Row, Row, Row

I work part-time in a quilt shop to support my fabric addiction.

And this quilt shop is participating in the Row by Row program this year.  Let me just say up front, it has been a blast.  We've had quilters in from as far away as Washington state, California, and Canada.  Last Saturday we sold out of all the kits we had, and as I am writing this, we have exactly 6 kits left for today.  We've had to order additional fabric for the kits and we're praying it comes in by Monday so we can make more kits.

I've loved meeting quilters from all over the place.  My favorite customers are the non-quilters that come in to purchase the kits for their quilter friends.  You see, you have to physically come into a shop and pick up the pattern (which is free) or the kit (which is not free) or have someone pick it up for you.  After November 1, you can order the kits over the internet or by phone.  My very, very favorite customers are the men who are picking the pattern or the kit up for their wives or mothers.  They tend to listen very intently to the directions, look the kit over, make sure that all the fabric is there, and then wonder out loud about the license tag.  They take notes and then shake their heads as if all this cutting up of perfectly good fabric to make quilts is the oddest thing in the world.

One poor man made the mistake of calling the quilts "blankets" while there was a shop full of female quilters.  I thought they were going to tar and feather him before I could get him checked out.

I've learned a few things about quilters while going through this Row by Row experience.

1.  Money is never really an obstacle if you really want a fabric or kit.  Our kits are about $25.00.  To be fair, all of the fabrics are batiks, and they are a little more expensive than other cottons.  I've yet to have one person (even if they comment on the price), put the kit back in the basket and ask for the pattern only.

2.  The new customers are going to look at your quilt shop in a different way than you do.  Dragonfly Quilt Shop is just about my home away from home.  I'm here at least one day a week.  I've met some of my closest quilting friends here.  However, if you've ever noticed, when one becomes accustomed to one place -- so familiar with it you can literally see it with your eyes closed -- you tend to take for granted what is in it.  New customers look at the same fabric through new eyes and are going to purchase it with new ideas.  And suddenly everything old is truly new again.  You become inspired and the creative juices start to flow.  Then you find yourself hoping that the customer leaves at least one yard of the coral fabric on the bolt for you to buy before you clock out.

3.  Quilters are different from one another...yet so alike in so many ways.  We are suckers for new patterns.  We tend to gravitate towards gadgets -- especially new rulers.  Color waves can make our decision about a pattern turn on a dime.  It seems most of us are like that.  What fascinates me with quilters is color choice.  One quilter can take a color I really don't care for, make a quilt with it, and completely change my mind about that color.  We do tend to knock each other out of our comfort zones.

4.  The fellowship of quilters is warm and wonderful.  I've met so many new quilt friends (both male and female) through this experience.  And while we talk about quilts, I often find that we also share burdens.  A husband's knee replacement.  A wife's sudden death.  A retirement.  A job layoff.  Grandchildren.  Within the circle of quilts, there is also the circle of life.  It's the warmth of quilts that tend to ease the hardships, share the burdens, and offer the fellowship of support through the difficult times and share the joys of the good.

Love and Stitches,

Sherri

If Idle Hands are the Devil's Workshop...

Then I have no need to worry.

I've been busy, busy, busy and this fall looks even busier!  But I love to be busy with quilts, so  I don't see a problem with this.   So let me get you caught up on some of the projects that I've been working on.



Remember I shared that I had started a Double Wedding Ring Quilt.  Here is where I left you last...

 

Since that time I have started putting the other side on, as well as one of the two-and-a-half inch squares that will form the four-patches.

 



Here are what my centers look like.  It may be difficult to tell with these pictures, but the centers and melons are a light yellow.



 

This may give you an idea of what the quilt will look like.  I love the colors!  This quilt makes me happy ... it's so bright!

 I've finished the center square of my Dear Jane and have started working on the triangles and kites.  These are very different than the four-and-a-half inch squares.  I think they're harder, they often have more pieces, and triangles just require a different skill set than the squares.  They take more time, too.

