Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 26 - 2017 i Today's Quilter

I grew up in Scotland, where August means it’s back-to-school time with a new pencil case, new teachers and new classes. Maybe that’s why I thought this would be the perfect issue to focus on free-motion quilting. Some quilters find that FMQ comes naturally to them. However, I think I speak for most of us when suggesting that extra tuition would be most welcome! So the Today’s Quilter team has worked with two of our favourite free-motion quilters to bring you techniques and projects that take you from first day at school to graduation in your own home, at your own pace. Use this issue’s supplement as a lesson plan written especially for you by US quilter Angela Walters. With step-by-step diagrams and instructions, Angela leads you through a number…

“I’ve always adored Kaffe Fassett fabric. Discovering it in Liberty’s haberdashery department in 2006 actually helped get me back into quilting again. I have a current obsession with appliquéing stems and leaves over patchwork and as the designs are so rich in botanical detail this seemed like the perfect way to add more content to a relatively simple quilt pattern. At first I placed the patchwork “bricks” at random, but then I tried “washing” the colours and I loved the effect this created, to me it looks a bit like an Impressionist painting.”…

You will need • Assorted print fabrics – Ten (10) fat quarters OR 2½yds in total • Solid white background fabric – 2⅝yds • Solid red fabric – ⅛yd • Backing fabric – 4¾yds • Batting – 66in x 80in • Binding fabric – ½yd Finished size • 60in x 72in Cutting out 1 From the assorted print fabrics, cut as follows: • Eight (8) 8in squares for large sails (A). • Eight (8) 6in squares for small sails (B). • Fifteen (15) 3in x 12½in rectangles for boat hulls (E). • Two-hundred-and-twenty (220) 2½in squares for waves and sashing (H). • Eighteen (18) 7in squares for border (I). • Four (4) 6½in squares for border corners (J). 2 From the background fabric, cut as follows: • Eight (8) 8in…

It’s mid-afternoon on the West Coast of America and Edyta Sitar is talking to me from her new studio. She’s recently moved from the East Coast, meticulously packing and unpacking every item in such a way that she could replicate the layout of her creative space. Change is something that Edyta is used to, she was born in Poland, lived in Germany and since moving to the US has relocated many times. Our conversation starts with talk of one of her most recent quilt designs, Winter Village, from her latest fabric range Blue Sky, which was launched this summer as a Block of the Month with The Quilt Room in Dorking. It’s a quilt that says a lot about Edyta’s passion for making and how she values connections… to people,…

HELP! What’s the best way to deal with all the thread tails when the wedges have been sewn together? Try this… Thread tails at the narrow, lower ends of the wedges can just be trimmed off as they will be covered by the centre decoration or concealed when the seam is turned under. For the thread tails at the top you can tuck them down into the seam allowance. Better still, avoid them altogether, as follows. When you sew two wedges together, start partway down the side (Fig 8). Make a stitch, reverse stitch to the top and then forward stitch, over the backstitching and down to the bottom. Trim tails off. I’ve heard that you can HELP! use freezer paper to sew a circle. How does this work? Try…

Quilter and author Angela Walters is passionate about machine quilting. She also loves to share her enthusiasm, teaching others how to bring out the best in their quilt tops. It was inspiring to catch up with Angela to find out more about her zest for quilting. When did you start machine quilting? “I started machine quilting in 2003. My husband’s grandpa – who taught me to quilt – talked my husband into buying me a longarm machine. Even though I had only hand quilted before, I quickly fell in love with machine quilting. While I loved it, that doesn’t mean it didn’t take practise to get good at it!” Are you interested in the history of quilting and do historical pieces influence your designs? “Oh definitely! We are all quilters…

“In this quilt we’ve used a taupe Jelly Roll and have combined three different size blocks – 16in, 12in and 8in blocks. We had great fun with this quilt – we seem to be perfecting the art of making our Jelly Rolls go further! We decided to create a more uniform look by using the same additional background fabric in each block to replace the light fabric. We also made use of our additional background fabric by allowing ourselves the luxury of three 4½in strips, which we used in several of our blocks as squares and triangles. We have listed this separately.”…

Paisley is another quilting design that is commonly used, but the texture it adds to modern quilts makes it a personal favourite. You can quilt this design larger to use as an allover design or smaller to fill small areas. 1 From the edge of the quilting area, quilt a curved teardrop shape that ends near the beginning point. We like the movement the slightly curved shape gives to the quilting. 2 Echo the shape twice. 3 Quilt another paisley shape, gently curving it to fit close to the first one. 4 Echo the paisley shape twice, making sure you end close to the first shape. 5 Continue quilting the shapes and echoing until you fill the entire area. TECHNICAL TIP If you find yourself stuck in an area too…

