The Quilting Blog

Quilting Tip for 11/10/2005

2005-11-10T06:25:00.000-08:00

This tip was suggested to us by Lori Miller of Troy, Michigan.

I spiff up my throw pillows for the living room, family room, bedroom and even guest rooms for the holidays by creating theme wraps for them out of fabric. The fabric is sewn like a napkin ring or cuff around the existing pillow and fastened with buttons to match the theme. You could use velcro or even just tie the fabric on with finished edges. Quilt designs, embroidery or appliques offer even more ideas if you want to get fancy.

Quilting Tip for 11/9/2005

2005-11-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is a tip that was made submitted to us by Margaret Rollins of Dalton, Ga

Go with color ~~ fabrics, room, I find the color fabric with the design I adore. Quilting a throw for the couch, or quiltig a pillow case, The design on my chosen fabric is hand painted on the wall ~~ usually 4 to each wall depending on room size, a bow is made from chosen fabric and placed under the hand drawn fabric design. I purchase all fabric from second hand stores, yard sales, I have chosen 4 different fabrics and patterns and painted the room to reflect the most prominent feature of the fabric design. Then mixing and matching the hand drawn and painted wall designs. A pure labor of love to create.

Denim Rag Free Quilt Pattern

2005-09-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

This is probably the coolest free quilt pattern that I have come across. Its just so fun. Its like your favorite old pair of jeans and your favorite quilt all tied into one. Throw a few t-shirt blocks on there and some pizza stains and you've got my college years all rolled up into one soft and cozy creation. You can find the denim rag free quilt pattern here, and as always, you'll find some great fabrics at fabric.com below.

Denim and Flannel Fabrics

Picture Frame Free Quilt Pattern

2005-09-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

This is a great free quilt pattern that I found with instructions on how to make a great picture fram quilt. It of course involves some transfer paper, but the result is both memorable and gorgeous. Here is the link to the site where it can be found.

Free Picture Frame Quilt Pattern

And as always, you will find some suggested quilting fabric to go along with the quilt below.

Cotton Print Blenders by Color
shop by color

Quilting Tip of the Day

2005-09-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

I take fleece and use it as the batting and backing for kids quilts. This saves time and money. This makes for a real cuddly blanket. - Connie in Washington

Find more tips here

Beginners' Free Quilt Pattern

2005-09-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

For anyone learning to sew or quilt here is a beginner's quilt pattern. It says that its meant for children, but I'll say that anyone just starting out quilting will find it useful. Click on this link for full instructions. Beginner Quilt Pattern. And as always, we have suggested some quilting fabric for the beginner, and seeing as if you're just starting out you probably won't want to buy $10.00 cotton prints, you'll probably find something you like in the Fabric.com cotton prints under $5.00 section.

Quilters Support Katrina Victims

2005-09-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful story I found about how one group of quilters is pitching in to help the survivors of Katrina in the best way they know how.

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- So many people donated money, food, water to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. But there is something else they need, comfort. Maybe even a hug. That's what a group of quilters on the First Coast says they can provide. There is a way you can help. They say the old fashioned art of quilting can surround the survivors with support.

Every stitch is a labor of love. In a time where you can buy anything in a store, a quilt, is still a gift made by hand and by heart. Lynn Provencher of Country Crossroads Quilt Shop says "when you are quilter and you hear of a crisis, people in need, the first thing you want to do is make a quilt, wrap them in a quilt. You want to give them comfort."

Read more

T-Shirt Quilt - Free Quilt Pattern

2005-09-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

This is a great site. I think T-shirt quilts are the coolest things in town, and really, these two sewing expressions were meant for eachother. On the one hand, you have a quilt which tells its own story of how it was inspired and created, and on the other hand, you have t-shirt's that physically tell you where they have been. Its like two incredible histories all sewn into one cozy quilt. You can find the instructions for crearting this here. And of course the fabric (besides the t-shirts) that you will need you can find below.

Stabilizers, Borders and Backing for your Quilt

The Seasons Free Quilt Pattern

2005-09-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a great looking quilt that depicts the four seasons. It is absolutely beautiful, and is perfect, as you can see, for any time of year. I found it here. You can find all of the instructions for assembly at that link as well. Below are some quilting fabric choices. Enjoy!

