glared at me.

The next time I went to use 'it' the pen was missing. A large emotional search was conducted, blankets tossed, dresser drawer contents emptied, and accusations were made. Eventually the said pen was found, under the couch broken into three pieces. The battle wounds could clearly be seen, and the guilty party identified - Ripley! My sweet little doxie girl had killed the pen. So off to the store were I purchased a multi pack of dry erase pens in many colors (ya know I love me some color in my life).

Now I doodled and practiced every free moment I had, and like training a wild mustang each time I doodled on the dry erase board we got to know each other. I knew if I didn't like what I saw, I could simply erase it and start over. 'It' learned to trust me, to understand I was honing my skills as a quilter. Together we created, practiced and experimented with new designs harmoniously.

What does this silly little story mean, you may ask? 

It was all in my head, all the evil voices and laughter were simply me and my doubt. The fear of trying and failing, that is all it was. I was intimidated by seeing my mistakes, but you have to make mistakes to learn to get better, right? What a extreme moment of insight!

If you want to quilt and want to get better at it - GET A DRY ERASE BOARD!

It doesn't matter whether you want to quilt on your domestic home sewing machine, a mid-arm or a long-arm get one ASAP!

Practice and doodle and if you don't like what you see, just wipe it away. If you like what you see, take a picture and save it. Do it over and over and over again!!

'It' is now affectionately named William, but I call him Will - yes my Will!

So, tell me what is your excuse??

Modern Low Volume vs Traditional Quilting Neutrals

Low Volume fabrics have become very popular in the modern quilting world and while there are many different opinions on what is or isn't Modern Low Volume, I thought I'd take a moment and talk about low volume prints and how they differ from Traditional Quilting Neutrals.

When I first saw a quilt using Modern Low Volume fabrics I thought "Wow, what a great idea. So fresh and modern". But as the wave of quilts and fabric bundles have come out I also have noticed that many new quilters are still confused as to what Modern Low Volume fabrics are.

From here on I will refer to Modern Low Volume fabric as MLV and Traditional Quilting Neutrals as TQN.


Traditional Quilting Neutrals

Photo credit - Keepsake Quilting Butter Churn bundle

I think I need to explain first what TQN fabrics are, or at least what I think they are. 

I made this quilt many years ago in Civil War Repros.

Back in the day (yuck that makes me sound old) - when I first started quilting I was a traditional quilter, I used Civil War reproduction fabrics, 1930's reproduction fabrics, muddy colors and lots of beige. 

A baby quilt I made as a gift in 1930's repro.

I used a lot of what was called Neutrals or now called TQN fabrics for backgrounds. I  loved them at the time, and the simple truth is that was all we had available for background fabrics other than the typical solid fabric or muslin.

Traditional Quilting Neutrals

Above is an example of TQN fabrics commonly used in traditional quilts as background fabrics. TQN are usually tone on tone prints ranging from off-white to beige with a warm tone to them.

Example of TQN used in the background. I made this quilt as a challenge to use all stash and scrap fabrics. 

Most TQN have little to no color other than the cream to beige range, although they can have a little color in them - small amounts and very subtle.

Mini Log Cabin Heart quilt made using TQN.

While the quilts above are beautiful, they say to me 'Traditional' as opposed to 'Modern'. I can appreciate a traditional quilt just as much as I can appreciate an 'Art' quilt or 'Modern' quilt! And it doesn't hurt my feelings if you call them traditional, because I understand the concept between Modern vs Traditional. (and those are my traditional quilts I am showing above :)


Modern Low Volume Prints

With the Modern and Modern-Traditionalism quilt movement came the use of modern prints for background fabrics and thus created the MLV trend.

MLV fabrics are often graphic prints with white or light gray backgrounds, and can contain color.

The MLV fabric use was slowly building until the book 'Sunday Morning Quilts: 16 Modern Scrap Projects' by Amanda Jean Nybery and Cheryl Arkison was published, then the quilting world exploded with MLV fabric bundles and projects.

Photo credit - Westwood Acres Inside Voices Club

MLV fabrics are bright and clean as opposed to the TQN that are more muted and warm in tone. When looking for MLV fabrics look for graphic prints on white or very light background.

Riley Blake's Geekly Chic Glasses on off-white

I try and stay away from fabrics with a cream or beige background that has very little contrast or no color. With the exception of graphic prints on off-white backgrounds. Sometimes you will come across MLV fabrics with a muted background like the example above. Riley Blake's Geekly Chic Glass fabric in off-white is a modern graphic print and an excellent MLV.

