Quilting the Star/ Metallic Thread

Let's get started on our sampler!  You have drawn the star out on black fabric.  You have "sandwiched" it for quilting.  Now we have to "outline" the spaces we are going to fill in.  To do that, we will be working with metallic thread.  I know--I hear all the time about how difficult metallic thread can be.  Let me assure you that it can be one of your best friends in your thread stash.

Metallic threads today are very different from the thread of several years ago.  All of the name brand manufacturers are now making wonderful metallic threads that work beautifully in your machine.  The best way to see if you have a good one is to unwind about 2 feet of the thread from the spool.  Let it hang straight down.  If it relaxes and hangs straight--Yay!  you have a thread that will perform beautifully.

If, however, it curls and winds back upon itself--throw it away.  It will never perform for you.  All that twisting and curling will happen as it feeds into your machine.  Just imagine what will happen when it gets to the tension disks--yikes!  This is why some older metallic threads caught and stripped the metallic foil off the core polyester when you tried to sew with it.  Yuck--this does not make for a happy sewer.

Let's set up the machine for our outline.  I prefer a Superior topstitch needle in 90/14 size for stitching with metallic thread.  These are titanium needles and the thread just slides through wonderfully!  You can also find success with a Schmetz Metallica needle, size 90/14 as well.  These are the only two needles I recommend.  You can adjust the size according to the thread you are using.  I really prefer to put metallic thread on a thread holder.  When I put it on my machine, it tends to unwind and wind around the spindle.  On a thread holder, it comes off the top and prevents the unwinding from happening.

Put your walking foot on your machine.    It makes it so much easier to sew straight lines such as these. In your bobbin, you can use regular cotton 50 wt. sewing thread or a polyester bobbin thread.  Either will do just fine.  Make sure you bring your bobbin thread tail to the top!  With your feed dogs up, sew straight lines around the whole pattern of the star.  This means you are going to have to go over stitching that you have already stitched to travel around to cover the entire pattern.  That is good!  You are building up your outline to make it easier to stitch inside the lines for each pattern.  I stitched around the whole star at least 3 times.  It added "bling" to my star and strength to my outline.

Next we will move on to stitching out the patterns.  : )

I have a recommendation here.  There is a new quilting book on the market.  It is not about the actual quilting--it is all about designing your quilts.  I have fallen in love with this book because it takes two very different approaches to the design process.  It follows two very fun designers through their process in making quilts from the same units.  It is Debbie Caffrey and Charlotte Angotti and the book is a delight to read through as you see the differences and similarities between these two designers.  This book will really make you head to your design wall to see what you can do.  Check it out at your local quilt shop.  It is titled, "Surprise Yourself!"  You will be very glad you did!

Keep doodling!

Doodling 101

Here is the pattern to make the design I quilted out on black fabric.  It is drawn on a fat quarter of solid black fabric with a white marking pencil.  I used a Sewline mechanical pencil in white.  Yellow also works good on black.

If you click on the picture, it will come up large so you can print it out.  It only gives you the diagram for the designs.  It does not print out the correct size for the star.

These are the exact designs that I quilted out on my sampler.  Please feel free to add or subtract designs that you prefer.  Remember this is just an exercise to play on your sewing machine.  We learn by playing so take the attitude that you are learning so feel free to make mistakes.

I started by drawing three intersecting lines using the 60 degree line on my acrylic rotary cutting ruler.

Then I drew lines 2 inches away from each straight line--avoiding the center triangle as I did so.  No--these will not print out the correct size but it shows you how I drew the star on the black fabric.

Continue to draw lines 2 inches away from each straight line--all the way around. Eventually you will have a six pointed star made from 60 degree diamonds.  Mine was 16 inches from point to point.  That way it fit on a fat quarter (18" X 21")

This was by far the hardest part!  Ugh.  I must find a stencil for this star.  The nice part was looking at the diamonds knowing that I only had those small areas to fill in with each design.  : )

See you soon so warm up your needles!

Where Is The Disappearing Quilter?

Wow!  I didn't realize I had been "gone" quite so long!  I hope you have had a nice break and rest.  This time of year is filled with graduations, end of school, sports tournaments, etc. so I know you are all much busier than I am.  That said, I have a new class that I would like to share here.  This is the sample that we did in the first go around of Doodling 101.  What do you think?

I decided I was tired of doing squares and rectangles of samples of quilting designs and wanted to do something that would be worth keeping and finishing.

I will share some pictures here and we will start with the pattern and each design in the following posts.

Please note that this was done on a fat quarter with another fat quarter for the backing.  : )

I am making a pillow out of mine after I finish quilting the background.

Get some black fabric and let's PLAY!

See you soon so join me!

This is doodling gone wild!  : D

Quilter's Cottage, Garden City, SC

Alas, we are coming to the end of our adventure....just for the moment and until I can drum up another one : D.  Our last quilt shop visit was in Garden City, SC at the Quilter's Cottage.  What a lovely and very welcoming shop!  Hmmm......who do I happen to see?

 There is fabric, fabric, and more fabric here at Quilter's Cottage!  The staff was so friendly and helpful.

 There are lots of wonderful samples to whet your appetite.

 I just loving sneaking in among the shelves of fabric....you never know who you will run into.  : )

 Yes, that's my friend and accomplice, Sue, who is pondering a fabric selection.