This design is commonly used in machine quilting, but that doesn’t mean you should mark it off your list of modern quilting designs. It is so versatile and can fit a wide range of shapes and spaces. Try quilting the wishbones wide and chunky or long and skinny. No matter what you do, you can’t go wrong. 1 From the top corner of your quilting area, quilt a line angled towards the opposite edge. Before you get to the edge, quilt a loop up and around. 2 Without stopping, quilt another line, angling towards the opposite side. 3 Quilt another loop and head back to the other side. 4 Continue until you reach the end of the row. 5 If you would like to wrap this design around the corner,…

This design isn’t difficult, but getting the rhythm down can be a little tricky. But if you practise it, you will get it in no time! This design is a favourite for long, thin areas, such as borders. When quilting this design you will use the top and the bottom of the quilting area as your guide. 1 From the bottom corner of the quilting area, quilt an S shape that just barely grazes the top edge of the quilting area. 2 Without stopping, quilt a backward S shape. You want it to curve out and come back in and just barely touch the bottom part of the first S. 3 Once you are almost to the bottom edge, quilt another curve out and back to touch the top curve.…

This design can soften the angular sides of a diamond block by adding a “ray” effect to the quilt. It’s another example of how basic shapes can make an impact on your quilts. 1 Starting from the bottom corner of the block, quilt a straight line that angles out to about 1in away from an adjacent corner. Travel along the edge of the block about 1in and stitch a straight line back to the starting point. 2 Repeat Step 1 on the other side of the block. 3 Quilt your way to the top corner using the design of your choice. VARIATIONS A really easy way to quilt an interesting variation of this design is to switch up the lines and the fillers.…

This design takes the classic crosshatch quilting lines and gives them a curvy look with an optical illusion vibe. The lines create a strong visual impact not only in diamond blocks; you could also try them in squares, rectangles and even borders. 1 Starting about ¼in from the top point of the block, quilt a serpentine line, ending on the opposite side. Travel along the side of the block and echo the first curve, ending about ¼in below the starting point. 2 Repeat as shown, travelling along the sides of the block and quilting serpentine lines until you reach the bottom of the block. 3 Travel along the bottom point of the block until you are on the opposite side of the block. Quilt serpentine lines that diagonally cross the…

Feathers are a gorgeous design to use on quilts. Some people like to quilt continuous feathers in the border of a quilt but here, we have broken them up and let them go wild on the borders. Not only does this allow you to easily quilt the border as you go, but it gives the feather a wild, more random look! 1 From a random spot on one edge of the border, quilt a gently waving line that extends to the opposite edge. Don’t feel as though you need to quilt the line the same way as in the illustration. The more random and curvy you make the line, the wilder your feathers will be. 2 Quilt the first “petal” of your feather by quilting a line that goes out…

Shape by Shape FREE-MOTION QUILTING WITH ANGELA WALTERS User-friendly and visually exciting, the contents are first divided into three sections: Blocks, Negative Space and Borders. Then, to make it even more accessible, the Blocks section is further organised by five shapes: Squares, Triangles, Circles, Diamonds and Hexagons. This is the go-to resource you’ll want for every quilting project. RRP:›£18.55 www.ctpub.com Quilting is My Therapy BEHIND THE STITCHES WITH ANGELA WALTERS Take an in-depth look at the artistry of Angela Walters. This coffee table book delves into her free-motion quilting journey in gorgeous detail. Discover how Angela sketches with grand details and lavish texture to complement each quilt’s specific design. Be inspired by stunning photography and full-page shots of Angela’s free-motion magic. RRP £21.99 www.ctpub.com Free-Motion Meandering A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO…

“I am amazed at the skill and creativity that goes into each tiny little quilt.” When groups or quilt shops are thinking about booking me for a class, I offer a list with an outline of what they might expect to be doing, plus a few photos of samples. On the day itself I begin with a demonstration accompanied with a worksheet, which I hope will carry them forwards later and remind them of what the whole thing is about. I know from my own experience that as you get back home and dump the workshop bag in the hall in order to sort out the day’s dramas, it may well be some weeks or longer before that project sees the light of day again… Sometimes for a class there…

