CUTTING FABRIC FROM THE FIRST CUT

CUTTING FABRIC FROM THE FIRST CUT 

A few people have asked how I cut my fabric and when I tell them I use my ruler measurements and lines and pay little attention to the markings on the cutting mat they get confused. I teach this method in my classes and decided I'd share it here as well. 

 

When quilters are ready to use a piece of fabric to start making a quilt we start with a straight line of fabric. If we don't none of our cuts will be straight and our quilts will not come together as they should. To get this first straight cut there are a couple of ways to make that edge straight.  Here is how I do it. 

1  1) Take the fabric so the selvedge edges meet at one end and there is a fold at the other.  Fabric comes that way when cut from the bolt, but you may be using a piece that no longer has that fold.  Make the fabric as flat as possible with no wrinkles. Press it if needed.

 

   2) Lay your fabric with the fold even with the bottom line on your cutting mat as indicated in this photo. Line it up with a measurement on the cutting mat. In this photo it is at the 4" mark. 

   Notice how uneven the cut edge is here in the photo.

  3) Place your ruler (template) so that you have a line on the ruler, or the edge of it, even with the line where you have your fabric

      4)Make sure your ruler lines up with the same line (mark) on the selvedge edge as it does on the folded edge. (Notice again here it is at the 4" mark). Don’t worry where the fabric shows under the ruler as that is the uneven end.

    5) Using your rotary cutter placed against the ruler, and holding the ruler down firmly slowly make your cut along the ruler. Carefully hold the ruler as you cut so it does not slip off the place you need your cut.

  6)  Once you have this first cut your fabric is ready to use with that straight line to start cutting your quilt pieces and you can use the ruler markings instead of the markings and measurements on the cutting mat for the rest of the cut.  For me it makes cutting my pieces easier. (Some quilters will continue to use the measurements and markings on the cutting mat and that is fine. Like quilters will tell you - there are no quilt police!) I do still use the cutting mat measurements from time to time to re align my fabric or to cut a piece that is wider than any of my rulers. 

   7)  SO to cut using the measurements and markings on the ruler instead of the cutting mat…..

Notice my fabric is so NOT lined up with the measurement markings on the cutting mat. This is what makes this so much fun!  I don’t have to worry about how my fabric lays on the cutting mat.  (I know some quilters are gasping at the moment…)

Place your ruler so the measurements on your RULER line up with the straight edges of the fabric at the fold as well as the edge you just cut. Line the ruler up along the entire edge of left edge of the fabric.

 8) Once you have it all lined up and even, use your rotary cutter along the right edge of the ruler and while holding the ruler firmly down, but your fabric.

    9) To make your cuts smaller or using a square template you can also just line the ruler up with the fabric instead of lining your fabric up along the measurements on the cutting mat.  This comes in handy when you can’t see all the measurements on the cutting mat. 

EXTRA  TIP:  Once you start using one ruler/template continue to use the same one, or one by the same company throughout the entire cutting process of that project. Each company uses different line markings which may be wider than another company. If your cuts are just a tiny bit off on each and every cut eventually your pieces are not going to be the same size and will not fit the way they need to.

I hope this has helped some who were confused about being able to cut without using the markings on a cutting mat.  If you still have questions, contact me and I’ll do my best to help.

IT'S ALL IN PERSPECTIVE

Quilts by Phyllis at Quilter's Pantry

As in life, quilting is taken all in perspective. We learn early on that there are no 'Quilt Police'. Then we learn all the rules. Then we realize that  the rules are just guidelines and we are free to do our own thing and in our own way. Then we realize that some of the 'rules' make sense and make a quilter's life easier. 

We learn to laugh at our mistakes and the hours we have spent with our seam rippers vs our sewing machines. We learn that with time and patience we can learn and grow in our quilting abilities. What we looked at once and said, 'No way!" we now look at and say. "Look what I made!"  