Our Quilting Tip Posts

2005-09-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here you will find an archive of the quilting tips we have posted

Sprucing up a room for the season.
Designing a room around your quilt
Cotton Batting Substitute
Fabric.com Wrapping Paper
Quilting in a Cramped Space
Making Straight Lines
If you store your quilting fabric in cardboard boxes...
Quilt Backing - How much do you need?

Our Posts About Free Quilt Patterns

2005-09-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here you will find an Archive of the posts that we have made about free quilting patterns. Enjoy!

Denim Rag Free Quilt Pattern
Picture Frame Free Quilt Pattern
Beginner Quilt Pattern
T- Shirt Free Quilt Pattern
Halloween Free Quilt Pattern
4 Seasons (not the hotel) Free Quilt Pattern Quilt

How much backing?

2005-09-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent quilting site for quilters of any experience level. I found this article on how much quilt backing one should use when creating a quilt. The site is full of excellent tips and techniques. I would highly recommend it to any quilter.

Quilt Backing Size: How much backing fabric shall I buy?

In general, you can take the length of the finished quilt, double it and add a half meter or half yard for shrinkage and squaring up of the fabric.
Or you can buy the wide backing fabric and not have to bother with sewing seams. It's such a great idea.
But what if you're at the quilt shop and you see a great deal on fabric that's just the right color, and your quilt is nowhere near finished?

Here are some standard backing yardage sizes:

Crib: 3 1/4 yards or 3.2 meters
Twin: 6 1/4 yards or 6.8 meters
Double: 7 3/4 yards or 7.2 meters
Queen: 8 1/4 yards or 7.6 meters
King: 9 1/2 yards or 8.8 meters

Read more

Have a happy labor day!!!

And donate to the victims of Hurricane Katrina

Free Halloween Quilt Pattern

2005-09-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the final of a free Halloween quilting pattern that I found at cotton wood quilts. The instructions for putting it together are all at that link. It's perfect for the upcoming holiday and of course, you know where to find the quilting fabric to put it together.

Festive Fabrics for This Halloween Pattern

What would you bring?

2005-08-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

As hurricane Katrina pummels the Gulf Coast, and the thoughts and prayers of everyone here at Fabric.com go out to those affected, I wondered, what things would I save given the knowledge of all of my worldly possessions’ impending doom? Apparently, one of the first items that came to my mind wasn't too far off from someone that is actually experiencing this killer storm:

During Tropical Storm Cindy earlier this summer, Sarah Lukens of Montville listened fearfully alone in her New Orleans apartment to 70 mph winds. But she did not wait there Saturday for Hurricane Katrina.

Cindy was “the scariest thing I could not sleep through,” said the Tulane University graduate student Sunday.

Lukens has spent the day watching people filter into the Superdome, where tens of thousands are being sheltered because they can't afford to evacuate.

Lukens brought with her “clothes to last me to Tuesday, a Care Bear,” and a quilt made by retired Coast Guard band member Judy Buttery.

“It's beautiful and it's important to me,” she said, “but now it's doubling as a sleeping bag.”

The Day.com

Quilting Fabric Tip of the Day 8.29.2005

2005-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

If you store your quilting fabric in cardboard boxes or on cardboard rolls, it's a good idea to cover the cardboard first with several layers of acid-free tissue or old cotton sheeting. Over time, the acid in the cardboard can weaken or stain fabric. (Same thing applies to wood.)

Quilting Fabric Tip of the Day

2005-08-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Melissa from Ohio Says:

To make straight lines for quilting, instead of drawing with pencil or disappearing ink, I use blue painter's tape. It doesn't leave the fabric sticky so I don't have to wash it out afterward

Find more here

E-Mail Us!

2005-08-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hey! Something just dawned on me today and that is this. Amid all the quilting fabric, and quilting tips and overall quilting comotion, I think I forgot to post an e-mail address where you can send comments and quilting what-not to me.

I would love to have some feedback about the blog. I would be more than happy to post any quilting tips as original posts if you send them, and anything else that is quilting fabric related. However, If you want to complain about Fabric.com in general or something, I'm not your Maverick. We have resources for all of that, although, not to brag, but in general, our customers have a good experience with us.

Now, should the e-mail address start to get abused and I get miles of spamm, I'll probably take it down, but until that happens, I can't wait to hear from everyone!

