Pat's Creative Loft

Stitch in the ditch tutorial

 To label the quilt for gifting, I turned towards the last and final detail which was to apply a label to the back of the quilt for gifting. With a few tips and tutorials my label to gift this quilt began to develop. I referred to this very helpful tutorial:   A quick quilt label method  and in developing my own method for tagging this quilt. I used machine embroidering methods to make a naming label  and gifting for the baby quilt . The pink butterfly fabric is used for the embroidery  & lettering work and once I tested,  to configure the align with all the wording. New to machine embroidery, I attempted to set the letter and wording into placement by formatting it into alignment. This was my outcome. Once completing the embroidery work. I measured & cut strips from one of the favorite floral prints that shall be sewn and encase the embroidered label to frame it. The piece with the label is now framed & ready

Binding a quilt involves a trim edging & usually performed either by hand or machine sewing. This method uses cloth strips or decorative trimmings which will " bind" all 3 layers together for a finishing appearance.  Adding a variety of trims to bind with may also add to the finishes with a quilt. Binding for quilts can either be purchased or made from fabrics. The tutorials below is helpful explaining the how to's with binding methods & making binding from cloth.   Quilt binding- 101    Binding quilts & throws   Most fabric centers carry packaged binding. Quilt binding also known as wide and double folded bias tape comes in a variety of colors. Pink Quilt binding was used for binding this baby quilt. Among the binding packages are also various decorative trimmings for decorative sewing and with binding a quilt,  like rick-rack which also comes in various colors and in small and jumbo sizes. White Jumbo Rick-Rack is used to edge on

With the backing measured - formed and sewn together. Time to begin the layering stages with the batting and with the top cloth and backing. I  describe my steps without pictures to view. However found at  "week end kits" is a very helpful tutorial on making a baby quilt and with the Tutorial on layering . Test layout- with the 3 layers to form quilt. The back cloth right side down on a table top with seams facing up the batting is placed on top of the back & smoothing both of the layers out. Wash back and quilt top. Once washed & dried time to iron, clip & trim.  Back & front cloths trimmed and test batting  Batting is cut in to fit in between the cloths using table top and cutting boards for an even cut. This step took some time and effort to move with desiring straight lines to layer and sew with smooth lines and trimmings . Once all in order, time to begin with the fun to sew & quilting the cloths together. Batting sandwiched in between

With the cloth top details completed the next step is to begin with the layering processes. But first the back side of this quilt had to be formed.  To form the back measurements were needed to realize the size requirements & to form the backing. I took the measurements for the side and the bottom to find the size ( width and length) that my quilt will be. Once the measurement were noted, time to begin to form the back side of the quilt for layering.   I developed a grid to outlining the pieces to form the back side by layout it out  to decide how to develop the color order & as to those widths that shall be needed for the cuts. And shall need to sew together to form the cloth size for the backing.  The back piece is formed using the main colors; pink, yellow & green  The butterfly prints and 2 of the floral prints that best complimented one another among the colors will form the back. My first cut & widest width is with using the yellow butterfly prin

Step: Appliqueing the baby quilt for a soft floating n flowing touch The cloth topper for the baby quilt took shape with a few more details with applique. With the 2 previous appliques in place, I began to note how my eyes would move  following the  wide yellow sash formed when regrouping the cloth pattern. Once the first 2 applique were placed,  my next step would be with adding 2 smaller sized appliques. One yellow ( gingham ) butterfly to top the sash area, and a small flower to rest between the first 2 appliques.  With those now all in place an order of flow developed among the pattern 'n themes The floral & butterfly themes all flow along with the colors.   Applique in place with top decorative stitching . Next Step : Layering Backing takes shape  

With the cloth now framed with the green butterfly print bordering the cloth, I desired to define the theme with the butterflies and use the 3 original colors; pink- green- and the yellow to do so. Finally, after several attempts reviewing patterns & testing fabrics & with several tested templates and cut outs, the pattern with material combinations became known. 2 pattens with the fabrics were selected & used to begin the appliqueing methods that will be placed on the cloth. The results..... A large flower a using one of the pink fabric with a circle with the yellow gingham for the center. Those 2 pieces were fused and then appliqued proceeded with machine stitching & by using thread colors to compliment the 2 fabrics within the edges of the large flower .  Next... time to work the butterfly in. Butterfly fused and ready  to be top stitched in place    After applying the butterfly-  time to study results ,  &

Personalizing a Quilt One area to consider when developing a special Quilt, is to personalize it. The more into my quilt  developments, thoughts to personalize it came to mind.  Now if one does not know the person, ( nor in my case the baby has yet to arrive) that can prove to be a challenge, and therefore have to turn and reach to other sources. One possibilities is to turn to someone closest to the receiver for some added knowledge for details. As I began collecting information for my quilt project, what began to stand out was forming some added characteristic. And possibly one may be within the given name selected.  Research when  personalizing a quilt Turing to researching the names can prove one avenue for personalizing ,   and since my quilt project has been titled,  Avery's Quilt, this name shall be researched .  Many of sources to reach out within the internet and find the origin and its meaning in a name. Quick and easy tool using the web to research it. Wh