And then there are the quilts we make and set out there to be judged. Three of those pictured above have been up for judging. One has taken 3rd place by the judges and  2nd by the People's Choice. Both in 2012.  This year at the last minute I entered the latest wall hanging I had made. (It was not made with being judged in mind.). It didn't win anything this year. (I never thought it would.) What I found amusing was the scores and remarks the quilt got from the judges, and realized that one person's attempt to make a statement is another person's idea of "it should have been done differently". 
The quilt entered this year was my "Tree Lined Pathways". The original design that I made changes to was done by Tony Jacobson and called, "Pathways".  He will be happy to know that his design received an: "Interesting Design" comment. 

I made the quilt my own also in how I longarmed it. I purposely put a bit of a wavy line to the stitches in the white area to mimic the wavy lines in the brown fabric. This brought: "More consistent amount of quilting would help reduce waves."   My thought? "YES! I got the wave effect I wanted!" lol 

It's all in perspective. It's in how we each see our own quilts, it's in how other quilters see our work, it's in how non-quilters see our work and it's in how the judges see our work.  Each one will see it differently.  And each one will take a different feeling from a quilt.  We all know that fabric talks to us. A quilt top will talk to us as well as the person doing the longarm work or hand stitching. And a finished quilt will talk to many people.  

Let your quilts reach out and say a lot to those whose life it touches. Create quilts from your heart. Challenge yourself  not only in what you learn new this year, but in what you hear your quilts say to you and to others.

With that I will call it a night. I have a customer's quilt to bind and believe me when it arrived it spoke loud and clear telling me what it wanted quilted on it! 

Until next time - keep those needles stitching.....

Phyllis

THE ENDING OF A SHOW

Our local quilt show is over the this year. Many hours of planning, many hands of helping, many quilters offering their quilts for display and judging, vendors set up with items for sale and services to offer. 
Like a Thanksgiving dinner that takes hours and hours to plan and cook, and just moments for family to devour, the tear down of a show is over quickly. Quilts are taken down for their owner's to pick up, display racks are disassembled and loaded up for storage until the next time they are needed. Vendors pack up what they didn't sell and travel on to the next show, or if local return it to display at their shops. And volunteers clean up the location so it can be used the next day for it's original purpose. 

And so we say good bye to the beautiful quilts we enjoyed experienced. "Enjoyed' just doesn't do a quilt show justice. We are often awed by the work that goes into some; we are mesmerized by another person's vision to create such masterpieces. We are inspired by many of them and want to go home and make oneone or two like we saw. I know I have that thought!


As a vendor at this particular show I enjoyed meeting the people who stopped by my booth and chatted, bought and shared with me. I hope I was able to help you and answer the questions you had for me. If you still have questions contact me and I'll do my best to answer them.  

Our quilt show may be over, but this year is actually just beginning, spring is just around the corner, and now is a great time to get those quilts started or finished. Beat the end of the year rush! 

On a side, but related note:

The photo I used today is a tiny wall hanging that now hangs by my front door. It is in memory of Chris M. who lost her battle with cancer a couple of weeks ago, and in honor of Sandy S. who is fighting her battle with cancer. Sandy S. taught our guild members to make this block (with a few extra steps for it being finished into a quilt). Our guild members made a quilt in this method and presented it to Sandy today at the end of the show. My tiny wall hanging reminds me each day of the challenges that are put before us, and the blessings we find by just looking. And sometimes those blessings are in the people you meet and how they have touched our lives. 

With that I will close this writing.

Until next time..... keep the inspiration going and those needles stitching.

Phyllis 

 

 
 

LET THE SHOW BEGIN

SET UP AT THE QUILT SHOW

SET UP AT THE QUILT SHOW

 Quilter's Pantry is set up at the quilt show. Ready for a good couple of days!  
There are 135 quilts on display for show and judging with some for sale. 
Plus vendors, door prizes etc.......