So, for feedback, tips or otherwise, you can reach me at:
Fabric Maverick

Hope to hear from you soon!

Tip of the Day Site

2005-08-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a great site for finding great quilting tips and techniques. They post a new one daily. Not much to mention about quilting fabric today, but this is a great site. Here's a blurb:

My sewing room is also my dining room. For those pesky little cut threads, I fold over a piece of wide masking tape and tape - sticky sides out - and tape it to the side of my machine. When it's time to put away my sewing room, there are no loose threads all over the table and floor. ValRe Glendora, CA

About.com

For the Quilting Historian in You

2005-08-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

I found this article recently and I couldn't help but think that its something both my mother, father and myself would enjoy. It is a 7 day ferry boat ride (I <3 boats) down the Mississippi, which showcases some very interesting quilts, quilting fabric, quilting techniques, as well as history in quilts. So if you have a quilter in the family, as well as a historian, and someone who like boats (in my case all three), Take a look here, it seems like a cool excursion down the mighty Mississippi.

New Orleans, LA – August 2005 – Learn about the history of quilting as both an art and a form of storytelling as you travel along the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland rivers on the magnificent Mississippi Queen, steaming to two Quilting Shows in Paducah and Nashville.

A seven-night Memphis round trip cruise April 23-30, 2006 will spend two days in Paducah, Ky. for the annual Quilting Show at the Paducah Expo Center. Dianne S. Hire, Fiber Artist Quiltmaker, will offer presentations and a showing of various quilt works during the cruise.

A second six-night St. Louis to Nashville cruise, August 21-27, 2006 will take you to spend two days in Nashville for the American Quilter’s Society Quilt Show. Quilt instructor and author Judy Simmons will share her techniques for creating machine needlelace and other embellishments, and during the cruise. While in Nashville, you’ll visit the Quilting Show at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort.

Read the Rest Here

Fabric.com Wrapping Paper?

2005-08-11T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, this post is a bit off topic from quilting fabric, but boy is it ever crafty! I was doing my daily internet fabric perusing and I came across this:

"Crafty tip of the day: Need to wrap something small, but have no wrapping paper? If you have a color printer, the close-up pictures of different fabrics from Fabric.com make great wrapping paper! Perfect for wrapping a CD. Also great for decoupaging, if you're into that."
From Feckless

See that? So when the holidays roll around, everyone should come to Fabric.com and pick up some complimentary wrapping paper. All you have to do is pay for the paper and ink, but don't worry, the pictures are on us. :)

The Whole Quilt 'N' Caboodle

2005-08-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

So. We think that the boss man here, Stephen Friedman, has officially flown over the cukoos nest, his elevator no longer goes to the top, he's lost his marbles. How have we come to this conclusion? Well, he's put our entire quilting fabric section on sale until 8/17/2005. Everything is 15% off our regular prices, which if you haven't been to the store, are already discounted heavily.

We normally put flannel, or quilt backing, or some other singular section of quilting fabric on sale, but Stephen decided, "hey lets go nuts" and discount the whole thing by 15%.

We're calling it the "Whole Quilt 'N' Caboodle" Sale (I thought of the name, just don't mention it to Kristal :-P) so if you get to this before the 17th of August 2005, you might want to check it out.
Here is a link:

Quilting Fabric

Just For Beginners

2005-08-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a great entry I found at a forum detailing steps to take if you're just starting out in the quilting world. There are some other posts on this thread that are phenomenal and are very helpful for beginners. Check it out, or comment on the best steps to take if you're just starting out.