And here are two squares from my guild's history club's mystery quilt.  Every month our leader, Susan, gives us directions for a block.  The next month we have to return to our meeting with the block completed and give her the name of the block.  We get points for making the squares and finding out the squares name.  The person that completes the blocks, puts the quilt together and quilts and binds it will win a prize.  Needless to say, with our guild's competitive quilters, this is quite a contest.

So that's what I've been up to this month...I still have a lot to do, but there's a lot happening in my life right now. 

Love and Stitches....

Sherri

And Thursday We Met....

The second Thursday night of every month is my guild meeting....

And since last week the blog had no pretty pictures, just lots of good information, I decided to show you all the pictures I took of the members' show and tell.  We have show and tell at every meeting and it's hands down my favorite "regular" thing.  The men and women I quilt with are so very, very talented and I am always so inspired by what they show.

 This is Alicia's Tumbling Block quilt. We had a Square-in-a-Square workshop with Gloria Stickney a few weeks back and this is one of the workshops she offered.  Alicia took it and this is her top.  It's not quite finished, but the colors are beautiful!

 Since it is July, members were encouraged to bring patriotic quilts that they have done. This is Shelly's flag quilt.  It as made in the early '90's and was her first experience with fusible web.

 Yes...this is the back of a quilt.  I wish I had thought to bring my big camera, but all I had was the camera on my cell phone. Marty made the this at a charity quilt workshop we had (we make chemo quilts for the cancer patients at Hayworth Cancer Center at High Point Regional Hospital).  The picture below is the front of the quilt.  It's a nice quilt, but what sets it apart is Shelly's quilting.  Our guild is blessed with several member who are either really good with quilting on a domestic machine or have a mid- or long-arm.  Shelly has a long arm and free-motioned beautiful flowers in each square of the quilt.  This made a rather plain quilt just "pop."

 Doris brought her flag quilt made from a Fons and Porter kit.  Doris is one of the most talented and prolific quilters I know.

 Doris also had the beautiful Dresdan Plate quilt.  She just recently finished this one.  Last year we had the Pizza Girls in for a workshop and this is one of their patterns.  I just love these colors!

 This is also a quilt that Doris recently finished for her brother. It's a Hawaiian quilt that's dark blue and white. 

 Lisa brought this quilt made of teeny-tiny tumblers that she pieced and quilted.  I don't think the tumblers were larger than two inches. This chick has patience.

 Our First Vice President, Susan, is not only a quilter, but also a pattern designer.  There are two small flag quilts she designed and quilted.

And here is an eagle quilt she made.  Susan designs and makes only small quilts.

I hope the pretty pictures this week make up for the lack of pretty pictures last week!  And I hope you find the same sense of inspiration and awe in the show and tell!

Love and Stitches~
Sherri

Oh,What a Tangle Thread We Weave....

Let’s talk about thread…

Thread is one of those items that seems so mundane that as a quilter or someone who sews other projects, you just kind of take it for granted.  But we shouldn’t.  Not really.  It is, after all, thread that holds everything together.

So this is one of those blogs that’s not going to have so many pretty pictures, but is going to have lots of (hopefully) good information you may want to keep in mind.

When a quilter glances at the top or bottom of a spool of thread, one of the first things that is noticeable is the weight.  Most threads in the United States are labeled either 50, 40, or 30 weight.  The higher the number, the thinner the thread.  So a 50 weight thread is much thinner than a 30 weight thread.

And that’s really about all the numbers really tell you.  The United States adopted this grading system from the Japanese, who really are much better than we are at it.  The Japanese would label their thread 50/2 or 50/3.  A spool of thread labeled 50/2 is comprised two strands of thread and a 50/3 is made of three strands of thread…so a 50/2 is still thinner than a 50/3.  Somehow most of the US manufacturers decided that the second number wasn’t worth the effort and didn’t print them on the spools.  That’s why you can look at two different brands of 50-weight thread and one may look thicker than the other – because one is probably made of three strands and the other is made of two. 

So which is the best one to use?  Well, that depends on what you’re quilting, piecing, or sewing.

It doesn’t have to do with necessarily strength – a three-strand thread would most likely be stronger than a two ply thread.  If strength was the only factor every sewer had to consider, we would all be using nylon.  However, there are lots of other things to consider when choosing a thread.

