• Blog
  • About
  • EQ Training
    • Tech Know Quilters Electric Quilt 8 Membership Training
    • Shoot for the Stars with EQ8
    • Electric Quilt 8 Sneak Peek
    • Scheduling a Workshop or Lecture
  • Store
  • Card Making
  • Contact
  • Free Stuff
    • Other Video Tutorials
Picture

Creating Flat Quilt Blocks

10/27/2013

 
Exciting news.  I've just finished my first You Tube video.  It is on a technique I frequently use in pressing my quilt blocks.  I call it either a split seam or twisted seam concept.
I used this technique in my latest pattern - Tad Ted and Theodore Bowties.
Intelliquilter Machine Quilting
Tad, Ted and Theodore Bowties
There are three different size blocks (2", 4" or 6").  The finished projects have exactly the same layout -- but the size of the block determines the finished size.  The 2" Tad bowties produces a miniature quilt (22" x 29").  The 4" Ted bowties produces a 44" x 58" quilt -- perfect for a baby quilt.  The 6" Theodore bowties result in a 67" x 87" quilt which would be a great lap quilt.

My version was the miniature.  I did some basic quilting on this one -- stitch in the ditch around the bowties and arcs in the sashing.   Even though it is a small quilt -- I still quilted this on my APQS Millennium with Intelliquilter. 
 
Happy quilting.

Kari

Free Pattern Offer

10/18/2013

 
You may have noticed that I now have a sign-up form on my website.  This will allow you to receive e-mails from me which includes updates for my latest blog posts.

I would love to get as many of you signed up as possible.  To provide an added incentive for you to sign-up I would like to offer you a copy of a new pattern I just released entitled Maple Leaf Fun.

I designed this quilt to hang on my Mom's door to celebrate fall.  It measures 16" x 22" and would also work well as a small table runner.

Fall is my favorite time of the year.  So I had to make two versions of this quilt.  One in batiks and one in Civil War reproduction prints.
Quilted by On Point Quilter
Maple Leaf Fun in Batiks
Quilted by On Point Quilter
Maple Leaf Fun in Reproduction Prints
This project was actually a variation of a quilt we did for our Pastor and his wife to celebrate their retirement.  For that quilt we added a 9" maple leaf block.  We asked each person participating in the project to bring fat quarters of fabric.  We had lots of new quilters participate in making the quilt and they did a fabulous job.  We even had a number of younger kids that served as "runners" to keep the blocks moving between the teams. 
Quilted by On Point Quilter
Bruce and Julie Retirement Quilt
I hope you enjoy the free project.

Happy quilting.

Kari

Reflections on Quilts at the AQS Show

10/11/2013

 
Last Saturday I was able to make it to Des Moines to see the AQS Show along with the show for the Des Moines quilt guild.  I really like how they combine the two events together.

The ACQ show allowed me to see what is cutting edge in our industry.  It is what the masters are doing and probably the things we will be working on in the next few years.  I definitely enjoyed the quilting on many of these quilts.  It was interesting to see that crystals appear to be waning in popularity.

The Des Moines quilt guild show provides a better perspective on the types of quilts most of us are working on including the favorite types of patterns that are out there and what is making it on our beds.

One of my favorite features from the Des Moines Guild show was an exhibit on Family Legacy Quilts.  It appears the quilting gene can be passed from generation to generation.  The following quilt was from that exhibit.  If I read my notes correctly the artist is Ellen Kelly Smith.  The diagonal lines is a very typical quilting style from the late 1800s.
 
Picture
PictureThe Puzzler by Marilyn Martinez
This quilt appears to be made from an exchange.  There were 11 participents from the Loose Threads Quilt Group.  You can see how the artist combined the nine simple blocks into a larger block.  I just loved the color in this one.

What a great way to put simple blocks together.

PictureDorita Frederick
In addition to the scrappy nature of this quilt, I loved that the number of different blocks in this quilt -- all with just squares and rectangles.  No half square triangles.  :)

PictureMoonlit Barn by Janet Bergeron
This is actually a miniature quilt.  I just like barn quilts and love how she did the wood in this quilt.

PictureFamily Tree by Karen Thompson
A wonderful rendition of a traditional quilt pattern.  I love her use of color along with the feather quilting in the background.

There were a couple of exhibits that I found particularly fascinating on the AQS side of the show. 

The first was a group of miniature quilts.  Photos weren't allowed during this visit; however there was an ASQ book that I was able to purchase that not only had the photos but some additional information on the quilts and their artists.  One of my favorite parts of looking at miniature quilts is thinking through how I would make the quilt myself.