If at all possible, take a Beginning Quilter class at a LQS. No matter what your sewing experience is a class at your LQS will give you the best foundation. Plus, everyone there is there to learn just like you and you'll have a lot of fun.
Invest in a GOOD basic quilting book. I still refer to the one I bought even after 10 yrs of quilting (I've got a block about making bias binding :-)
Buy old quilt magazines from an auction site (best deal around) and read and look and study and tag the ones you really like. When you study a quilt pick-out 3 things you like about it and 3 things you'd change if you were to make the quilt. This will start to train your "eye" so that you'll begin to recognize what makes the difference between a good quilt and a great quilt. Plus you'll start to recognize the power of color and proportion and texture and composition.
Study fabric. Go to Joann, HobbyLobby, Hancocks, LQS's, fabric warehouses, every place you can find and handle and examine and feel and smell quilting fabric. Examine the size of the thread; how tightly it is woven; the pattern of the weave; the texture; are the colors stamped on the surface or is each thread dyed; is the color on the back the same or whiteish; is there a lot of sizing in the quilting fabric or does it have a soft drape and smooth hand; is it 42", 43" or 44" wide or some other width like 54"; is the pattern printed on the grain or off the grain line. Study cotton first -- broadcloth, cotton sateen, muslin, drapery weight, denim, chintz, corduroy, calico, cambric, chambray, gingham, batik, etc.
Make at least one quilt completely by hand ~~ hand piece and hand quilt. And make at least one quilt completely by machine. This will give you an appreciation for those quilts made using the method you DON'T prefer. I machine piece and machine quilt but because I've made quilts totally by hand I can truly appreciate quilts made using that method.

Read the rest!

To Pre-Wash or not to Pre-Wash?

2005-08-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

During my travels on the internet, I ran into a very interesting forum discussing the age old question do I pre-shrink my quilting fabric or no? Here are a few thoughts and a link to the article I found. Feel free to leave yours!

It all boils down to personal preference.

I think the best advice I was given was to either wash every bit of yardage that goes into your stash of quilting fabric, or don't. Either one extreme or the other. That way you won't get confused about what has been washed and what hasn't. You don't want both ending up in a bed quilt for instance, because the rate of shrinkage of the two different fabrics will affect the final appearance of the quilt. If you have some places shrink and others don't, the shape of the quilt may be off, and the 'puckeriness' will look different in different areas.

Also, how much are you willing to risk? What if you do a beautiful red and white traditional bed quilt and you haven't prewashed? All that time, effort, and money wasted after you wash it the first time and it runs! I would cry! I know there are product out there (dye magnets) that might help, but I would hate to take the chance.

I personally can't stand working with and ironing fabrics that still have all the chemicals and sizings in them. I get a sore throat and sinus congestion if I do. That is why I tend to wash my fabrics first. I can tell if a quilting fabric has been washed if the corners are clipped off (to prevent threads and knots). But for small projects or art quilt projects, I might not wash them.

So there is no single answer to this question. It is a matter of preference. And there is lots of differing opinions out there. Remember that mother-in-laws are not always right!
Laura in Nova Scotia

Read the rest

Interesting Lady, I'm sure everyone can relate

2005-08-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

I read this article online, and it is really quite cool. Apparently quilting IS all about the fabric, or at least for Maggie Gordon.

Here's a taste:

Her intricate quilts feature geometric designs with eye-popping fabrics. Not an inch of her quilts is ordinary, and even the backs feature designs and bright patterns. "Back art," as she calls it, serves two purposes - using excess fabric and giving life to a part of the quilt that is traditionally plain.

Gordon approaches quilt-making and her textile art in similar ways. When starting a quilt, she starts with one fabric that grabs her eye.

"Quilting is all about the fabric," Gordon said. She added that a quilt begins for her when she finds a fabric pattern she loves and wants to feature. She then seeks out other fabrics that will complement her original choice.

"I see a piece of fabric and think 'I've got to do something with that,'" Gordon said. "I call it being 'seduced by the fabric.'

Read the rest

Quilting is Good For You!

2005-08-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Take that, blood pressure! I just found this article and it is tremendous! Ladies and Gentlemen, here is the confirmation that we all knew was coming: Quilting is good for you.

""it's a proven fact that it brings down blood pressure," said knitting instructor Jeanette White. "An AMA survey looked at all the activities that bring down blood pressure, and knitting and quilting topped the list."
The Daily Herald

Quilting is good for you!

I knew it all along. There was never any doubt.
Just thought I'd drop that note.

Quilting Fabric

The Quilting Blog Resources!

2005-08-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Fabric.com Quilting Blog. We've been dabbling in this idea for some time now, and are finally posting. Here you will find free quilt patterns, quilting tips and techniques, quilting news, and pretty much anything else that will give me an excuse to write. Don't get me wrong, I love this job, but sometimes a Maverick just needs to blog!

We will be of course posting some of our promotions, but we hope mostly to provide you with some great information about quilting. So have a look, and find something that you never knew before about the world of quilting.

Here are some great resources for the Quilting or Crafty person in you!

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