FABRIC FOCUS CHARMED TO MEET YOU! If you’re a fan of Kaffe Fassett fabric, then head over to www.sewingquarter.com to check out the range of his gorgeous fabrics available as Charm Packs. The 42 piece (5in) Kaffe Fassett Charm Packs, costing £20.95, are an explosion of reds, oranges, greens, purples, electric blues and vibrant yellows. Perfect for patchwork and quilting projects. TUNE IN! Watch on Freeview channel 78, on air every day 8am-12pm, or via the website www.sewingquarter.com Youtube.com/sewingquarter…

You will need For wallhanging: • Quilt top – 1¼yds • Quilt backing – 1½yds • Binding – ½yd • Batting – 44in x 54in approx. • Quilting pattern (see Templates section) For cushion: • Cushion front – 17in square • Lining fabric – 18in square • Backing fabric – 20in square • Batting – 18in square • Inner section of quilting pattern (see Templates section) Finished size • Wallhanging – 35in x 47in • Cushion – 16in square Notes • WOF = width of fabric. • Wash and press all fabrics well before cutting. • Quilting designs have been provided, however, the outside fill can be done to suit yourself. Trudi chose simple lines for both projects; an alternative would be to continue with echo quilting around the designs.…

First of all, remember that quilting takes some practice. Enjoy the journey and don’t be tempted to compare your work to anyone else’s. Pick one design you like and work with it until you feel comfortable enough to use it on a quilt. Once you have mastered one then move on to another design. Don’t feel like you have to learn any particular design. Only take the time to learn designs that you like and will actually use on your quilts. Use a thread colour that matches the quilt top – it covers a multitude of quilting “sins”. Echoing is your best quilting friend. Use it to move around an area, highlight a design and even to hide a quilting design that you don’t love. Repeat the phrase, “A finished…

“Practical and decoratiwe baskets have long been used as a staple in our homes and they make a popular motif in patchwork” From the fields surrounding us you can hear the distant hum of combine harvesters and the land is filling up with neat cylindrical hay bales. The hedgerows are bursting with brambles and the branches of the plum and apple trees are heavy with fruit. We don’t grow a lot of our own food here as we are just too busy, but the land provides plenty without any work required. When we moved here in August seven years ago, we discovered a huge apple tree and a plum tree, both full of ripe fruit. Since then we have planted many more fruit trees, including pear and quince, and soft…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Hemline rose gold scissors www.sewingquarter.com  0800 112 4433 Hemline wrist pincushions groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk BOOKS Search Press www.searchpress.com  0189 251 0850 Pavilion Books www.pavilionbooks.com  0207 462 1500 FABRIC COLLECTIONS The Deborah Kemball Studio Collection www.oakshottfabrics.com  0145 237 1571 Little Land of Rhyme, Garden of Temptation www.alicecaroline.co.uk  0138 672 5000 The Hedgerow www.lewisandirene.com Devon County www.quiltersguildshop.org.uk  0190 461 3242 Coming up Roses, Peacock Pavilion www.eqsuk.com  0116 271 0033 Blue Sky www.makoweruk.com  0162 850 9640 European Quilt Supplies Ltd www.eqsuk.com  0116 271 0033 Makower UK www.makoweruk.com  0162 850 9640…

Here, you use a Basic Swirl (below, step 1), but instead of an allover design, it is quilted in a row. This design is handy as it uses the edges of the block as a guide. This means no marking is necessary, and it can be easily adjusted to fit irregular shapes. This is an easy design to quilt, but you may have to practise it a couple of times. You will quilt up one side of the design and back down the other side, returning to where you started. 1 Start from the bottom of the quilting area approximately ¼in from the edge. The first side of the swirl should extend just past half of the width. Quilt the inside of a Basic Swirl. 2 Echo back out of…

Even though Loop & Double Loop Swirls are the first step to Pebbles (next up on our list), they are fun on their own. We like to use this design in small sashing or in larger areas to fill in with quilting that is less dense. This design is a basic meandering line with a loop thrown in randomly. 1 Starting at any edge of the quilting area, quilt a wavy line with a loop at the end. 2 Without stopping after quilting the loop, continue the wavy, meandering line. Add another loop. 3 Continue the design, winding around in random directions, and filling in the entire area. 1 Start with a wavy line with a loop at the end. 2 Quilt a second loop circling the first one, ending…

Probably the easiest quilting design ever, Back & Forth has a stunning impact on any quilt. Use it in wide or skinny areas, long or short areas – any areas! The trick to making this look great is keeping the spacing the same. 1 Starting from the edge of the area to be quilted, quilt towards the other side. Quilt a U-turn right before you touch the edge, and head back to the first side. 2 Before you reach the left edge, quilt another U-turn, and then head back to the opposite edge. 3 Continue to the end of the quilting area. 4 If you want to wrap the design around a corner, stop when the line is near the inner point of the corner. 5 Quilt an elongated loop…

