Diagonal lines ?
02-19-2012, 04:41 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,116
Best to use the bar that comes with your sewing machine.`Once you have sewn the first line, you set the bar to whatever width you want the lines to be apart and always make sure that the curved part runs along the previous line of stitching. It is also wise to alternate the direction of the stitching so that the quilt doesn't skew in one direction. Nancy Zieman gives a nice tutorial on one of her SWN programs.
02-19-2012, 11:06 AM
#24
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 267
Originally Posted by FoxxyQuilter
You know, I recently did cross-hatch quilting lines on a wall hanging, and because I didn't have any painter's tape handy, I used disappearing ink to draw a line from one corner to the other (diagonally across my quilt, so that I ended up with a big X in the area where I wanted to do the cross-hatch quilting), sewed along those lines (very quickly, before the ink disappeared 
), and then used the edge guide that came with my machine (a metal piece that extends out from the foot of my machine, and can be adjusted so that it follows the edge of the fabric when sewing a wide hem, etc.) to follow the lines I had already stitched, at 1 1/2" intervals (I also switched directions each time I sewed a line, so that my fabric didn't shift too much one direction or the other). It worked pretty slick, and saved me from having to run to the store for painter's tape 
), and then used the edge guide that came with my machine (a metal piece that extends out from the foot of my machine, and can be adjusted so that it follows the edge of the fabric when sewing a wide hem, etc.) to follow the lines I had already stitched, at 1 1/2" intervals (I also switched directions each time I sewed a line, so that my fabric didn't shift too much one direction or the other). It worked pretty slick, and saved me from having to run to the store for painter's tape
02-19-2012, 01:04 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 512
Tks for all your tips. My problem is that I can't sew a straight line to save my life. Been looking over the 'net some people suggest notebook paper to practice with. Marking isn't my problem, but sewing straight lines seem to be. Aaarrrrrgh!
02-19-2012, 05:04 PM
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Jonesborough TN
Posts: 1,572
One of the most freeing things I learned in a quilting class was to use wavy lines on purpose. I have started using the serpentine stitch (kind of a wavy big zig zag) and do diagonal lines. Since the lines aren't straight, when I go off course a little it doesn't show. Every time I do diagonal straight stitching I can't sew them straight.
02-20-2012, 03:33 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,783
No one has mentioned this, so: I use a stencil with straight lines (mine's from Pam Clarke) with a pounce pad and white chalk. If the fabric is too light for white chalk, I use the white chalk with some blacklight chalk mixed in. The blacklight chalk shows up as fluorescent green under a black light. Both chalks come out with a wiping with a damp clean cloth, or by soaking the finished quilt in water. I used the blue chalk pounce once on a light background and had trouble getting all the blue out, so I'm not a fan of that, and prefer the blacklight powder instead.
02-20-2012, 01:02 PM
#30
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Camarillo, California
Posts: 35,242
Originally Posted by lfw045
I've used blue painter's tape and hand quilted along the edge in order to keep it straight. I know others will give you even better tips. Good luck and don't forget to post a picture when you are done! 
This is what I do. Use painter's tape. I have had other masking tape leave a sticky residue which my walking foot was getting hung up on.
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My newest Grandson, Caleb Austin, was born May 29th. I am now Grandma to 4 precious babies. I am so blessed!!!!
My newest Grandson, Caleb Austin, was born May 29th. I am now Grandma to 4 precious babies. I am so blessed!!!!
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