What is the thread made of?  My hands-down favorite for piecing and most of the time for quilting is long-staple cotton thread.  It’s more commonly known as Egyptian Cotton – which is kind of a misnomer because Egyptian long-staple cotton is grown in Turkey, Romania, Pakistan, India, Brazil, China, and the United States – although Egypt is getting pickier about the name.  It’s impossible to know just by looking at the thread if it’s truly a long-staple cotton, but after you’ve sewn with it awhile, you can readily tell.  This type of cotton thread sews and quilts beautifully, is low-lint, and doesn’t break. 

If you’re looking at polyester thread (and yes, you can use polyester in quilting and should use it in garment making), you want to consider the number of micro strands that make up the thread.  If the polyester is a 50/3, it’s made of three strands, which in turn are made up of numerous micro strands.  A cheap polyester thread may only have six or less micro strands per strand, while a high quality polyester thread may have as many as 48-50.  This is why some polyester threads are so very, very much better than others.

How was it processed? As anyone knows who has baked a cake, you can start with some very good ingredients and still end up with a total disaster depending on how you actually make the cake.  Too many eggs, not enough flour, baking soda, and salt – you have a mess, and nothing edible.  The same goes with thread.  Manufacturers can start with fantastic materials and unless they’re processed correctly, the thread will not be high quality.  It has to be twisted just right.  Too loosely twisted or inconsistently twisted will result in a thread that you will fight with during the entire creative process.  It has to be a consistent smoothness. Slubs or thin spots will result in tension and breakage nightmares.  It doesn’t need to be too “linty.”

Lint…let me just stop here and strongly advise you to clean your machine regularly.  A quilter can use the very best thread available, but it’s still going to leave lint in your machine.  It is vitally important that you clean your machine regularly.  Do it monthly, or at the end of every project, or when you change your needle (which should be every eight hours of sewing time), but make sure you clean it.  And find yourself a good machine guy and have it serviced at least every 18 months.  The machine guy or gal knows how to clean your machine in areas you can’t get to.  This will greatly extend the life of your machine and make your sewing time much more pleasurable. 

Is it easy to use?  The last thing I want to do is “fight” with the thread when I’m piecing or quilting.  It should come off the spool or cone easily.  If you’re using a cone, it should come off of the top.  Is it a crosswise or horizontal spool of thread?  One is not better than the other, but it may make a difference which spool pin to use on your machine.  My Janome likes the crosswise threads on the horizontal pen in the top of the machine, but it likes the horizontal threads on the vertical pin on the top of the machine.  My Juki works better if I use the vertical pin for all thread.  So consult your machine’s manual about this issue.

Am I looking for Attila the Hun thread or Marvin Milk Toast?  In other words, how strong does the thread need to be?  The quilting process needs a stronger thread than piecing.  Machine embroidery thread is not going to be as strong as quilting thread. 

What else does the label tell me?  It may or may not say mercerized, because today nearly all thread is mercerized.  When a thread is mercerized, it means the fibers were treated with a solution that caused them to swell and allow the dye to penetrate the fibers better.  Mercerized thread has a higher luster than non-mercerized.  It should also tell you if it’s a long-staple or short-staple thread.  If it doesn’t say this, assume it’s short-staple.  Long-staple or extra long-staple is worth the bragging rights.  If the label says the thread is gassed or polished or has a silk-finish, that means the cotton has been passed at a high speed through a flame to burn off the excess fuzz in order to create a higher sheen.  Glazed means the thread has been heated and then coated with a wax, starch, or other chemicals to give it a hard finished.  Glazed threads are stiffer than unglazed and are almost wiry.  Be careful about using a glazed thread in your machine…it can gum it up. 

So what does all this mean?  For quilters and other crafters, that means we now have hundreds of thread choices.  It means that quilters are no longer confined to piecing and quilting with only cotton thread.  We can freely use polyester because the old fear that polyester thread would cut through the cotton fabric no longer holds true (if it every actually was true).  Rayon thread is never a good choice because it is not always colorfast.  Nylon thread will discolor over time.  Silk thread is beautiful, but it is expensive.  So you have to consider what you’re going to do with the thread.