Tailored Key by Annette Tatum for Free Spirit

Annette Tatum's fabric 'Tailored - Key' for Free Spirit graphic print with royal blue on a crisp white background is a great example of a MLV fabric. Using a bold color in a tiny print that is toned down with the white background.

Posy by Aneel Hoey

'Posy' by Aneel Hoey is another example of a MLV fabric, a whimsical print with a white background and small doses of color. 

While just about any pale modern print fabric can be classified as a MLV, it is more about the use in a modern quilt for the overall visual effect.

Photo credit - Film in the Frig's quilt Marcelle Plus 

In the Marcelle Plus quilt by 'Film in the Fridge', Ashley Newcomb uses many MLV fabrics for the background and bold color prints for the pluses. The bold color prints stand out but play nicely against the MLV fabrics. Your eye is drawn to the pluses and the MLV blend into the background.

This lovely low volume quilt was made by Rita Hodge of 'Red Pepper Quilts'  she uses all MLV fabrics here. In this quilt she lets the low volume fabrics sing, and though some may stand out more than others, this quilt has a calming feel to it.

Mod Pop by Anne Sullivan of Play-Crafts

Mod Pop by Anne Sullivan of Play-Crafts is a wonderful example of MLV in tones of light gray and bright bold blue prints. Not only a very modern use of fabric but a very modern design.

Pillow Tutorial by Amanda of A Crafty Fox

Amanda from 'A Crafty Fox' created this pillow pattern and tutorial using MLV, bold colorful prints and Essex linen. Again a great example of using MLV fabrics to make the bold colors pop - the orange hexagons are the first thing you see.

Here in 'Her Light Within' a mini quilt, I used a few MLV prints in two quarters of the large sun to contrast the stark white, orange and aqua prints.

Both MLV and TQN have been used as backgrounds in quilts and both are equally beautiful, yet they have totally different aesthetics and create an overall different visual outcome.

Hopefully I may have helped you and not added to the confusion of the question 'What is a low volume fabric?'.

Will I make more quilts with TQN? Of course! Will I make more quilts with MLV? You can bet on that!!

xoxo,
Kira

PS - all the spelling and grammar errors are free of charge ;)
(I am a notoriously horrible English student)

Perfecting the Scant 1/4" Seam Allowance for Quilting {RePost}

I've had a lot of people ask me lately why their blocks are coming out smaller than they should, so I thought I'd re-post and oldie but a goodie on Quilting 101.

Sewing an accurate 1/4" seam allowance is absolutely essential to success in quilt making! If seam allowances are too large, wide, or 'fat'; the finished block will be to small or out of wack (so to speak). Just think about how many pieces and seams there can be in one block.

For example this Clay's Choice Block (above) has 32 seams, in the end the block can become so distorted that it ends up not the intended size or the pieces in the block also will not fit together. If the seam allowance is off by even just a tiny teeny weenie bit these small 1/64" or 1/32" differences when multiplied by at least three can add up! Well, you can see how the inaccuracies can become very troublesome. The same is true of the width of a seam if it is too narrow, only this time the resulting block would be to large.

Just because you have a 1/4" foot does not mean your sewing a scant 1/4".

Key word here is scant not exact, a scant 1/4" refers to making the width about two threads or 'hairs' less than the very accurate perfect 1/4" seam. This allows for the turn of the fabric when the seam is pressed, either open or to one side. This can make a large difference in how your finished block measures.

Check your seam allowances!

Accuracy Test

(yep it's a pop quiz)

Cut 3 strips 1 1/2" by 3 1/2", sew these strips together along the long side. The finished block should measure exactly 3 1/2" by 3 1/2" when finished and pressed.

If your piece is wider than 3 1/2" try sewing a new set of strips and widen your seam allowance just a bit. Or if your block is to narrow, make a slightly narrower seam. After testing and finding that sweet spot - place a a piece of painters blue tape on the throat plate or machine bed to use as reference when piecing.

Of course all this being said, quilting is for the fun of it. If you sew a block and its off then don't despair use this as a wink from the artistic spirit in you and create textile art as you so see fit!!!!

Bias Tape from a Fat Quarter

There are so many resources for how to make bias tape, you could read for hours.