 Wow!  There's a whole other room full on the other side!.....Ahhhh....sale fabric!!!

 Wait....who did I catch this time?

 Ahhh....the pose....it's Charlotte Angotti.....quilt teacher and hostess for our quilt escape!  Smile*

What more could you ask for?  Charlotte Angotti, Debbie Caffrey (the precision cutting guru and mystery quilt queen) and Pat Roman, shop owner....This must be quilter's heaven!

Yes, we had both Charlotte as our host and her good friend Debbie to hang out with and laugh with, and just generally relax and sew.  THAT'S my idea of a quilt retreat!

If you are so unfortunate as to not have experienced the wonder that is classes by either of these fabulous quilters, please read on for more information.  The two have collaborated on a book entitled, Surprise Yourself, that will be coming out in May.  Having seen a few of the quilts in it, I can say I will be pre-ordering mine.  It is a book on design approaches from two very different quilters.  How wonderful to have them each share their approach to designing quilts....how they are alike.....and how they are different.  Find them on Facebook or the web to check when the book is available.  You can find Charlotte at www.charloteeangotti.com and you can find Debbie at www.debbiescreativemoments.com.  Also look for both of them at the Quilts, Inc shows---Long Beach, Cinncinati, and Houston.  They can usually be found running around the country in between.

Please check out the shop, Quilter's Cottage at www.quilterscottagesc.com.

After that, I had to head back home......well, it was a wonderful adventure!  Thank  you for sharing it with me.  I shall have to think up another quilty adventure to get the creative juices flowing again.

So much inspiration, so much fabric, where to put it all?

The new house is started and here is the new sewing room!

What shall we tackle next?

Keep doodling!  : )

Moving On Down the Beach

Hi All!  Spring Break has now come and gone here in Oklahoma so it is back to business.  Moving on down the beach, we arrive at Accent Sewing in Murrells Inlet, SC.  This is a lovely shop and a fabulous Bernina dealer!  If you ever wanted ANYTHING to do with embroidery--this is the place to be.  I have it on good authority that they will take good care of your machine, too.

One side of the shop is all fabric with lots of yummy, luscious fabrics to look at....to fondle.....Ok, so I get carried away.  This shop is also in a great location!  Around one corner is a fabulous Piggly Wiggly with a Starbucks! and around the other corner is a Marble Slab Creamery!  What more could you want?

 Here we are at Accent Sewing.

 Yes, I know, I have to dive right into the fabrics.  I'm addicted!

 Lots of new collections and Spring prints!

 Yes, that's a long arm right there in the front of the shop!

 This is the machine/ embroidery side of the shop.

See what I mean?  They have everything you could possibly want and some new things you will want as soon as you hear about them!

You can reach them at www.AccentSewing.com to see more.

Stay tuned as there is one more shop.  Then I will give you just a glimpse of who we were with and what we were sewing.  : )

I have arrived in South Carolina!

I have arrived in South Carolina!  Yes, can you believe it? I passed right by "South of the Border" and didn't even stop!  Those billboards are a hoot.  Only those who have seen them know what I'm talking about.

I am still on my quest to find quilt shops and boy! have I found a doozy for you.  Check out Sewin' In The Carolinas in Myrtle Beach.  It is hidden on the east side of the bridge but it is certainly worth the effort to find it.  They were very busy with the local quilt show when I was there but I still found the ladies there to be cheerful, helpful and fun.  Check out their sale room, too!

 Here we are at Sewin' In The Carolinas.

 Don't you just love this sign on their door.  I certainly did my fair share!

 So much to look at and wander through!

 Look at this whole section of traditional Civil War reproductions.

 So much fabric.....so little brain cells to make decisions!

 This is my idea of "Quilting at the Beach!"  BATIKS!!!!!!

 OK, I fell in love with the bear panel on the wall....hey! after all I do have a new grand baby on the way. : )

Ah  Ha!  Back to the sale room!  Found wonderful cotton sateens back there....so lovely to quilt on.

My adventure continues....I haven't run into the Atlantic Ocean yet!
Stay tuned......there is even more to come!
Isn't this a fun adventure?  : )

Loving Stitches

I am moving on down the road to Fayetteville, North Carolina now.  I love this!  This shop is on the highway attractions sign!  How cool is that?  It IS an attraction, after all.  How do you feel about a shop with 6000 bolts of gorgeous, quilt store quality fabric?  And by the way, it is also an award winning Bernina shop and they have all the bells and whistles to prove it!  Find Carol and give her a hug...that's how we feel about it.

Loving Stitches is a place to park for the afternoon/ morning, as the case may be....or all day if you prefer.  They are definitely a full service quilt shop.  You can find them at www.lovingstitches.net.  Take a peek.

 Here we are at Loving Stitches in Fayetteville, N.C.

 Wow! 6000 bolts of beautiful fabric all screaming my name.  Just look at those batiks!

 Carol said to make sure I let you all know that the very best time to check out their fabrics is between Dec. 26 and Jan.1.  She puts everything on sale....and she means SALE...as a "thank you" to her customers.  I now have a reminder on my smart phone to tell me to purchase fabric then. : )

 If only my sewing room could look like this!  Fabric, fabric, and more fabric!

Be sure to check out the downstairs "Sale" room.  What's not to love?

Do I have to leave?  I know you want to close for the day...but......

Thank you to all the ladies of Loving Stitches!  It was a wonderful visit.  I'll be back.....