Minky ~ Top of Quilt

I recently quilted a blanket by using Minky on the top and wanted to share how that went.

The idea came to me to put the minky on top because I wanted to use all the minky fabric and didn't want to waist any.  (which I would have, if I put it on the back)

...and loading minky on the back is not my favorite....for reason's explained here.

First off I made sure the minky was squared up, I then floated it on the top, just like any other quilt.

For the quilting I decided to do my new favorite, "grid quilting".

It started great!  When I float my tops I always run a stitch using my channel lock across the top of the quilt and then depending on the type of quilting I do, I run a stitch down each side (left and right).  I then quilt that section, advance and continue to run a stitch down each side...quilt and so on.

As I got towards the bottom section of the minky, it wasn't laying flat for me.

 

..as you can see in my photos.

I proceeded on anyways and stitched down both sides then using my channel lock again, stitched across the bottom.

This did help tame down some of the waves and extra minky.  This gave me hope.

I then proceeded to quilt and because I was using wool for the batting, it did give it a little loft and help fill in any extra minky fabric I was dealing with.

It quilted up really nice with no problem puckers anywhere.

The problem corner area, also quilted up just fine.

...and even though I squared up the minky before loading it on the machine, as I got to the bottom it still wasn't square.  By using my channel lock and running a stitch across the bottom, I was able to make sure it was squared up that way. 

At this point, I then took the quilt off and loaded it the other way for the grid quilting.  I explain more about how to do the grid quilting here.

How was my experience?  I would definitely do it again.  I'm glad I did the simple grid quilting, because as you can see in the picture, you can hardly see your stitches.  The only way I knew I had stitched a line was from the indention of the quilting foot.

...and even though I treated the minky as if it were the top of the quilt, I love the other side so much better that the minky top is now the back.

Isn't the back great!  Didn't plan that one!

~Jenny~

Backing Material

Backing Material for quilts.  This seems like such a simple thing but it can actually be one of the most important when it comes to your finished quilt!

I wanted to talk about just a few things when it comes to backing material.

You can use just about any type of material for your backing material.  It all depends on what you like and for what quilting project you are doing.

Some of the most common types of backing material are:

Cotton

Cotton/Batik

Flannel

Fleece/Minky

Cotton Backing Material:

In my opinion is the easiest to work with.  You can pre-wash or not pre-wash before using it.  Depends on what you prefer.  

If you don't pre-wash:  I think it is easier to work with this material because the sizing is still in the material and it helps the material keep its shape and also makes the material smoother.  You will have some shrinkage after you wash your quilt for the first time and it may cause the front of your quilt to pucker and give it a used/antique look.

If you pre-wash:  This can be difficult in some ways but beneficial in others.  couple of difficulties I come across when using pre-washed backing is once the sizing is washed out of the material, your material is not as smooth and creases can occur while quilting if your not careful.  (the backing material will cling to the batting)  I quilted this up last week and had some issues with my backing material because it had been pre-washed:

Beautiful on the front.....not so pretty on the back:

I had to fix quite a few of the pleats....I wasn't able to fix a couple though.  So what happened is my backing material was clinging to my cotton batting and because I didn't go under my machine to check for the pleats to smooth them, I ended up with pleats.

How do you fix the pleats after it's been quilted?  It's not easy and sometimes impossible.  You have to un-stitch the pleated area and re-stitch by trying to ease in the extra fabric.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Of course by pre-washing you will not have as much shrinkage after the first time you wash your quilt and your quilting design will not pucker so much and will be shown more.

Cotton/Batik Material:  There are some beautiful batiks and many times I've used batiks for backing material.  I've never had a problem with using this material for backing.  I will say this though, my quilting stitched seem to lay on top of the material rather than sinking into the material and that is because of the way batik material is made.

