i finally got my butt in gear to start making harper's quilt. i made mackenzie a quilt (my first) when she was little and we call it her love quilt. when she goes to bed at night the quilt will protect her from bad dreams cause it's filled with mommy's love. when she spotted me making harper's she asked me if it was going to be a love quilt and when i said yes, she said "how do you get the love in there mommy?". how cute is that? so sweet. the fabric i'm using has been calling my name and even though i have a lot of other unfinished projects i felt like i needed a brain break to make something fun. needless to say i forgot that i am "cutting challenged". i really need help. i don't think there is anyone worse at cutting fabrics than me..haha. seriously.
the pattern i am making is from the lovely blog "the polka dot chair". it's called the snuggly bricks quilt tutorial. it's easy, quick and perfect for the amount of time i have to spend on it right now...or so i thought. all i had to do is cut out rectangles. straight lines. easy right? i guess not for me. i got out my rotary cutter, my mat, made a template and got out my ruler. do you think they were straight? nope. did my rotary cutter behave? nope. by the end of one hour i had a whole whack of rectangles cut, one not usable (too small) and man was it a b&^ch to get that amount done. i am starting to think i should just stick with sewing clothes..haha.
i'm going to be using the prints above from moda by momo called "it's a hoot". i love it. any suggestions from you guys on how to quilt this when it's pieced? i've never quilted a brick pattern. would you just do stitch in the ditch? also what color do you think would work best for the binding and backing? i'm a new quilter and any tips are greatly appreciated :)
and of course, let's not forget my cutting issues...my question to you on this is are...what are your cutting tips? am i the only one cutting challenged? is there some weird part of my brain that refuses to cut with a rotary cutter? can martha stewart invent a chip to implant into my brain to fix it?
bring it on my friends. i could use your help :)
Is your blade sharp? How many layers were you cutting at the same time?
ReplyDeleteGood Luck! I hope someone else has more cutting wisdom! I do want to tell you about this stuff though, it saves my life when it comes to putting layers together and then quilting them. I HATE basting the layers together, and this stuff makes a huge difference! I hope you like it!
http://cynspiration.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-need-to-share.html
I have no problem with a rotary cutter but I'm a little math deficient, I was cutting squares for a project the other day and somehow managed to come to the conclusion I needed about a kazillion squares of each, and had cut two or three fabrics' worth before I was like, what the heck, that makes no sense... redid my math and had like four times too many. Speeeecial. So the stuff in olivia's room that has the pieced patchwork look, other than the quilt itself, is all a result of my complete ineptitude. But it was kind of a happy accident, the change table is adorable and the rest of the stuff I have planned can't possibly not be.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, the quilt isn't done, either. hahahahahaha twitch. Actually I'm getting really on top of my schedule this week and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get to the 'sewing time' point really really soon.
Just keep at it! I remember when I first started using the rotary cutter I got myself contorted, the cutter went wacky, the ruler got a few dents, but the fabric stayed pretty!! I won't say I'm good at it now, but I've come to enjoy the process and I have a habit of standing back often to put the pieces I've cut together to admire the print and let my imagination soar!
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no help for you except to say that I am sewing challeneged... I cannot sew a straight line to save my life...
ReplyDeletethank god the things I sew aren't very large and always patterened... they mask the sewing skills, lol!
Cyn - Thanks for the tip. Yep, the blade is sharp and hardly used and I was (embarassed sigh) only cutting one layer..hahaha.
ReplyDeleteLaura - I hear ya girl, I hear ya.
Alisa - Glad I'm not the only one. Here's to not being perfect :)
I say use them anyway, alter the pattern a bit.
ReplyDeleteI find it easier to have a very large flat surface and press really hard on the ruler. I can't use the rotary cutter without the accompanying plastic rulers. But I also can't quilt quilts together. I can sew them and not quit so together we probably could get a great quilt!!
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I have learned from watching my mom and her friends quilt ( I am so not brave enough to try it myself) is to make sure the fabric is perfectly square first. I don't know if you are doing that or not; but if you aren't maybe it will help???
