Walking Foot or Darning Foot -
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The fabric selection for m. mouse's 15th Birthday Quilt. More to come from Rosie's |
THE WINNER! In this picture, you can't really see much of the fabric in the center square. I will make the block large enough so the kitty fabric shows up. I may even do some fussy cutting to feature a particluar cat in each block. Time will tell. |
I'll be visiting my friend, Rosie, at Rosie's Calico Cupboard to find some more luscious batiks.
In the meantime, Happy Happy!
And now for the rest of the news - -
Happy Quilting!
Tools – Special Machine Quilting Feet for your Home Sewing Machine
For those of us who want to use our home sewing machine for machine quilting, there are a couple of different presser feet that can help.
A Walking Foot
One is a Walking Foot. These come in a variety of different sizes and shapes, and can look quite daunting. However, they help allow your quilt to be fed through your sewing machine at an even rate.
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A walking foot allows the layers of the quilt to go under the presser foot all at the same time. |
Normally the feed dogs on your machine pull the bottom fabric through and the assumption is that the top fabric will come through at the same rate. That works fairly well when you are sewing two layers of fabric.
But when you add batting between the layers, the distance between top and bottom, plus the lack of good connection between the layers and the batting can cause the bottom (backing) of your quilt to be pulled through quicker than the top, causing puckering and pleats.
A walking foot works with your feed dogs still in the up position, and as your needle goes up and down, so do the presser feet on your walking foot. With the release of pressure on the quilt, the quilt can be guided under the needle evenly.
A walking foot is great for machine quilting, yet has its limitations. It allows the quilt to move in a straight line of stitching. If you are stitching in the ditch or creating a grid of quilting lines, a walking foot will help you accomplish that.
A Darning Foot
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Darning foot for free motion machine quilting. |
A darning foot will allow you to do free motion quilting. Like the walking foot, the darning foot bounces up and down on the quilt as the needle goes up and down.
The difference is that with a darning foot, you lower the feed dogs on your machine and guide the quilt. Since there is no contact between your quilt and the machine between stitches, you can move the quilt in any direction you would like.
It is simple to make curvy quilting lines using a darning foot, guiding your quilt in circles or waves or any variation creating feathers, leaves, or just meandering around.
There is no doubt that both types of feet take some practice to get used to in order to create beautiful machine quilting stitches. But the first step in becoming an accomplished machine quilter is having the right tools.
The Machine Quilting Adventure
Get all of the inside secret techniques for machine quilting on your home sewing machine. You will know when to use a walking foot and when to use a darning foot for your quilting. With the information in this easy-to-understand resource, your finished heirloom quilt will be perfect whether you are a beginner or have had some quilting experience. |
Lea Ingram is a quilter from Hawaii who makes some amazing quilts.
Many of her quilts are created from fabric she dyes or paints.
Her quilts have a traditional feel while expressing the beauty of Hawaii, the Hawaiian life, and family.
Lea also does workshops, and I am contemplating having her do a live workshop for a gathering of quilters here in San Diego later this year.
Lea joins us this mont for our Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation. Lea just got word that she is serving on Jury Duty, so we're on hold for the date, but as soon as she knows about her service, we'll set a date and let you know.
BOOK OF THE MONTH – French Braid Obsession by Jane Hardy Miller
Simple in its design, French Braid Quilts are easy to make and offer the beginning quilter a new type of quilt that goes together in a snap. These quilts are made from squares and rectangles, and long, skinny rectangles more commonly known as strips.
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Well, there might be a triangle or two. But, mostly just straight-forward stitching of straight lines. Your French Braid Quilt will be perfect the first time. No need for hours of practice and having your daughter sit patiently while you learn.
Another design element is in the selection of the colors of your fabric, and author Jane Hardy Miller teaches you how to identify color value in fabric so your finished quilt creates the exact effect you want.
Whether it’s glowing like a stained glass window, radiating like a range of mountains, or replicating your daughter’s beautiful flowing hair, your French Braid Quilt will WOW your family and friends.
Because the quilt looks so difficult to make, your family and friends will be in awe of your quilting skills. Remembering that you are just a beginner quilter, they will be amazed that you have taken on what looks like such a challenging project.
Our secret is that these are really easy quilts to make, and Jane Hardy Miller makes it simple with her descriptions of how to make these quilt projects. Plus she shows you how to identify value in fabric and use it to create the effect you want - in these quilts and every quilt you make.
And the best thing is that you can make a beautiful star without sewing even one diamond! How cool is that?
This is the Penny’s Inner Circle Book of the Month. Members of Penny’s Inner Circle receive this book as a benefit of their membership.
This brand new quilting resource has been extremely popular. We needed to place another order, and after our ace shipper, Cindy, gets them packaged, there may be one or two left. So, if you are interested, get more details - French Braid Obsession.
Postcard Quilts for the Troops
July 4th Roundup Next - Deadline June 1!
Penny's Postcard Posse has sent more than 15,000 fabric postcards to our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and the hospital in Germany.
As quilters, we know what those postcards mean to the men and women who recieve them. Some who get them receive no other mail from home. And for all of them, it's a reminder of the wonderful freedoms they are fighting for and the comforts they will enjoy when they return home.
The 4th of July Roundup is in full swing - the deadline is June 1
It's not too early to start making patriotic cards for our 4th of July Roundup. This will mark our 4th Year! Check out the postcard patterns on www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com I will continue to add designs, and patterns for the fabric postcards are always free.
Remember the Birthday Roundup - Diane had a great idea to send over a package of Birthday postcards that can be handed to soldiers the day of their birthday! What a great idea.
So, we've set up a deadline of August 10, and there is plenty of time to get some postcards made by then. She will send over a big box and the soldier "in charge" can hand them out as birthdays arrive. I will be adding birthday-themed postcard designs to www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com, so keep on checkin'
To make the 4th of July deadline, get your cards to Diane by May 20.
Please send your cards to:
Diane Malaznik
14215 Westmore St.
Livonia, MI 48154-4149
Diane is doing a fabulous job keeping the pictures updated, and if you have sent cards in, let your friends and family know that they can see pictures of them here: www.Fabric-Postcards.com
Remember you can get FREE postcard patterns at: www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com
Special Note - we are in the process of changing the Picture Gallery on the Fabric-Postcards.com site. It may take a few days, so bear with us. Not to worry - We have all of the pictures and will get everything squared away soon.
Video - Rolling Star Fabric Postcard
This week's video is a demonstration of how to sew a fabric postcard using the Rolling Star quilt block pattern:
Download the Rolling Star Fabric Postcard pattern
May Quilt Block Patterns
The May selection of free quilt block patterns includes a variety of 4 patch quilt blocks, ranging from the easy to make to some that are a little more complex.
Click here to download your May FREE quilt block patterns
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Birds in a Square |
Cats and Mice |
Flower Basket |
Flying Birds |
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Friendship Quilt Block |
May Basket |
Picket Fence |
Tea Basket |
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The Chieftain |
The Red Schoolhouse |
Click here to download your May FREE quilt block patterns
Hundreds of quilt block patterns to choose from. Patterns include full size templates and rotary cutting layouts. Click Here
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