String Theory Quilts

So may original design plan just wasn’t working for me. I know that’s probably just part of quilting… your vision sounded great in your head and looked ok when you draw it out but in reality….. in retrospect, I shouldn’t have picked black. But I thought it would look cool. When I got a bunch of squares on my wall I realized WOW this is busy, and weird, and dark but necessarily in a good way.

I don’t know about you but when something isn’t awesome from the get go…. I lose motivation quickly. I realize we all learn from our failures but I’m not really an optimist so while I KNOW we absolutely learn our failures, it still FEELS like a fucking waste of time and that I failed. This was also a gift for someone so there was that added pressure of “Why would I gift something I don’t even like?” I’m thinking of using a light sashing (I have some white 2.5” strips) to break up the squares. Other suggestions are most welcome.

So I switched gears completely. I had an idea a while ago to do a stained glass window quilt. Tomorrow’s Treasures in Crofton, MD has a great selection of batiks which I thought would look ok. The women there were awesome and helped me pull a bunch of stuff. They kinda laughed when I told them I wanted to finish the top over the holiday weekend (this was Saturday) but I did!!! I actually had piecing the back and binding strips on my To Do list today as well but once I got that last border on I was pooped.

What do you think? I think it came out ok! I’m not 100% on all my colors but they’re not bad. I really wanted an emerald green and a garnet red but they didn’t have those. I love the stars border. I’m going to incorporate that in the back as well. I haven’t done a final measurement but should be about 58”x58”.

Anyone else binge true crime shows while quilting? I plowed through The Yorkshire Ripper, Fred and Rose West and Scott Peterson (all Netflix). Never heard of the first and vivid remember the other two playing out in the media.

And I’m working on another quilt, this time it’s for my awesome cousin. I wanted to try some half square triangles but after much consideration, I decided to stick with rectangles and squares to practice cutting/sewing super straight and lining up corners. I might try a different method for basting… we’ll see.

I’m working with a precut again but this time it’s a layer cake (10” squares… comes in a pack of 42-ish.) both layer cakes are from Moda…. One is just solid black and the other is called Fruit Loop. It’s a bunch of fun fruit themed prints in bright colors. I’m not sure what I’m going to call this pattern. It may already have a name I’m unaware of. Kind of a modified 9-block. I’ll have enough to make 2 throw size quilts but one will need a border to get to the right size.

I think precuts are a great, beginner friendly way to approach quilting! You can do lots of different things with them it reduces the time spent cutting. If you can get them on sale, even better! Shout out to Green Fairy Quilts! They’re a small family-run business and have tons of precuts by Riley Blake and Moda at great prices. Takes a little longer for shipping but worth it, in my opinion.

I got about 10 blocks done and need 49 so I got a ways to go!

*FRUSTRATING FACT*

My new machine has a top-loading bobbin which I’ve never used before. While I like that it’s more user friendly and you can see when you’re running low on thread….. that fucker is a BEAR to clean. Old-school front loaders, you just clean the lint out when you’re changing the bobbin. Top-loaders? You can’t just clean while you’re changing the bobbin… no you have to get the bobbin case OUT and clean under it. That involves taking the needle plate off first and then the manual blatantly lies and says to just “lift the black bobbin case straight up and to the right to remove.” Yeah….. no. That doesn’t work. I watched 5 different YouTube videos on my machine and everyone just very easily and gracefully lifts that bastard out. Mine? I looked like a toddler trying to solve a Mensa puzzle. I finally had to call the shop I bought it at and hope they didn’t judge too harshly. Thankfully she didn’t and actually validated my struggle. She recommended loosening a couple screws (which I thought about but wasn’t sure that was a good idea or not). Still tricky to get it out/back in. Icing on the cake? After all that work, there was hardly any lint under there. 🤬🤬

Hear me out… what if I used shades of green, it would look like a hedge maze and if I used that backing fabric.

Too awesome for words, right?

I think it came out great and my mom loved it. Definitely room for improvement. Things to remember for next time…

1. Buy more needles. I was surprised at how often needle changes are recommended. In the past, I changed needles when there was problem but that’s about it. I was a good girl and followed the guidebook that said 80/12 for piecing and 90/14 for quilting. I had titanium quilting needles but honestly, I didn’t see a difference between the regular universal and the titanium quilting. I know I prefer the color coded needles so I know what size is on the machine. Only ants and microscopes can read that writing on the needle.

2. Buy enough thread at the get go. Those smaller Gutermann spools you got in a pack as a gift won’t be enough and you’ll run out the one day the fabric store is closed.