Instead of tackling one big square, use this design to make four smaller squares. Breaking up the larger square is easy. For the smaller squares, we chose two designs that contrast well with each other: continuous-curve lines and dense back-and-forth lines. The clear contrast ensures that your quilting will get noticed! This design works in blocks of all sizes, from small to large. 1 Starting from the middle of the top of the block, quilt a vertical line straight down to the opposite side. Travel along the edge, then around the corner to the midpoint of the next side. Quilt a straight line across to the middle of the opposite side. You’ve divided the block into four convenient sections. 2 Quilt back-and-forth lines, filling in one of the square sections.…

We love how this simple play on a basic wishbone design can jazz up the whole block. Since this design has several elements, it’s great to use it in larger diamond shapes. But don’t let all the steps keep you from trying the design; it’s just curved lines and wishbones! 1 Starting halfway between the top corner and a side corner, quilt a line that curves out and then down the centre of the block, stopping at the bottom corner. Travel ¼in along the edge and echo the side of the line. Work your way back towards the bottom corner, filling in-between the echoed line and the edge of the block with a wishbone design. 2 Quilt a line that travels up the centre line and curves to the opposite…

Sometimes you want certain blocks to really stand out, and this design makes that happen. Use it in areas that you want to highlight, or in the centre of groups of hexagons. You might like to start this design in the centre of the block to help ensure that it’s as symmetrical as possible. 1 Starting in the centre of the block, quilt a small flower shape with six petals. Try to stitch them so that each loop points to the centre of a side. 2 Echo around each of the petals, continuing around and around until the outer petals are close to the block sides. 3 To fill in the corners, add a leaf shape on your last time around the petals. VARIATIONS For a slight variation, quilt three…

FINE ART QUILT MASTERS Cutting Edge This annual competition celebrates quilts that transcend craft and demand equal billing with gallery quality art pieces. Works by 20 talented art quilters from the UK and Channel Islands, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, the US, Canada and South Korea made the final cut, shortlisted by a judging panel of leading figures from the art and quilting worlds. See the gallery at Festival of Quilts (10-13 August) and at The Knitting & Stitching Show in London (Alexandra Palace) in October and Harrogate in November. HERITAGE FABRIC DEVON COUNTY The Quilters’ Guild’s newest fabric line takes its inspiration from the Mariner’s Compass Coverlet, one of the quilt treasures in The Quilters’ Guild Collection, which also inspired the Elizabeth’s Dowry fabric line last year. Designed by Karen Styles…

“This quilt is based on a piece from the 1850s that I found in the book Mississippi Quilts By Mary Elizabeth Johnson (published by The University Press of Mississippi, 2001). It combines large, simple shapes with a little bit of embroidery to add to its quirkiness. In the original quilt there were more blocks, 16 in total, all facing the centre of the quilt. As they are large, 20in finished, I only wanted to sew nine, and have laid them out in an asymmetric format. You can choose any layout that pleases you, and indeed make all 16 blocks. It is a great block to use up lots of scrap fabric for the leaves and flowers. For the chain stitch embroidery you can use a solid thread or one that…

Sewing a Dresden plate is a useful technique to learn and its versatility means that the design can be used as a single focal point and stunning centrepiece or to create a whole quilt There is so much that can be said about Dresden designs as there are various methods for creating them and a great deal of variation possible. In this month’s Essential Guide we will look at a favourite method for sewing Dresden plates – using templates to make wedges that have pointed tops. Techniques for making centre circles are also described. Next month we will look at using commercial rulers. WHAT ARE DRESDEN DESIGNS? Dresden plates or fans are a form of patchwork where wedge-shaped “petals” radiate out from a central circle. Partial Dresden plates can also…

Pre-wind several bobbins so you don’t have to stop halfway through your project. Your thread should look as pretty on your bobbin as it did on the spool. Layer up a practice sandwich piece; this will allow you to get used to the right working speed for you, and you will be able to get confident with the designs and warm up, like any other physical activity. A patterned back can help disguise any mishaps or tension issues. Be sure to use matching threads throughout your project. When starting quilting, use the needle to pull up the bobbin thread. Hold onto the top thread, press the needle up/down button or wind the needle up and down once with the fly wheel on the machine. This will pull up your bobbin…

