Innholdsfortegnelse for Quick Stuff to Quilt - Fall 2014 i Threads Magazine

The best jobs bring you new challenges every day. I love working at Threads, where I always have the opportunity to learn fresh sewing techniques and discover different projects. My latest revelation: Quilting is fun, entertaining, and something I plan to do a lot more of ! In my personal sewing, I have primarily stuck to garments, with some curtain hemming and pillow making here and there. Quick Stuff to Quilt is our first special issue devoted entirely to quilting projects. As I worked on the issue, I learned terminology and techniques I had never come across as a garment sewer. Now I know how to paper-piece from Diane Gilleland’s “Lava Lamp Pillow,” page 50, and how to stack, cut, and twirl fabrics for a “Surprise Quilt,” informed by Judy…

TECHNIQUES • COMMUNITY • PROJECTS • SEWING NEWS • CONTESTS & MORE Discover Exciting Techniques and Inspiration Threads contributing editor Mary Ray shows how to transform your cherished textiles into something special to wear. More Fast and Fun Projects and Expert Advice Visit our website to find even more inspiration, projects, and techniques. Learn how to change a sleeve pattern to add a quilted and zippered cu≠; perfect your hand-quilting stitch; g et valuable lessons from a professional quilter; and learn how to choose the right batting for your next project. A Threads Insider Membership gives you access to: • 80-plus sewing tips and techniques videos • Tablet editions and digital issues • Our exclusive Threads Insider pattern database • Exclusive downloads of our popular articles • Special member discounts…

This stylish, quilted bag features soft fabric sides textured with a grid of stitching supported by fusible fleece, batting, and muslin. It’s designed with a ribbon-threaded chain strap so you can carry it fully extended or folded as an elegant shoulder bag, as well as with a clever hand strap so you can carry it as a clutch. Use any fabric that strikes your fancy, from coordinating printed quilting cottons to a dramatic silk scarf print. Try a different quilting motif from the grid suggested to give it your own spin. Whatever you choose, it’ll be an accessory to hang on to. ADAPTED FROM “Quilted Convertible Bag” by Laura Holland, SewStylish Summer 2012. SUPPLIES • 1 yard quilting cotton for exterior • ⅔ yard muslin • ⅝ yard quilting cotton for…

The delicious perfection of hot tea lingers with a snug cover, or cozy, for your teapot. It fits over the teapot to keep the heat inside. To make this simple cover, cut fabric and batting layers, and then quilt them together. I’ll show you how to finish the edges with bias binding and provide three options for closing the cozies. The heat-keeping secret is insulated lining. Available at fabric stores or on the Internet, it is a thin sheet of shiny Mylar within a polyester batting. You can sew through it and machine-wash it. It’s also great to use in oven-mitt or hot-pad projects. A cozy takes less than an hour to finish. Play with colorful fabrics and embellishments to come up with different styles. The teapot can stay a…

This bohemian-style vest is cute, comfortable, and superquick to make. Its unique texture comes from a simple shrinking technique that essentially crumples fabric. To create it, choose a natural fiber fabric that has not been preshrunk. Then, machine-quilt at least three layers of the fabric together, finish the edges, soak the garment in water, and let it tumble-dry—it will automatically shrink and pucker between the stitched quilting lines. ADAPTED FROM “Quick to Make: Quilted gauze vest” by Mary Ray, Threads no. 107. SUPPLIES • 3 yards cotton gauze Optional: • Buttons • Tapestry needle Test for Shrinkage Whatever the fabric, always make a test swatch before you start your project. You’ll see the textured effect that results from the shrinking process and be able to determine the shrinkage amount, which you…

Combine your love of technology with your sewing skills to make eye-catching, reversible quilted covers for each of your electronic devices, such as iPods, smartphones, and e-readers. These pretty covers are not just for looks: Even if you keep your devices in impact-resistant cases, the soft batting in these custom-made sleeves adds an extra layer of protection against accidental tumbles and scratches. To make each cover, you’ll choose two great fabrics and make a pattern customized to your device. Then, simply cut the materials, quilt them together, and sew the seams. Just a few steps create snazzy protective covers for your essential devices. ADAPTED FROM “Got It Covered” by Alex Sudalnik, Quick Stuff to Sew 2011. SUPPLIES • ¼ yard each of two lightweight cotton fabrics • ¼ yard medium-loft cotton…

I love quilts, but I just don’t have the time to meticulously plan, cut, and sew tiny pieces together to get the wonderful look and feel that make a quilt a favorite handmade treasure. Then I learned an easy, no-fail way to piece a quilt top without having to make all kinds of calculations or learn fancy piecing techniques. In this quilt, all of the blocks are made from one fabric. The way you cut the blocks determines how the fabric is rendered in each one, and you won’t really know how they’ll look until the quilt is cut and pieced together. That’s why it’s a surprise. This technique produces an easy, yet great-looking, quilt. But what really makes it fun is how the blocks just bloom before your eyes as…