The second exhibit I loved was that of modern quilts.  Many of these were very simple in terms of piecing.  In these quilts you can see how the machine quilting really appears to move the quilt to award quality.
PictureIceterine Strata by Doris Lovadina-Lee
Iceterine Strata

Doris Lovadina-Lee
Toronto, Ontanrio, Canada

This reminded me of playing Free Fall on my Iphone.

PictureMoon Shadow by Diana Roberts
Moon Shadow
Diana Roberts
Windsor CA

PictureMoons Over Bars by Susan Garrity
Moons Over Bars
Susan Garrity
Wilson, WY

I thought the quilting on this one was phenomenal.  Straight lines super-imposed with pebbled circles. 

Picture
I can't read the label on this quilt.  My apologies to the artist.

I loved the use of plaid in these circles along with the pops of color.

I hope you enjoyed a few of my favorite quilts from these shows.

Happy quilting.

Selecting a Sewing Machine

10/6/2013

 
I just came back from AQS Des Moines.  In addition to looking at a lot of amazing quilts, one of the goals from my trip was investigating a new sewing machine.

I'm on numerous Yahoo lists and fairly frequently I see posts that essentially say "I'm looking for a new machine.  Which brand do you recommend?"  This usually is followed by responses that often follow along the lines of "I love my Bernina." or "I love my Pfaff." etc.   What I have learned from this is that most of the time we really do like our machines -- or at least we learn to like our machines regardless of brand.

What I have found more useful (at least for myself) is putting together a list of "must have features" for the machine that I will purchase.  These are a combination of things that (1) I love about my current machine and couldn't live without, (2) I would fix about my current machine if I could meet with the powers that be that make sewing machines, and (3) I hated about my last machine that caused me to replace it.

Kari's list of must have for a new sewing machine

  • Presser foot knee lifter.
  • Needle up/down option.
  • Automatic thread cutter (that buries the threads and the beginning and end of a seam)
  • High quality straight stitch.  No wobbles.  Great tension without fussing.
  • Speed.  (I LOVE to sew fast.)
  • Works well with a quarter inch foot. 
  • Blind hem stitch with a variable length and width selector that will go under "1.0".  (Essential for my preferred method of machine applique.)
  • Portable (for classes and retreats) but with enough weight that it won't be bouncing around when I'm trying to sew.
  • Something that will not eat the tiny dog-ears on my half square triangles when I feed them through my machine
A few years ago, I had decided I was ready for a new machine and was very enamored with some of the new "features" detailed in the brochure of a leading sewing machine company.  I spent almost two years trying to "love" my new machine.  While it had many nifty new features, I found thread cutter would frequently cause the machine to unthread from the needle, the automatic threader only worked after a number of tries, and the most frustrating was the quality of the stitches and the fabric that would get caught under the presser plate at the beginning of sewing lines.  My personal conclusion was that the last was partially do to feed dogs that were far apart to accommodate the fancy stitches on the machine did not allow for matching the bottom of the quarter inch foot with the feed dogs.  I eventually decided to sell the machine and had somewhat resigned myself to purchasing older used machines without all the fancy features after learning that all new machines had the wider feed dog system.
So you are probably asking "what did I end up purchasing"?
Juki HZL-F600
Juki HZL-F600
I spent a fair amount of time in the booth testing the machine and matching it against my requirements.  The blind hem stitch didn't do exactly what I wanted, but learned that there was a variable blanket stitch that will actually work better than what I requested.  All the other must have requirements appear to have been met.  The biggest "risk" from my perspective was giving up my oscillating bobbin and moving from metal bobbins to plastic.  The booth personnel were very helpful during the whole evaluation. 

I'm now looking forward to trying out my machine at home.
I am curious.  What different "must haves" are on your list for a sewing machine?  Post a reply if you would like to share this with others.

Happy quilting.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Free guide available for newsletter subscribers
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Kari Schell

    Electric Quilt Expert and Educator and Pattern Designer.

    Categories

    All
    Art And Stitch
    Cricut Maker
    Dear Jane
    Electric Quilt 7
    Electric Quilt 8
    Goose Goose Duck Challenge
    Inkscape
    Longarm Quilting
    Patterns
    Silhouette Cameo
    Stampin Up
    Summer Games
    Tips And Techniques
    Tools And Rulers

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    RSS Feed

Contact:
On Point Quilter
e-mail:  onpointquilter@comcast.net
phone:  763-566-6536

GET MY NEWSLETTER FOR REGULAR EQ AWESOMENESS!

* indicates required
  • Blog
  • About
  • EQ Training
    • Tech Know Quilters Electric Quilt 8 Membership Training
    • Shoot for the Stars with EQ8
    • Electric Quilt 8 Sneak Peek
    • Scheduling a Workshop or Lecture
  • Store
  • Card Making
  • Contact
  • Free Stuff
    • Other Video Tutorials