Originally Posted by
feline fanatic
The best advice I saw here is to find a quilt shop, NOT JOANNES, but a real quilt shop and ask for help from the employees. Bring the tops with you. They will be able to actually evaluate the condition of the fabrics and advise if it is even feasible to make these into lap quilts or simply go with the framing idea.
Well, I walked into Joanne’s today and walked right back out after 10 minutes looking for an associate with no luck.
I went to another shop called Pine Needles Quit Shop off of Collins Road here in Cedar Rapids Iowa. I received the advice I needed, and gained some valuable insight into quilting that I did not have before. I was informed by two separate quilters that I may not necessarily need to reinforce the top because they thought the fabric was in pretty good condition and coupled with a stitch in the ditch on every seam, it would reinforce the patchwork nicely. I am going to take this advice and run with it.
I also picked up the fabric I’d like to use to finish out the top, a 60x60 throw size Wool batting, some black thread, some nice blue fabric for the border(forget the actual term for the 2inch fold-over bit), and then some nice brown fabric for the backing.
Originally Posted by
psychonurse
there is blog I just read today it is title" explain to me what you mean by stich in the ditch" maybe you can reference it.
Thank you! I will look for it once I get around to putting the layers together. Are there any good blog posts you know of that go into detail about finishing the edges with the border? I’m still a little cloudy on the process.
Originally Posted by
Dalronix
Me too. Looking forward to further updates, Louis. [IMG]file:///C:\Users\Edmond\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01 \clip_image001.png[/IMG]
I am fully documenting the construction with pictures and will post once finished for everyone’s enjoyment
It’s the least I can do for all the help everyone here has given me. A big THANK YOU thus far everyone, I really appreciate it.
Originally Posted by
Kooklabell
Hi Louis,
Ah, Cedar Rapids. I went to school in Des Moines - lots of years ago, before you were born! Yikes. Anyway, blue goes jut fine with brown. One of my sister's favorite color combos. Did you get good help at JoAnn's? I'm so excited to see what you decide to do. Another thing you might want to do is see if there is a quilt guild near you. You might get some good help from the people in a guild. I'm sure they would love to take you under their wings and help you. Keep us posted. [IMG]file:///C:\Users\Edmond\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01 \clip_image001.png[/IMG]
I think once this project for my mother is finished, I am going to sort through some of my great-grandmothers partly finished tops and take them to a nearby quilting guild if I can find one. I am sure there is one nearby. I wouldn’t actually mind continuing a tradition and at least teach my future kids the basics of quilting, seeing as all generations through my mother were taught.
Originally Posted by
cathyvv
Please note that if any of the fabrics are polyester, they will melt if you use the cotton setting on an iron, so be very careful if you plan to use a fusible to stablize the blocks.
Ohhh the benefits of ironing my business casual clothes everyday
I am proud to say I have at least mastered the iron, I am more concerned about the sewing machine at this point and ensuring my stitching is straight.
I don’t want to be a bother asking too many questions, but would anyone have a useful blog posting or guide about stitch settings on the machine for a quilt like the one I'm making? I’m not sure if there is such I thing, but guide describing appropriate straight stitch settings/tension/etc.? That would be extremely useful.
Well everyone, until tomorrow afternoon! I begin the pinning of my top.