I have quilt-making ambitions, but my sewing workspace (and my abilities) are limited to garment-size projects. My solution: button-together quilts, which are easier to sew and easier to wash than full-size quilts. The buttons provide a functional design element, and a backing nicely finishes the sections. I can make the individual components as small as I can comfortably work with and still have a finished piece as large as I need. I like to combine segments of compatible fabrics or piece a portion and frame it with solid-colored sections. Purchase top and lining fabric, muslin, and batting in equal amounts. You may use flat or shank buttons. Prewash your fabric and any cotton or wool batting included in your project (polyester batting doesn’t need prewashing). I’ll show you how to construct…

Diane Gilleland “Lava Lamp Pillow,” page 50 “The first thing I ever quilted was a postcard. I made some simple patchwork, wrapped it around batting and chipboard, and then stitched over the surface. And with that, I was hooked on the process of making pictures in fabric and thread. I quickly graduated to pot holders, and then to my first quilt!” Diane is a craft writer, designer, and teacher. Look for her third book, All Points Patchwork (Storey, 2015), available next spring. April Mohr “Dream in Denim,” page 24 “My first quilt was a small, four-square quilt, which I made as practice for a 16-square, log cabin quilt. I stitched the four squares, arranged them to sew together, and discovered no two were the same size. I learned that when…

Convertible Rulers Karen Kay Buckley’s Perfect Adjustable Square is made from mod-ular sections that lock together to create squares from 4 inches to 24 ½ inches across. Each adjustable square comes in a box containing 20 clear “puzzle” pieces: four corner units, four 1-inch units, four 2-inch units, four 4-inch units, and four 8-inch units. Simply assemble rulers in the size you need. Then, use them as guides for cutting shapes, squaring pieced blocks, creating even triangles, and more. This product is packaged in a lovely, decorative box for easy storage and accessibility. (KarenKayBuckley.com; $69.95) Precision Templates Instead of rotating your ruler countless times to cut simple quilt blocks, use Fons & Porter’s triangle, diamond, and hexagon Fussy Cut templates to create uniform fabric shapes fast. Each transparent template has…

Pot holders are an everyday essential in the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. These quilted pot holders are so easy to make, you can sew a set for every season or as gifts. This pattern, makes two 91/4-inch-square quilted pot holders, each with pieced fronts and contrast backings. Insulating, heat-reflective batting inside ensures safe handling of hot dishes. Make a coordinated set by choosing front and backing fabrics in complementary colors, or mix up the palette for a bolder look. This is a perfect project for using quilting fat quarters. ADAPTED FROM “Hot Pot Holders,” by Stephani L. Miller, Quick Stuff to Sew Winter 2011. The pattern on page 35 is used with permission from the disbanded National Sewing Council. Cut, Stack, and Piece the Fabric…

As a child, I loved the glowing motion of a lava lamp. Watching the colored wax morph into different shapes as it flowed up and down occupied me for some time. While I still enjoy the mesmerizing liquid capsule, I just can’t see putting one in my current living room. Instead, I came up with a lava lamp–inspired patchwork pillow design to resemble the magic of those wavy little worlds contained in glass. Hand sewing and a vintage piecing technique are the keys to perfectly matched points on this project. This pillow top is constructed using English paper piecing, a technique that originated in the 1700s in Great Britain, which enables you to precisely hand-sew all of the pieces in place before securing the rows together. Hand sewing can be…

This fun and vibrant tote bag is the perfect opportunity to apply basic piecing and quilting techniques on a small scale. For this version, I used Vogue 8823, a Marcy Tilton design (View A for the basic bag shape), but you can use any bag pattern. This bag is not quilted in the pattern, but these directions will tell you how to piece and quilt it. For the tote design, a quilted Chanel handbag inspired me. I pieced three coordinating cotton prints together in long strips. Instead of handles, I opted for a chain from the hardwarestore and wove fabric through it. To give body to the bag, I added a layer of easy-to-quilt, fusible fleece batting. ADAPTED FROM “Quilted Carryall” by Nicole Vasbinder, CraftStylish Summer 2008. SUPPLIES • Quilting cotton…

If making a quilt seems like more project than you want to take on, try out the techniques with tiny-scale quilts that become jewelry. This is great fun since you can use leftover fabric and swatches because the size requirements are very small. Follow these suggestions to get started, but then break the rules. There are no restrictions—these petite quilts can be any size, any shape, and any fabric. Embellish them with beads, baubles, and charms. When you’re happy with your miniquilt, back it, add a pin, and wear it with delight. INSPIRED BY “Pieced-Silk Pins” by Karen Schmelzer, Threads no. 68. SUPPLIES • Fabric scraps (Any stitchable fabric works, although sheer fabrics must be made opaque with backing.) • Cotton batting sheet • Double-sided carpet tape • Empty gallon-size water…

I have fond memories of book covers like this. My grandmother had two. One contained the Bible, the other Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass or, sometimes, the latest Reader’s Digest. The soft covers were so nice for read-in-bed books. They protected the book, kept your place with a ribbon, and had a handle for hanging the book from the doorknob, the bedpost, or the nightstand drawer, just before you turn out the light. I know these are times of Kindles and tablets, but I still have plenty of paper books to read. You can make covers in a variety of fabrics and for anywhere you might need a reference or a good read. I’m thinking of a kitchen version next, in a coated fabric, for my grandmother’s classic cookbook. SARAH MCFARLAND is…