Flannel Material:  A couple of things about Flannel for backing.  First and most important.  Always pre-wash flannel before using it.  Flannel will shrink a lot and you want to make sure you get most of the shrinkage out before using it for the back of your quilt.  It to will also not be as smooth and so you'll want to make sure you smooth it out as you quilt so you don't get pleats on the back of your quilt.  

Second, flannel is a thicker material and will make your quilts heavier.  This might make a difference when it comes to choosing the batting you use.  It also might make a difference with your binding.  You may want to give yourself another 1/4" for your binding.  This will make it easier for you when putting your binding on.

Fleece/Minky Material:   Usually you can use fleece and minky with know difficulties.  You do want to pay attention to a couple of things though.  First, make sure not to stretch it when using it.  Depending on the fleece/minky it may stretch in one direction (to check this, just simply pull it apart with your hands in both directions, you'll know which way it stretches more) and if you notice it does stretch then make sure you load it on the longarm the opposite direction or opposite sides it stretches.  That way when you advance your quilt you are not stretching the backing material also.  You want it to even sag a little just to make sure your not stretching it.  If you stretch it as you quilt, you may end up with a VERY crinkly top and it wouldn't be good.

Second,  some fleece/minky may pull up through the stitching holes to the quilt top while you are quilting and it usually looks really funny.  You could try matching the backing as close as you can to your quilt top, but I've found that after washing your quilt for the first time those little buggers wash back into the quilt and aren't noticeable anymore.  It also might make a difference with your binding. (your quilt may be thicker)  You may want to give yourself another 1/4" for your binding.  This will make it easier for you when putting your binding on.

Again feel free to share you thoughts, advice or opinions on this subject and of course these are just a few things I've learned over the years on using backing material and wanted to share them today.

~Jenny~

Kim's Quilt

This is my sister-n-law Kim's little quilt.

I really enjoyed quilting this up.  At first I was going to do an overall design, but am glad I didn't.  It think it needed custom quilting to help show off the design.

I did continuous curve for the center piecing....some of my favorite....oblong pebbles and for the piano key quilting, I used her piecing as a reference as to how far apart I stitch the straight lines.

I sometimes have a difficult time deciding what to quilt in the corner squares.  For this quilt I quilted a grid by using the piecing as a reference and then did continuous line quilting around the grid.  

I stitch in the ditch around the blocks and corner blocks only.

I used two layers of batting.  Warm and white on the bottom and wool on the top.  I wanted the quilting to really stand out and by putting the wool on the top it did just that.

~Jenny~

Let's Talk Quilt Borders ~ Again!

Quilt Borders!  It's the one topic us quilters love to talk about or avoid it all together!  I feel it's a VERY IMPORTANT topic and this post will probably be one of many I do up on Quilt Borders!

First off, here is some simple instructions on how to apply borders to a quilt:

Directions for applying borders:

• Determine the length of the quilt border by averaging the two or three center measurements of the quilt body.
• Cut two borders that length and pin them to opposite sides of the quilt.  Match the ends and centers, then gently ease in any fullness.
• Pin, sew, and press
• Repeat for the top and bottom borders.

Before I became a longarm quilter...the only way I added borders to my quilts was by simply sewing them on and then cutting off the excess left at the end.  This is what can cause wavy borders....meaning to much border fabric for the body of the quilt.

We all come across these pesky, wavy borders.  Sometimes they are our own and sometimes they are not.  Regardless, they are a reality and the best way to fix them is to re-do them or have the customer re-apply them the correct way.  

...but sometimes you will come across a customer that just wants you to quilt the quilt up and will be happy with any end result.  This is where it's helpful to know some tips and tricks to fixing these borders.

I'm using Betty's quilt today as an example.  Betty is the sweetest and nicest lady I know.  Her quilt is a good example of some border issues.  It was a very large quilt with multiple borders, one being a very large outer border and it's easy for there to be wavy borders on a quilt like this one.  I'm going to show you the "tuck method" of fixing borders today.

  I had 3-4 inches of extra fabric on this outer borders and it was a perfect candidate for the "tuck method"!

 I needed to find a good place to make my tuck.  It just so happens there was some inner piecing I was able to line up with the beginning of my tuck. (blue fabric above)  The start of my tuck will only start out at 1/8" then as I go outward to the side of the quilt, I will end up with a good 2-4 inch tuck.  I baste the tuck down with a big basting stitch.  Once basted I quilt as I normally would.  I try to make the tuck go straight across from left to right without slanting....that way it will look like a seam when I'm done.

After quilting, I take out the basting stitch.  It appears to be seams in the fabric!  You wouldn't even know there was a tuck!  I will of course let the customer know about the tuck and that she can hand stitch that down better if she'd like.  Most the time it's stitched down good enough.

Here is another picture of it.

Here is a picture of the other border.  I ended up making my tuck on a seam that was all ready in the border.  I didn't have convenient piecing to match up for the start of my tuck in the center area...but started my tuck at the beginning of the white border.  It was a little bit trickier, but still manageable.

I came across another problem area when quilting this quilt up and it was in the quilt center.

I should have taken step-by-step pictures of what I did, but I will try to explain it best I can.  The white handwork center of this quilt was too big.   As I was quilting the center and getting toward the bottom, I noticed it.  This is what I did to fix it.  I made a tuck at the bottom of the white center under the blue border.  It was a good 2-3" tuck.  After making that tuck I basted down the top edge of the blue border, quilted both the white center and border.  I then removed the basting stitch and then stitched down the top edge of the blue border....(like I was stitching in the ditch) but just stitched on the border instead of in the ditch.  The ends of the tuck on both sides were a bit tricky to work in....but by doing the piano key quilting on the blue border, it really helped make it easier and less noticeable.  (piano key quilting is an excellent type of quilting to use on borders...very forgiving and eases in extra fabric you may have to work with)

I only had to make the one tuck on each side of the outer border towards the beginning of the quilt and by doing that it really helped the rest go much smoother.  I knew before quilting the quilt up I would have some border issues and that is why I picked a meander quilting. (meander quilting is very forgiving and a good choice for wavy borders)

Try to determine what bumps you may come across on a quilt before starting.  This will help you decide on your quilting design for the quilt and not make the quilting job as frustrating as it could be.

These tips and tricks are not all mine and I've learned from the best.....and if you have any other tips or suggestions or questions on this topic, feel free to comment and share them with the rest of us.

~Jenny~

Bettys Quilt

This is Betty's quilt and it's a big one.  I've quilted up quite a few quilts for her and they are all BIG!!  This measures at 112" x 112".  I did a semi-custom quilt job on it.  I definitely wanted to stitch around all the handwork, so they stood out.  I also did a couple of different border designs and then a meander for the other borders.  I did need to make some adjustments to a few of her borders.  I've explained more about that in the next post.

This quilt is called "pieces from the past"....and I know Betty added some extra borders to make her's bigger.  I'm happy with it and I hope Betty will be too.

~Jenny~

Andrea's Quilts

I quilted up 3 quilts for Andrea.  They are quilts she did up for her kids for Christmas.  I forgot to take pictures of the 3rd one. ;o(  That one turned out great too!

I used the panto "popcorn" on it.  One of my favorite panto's!!  I think it turned out sweet for her daughter.

This one is for her son and I borrowed this panto from my friend Pam, it's called "modern links" (find at digitech patterns).  I love how it turned out and am definitely adding it to my list of panto's to buy!  

Andrea is a SUPER talented photographer!!  She's the one that takes pictures of all me and my sisters quilts for our pattern covers.  She also did a head shot of me this last summer.

~Jenny~

Chris's Quilt ~ freehand fun overall design

This is Chris's quilt and I did a fun freehand overall design.  

I always like how this quilting design comes together.  It's simple too.  I do a swirl...then off the swirl I do some feather petals.....I then echo the petals.  I continue this throughout and add any extra swirls or echos to fill in extra gaps.

~Jenny~