Phyllis

WINTER HANGS ON

Welcome to what we hope is the end of winter here in TN. This morning again we woke to snow falling and laying on the ground and roads.  It has since stopped and the roads are clear but we are reminded that as we notice early spring flowers and robins scattered on the lawn and trees, we are not quite there. And we still need to bundle up and stay warm.  Do you have your quilt handy?

I will be setting up tomorrow for our guild's 4th annual quilt show. We have nearly150 quilts that will be on display, which is amazing. Each year our shows add more and more. This year we have an quilt appraiser who will appraise your quilt. A sewing machine repair company who will repair your machines and sharpen your scissors!  
As one of the member's posted on facebook:
 Come to Appalachian Heritage Quilters 4th Annual Quilt Show at Crossroads Christian Church in Gray, TN this Friday and Saturday 9-5. Between Fossil Museum and High school. We have close to 150 quilts on display and it's all FREE!! Vote for your favorite quilts (mine - hehe). Quilt Appraiser there and also THE BEST sewing machine repair guys, Wayne Waldroup and Jason Waldroup will be on site to fix your machines and sharpen scissors. Also "Patchwork Cafe" for a delicious lunch, and register for our "Opportunity Quilt." Hope to see you there!

And of course Quilter's Pantry will be there with quilts, Kindle Cases, IPad cases, notebook holders, fabrics, and information about the class I teach and a few other items. 

After the show life will continue back to normal...for some. I am hoping some will be encourage to take up quilting and that is definitely not 'back to normal' but finding a whole 'new normal'! A wonderful creative addition to everything else in their lives. 

If you are in the area and can make it out to the show please stop by. 

Til next time -- keep those needles stitching!  Bring them to the show and share your work!  

Phyllis  



 

 

WHILE ON VACATION....

"TREE LINED PATHWAYS"

"TREE LINED PATHWAYS"

In case you've missed me, I've been on vacation.  It's only been a vacation from my regular job, as I've been busy in the quilt studio of Quilter's Pantry, getting ready for the quilt show. But it's been a wonderful week (for the most part).
 
I've finished the above wall hanging that will be displayed and judged in the show, quilted a large quilt for a customer, took a few orders, made several Kindle Cases and IPad cases (doing the hand work now) that will be for sale at the show and then on the Quilter's Pantry shop.  

Vacation started with a trip to Biltmore in NC. with family. A tour of the amazing house and then dinner in Asheville. And then a day of just chillin'.
 
That was mixed with a day of babysitting my awesome Grandson, AJ

AJ is 6 months old already and doing well. For those who know the story, he was only 3 lbs 3 oz when he was born 8 1/2 weeks early.  He is now just about 13 lbs. It's so wonderful to be able to see him often and watch him grow and be doing more and more each time I see him. 

It was also mixed with sadness as a friend of mine passed away on Monday. She was a sweet sweet lady who always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. 
I attended her funeral last night and was amazed at all the people whom she had touched that came out to say their goodbyes. She truly will be missed. 

My week of vacation is ending today. I am spending it busy as always.Tomorrow I go back to working outside the studio as well as continuing the quilting.

Don't forget ---- Quilt show coming up Friday and Saturday, March 8 - 9 at Crossroads Christian Church, in Gray, TN!  Show will have some amazing quilts on display; Nolting Longarm rep will be there with a longarm for you to try out; a yard sale of quilting related items.  No fee to attend! There is also a cafe set up for food and drinks to purchase!  Looking forward to seeing some of you! I'll be set up as a vendor so stop by and say "Hello". 

Also ---- my next beginners quilting class is March 23rd.  Contact me for details if you would like to learn to quilt.  Space is limited to 3.  I like the small class as it gives me a chance for more one on one instruction and help to the students.  

For those with quilting questions feel free to comment and ask me, or send me a message. I'll do my best to answer it for you, or find the answer for you!  

Until next time ---- Keep those needles stitching and have a wonderful week. 

Phyllis