Allow creativity free reign in designing this original piece of art. Let fabric be your paint box and dynamic prints your renderings in achieving a unique, fresh design that will be a joy to hang in your home. Art quilts are more about visual impact than traditional sewing techniques; anything goes when it comes to creating them, and that’s what makes them so much fun. The convenience of fusing, which is a perfectly acceptable technique in the crafting of art quilts, enables working with the most complex shapes without having to worry about seaming or hand appliqué. Readily available products make the process easy and allow you to let your creativity flow. Here, I’ll show you how to approach this project from planning to finish. And I’ll give you the…

Quilting professional Angela Walters isn’t easy to catch up with, so we were happy to connect with her for Quick Stuff to Quilt. Angela fills us in on how she got started, what inspires her, and what she’s up to right now. Check out her classes on Craftsy.com, and her websites at QuiltingIsMyTherapy.com and TheBusinessOfMachineQuilting.com. Also, all of Angela’s gorgeous fabric designs are featured on ArtGalleryFabrics.com. Quick Stu≠ to Quilt: When did you start quilting? Angela Walters: I fell into quilting by accident about 12 years ago. My husband’s grandpa made quilts and when I came into the family, I asked him to show me how to do it. I was hooked. For the first couple of years, we hand-quilted the quilts. But about 11 years ago, he suggested that…

Most of us have curtains that look nice but are missing something. Chances are, what they’re missing is that “wow” factor. Give them some pizzazz with distinctive tiebacks. Here is a twoway tieback project that is super easy and fun to make. You can reverse them for a different look, and they only require a small amount of fabric. What a fun and versatile way to use remnants from your fabric stash. ADAPTED FROM “Terrific Tiebacks” by Nicole Vasbinder, Craftstylish Window Treatments Volume V. SUPPLIES • Fabric, amount determined by number of tiebacks desired • Batting, amount determined by number of tiebacks • 2 buttons for each tieback 1 Cut and piece the fabric. The tieback shown is 3 squares by 8 squares (4 ½ inches by 12 inches finished). Cut enough…

Keep your laptop safe from scratches and dents with this fun patchwork case. This custom sleeve is measured to fit your laptop perfectly so you can store and transport it in style. Fat-quarter packs are ideal for this project, since they feature a range of prints and solids in the same color family. Alternatively, take advantage of smaller scraps from your fabric stash, which can easily be mixed and matched to coordinate. While a walking foot is helpful for smoothly sewing over fabric and batting, a standard presser foot also will work. ADAPTED FROM “Patchwork Pouch” by Kayte Terry, Quick Stuff to Sew Winter 2009. SUPPLIES • ¾ yard of a variety of cotton fabrics • ½ yard lining fabric • Cotton batting, such as Warm & Natural • 5-inch strip¾-inch-wide hook-and-loop…

Style, elegance, and sophistication come together in these classic quilted and beaded bags. While they may appear complex, they can be made in just a few hours. Begin by choosing a great print, preferably in a large scale, to make a dramatic statement. Batik prints are especially suitable, as they provide a tonal contrast to a beaded embellishment and can set the groundwork for adding quilted designs later. For this project, select two fat quarters of fabric, which is enough to yield a dimensional bag and a flat bag, as shown on the facing page. Quilt the bag with the motifs of your choice before inserting the zipper and sewing the edges. Then, use the quilted stitches as a guide for hand-embellishing with beads. These bags can be simple or…

Dress up your bureau drawer with sweet lingerie bags made by your own hands. These bags are a perfect project for learning quilting techniques, and they’re a great way to use pretty fabric remnants. Lingerie bags are easy to sew, ideal for travel, and make perfect gifts. Start by making a small quilt, then add some seams and a bow—voilà! You have a great piece that you can keep or give as a gift. The bag I made measures 10 inches by 12⅜ inches, but make yours any size. Simply cut the squares smaller or larger, and adjust the pattern accordingly. You’re going to love this project. ADAPTED FROM “Lovely Lingerie Bag” by Mary Ray, CraftStylish, Summer 2008. SUPPLIES • Two ¼ yard (or fat quarters) coordinating fabrics for quilt top…

These days, we are busier than ever, and relaxation is a luxury. What better way to relieve stress and aid relaxation than with a soothing, fragrant eye pillow? Filled with flaxseed and scented with lavender—a popular aromatherapy for treating everything from headaches to insomnia—these little pillows come to the rescue and make perfect gifts for friends and family. This handmade pillow is simple and inexpensive to make, and the patchwork pattern is a perfect way to use up fabric scraps you have on hand. The pattern can be used over and over again, but by selecting different fabrics and colors, you can customize each pillow to make a one-of-akind gift for everyone on your list. ADAPTED FROM “Easy on the Eyes” by Kayte Terry, CraftStylish Gifts to Make Volume II. SUPPLIES •…