How to Quilt Weekly News and Thread for Machine Quilting

The Stack and Whack quilt is all machine quilted now and the blocks are being sewn together.

Because I took this block and divided it into quarters, I’ll be sewing the 9½-inch squares together as separate Quilt as You Go units.  Once they are together, I will decide whether to add strips of sashing between the four blocks.

I’m going to use a different method to close the backing on this project.

In the Quilt as You Go DVD Mentor, you learn two different methods for finishing the backing of the quilt.  And now, in this Stack and Whack project, you will see yet another technique for finishing the back, coming up in a week or two.  This one is easy to do.

This week’s featured video quilt block is the Dogwood Quilt Block.  This block is really easy to sew together, and has a large square in the center.  This would be a fabulous place for a photo that was transferred onto fabric.

Surround the photo with holiday colors or favorite colors of a friend or family member, and you’ll have a fantastic holiday gift – quick and easy.  Or, make it as a small ornament and use a ribbon for a hanger.

Also in this week’s news, you’ll find information about thread for your machine quilting projects.

Here’s what’s new this week:

Update on the Stack and Whack Quilt
Product of the Month – Quilt as You Go DVD Mentor
Book of the Month – Cozy Modern Quilts
Quilting Tips – Thread for Machine Quilting
Penny’s Postcard Posse Valentines’ Day Roundup – Deadline January 21!
Featured Block in Video – Dogwood Quilt Block
December Quilt Block Patterns

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/newsletter/dogwood.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny

 

Quilt Gifts for College Students

Gifts for college students don’t have to be boring or “intellectual.”

While it’s easy to give a college student a gift certificate for a bookstore or a stack of books, a special quilt may be more welcome.

Quilt gifts don’t need to be complicated to be appreciated, either.

How about a collection of special t-shirts?  T-shirt quilts have been popular for years, and probably always will be, since they are a fabulous way to get those special memories off the shelf and out where people can smile at the memories.

Photo quilts are also fun and easy to make.  Using simple computer software and a printer, you can easily transfer your favorite photos onto fabric and make a quilt full of memories.

Rag quilts are also popular and can be made in college, high school, or other favorite colors.

These quilts don’t need to be any particular size, either.  A lap quilt will be just as welcome as a full-size bed quilt, and can be used to snuggle up with during a favorite TV show – or study time.

For more details and ideas, visit:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/1168-college-student-quilts.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny

 

Putting Your Stash to Good Use

One thing quilters like to talk about more than quilting is their quilting stash – all those pieces of fabric bought because they’d be absolutely perfect for some quilt, some day.

If your stash is outgrowing its space (and whose isn’t?), there are lots of fun and beneficial ways to start putting that fabric to use.

• Find something and make it
• Quilt for a local charity
• Make quilted postcards
• Try something new

Something new could be as simple as trying appliqué when you have never done that before, or it could be that you challenge yourself to working with your stash as if it were a giant group of fat quarters.

For more ideas about how to use your stash, visit:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/1023-use-your-stash.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny

 

Send Your Greetings Using Fabric Postcards

Do you pause for a moment before throwing away even the tiniest fabric scrap?  I do, and I’ll tell you why.

When I began quilting years ago, I kept only those pieces that were large enough to use to repair a quilt.

Then I signed up for a workshop and made a charm quilt.

Since every patch in a charm quilt is a different fabric, I saw that even tiny 3-inch half square triangles became valuable resources for a quilt.

Then I was introduced to the world of fabric postcards.

My first fabric postcard was created using a photo transfer process – choosing a photograph of my kids and me pondering a pumpkin pie.

Once I had the center done, as I added the pieced border, I realized that small 1 x 6 inch strips of fabric could be useful.  Not only that, but who wants to cut into a whole yard of fabric just to get a 1-inch strip?

Now I save even small pieces of fabric in plastic see-thru boxes (sorted by color).  And when I want to send a truly unique message to a friend or fellow quilter, I pull out those tiny scraps of fabric and create a tiny quilt – postcard size.

Interestingly, these can be sent through the mail, just as a regular postcard, although you need to attach extra postage.

A word of caution, if you attach buttons or other items that extend beyond the surface of the fabric card, you may want to enclose your tiny quilt in an envelope to protect your beautiful design.

The post office (in the US anyway) will take most any shaped item as mail, but they won’t guarantee its safe arrival when fun trinkets are sewn or glued on.

There are several different ways to make a fabric postcard, and the sky’s the limit in terms of design.

To get some ideas for your fabric postcards (or how to use your scraps), visit:

http://www.how-to-quilt.com/articles/2600-fabric-postcards.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny

 

Creative Ideas for Photo and Memory Quilts

All quilters know their quilt may someday become a family heirloom. Whether stitched with love for a family member or gift to a special person, quilts have a way of finding a special place in our hearts.

This is a t-shirt photo quilt I made for my dad

While all quilts are special, there are none as personal and meaningful as a photo or memory quilt.

Photo quilts are a wonderful way of preserving and sharing a family’s history.  If put together correctly photo quilts can last a lifetime and preserve memories for many future generations.

Cotton fabric is an excellent choice for transferring your photos.  To make sure that the fabric will retain the ink from your computer printer, you will want to pre-treat your own fabric or purchase pre-treated fabric.

Another option is to find a commercial garment printer who will transfer the photos for you.

You can create memory quilts with appliqué or embroidery, too.

Find designs to express the memories you want to recollect and incorporate them into a quilt pattern of your choice.  Or embroider messages in your quilt – either favorite sayings or your signature and date the quilt was completed.

Photo and memory quilts are perfect for anyone and everyone. They’re great for children, college kids, and adults.  They’re fun to make for other people, but you’ll want to make one for yourself, too!

To get additional details and see examples of photo and memory quilts, visit:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/1148-photo-memoryquilts.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny

 

Transfer your Photos onto Fabric

One of the original processes for transferring photos onto fabric

Everyone loves to see their picture or the picture of a loved one.

It is really special when they can see a favorite photo in a quilt.

With the current computers and printers, it is getting easier to print on fabric than ever before.

I remember way back in 1992, I made a “Thank you” quilt for my co-PTA President, and put a photograph on it.

The process was a mess, and the photo had to be reversed, so I had to be careful to avoid anything with writing, printing or signs – otherwise the letters would have been backward.

The first time I printed onto fabric, I didn’t realize that the fabric needed to be treated first. I figured out immediately that the ink washed away, but didn’t know there was anything to prevent it.

So, who even knows whether that quilt has any printing on it still?

In any case, today, it is easy to treat your fabric to ensure that the ink will stay; or even purchase pre-treated fabric.

Photo quilts are fun for family gifts as well as teacher gifts, end of the year soccer coach gifts and much more.

To learn more about photo quilts and see a video showing how to run your fabric through your computer printer, visit:

http://how-to-quilt.com/articles/1102-photo-transfer.php

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren