Autumn Dreams, September 2020

September, 2020

We so enjoy getting to spend time with ya'll! Though we are mask-wearing, sanitizing and distancing, we are still having a ball chatting with you, seeing your projects, helping you pick out fabric and doing lots of longarming on your "Quarantine Quilts." If you have been in the Stitch Studio recently, you will have seen that the construction is moving along!  Today the wonderful guys were putting on the rough cedar siding.  Roofing and insulation starts in a day or two.  In a few weeks we will probably close for a day or two or three to break through the windows, finish up and move in!   Watch your email for the announcement! We can hardly wait!

500 More Square Feet of Fabulous Fabric!!!!!

Have you sewn with pre-cuts?  It sure makes a quick quilt project! If you are new to pre-cuts, some fabric companies cut their collections into fat quarter bundles, 10" squares (Layer cakes), 5" squares (Charms), and  Width of Fabric Strips ( 2 1/2" Jelly Rolls or 1 1/2" Honey Buns). I particularly love sewing with Jelly Rolls.  Most have 40 or 42 strips of at least 20 different fabrics.  There are a plethora of patterns written for these strips and it's amazing what you can do with them.  Advantages: You don't have to choose and purchase 20 different fabrics to get the variety; you don't have to cut all those strips; the pattern layouts are usually pretty easy to follow; and, you can get a quilt top finished quicker. Each September Moda Fabrics has National Sew a Jelly Roll Day.  This year it falls on Saturday, September 19, just 2 weeks away!  They provide 4 free patterns and each participating shop can have fun with it! This year we are offering all of our Jelly Rolls $5 off, plus a free Moda Jelly Roll pattern!  Come in any day between now and the 19th and purchase your Jelly Roll.  Bring your completed quilt top into Wimberley Stitch Studio by the end of October and purchase your backing, batting and quilting fee for 20% off!  (Receive a coupon with Jelly Roll Purchase)

I did some very interesting internet research on adding borders to quilts.  I have added a lot of borders myself and I have quilted hundreds of quilts with borders.  

Many people like the look of sewing the strips together on the bias rather than end to end.  The reason is that it looks good and kind of disappears.  

The problem with it is that now you are introducing a bias stretch to your border.  Most people, try as they might not to, stretch it or work hard not to stretch it, but there is a natural stretch on the bias so it is a recipe for a ruffle-edged quilt.  I can’t tell you the number of times that I have been long arm quilting a beautiful quilt by an experienced quilter and  had to try to ‘work in’ the ruffles or call them and ask if I should quilt it ruffly or would they like me to take it off the frame so they can fix it and they have to pay the extra for re-mounting the quilt so I can finish quilting it.  You can’t tell that it isn’t going to lay flat until it’s on the frame very flat and being quilted. 

So in my research I found I'm not the only one to feel that way.  Lots of teachers discourage bias seaming in borders just for that reason. Those that teach it say to only use it for very narrow borders because it introduces "too much" bias and wavy borders.

When you use a straight seam, vary where it falls on the area of the border.  By the time it is quilted you will rarely notice where the border strips begin and end.

       "Just my 2 cents a square inch." 

Here is a good tutorial on adding borders

From sewing masks.... to... making aprons, pillowcases, tote bags and purses, throw pillows, table runners, placemats, cloth napkins, wallhangings, curtains, baby quilts, lap quilts, bed quilts...

Tell me how you're doing and what you're up to.  I love hearing from you!  I have had many people tell me they are anxious for a careful start up of classes again.  We have to wait until the classroom, turned stock room, is clear of fabric, but we are working toward a schedule of classes.  There will be distanced tables, masks, sanitizer and caution.  Reply with your interest in near future classes.  What would you like to learn???