But for today I just need a little bias binding for a table runner. It's really simple or so they say - some how every once in a while I manage to screw up it up and end up with NOT bias - bias tape/binding. So I am showing how I keep from making that mistake.

For a small project one fat quarter will make 110 inches of 2.5" wide bias binding or tape. One good thing about doing this small of a bias is it's good practice and then when your good at it move on to the bigger squares or some yardage.

I start with 1 fat quarter (about 22" x 18"), iron it well. Trim off the selvage and fold up one corner to help create a 18" x 18" square. Iron a crease in the diagonal fold and trim away the excess creating a square. Open up the square and cut on the fold to make two halves of a square, or two triangles. This cut is made on the 'bias' of the fabric.

Here's where I usually get confused, so I found the dot labels to be very helpful. I place a dot on each long edge of the triangles (diagonal of the square) and mark the grain of the fabric. You can see here I made a '+' to show which way the threads are running on the fabric.


Now moving the fabric gently make a parallelogram by aligning the opposite ends of the triangles placing the dots away from each other. Basically you pick up one triangle and move it to the end of the other one. Then pin this new center together, when you pick this up to take to the sewing machine you will notice the dots are now on top of each other but facing away. (see the pic above) Sew the edge together.

Next iron this seam open.

I have a long quilting ruler I use next and a wash away quilting marker (I have used a pencil before), I mark the 2.5" wide strips. I use the dots again to help make sure I mark the correct edge. You want to make sure you are marking on the bias, not the strait of grain! I place the ruler down and look to make sure the '+' now looks like an 'x' between the line and edge of fabric. I draw all the way from on end to the other and continue on until I have marked all of the fabric.

Using the lines marked I can now pin the edges together to create the next seam for the continuous bias.

I have to remind myself that I need to leave one line away from where I start pinning otherwise its not continuous but just loops of bias. So just off set it one strip away as in the picture.

Pin and check to make sure the lines are matching up. I pin in the fabric at 1/4" and see if it matches on the other side

A little fabric juggling at the sewing machine - this is where pinning well is a great help! Then press the seam open and grab some scissors.

Starting at the offset strip I cut and cut until I get to the end.

I like to use 3" x 5" index cards and as I iron the bias in half I roll it on the index card, then label the width and length.

Quilting 101 - Pinning Tips Part One

Pinning Units Without Points or Angled Seams

When joining seamed pieces without points or angled seams (Diagram 1), butt opposing seams together and pin at an angle to secure. (Diagram 2 - Right Handed -- Diagram 2 - Left Handed) VERY IMPORTANT... take at least one stitche past the seam line before removing the pin. This will insure that the seams do not separate as you sew over them. If you have pinned as shown in the diagram, there will be room for one or two stitches before having to remove the pin.

Quilting 101 - Accurate 1/4" Seams

Sewing an accurate 1/4" seam allowance is absolutely essential to success in quilt making! If seam allowances are too large, wide, or 'fat'; the finished block will be to small or out of wack (so to speak). Just think about how many pieces and seams there can be in one block.

For example this Clay's Choice Block (above) has 32 seams, in the end the block can become so distorted that it ends up not the intended size or the pieces in the block also will not fit together. If the seam allowance is off by even just a tiny teeny weenie bit these small 1/64" or 1/32" differences when multiplied by at least three can add up! Well, you can see how the inaccuracies can become very troublesome. The same is true of the width of a seam if it is too narrow, only this time the resulting block would be to large.

Just because you have a 1/4" foot does not mean your sewing a scant 1/4".

Key word here is scant not exact, a scant 1/4" refers to making the width about two threads or 'hairs' less than the very accurate perfect 1/4" seam. This allows for the turn of the fabric when the seam is pressed, either open or to one side. This can make a large difference in how your finished block measures.

Check your seam allowances!

Accuracy Test

(yep it's a pop quiz)

Cut 3 strips 1 1/2" by 3 1/2", sew these strips together along the long side. The finished block should measure exactly 3 1/2" by 3 1/2" when finished and pressed.

If your piece is wider than 3 1/2" try sewing a new set of strips and widen your seam allowance just a bit. Or if your block is to narrow, make a slightly narrower seam. After testing and finding that sweet spot - place a a piece of painters blue tape on the throat plate or machine bed to use as reference when piecing.

Of course all this being said, quilting is for the fun of it. If you sew a block and its off then don't despair use this as a wink from the artistic spirit in you and create textile art as you so see fit!!!!