ReplyDeleteI think that pretty teal blue would be lovely for the binding. As far as wacky cutting goes (hah, been there), just remember you can fudge it with your seam allowances. Sew it straight, and if your seam allowances are a little bigger or smaller it's fine because it will be inside the quilt. That's my personal mantra anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt gets easier. I got major quilting mojo when my daughter was born, and now cutting straight and sewing straight are so much easier after making ten quilts!
You mention a template, but not a ruler. For rectangles, a template isn't necessary. Use a ruler to cut your fabric into strip that are the width of the rectangles, then use the ruler to cut each of those strips into rectangles of the correct length. Maybe you were already doing this, but it took me a long time to figure this out when I started quilting, so I thought I'd mention it. Here's a tutorial on cutting rectangles with a rotary cutter: http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2010/10/colorbrick-rotary-cutting-101.html
ReplyDeleteCutting tips - Let's just say in a cut-off I would definitely lose. I am just hopeless.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if it is a scissor or a rotary cutter, I am inept, I just try to work with it and hide it as best I can.
As for the binding I think a gray binding could be really nice. What are you using for the backing?
I am also cutting challenged! I always stray off the ruler and get crooked lines. I have inlisted my husband who has become my full time cutter :) I'm sorry but I don't have any suggestions for you! I'm in the same boat.
ReplyDeleteI'm far from an expert...but I'll offer some of my hard earned wisdom.
ReplyDeleteCutting fabric sucks, I hate doing it. Because of this, I try to get it all done at once and out of the way. I was also a wonky cutter when I started, but over the years I found my "groove" so to speak and it's gotten a lot better. (Now, if only I could get better at the whole "math" aspect of quilting...lol) What helped me was getting a good cutting mat, a good rotary cutter, and an acrylic ruler that was the width of my cutting mat. Start by laying out your fabric and establishing a straight edge along one side. I agree with Sally: For cutting rectangles, cut strips and then cut into the rectangles. It's much easier! The trick is to hold your ruler and rotary cutter even when you make cuts. I use my kitchen table to lay everything out and then when I'm ready to make a cut, I push down on the ruler with my left hand and make the cut with my right. It's hard and you'll probably be sore then next day!! When I use just a regular rotary cutter, I typically don't cut more than 2 layers of fabric because of shifting. Recently, I actually got a new type of rotary cutter and the difference it makes in cutting is NIGHT AND DAY! I'm not at home, so I can't give you the exact details on it, but I'm pretty sure it's made by Fiskar and it's actually meant for scrapbooking. It's cut (no pun intended) my fabric cutting time in half at least. My other tip would be to IRON!! Use starch and iron the heck out of your fabric. To the point that it's almost stiff like paper! It makes cutting so much easier. I'm not a prewasher for this reason. I like the stiffness of new fabric, and when you iron/starch it, it's even better! I actually iron at every step when I quilt because I really think it helps with the final result. You have an easier time lining seams up and your edges are all very crisp.
As far as binding: I actually JUST learned how to do real, honest to goodness binding about 2 weeks ago. (This is a link to my Facebook album with my first "bound" project: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2111595&id=199304044&l=79d9727df9 Nothing fancy, but I think it turned out well!) Before that, I always did the "pillowcase" binding method, or the "cut the back piece a little bigger and fold it over to the front" binding (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=33422976&l=814f0431ba&id=199304044 the last quilt I'll ever make using that method. The gray strip you see around the edge is actually the backside of the backing. I used it to fold over and create the binding). Both of those work, but now that I know how to do strip binding, I'll never go back! (Also, learn to perfect the mitered corner, it's worth it!)
For the finishing of your quilt, I'd chose a solid red, or a teal that matches the colors in your fabric. And for the back, I'd go with a solid yellow or chocolate brown in tones that match your fabric.