3. Trim ALL loose threads. Especially if you’re using light colored borders. If you don’t, they’ll look varicose veins.

4. Computerized machines don’t save your stitch settings. Bastards.

5. Is Pfaff’s IDT the same as a good walking foot? Jury’s out on that one. I still had a fair bit of shifting when quilting but no puckers. Fought that binding all the way around too. I tried adjusting the presser foot pressure (increased it) but didn’t notice a difference. I’ll be playing around with this next quilt.

This was probably the step I was most concerned about. My machine is a bit on the small side. It’s a Pfaff Passport. It’s my first computerized machine… just basic mechanical machines up to this point. There is certainly a learning curve when it comes to a major jump like that but I must admit… working with a mechanical machine that you have to do all the little adjustments yourself… it helps to understand what is happening, especially when something goes wrong. And something always goes wrong.

So far I’ve…

Bent a needle

Forgot to move the needle back to center position after switching a foot and the needle hit the foot. Luckily it didn’t break but the machine made a god awful sound.

I still can’t get the bobbin case out of the top load space (always had a front load) so I can’t clean out lint. The manual says to just “lift it straight up and to the right to remove” once u remove the needle plate but there’s a trick they’re not saying and i haven’t figured it out yet.

While the space between the needle and the arm to the right is small, it did just fine. I didn’t need to worry about that. A lot of Pfaff machines have a dual feed system which is kinda like an integrated walking foot so that certainly helps move the layers thru. I played around with the presser foot pressure but I didn’t really see a difference. One thing I did notice…. Managing all that fabric isn’t easy. I have a tendency to try a control the fabric too much (hence I bent a needle) and I can see that I may have pushed fabric out of alignment a bit. I did have to re-baste a bit and I had to take out a whole seam that was too wonky for words.

It’s certainly not perfect. Fabric shifted a bit. My stitches aren’t perfectly straight. I forgot to change my stitch length this morning so half a line is the default 2.5mm instead of the 3mm I wanted (this doesn’t happen with a mechanical machine!! It stays until u change it!). But for a first quilt attempt, I think it’s pretty good!

I have to head back out to the store tomorrow since I ran out of the lavender thread. Shout out to Three Little Birds in Hyattsville, MD. They’re awesome. I was just there yesterday… did I have the lavender thread in my hand? Yes I did. But I put it back because “What are the chances I’ll need it? Pretty fucking high.

I’ve got a few more lines to do after I get the thread and then on to squaring up and binding!

My cat doing a very cat thing… sitting on whatever I’m trying to work on.

Here we are. One of the parts I was most anxious about. Creating that quilt sandwich.

Finding a spot to spread everything out flat is not easy. Tables aren’t big enough… I don’t have a huge kitchen island. I ended up using my sunroom floor (cleaned it first, don’t worry). I didn’t enjoy that. I’m too old to be crawling around on my hands and knees, on concrete no less, to spread this out and pin it. That being said…. It worked. Next time, I’m just going to clean off a table. It’s true the whole thing won’t lay flat but I can move it around and get the sides that hang down. It’ll be easier on my knees, that’s for sure.

It was easier to do than I thought. Which made me think I wasn’t doing it right. I started pinning in the middle and went out to the edges in sections. I had to do a fast trip to Michael’s because I ran out of pins! I don’t know if I used too many or too few but everything is sticking together… no puckering I can see. There’s a tool to help close the pins which was awesome. My non-shredded fingers thanked me for the impulse buy.

I’ve already started the quilting process…. But more on that later.

I’m calling it a Split Rail Window Pane Pattern.

I’m pretty proud of myself! I think it came out great. The sashing around the blocks was the right choice. I have a light lilac backing fabric and will be piecing the binding with some of the leftover strips from the jelly roll. Finished size should be around 58-59”. Hope my mom likes it!

Part of this journey is sharing the ups & downs (strikes & gutters) of learning how to quilt. Here’s what I have for you today…

My background is sewing clothes. Sewing clothes is a little more forgiving than piecing quilt blocks. Quilt Sewing requires:

VERY straight cutting - Fabric moves and rulers slip. The world is an imperfect place. Make sure your shit is square. “Close enough” will most likely give you a headache later on.

VERY precise measuring - See above.

Ironing, ironing and more ironing- I hope you like your iron. You’ll be using it A LOT. Steal the water bottle your spouse uses to squirt the cat when he’s being an asshole because you’ll need it. Easier to spray than refilling the iron all the time. I’m considering spray starch to keep pressed seams in place. I read somewhere that you could use a water/vodka mix as a DIY hack but I buy GOOD vodka and I’m not wasting the good stuff on a DIY spray starch.