For me, piecing needs a finer thread.  Heavy thread is going to cause more bulk in the seam and may play with your quarter-inch seam.  For the quilting process, it depends on the look you want for your quilt.  If the quilter wants to show off the fabric more than the quilting, a finer thread is needed – it won’t compete with the material.  If you want to show off your quilting skills, go for a heavier thread that’s going to be seen.  I love variegated thread and if I’m showcasing it, I pick a long-staple medium-weight thread.  If I used a finer variegated, it wouldn’t show. 

Still, even with the best thread, there are still times when the thread is going to break.  When this happens, if the quality of thread is not the issue, check the following:

Your needle – is the right size and the right type?  Topstitching needles seem to work best for sewing, quilting, and embroidery.  It has a wide, deep grove that protects the thread and reduces drag and friction.  The eye is larger, so the thread has more room to move.  It also easily separates the fabric fibers.

The tension – is it too tight?  Most machines have an automatic tension setting and most of the time it works just fine.  However, please feel free to play with the tension.  Some thread is going to require you to loosen the tension.  The factory tension setting is about at medium, but some threads and some applications (such as machine applique) may need to have less tension.  Metallic threads and other decorative threads may even need to be pushed down to a one or two.

Bobbin thread tension is a little tricky, but it can be done (never let a machine tech tell you this can’t be done).  If you use a machine with a bobbin case, there’s a screw on the side.  Think of this screw as a clock and turn it at one-hour increments (righty-tight, lefty-loose).  A thin, fine thread in the bobbin may need it tightened just a smidge and a heavy, decorative thread may need to be loosened a little. 

And let’s address the matching bobbin/top thread issue right here.  In most newer machines now, it’s fine to mix threads.  I always use Bottom Line thread in my bobbin. I buy it by the cone and fill all my bobbins with it.  It’s finer than what I use on top of my machine and  it performs wonderfully.  Sometimes I have to play with my tension, but I really don’t have any issues with it at all.  When I machine quilt, I do have the same weight and brand of thread in the bobbin and on top of the machine. 

Just when you change your tension, be sure to return it to the machine settings at the end of the project.  I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to do this and started piecing with too loose of a tension – and the block comes apart when I press it.

Your machine – is it clean?  Is the timing off? Are there burrs on any of the mechanisms?

The thread delivery system – is your machine threaded correctly? 

One last piece of advice about thread.  Thread is like shoes – you get what you pay for.  So if you buy cheap thread, you’re going to get poor, uncomfortable results.  In my mind, it’s never made a whole lot of sense to spend hundreds of dollars on fabric and the scrimp on the thread.  The inferior performance irritates me.  I want the time I can spend piecing and quilting to be productive.  I don’t want to fight with thread.

Likewise, if you see some really pretty old thread on those wonderful wooden spools at an estate sale or flea market or antique store, by all means buy them if they tickle your fancy…

And display them.

Don’t use them.

Older thread has a shelf life.  The thread that’s on the market now will still be useable 50, 60, or even 100 years from now because of the manufacturing process.  The thread that’s so proudly displayed at antique stores – not so much. If it readily snaps when you give it a tug, just display it and don’t put it in your machine.

What kind of thread do you use?  I like Aurifil.  I use it regularly. 

I love any of the Superior Thread products.  Bob Purcell and the Superior Thread Company have a wonderful website that offers more information on thread than any quilter could ever begin to comprehend.  If you’re ever at a quilt show and they’re vending, stop by their booth and plan to spend some time.  I’ve ordered from them for years and their customer service and products are second to none. 

And again, I’m not on staff at any company I recommend on this blog.  I have sewn and quilted for years and have tried lots of brands.  The brands that I mention on this blog are products that I use and adore. 

Finally, one last note.  I love folks to email me with questions.  I love folks to leave comments on my blog.  However, in the last several weeks, I’ve had advertisers leave comments plugging their products.  This is not what this blog is for.  If you advertise your website, product (even if it’s quilting related), I will report you as well as remove your comments.  If I can find a way, I will block you from this blog.  You have been warned.

Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July!  We are the Land of the Free because of the Brave!

Love and