Once I'm home, I'll send you the info about the rotary cutter and I can send you a link to an AWESOME tutorial about binding. (I'm binding challenged and even I understood this tutorial!!) In the end though, your little one will love it because YOU made it with love!! :)
how to quilt it? well I would quilt it like this brick quilt. With straight line quilting on either side of the seams.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/47913509@N06/4704774478/
Cutting tips? take your time with cutting, are you trying to cute many layers at a time?? if so that can make cuts inaccurate.
binding? I would do a contrasting binding maybe in turquoise. I love to use stripes or polka dots on bindings. Do you have a large ruler?? It makes a world of difference.
Being a novice quilter myself, I don't really have any cutting advice. I just trace my shapes onto the fabric or use a clear ruler for straight lines (I seriously use pen or pencil), and cut with fabric scissors. I totally fantasize about owning a cutting mat and rotary cutter!
ReplyDeleteThe fabric collection you're using is fab-u-lous, obviously, and I'd choose a red binding to bring the collection together. And for a backing... hmmm... maybe a pale turquoise like the one in the tutorial photo? Personally, I LOVE red and turquoise together whenever possible.
Have fun quilting! I wish I could spend time doing the same but energy is a little low with four-day-old Jasper needing the boob every hour. Instead I'm spending my tiny moments of free time doing only the things I really love, like checking in on your blog and getting inspired for future home-beautifying!
I'll call you soon to set up a visit, k?
It's funny how cutting straight lines can be so much harder than curves...I would just say (like everyone else)use a thick plastic ruler and lean on it. I also don't cut the entire length of the ruler in one go, because if I try that, I find the ruler moving under my hand as I get towards the end. So I press hard on the ruler, cut along half the length, then move my hand to the end and cut the rest of the way. I've also found cutting away from me causes the ruler to move more, so I set it up to cut across my body, if that makes any sense.
ReplyDeleteI think a dark pink or red binding with a teal back. And I just did a brick path quilt for my niece for Christmas using Amy Butler's free Lotus quilt pattern and it called for quilting in the ditch only on the long seams. It turned out great, looked very clean and modern on the back, which was a solid green. You could quilt in the ditch that way, see how it looks and add more lines in between if you wanted. One of my favorite pieces of quilting advice I read in Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. She says to quilt the broadest design possible first, then fill in if time (and energy) allows. Since by the time I'm quilting my piece I'm usually ready to move on to something else, I have found that advice very helpful!
No matter what you decide to do, it'll look great!
I just finished a quilt for my husband - so cutting is fresh in my mind :} When my mom was teaching me to quilt, she'd cut like 10 layers {no exaggeration} with one sweep of the rotary. I could barely cut one... But it's about the pressure you apply to the ruler, and the rotary. You have to press down hard. Place your hand in the middle on the ruler, and don't move it. It needs to stay stationary when you're cutting. For the rotary, only go forward, do not roll or cut going back. If you don't cut through the fabric the first time, start from the beginning of the fabric, and roll forward again {which was seriously hard for me - and being left handed... I wanted to cut on the left, which didn't work so good!}. Also, when you're cutting, aim the rotary towards the ruler, so the rotary is running along the ruler, which blocks it from going rogue. Just keep at it. Also, make sure you're lining the fabric up along the grid lines on the mat. Sometimes mine will be a little off, so check and double check that your fabric is where it needs to be. Hope that helps - and I'm sure no matter what it looks like, your daughter will love and treasure it!!
ReplyDeleteI can't give you any quilting advice seeing as I've only made two :) BUT I do LOVE LOVE LOVE that Moda line. Like a billion.
ReplyDeleteWell I know I posted this on facebook but in the honor of this friendly neighbourhood forum I'll mention my couple of tips again.
ReplyDeleteThe above tips about pressure and lining up your fabric is true...since cutting is your weakness you need to remember to relax and do it at a time when you're less likely to be interrupted. However, once you lay your ruler down and have everything lined up focus your attention AHEAD of where you are actually cutting...it allows your eyes to make the line straight for you.
Also, most quilts have a 1/4 inch seam allowance...there is no shame in adding to the allowance to give you wiggle room for uneven cutting as you can always trim the seams later.