MAJOR attention to seam allowance - When they say 1/4” they mean ONE QUARTER INCH. Use a 1/4” foot, one with a guide, painters tape to mark the base of your machine, anything to help you keep that seam straight and 1/4”.

My sewing machine is still relatively new and I’m still figuring it out. I got a Pfaff Passport 3.0. One thing I learned is that I never knew how much I needed an auto thread cutter until I had it. That is AWESOME and I’m never going back. I’m still dealing with some “nesting thread” when I reverse to lock the beginning of a seam. I’ve tried rethreading and redoing the bobbin (the sewing equivalent to the IT “have you tried turning it off and back on again?”) but still does it. If anyone has an idea what it could be, I’m all ears.

I’m a little nervous to start quilting because the Passport is a little on the smaller side. I got it because I already had some compatible Pfaff accessories from my previous machine and I really liked my old Pfaff. I didn’t really have this idea of trying to quilt until recently. I think I’d like to get into teaching sewing or maybe designing quilts. Perhaps it’ll fund my early retirement!

Stay tuned for the trials and tribulations of creating a “quilt sandwich” and topstitch quilting on a smaller machine.

This is my second quilt top and I’ve learned a few things.

- Cut straight. If you think it’s straight, check again.

- Don’t overthink the layout. You could spend hours fussing and changing.

- Precuts are awesome but JEEZ the lint!! Tape roller, tape roller, tape roller.

But I still have questions…..

? Why are some people staunch cotton/poly or poly thread fans and others swear by cotton thread?

? What color do u think the backing should be?

? What is your favorite beginner quilt pattern?

Here’s that crazy, scrap, 9-block quilt top all finished with a border. (There’s a border on the sides too, just can’t see it). I think it came out really well! It IS quite colorful and bold but that’s the point. Will be moving on to the backing very soon… BUT

I lost a couple weekends to work on anything and I really need to get a quilt done for my mom’s birthday. The crazy quilt was supposed to be the dry run/practice quilt but looks like that won’t be happening. Just going to dove into the deep end and hope I float!

Mom’s quilt is also a simple split-rail design with three 2 1/2” strips. The jelly roll I got was a little busier than I thought so I’m going to use some sashing (I think) to break things up. We’ll see how it goes!

Cute cat pic just cuz.

This pattern (Thank you Karen at Just Get It Done Quilts!) was more of a “stash buster” get rid of your ugly fabric quilt. I don’t think all the fabrics in my quilt are ugly… they just don’t go together.

One nice thing about using scrap quilts from other projects is that you remember what each was for. It brings back some pretty moments. The purple one was from my oldest’s prom corset/bodice, the red was from their Queen Elizabeth costume, the black and the Partridge Family vibe bird print were pandemic masks…

It’s really a kind of memory quilt, don’t u think?

I'm a pretty good sewer. My mom taught me on her old Brother sewing machine and I made a pretty awesome turtle pillow in junior high home-ec class that many other GenXers probably remember too. One thing I never learned was QUILTING.

My old sewing machine died last fall after 20+ years of good service so I had to buy a new machine. I figured it was about time to learn something new and really put this machine to work. I'm a woman with a mission and I know how to use YouTube. YouTube taught me to fix my TV, install a toilet, replace outlets and light fixtures.... how hard can quilting be? Who knows! Maybe it will become my early retirement exit strategy!

I started this journey with a few thoughts in mind...

I wanted start with fabric I already had on hand. After 20 years of Halloween costumes, RennFest outfits, clothes... I had a lot. Mostly because I'm a firm believer in rounding up when buying fabric. Why buy 1 3/4 yards when you could get 2 yards for a buck or two more? Call it lazy, call it sewing anxiety... who cares. I had a shit ton of fabric.

I wanted to keep it simple and affordable. Nothing fancy... just learn some simple, basic patterns and go from there. I don't have a fancy $2000 computerized Bernina or a dedicated cutting area... just I'm using what I have.

I wanted to support small businesses in my area. Joann Fabric, you know the store that has been around FOREVER for all your sewing needs? Gone. Now what?!?! I have found more than a few small business fabric stores in my area that have everything I would need. Plus a bunch of online stores (some small businesses as well!) for other stuff! I'm trying hard to NOT purchase from Amazon. He doesn't need our money but small businesses do. Yeah, you'll pay a bit more and may not get stuff in 2-days but practice some patience.

I have pulled all the leftover fabric that looks quiltable. Watched more videos than you could possibly imagine and I'm ready.

Shout out to Karen Brown from Just Do It Quilts. She has a great YouTube channel with all kinds of info for a new quilter. She also has a great pattern to start my very first quilt with.