VARIATION BLOCK Cutting out 1 From the background fabric, cut as follows: • Four (4) 3½in squares. • One (1) 6½in square. • Two (2) 4¾in squares. • Four (4) 2in squares. 2 From the brown fabric, cut four (4) 3½in squares. 3 From the turquoise fabric, cut eight (8) 3½in squares. 4 From the dark pink fabric, cut two (2) 4¾in squares. Making the block 5 To make eight (8) half-square triangles at once, first place the 4¾in background square on top of the 4¾in dark pink square, RST. Draw two diagonal lines, corner to corner, to form an X (Fig 1). Stitch a ¼in seam from either side of both lines (Fig 2). Using your ruler cut a vertical centre line (Fig 3) and a horizontal centre line.…

TEMPTATIONS Everything you need for Patchwork and Quilting. Hundreds of quality cotton fabrics, wadding, haberdashery, Brother Sewing Machines. temptationsbentham.co.uk LINA PATCHWORK Stop cutting Hexagons and start sewing with our top quality pre-cut paper pieces! Your one-stop shop for all things EPP related. linapatchwork.com KATHY’S PATCH Fantastic range of fabrics, haberdashery and quilting notions. Unit 62, Folkestone Enterprise Centre, Shearway Rd, Folkestone, CT19 4RH kathyspatch.co.uk THE QUILT SANCTUARY Professional Long Arm Quilting Service, including a selection of fabrics and wadding. Gwynedd, Wales. 01341 250809 / 07402 919194 thequiltsanctuary.co.uk CREATIVE CRAFTS Creative Crafts is an independent arts & crafts shop bursting to the seams with everything you need for your hobby. 01962 856266 HOMETOWN All your quilting needs from A to Z are found at Hometown, 62 High Street, Rochester ME1 1JY.…

Every quilter has been there, you’ve finished a project that you’ve put a lot of time and effort into, and now you need to decide on a design to quilt. And that’s where free-motion quilting comes in. With its fluid lines and freedom to move around the quilt as you wish, it is a highly-attractive form of quilting. But it can also seem a bit daunting – what if you mess up, how do you do all the intricate designs and what pattern do you choose to actually quilt? That’s why we were so intrigued by Angela Walters’ books. With her easy to follow step-by-step instructions and diagrams for creating borders, blocks and backgrounds, the wonderful world of free-motion quilting will open up to you. No matter whether you quilt…

What makes this design different from Basic Swirl is that we add a small hook. This design is great for more masculine quilts and is helpful when you need a swirl design that can fit into tight spots, such as the points of triangles. 1 Starting from the edge of the quilting area, quilt the inside of a Basic Swirl. 2 Immediately quilt a gentle, curvy line extending out from the centre. This “hook” doesn’t have to point anywhere in particular; just try to fill in the empty areas evenly. 3 Echo the curved line until you are approximately ¼in from touching the edge of the inner swirl. 4 From that point, echo the swirl until you reach the beginning of the swirl. 5 You can echo the swirled hook,…

Faux Rope is a little fancy but could be perfect for the right kind of quilt. This design uses no markings, and it begins and ends in the same place, which makes it efficient as well as striking. The Faux Rope is quilted in two sections, first the top and then the bottom. Before you start, determine where the top of your design will be. This might be the top of a block or a line you have marked on your quilt top. 1 From the middle of the bottom edge of your quilting area, quilt a gentle S curve, ending in the middle of the top edge. 2 From this point, quilt the same gentle S curve, ending when you are touching the middle of the design. You want…

When working with smaller blocks, it’s usually best to keep the quilting on the simple side. This design is great for quilts with a lot of smaller pieces. Not only is it quick and easy, but it also starts and ends in the same spot. Talk about efficient! 1 From the bottom of the diamond, quilt a swirl in the centre of the diamond. Stop in the centre of the swirl. Make sure to leave space between the edge of the block and the swirl. This will ensure that you have room to complete the design. 2 From the centre, add a hook to the swirl by quilting a serpentine line going towards the bottom of the block. From there, partially echo the line you just quilted, stopping about 1in…

This design uses the corners of the block to create a design that looks awesome when used in a row of hexagons. It works in a variety of sizes and is easy to customise to your preferences. 1 Quilt a line that angles down from a corner about 2in. Quilt a diamond-shaped design, then continue on to the next corner. 2 Travel along the edge of the block ¼in and echo underneath the line from Step 1. Travel along the edge of the block and echo the bottom two sides of the hexagon. 3 Quilt the space between the lines with the filler of your choice. In this example, we quilted back-and-forth lines. VARIATIONS Create a chevron effect by quilting the design in a straight row of hexagons. When quilting…