The old adage practice makes perfect is really true. Good luck! You'll do fine :)
I think you probably got enough info to help you... and I may repeat something... Definitely use a ruler made for use with a rotary cutter. I put little sticky sandpaper grips on the back of mine to keep it from moving. Put your weight on the hand holding down the ruler and MAKE SURE your thumb and fingers are NOT hanging over the side of the ruler!!! Keep your rotary at a 45 degree angle, give it adequate pressure, but don't push hard. Your blade should go through the fabric in one go, but if it doesn't go over the whole length again without moving the ruler.
ReplyDeleteI actually work at a craft store and cut a lot of fabric. I can go through 10 or 12 layers at once. Like one of the others said, it's the pressure on the ruler and the sharpness of the blade that matter. Have fun! My friend just made a quilt out of that fabric and it's CUTE!!
I'm attempting my first real quilt too, for my second child due this summer. I'm actually using It's a Hoot too (hence how I came across your blog post).
ReplyDeleteI ended up buying a layer cake because I'm awful with using the rotary cutter too, after my last near-quilting experience. I'm just going to make a simple quilt with those squares.
As for the backing, I ended up buying a few yards of this coordinating fabric
http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=ac9f0291-4950-4b4f-98f9-9a72843428ff
and this one for the binding
http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=35a41d5b-61fa-431e-a6a0-cb1a597db943
Not sure how I'm going to quilt it yet, probably just diagonals or something simple. I really want to finish it before July, and if I set my sights too high, I probably will throw in the towel.
I'm eager to see your progress here! Good luck!
Oh my goodness! You ladies are the best! Giant hugs to all of you! How awesome! Thank you for all the tips, tricks and links! Wowsa! I feel better already knowing that it takes practice and that it's not just me being wonky..haha. Big hugs to each and every one of you who left me a comment today. I'm excited to try cutting again now. Hopefully it will get better each time. thanks again :)
ReplyDeletep.s I'm thinking I love the turqoise and red color scheme...sounds nice.
such inspiration! i have so been wanting to make my kids blankets. i really want to crochet them each one, but also make them a quilt. it seems like such a daunting task, but i think the pattern you are using might be doable. it is way less scary than all the handmade quilts my friends have made by their mothers or grandmothers who have been quilting half their lives. i actually think i could maybe, possibly pull a quilt off. i better get started though, seeing as my third will be here in probably about 8 weeks. ah! we might just need to start with crochet. :) i LOOOOOVE your fabric choices!
ReplyDeletehope you got the tips you were looking for shannon. no expert here, but i did learn from a lot of mistakes. :) amy from diary of a quilter has a really nice beginning quilting series she did on make and take I believe...
ReplyDelete"Near-quilting experience" (see #21) Ha! I love it! I have cut lots of quilts over the past few years, and it definitely does get easier with practice. I agree with putting pressure on the ruler and cutter (stand up and press down hard), using a wide, clear ruler (I like 6" by 12" best) and cutting strips, then cutting them into rectangles, and only pushing the cutter away from yourself, never back and forth. The only advice I would add is to cut 3 or 4 layers at a time, not just one. It actually is easier to cut more than one layer. Try folding the fabric from selvage to selvage, then fold again so it is 4 layers thick. Lay the ruler down so just the frayed edge is sticking out to the right of the ruler, line the bottom fold up with the lines on the ruler, and press down hard. Cut off the frayed edge. Then turn the fabric around so that the neatly cut end is to your left. Lay your ruler on it and slide the ruler over to make a strip the width you want. Line up the bottom fold with the lines on the ruler, press down hard, and cut with confidence! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHey! This post sounds sooo much like the problems I have with quilting. Who knew that cutting fabric could be so difficult? One thing I learned the hard way was that whole "stich in a ditch" thing is lot harder than it sounds - at least for me. Because my seams don't always line up exactly where they should, stiching in a ditch got really frustrating for me (and I was just making a baby doll quilt!!) I found that stiching on either side of the seam (using the walking foot as a guide) was a lot easier. The quilting might not end up perfectly straight but it is hardly noticeable once you wash it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks so much for your blog. I always feel like I'm reading a letter from a friend!