A Frame Forms With my cloth pattern now changed - time to frame!  This is achieved by adding a border .  A time out among choices for the border. And tho' this process took a while to configure among those steps for choice to frame the cloth. Since the yellow butterfly pattern was used to rejoin the previous cuts by sashing them, the eyes would have to judge between pink or green... eyes began to drift towards the green....  A decision made. Green would become the border with ideas to still think about for this quilt top. And still with some steps to be dealt with and time to do them. The framing process with more cuts : Four pieces were cut with the green butterfly print.  And cut into the 2.5 widths (as with the beginning) and with the entire 18 strips to form this cloth. With rotary in hand the sides were trimmed to even them up . And to first fit the 2 side edges & cut those as to apply to their edges. The side cuts were done for purposes to achieve

More Characteristics As I encounter my desire for some change among the newly sewn cloth.  Creative juices kept running freely ....  Maybe the butterfly pattern had something to do with that as it changed my cloth! I began to explore a few decorative options . And turned to looking into my thread supply with thoughts of adding some decorative stitches.  I discovered 2 that popped out at me and waiting for me to make use. This took me to sewing a few decorative stitches. I used a contrast  choice of color among my threads. And began the phases of add them to the strip that had become rows in my cloth. Deep pink thread applied to the plaid  shown in this picture. Providing a contrast border with star like flowers. An added characteristic to the row of plaid. I continued sewing a few choice rows & changing color choices among threads. And by sewing a few different choices among decorative stitching methods to add to the rows of m

  Pretty Quilt Pattern  I discovered a pretty n' freebie Quilt Pattern today & wanted to share it. Love the colors and design. This is the link to view the quilt design with pattern if one so wishes.   Melon Blossoms | March/April 2012 | McCall's Quilting

Baby Quilt Step 3: Journey to the cloth As the journey piecing fabric strips continued, a pattern began to form. From colors combined with strip a cloth began to form. Once all strips were sewn together. I took a step back in viewing the results however,  found my felts of strike with a syndrome " does not feel quite right " . I'm to think most timely projects, at some point, does seem to carry those periods with uncertainly. And as to where one has to step back and rethink with the course. As my strips formed a wider & longer cloth, I stepped back to get a feel of what  all the sewn seams had resulted to and  with feeling it was not exactly how I wanted it yet.     How a little diversion and change of scenery can help among those moments. And once I did just that, and allowed my thoughts to clear of the clutter :) seems the juices returned and back running again to creative further. New Results: A new pattern I discover a different pa

 As I have worked on many projects, I find one habit I always do when starting a project is setting up a notebook to keep the items I began to collect with that certain project. I welcome your feedback on this subject today.  And wish to ask sharing methods for keeping those project references most handy as you construct them. My project notebook I found as I begin a project I first begin a new notebook. That notebook usually holds my notes and any printed source & references  to be handy for me to refer to as i work my projects and to be so organized. My notebook becomes a guide book and sort of a journal of my materials and guides for those projects. And I have collected a few notebooks over time yet I find them to be  quite helpful as a guide book and reference to look back with once my project has been completed. Usually I begin by first add some clean white paper for writing notes along with clear protector pockets to a binder. The clear protector sheets  I find so usef

Group- press-cut-regroup Today began the process grouping fabrics into a color palette. I divided the color into 3 groups. Green , pink & yellow.  Pressed each fabric piece by color group , and cut 2 strips each -measuring 2.5 in width from each fabric  A total of 18 strips when completed.     Green Strips The tips below were helpful to keep in mind as I ironed today and to cut, sew & pressed the sewn seams. Press each seam : Often reminded to press seams as sewn . And e ven more important when piecing a quilt!  I lightly "press" set each seam. This manner achieved by pressing & for best results and not necessarily as what is referred to as "ironing .   Press technique explained :  http://sewmamasew.com/blog View this video for more pressing tips : More tips : I also found helpful : pressing all seams in same direction. When sewn smoother and easier glide when machine sewn. And to keep in mind, se

Project Baby Quilt This project began to develop last in the fall following exciting family news from my sister.  A new arrival  expected during the early months of spring & making her a grandmother for the 3rd time. Wonderful season to bring a baby into the world, with ideas of spring welcoming all. Ideas of blooms n' buds 'n popping up & with butterflies fluttering. Colors and themes began to churn among my thoughts & with a new project brewing with a baby quilt.  Usually my projects begin with colors and with spring in mind- easy 'peasy & with many designs and patterns among fabrics and even better once known it would be a girl.  First step: Development & Collecting fabrics. My collecting processes was underway and began with a few fabrics purchased several weeks before the holiday season began. Of course that meant many shopping venture collecting all my sources. The first shopping venture for fabrics resulted bringing home 4 fabri