Sharks teeth are similar to prairie points in that they are pointy trianglea on a border, but are completely sewn down as in applique. They may be on the inner edge of a border, the outer edge of a border or both edges of a border. They make a striking border, especially if they are done up in a fabric with high contrast to the background.

Ok have a question- with the batiks do you prewash them ? I went and got a bunch of 1/8 and 1/4 yard cuts- but am thinking washing them will create a mess :shock: any suggestions ?

Sharon that is a very good question. Me I never wash my fabrics. I have been told when the quilt is finished to wash in cold water with a liquid soap and put in 4 or 5 color catchers. If you really want to wash them how about buying one of those net bags, that should keep them from messing up too much put in some color catchers and see how it goes.

I am looking into a new method of Quilt as You Go ladies, all will be revealed later.

Kathy "AS IF" we could ever forget you are in this. You are the leader of the pack so to speak

Elle

If you feel that you absolutely MUST prewash, just fill a mixing bowl with water as hot as you can get it from the tap, add 1 or 2 drops of dish soap (no more) and swish for a couple of minutes with a wooden spoon. Then pour out thw water and rinse with cold water, wring and iron dry. Someone here uses a salad spinner! But I don't prewash.

Welcome Amy.

I hope that you are going to join us to Trishb.

Elle

Welcome Amy and Andrea......we are getting more excited and motivated daily. Everyone who joins adds a new dimension to this project and I am thankful to have such a great bunch of teachers. I still have not received my book, so I can't join the JTG club--AND I'm trying to finish another quilt by May and still have another on the board. I will go out this week for my background fabric selection, no surprise here---I will be doing black!
So glad to have you both join in the fun .

About washing batiks. I would like to say this - ahemmmm - for some unknown reason, batiks seem to have TONS of excess dye still left in them! They will bleed out like no tomorrow. I ALWAYS wash batiks. The only time I was surprised about the lack of excess dye was with some of the Connecting Threads batiks, but others - ooooh my, did they bleed!

This said, I usually wash all my small pieces of fabric - 1/4 yard or less, by hand. I fill a dishpan (or other large container) with the hottest water I can stand and a bit of Ivory Liquid dish soap - 'cause it's on the kitchen sink where I'm working! Place the fabrics - like colors in at the same time, such as lighter ones, first. I swish them around and get them wet. Let sit for a few minutes and swish again. If you see dye beginning to color the water, keep swishing and agitating them. When you think you've released the dye, remove one piece at a time and rinse, rinse, rinse until the water runs clear. When you've finished that batch, add another group and repeat.

I lay them all out on a large towel and roll up to squeeze the wet out. Then I iron them dry. I developed this method of deaaling with washing small fabrics when I was doing a BOM from the LQS. It was all batiks & we were given strips - 2 1/2" wide - so I did it this way.

Trish b is #22 on the list - thinking about black background with batiks and 10" squares - right, Trish? We're sure glad to have you on board.

That's good to know about the batiks and bleeding. I suppose the more vibrant the color, the more they bleed. It's funny, because everyone has their definite opinions on washing fabrics first. A lady who teaches quilt-top piecing said that if fabrics are bought at an LQS, you never need to wash. Someone who owns another LQS said you should always wash.

I've never used color catchers. Where would I buy them?

I don't prewash, but whatever floats your boat. :mrgreen: I've seen color catchers at the grocery store and at JoAnn's.