I offer a variety of longarm services. The two most requested are an edge to edge design that goes across the entire quilt, without regard to the piecing, and the second is Quilter's Choice, allowing me to quilt your quilt as I feel would be perfect!
Read MoreThere is a variety of services and pricing to coordinate. Simple math will help you to come to an estimate before calling me. If you need help working it out, I will help you to choose so your quilt is within your price range and done to your satisfaction.
Read MorePreparation to having your quilt loaded and quilted on a longarm machine is very important for the best results. Please read through the information. Then after making sure it's ready, give me a call and ... let's get it quilted.
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Quilting
is history in the making. It connects the past with the
future. In 3400 B. C., a quilted garment was carved on an
ivory figure of a Pharaoh from the Egyptian First Dynasty.
Quilting continues to be a valuable way to provide
style and warmth. Quilting is the combination of three layers
joined together to prevent the inner layer from shifting.
Generally the inner layer is of a softer, fluffy material,
such as cotton. When used as garments, they add warmth and/or
added comfort. During the Middle Ages, Knights wore quilted
items under their armor. With experts studying quilted items
from the past, they are able to determine methods and materials from
these to help draw evidence of migration, customs, skills, and
environmental conditions. The fabrics used in a quilt has
varied throughout history, however, cotton remains a
favorite.
If
you're ready to jump into quilting, be warned, there is no turning
back. It is addictive because, through a quilt, the
challenges of choosing a design, putting it together, and having an
awesome product in the end is rewarding. You'll want to do
another, and another, and keep going. Personally, quilts have
provided me an outlet for me to share a gift of love.
Realistically I am aware that few will survive a hundred
years, but if anyone enjoys it along the way or is able to enjoy the
warmth it brings, I am content!
The higher the quality the fabric, the better your end result will be. Thread count does make a difference. If you are sewing by machine and the item will be quilted by machine, the threads per inch will likely be higher. If doing all hand sewing and quilting, it is generally easier to do if the thread count is less. Thread count in the 60 x 60 range should be adaptable for either. Go to your favorite quilt shop and talk to them about what you want to make and invite them to help you with some fabric choices. Feel it, read the fabric content and care instructions. You want to have a finished item that you are going to love.
Prewashing or Not
The best reason to prewash is to remove the excess dyes which will cause bleeding into any other fabrics in the quilt. Or do a bleed test and save yourself the time.
Prewashing also removes additives, sizing, starches, and other chemicals used to make the cloth. After washing, starching the cloth with your starch can bring back some stiffness to make the cloth easier to handle.
Prewashing will preshrink your fabric, so there are no surprises in the finished item.
If you do not want to prewash, perform a bleed test and check the cloth for shrinkage.
Measure a square of fabric and write down the measurements. Wash in a small amount of laundry soap and the temperature of water you'll use with the finished item. Submerge in the soapy solution for 30 minutes. Check the water for extra dye. Take the scrap and wrap it in a clean paper towel to dry. When dry, measure again and compare your prewashing measurement the last measurement to check for shrinkage.
If there is still no bleeding, why prewash! ?
However, if there is dye in the prewash or the paper towel blotting and dry, wash the fabric until you have clear water.
My suggestion: Don't wash unless you really feel you have to.
Fabrics come from countries around the world. But not America - USA, that is. Production of woven cotton has ended. Will someone please start making woven cotton fabrics that quilt makers use in the United States again!
Jean denim can still be found in the USA. For quilting fabrics, I recommend fabrics from http://www.ConnectingThreads.com. They are providing fabrics that contain USA cotton. The processes are unfortunately not entirely done in the USA.
A quilt is a treasure which follows its owner everywhere.
Friends are threads of gold in the quilt of life.
What I make with my hands, I give of my heart.
Quilters touch the past and the future.
May your sorrows be patched and your joys quilted.
I'm creative. You can't expect me to be neat too! I'm not messy. I'm creative!
Quilting is my passion...chocolate comes in a close second.
Okay, that's the basics. Now, think of something fun to make. Lap robes and wall-hangings are great starting projects.
| Quilts based on 12 inch by 12" square | Width | Length | # of 12" Squares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Baby Quilt | 24 | 24 | 4= 2 across, 2 down |
| Lap robe | 36 | 48 | 12= 3 across, 4 down |
| Twin bed | 72 | 84 | 56= 7 across, 8 down |
| Queen Bed | 96 | 108 | 72= 8 across, 9 down |
The measurements above are not absolute. You will likely add more here or there, for extra sashing, borders, bigger or smaller squares. As quilting goes, you're the creator and have the artistic license to make any size you want!