Definitely--a good rotary cutter, mat, & ruler are key. We live in a tiny house, our kitchen table was always covered with stuff, and somehow I got the idea to cut my fabric on the floor (on the mat) and I use one knee and hand on the ruler. It sounds awkward, but it really holds the ruler in place and once you get the hang of it, it works well. I'm so used to it that I don't think I could cut on a table now! Good luck! Love that MoMo fabric.
ReplyDeleteAlright - here's the info I promised:
ReplyDeleteThe cutter I use is a Fiskars Rotary Ruler. I can't actually seem to find it for sale anywhere, but maybe you could find it on Ebay or something. This is a link to a store that used to carry it, just so you have an idea of what I mean: http://www.quiltersreview.com/article.asp?article=/review/product/011105_a.asp
As for the binding tutorial, the one I like is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCKs-Fgvb4
Hope that helps!! Good luck :)
Guess what......I cut properly today! Cannot believe it! All your guy's comments from yesterday have almost cured me! I was cutting the wrong direction, the wrong technique and it was all just wrong, wrong, wrong. Today I cut the last yard almost all rectangular and it took me half the time! Thanks everyone!!!! Practice, practice, practice :)
ReplyDelete@Christina Thanks for all the info Christina - so sweet of you! I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteForgot to say that I love the comments to this post. So much great information and it does my heart good to see us all sharing and chatting with each other. It's my goal here to give you guys a way to connect & chat about these kinds of topics in a fun (non forum) environment - so thanks again!
ReplyDeletep.s. i was going to write you all back but I realized all my comments were gushes of thank you's for all the lovely comments so for this time I'm sending out one giant one to all you fabulous ladies!
I agree with another commenter above that for rectangles skip the template and just cut the correct size with your ruler. If you don't have the clear and yellow ruler that goes with the cutter and mat its a worthwhile investment. It will get better with practice.
ReplyDeleteI think the binding would look great in the aqua/turqoise in the fabric...maybe a cute little polkadot/pin dot.
For quilting on straightline stuff like this I like diagonal lines or a diamond pattern...it looks really nice if you do two lines closer together and then a gap
good luck, I am sure it will turn out great!
try to remind yourself too of all the things you can do with more skill...it looks like you are a pretty talented knitter judging by some of the things you have made...me, I am still just knitting washcloths...tee hee...
I always use this binding tutorial for the best results: http://sometimescrafter.blogspot.com/2009/08/binding-tutorial-three-part-series.html
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
This is my first time commenting, but I read your blog all the time! I was curious what people would recommend for cutting straight lines with a rotary cutter because I have many challenges with that as well. One thing that works for me is a "handle" for the ruler. I can't seem to keep even pressure on the ruler, so when I get to the end it slips. With a handle, it's sooo much easier. I have only cut through 2 layers of fabric. I have this one http://www.thegypsyquilter.com/thegypsygripper.htm. Helps me keep the ruler steady and I don't worry about accidentally cutting my fingers!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got it all figured out on the cutting end. If you find you're still having problems, head over to your local quilt shop, and I'm sure they'd be happy to give you a quick demonstration. : )
ReplyDeleteOh - for quilting... depends what you want. You could go with swirly, to soften the hard lines of the brick pattern, or, you could go with lines to emphasize it. If you want to go fancy, you could find a heart pantograph so that you're actually "quilting love" into the quilt!
(for those who don't know what a pantograph is... it is a quilting pattern that allows you to stitch one solid line across the quilt without stopping... the line is drawn in such a way to make a pattern... think of it like using an etch-a sketch... an unbroken line from one end to the other that creates a picture - stars, hearts, flowers... even more complex shapes.)
Alright, all this talk about cutting and quilting this pattern...I decided to make a quilt from the same pattern!! :) I took a few pics and put it on my blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://ohhthemadness.blogspot.com/2011/01/so-i-vanished-for-whilebut-i-made.html
I really like this pattern! I might whip up a few to keep on hand to give as baby shower gifts. Thanks for sharing it :)