Month: June 2024

In this blog – and maybe the next one, too – I’d like to discuss applique patterns, effective fabric pulls, and layout boards.  I love applique.  I love the look of applique quilts and the process of making them.  I’m equally enamored with both machine and hand applique.  To me, applique is more forgiving than piecing and allows for greater interpretation of a design. 

First, let’s look at what makes a good applique pattern.  I realize opinions may differ, but I think the list below is a pretty solid place to start. 

1.  The design elements are clear.  This means the lines which define the flowers or birds or whatever it is you want to applique are clear and dark-ish.  If parts of the pattern overlap (such as a leaf over a stem), both the leaf and the stem can be clearly seen.  This is important because you want to see what parts of a design you can eliminate in order to reduce bulk.  The design also should be dark enough you can see it through fabric or fusible webbing when it’s on a light box.  If it’s not, you can use a fine or extra-fine tipped Sharpie to carefully trace over the design to enable you to see it better. 

• It’s marked and numbered for layout.  I’ll be honest, I’ve appliqued for almost forty years and this one is kind of hit and miss, depending on the designer.  Yes, a pattern doesn’t have to have to have either, but it does make your life easier, especially if your new to the process.  It’s helpful to have the center of the pattern marked, or at least have the measurements so you can find the center. 

It’s also extremely advantageous to have the pattern numbered – have numbers on the pattern elements so you know in what order to sew the pieces to the background.  Simple patterns, such as Sunbonnet Sue, may number the entire pattern. 

More complicated patterns may number in “clusters.” For instance, if you have roses, tulips, and daisies in a pattern, the designer may number the rose pattern pieces separate from the tulips and daises. 

•  It gives a difficulty level.  Honestly, this is something I wish all patterns did – tell us if it’s a beginner, intermediate, or advanced.  It’s really super helpful to know.  While a quilter with several years of experience behind them can easily tackle a beginner or intermediate pattern, a beginner appliquer may have some problems with any advanced levels.  However, if the pattern isn’t labeled, how do any of us know what proficiency levels are needed?  I can give you a rule of thumb – if you find a pattern you like, see if you can look at the layout sheet or zoom in closely on the picture of the pattern.  If there are a lot of pieces and a good deal of them are seriously small, chances are it’s an advanced pattern. 

•  The pattern states if the pieces are reversed or not.  Needle turn, back basting, traditional freezer paper, Apliquick, and machine applique using fusible web all need the pattern pieces reversed (mirror imaged).  If you’re employing the freezer paper on top method, the images don’t need to be reversed. 

Now let’s think about something a little different concerning applique patterns.  Let’s say the occasion has arisen where you can’t find an applique pattern you like for a quilt.  Or perhaps you’ve made a quilt and would like to use some applique in the borders or in some of the larger, pieced blocks to help pull the quilt together.  But the pattern didn’t come with applique options.  What do you do?

You can make your own applique pattern.  It’s no harder than designing a pieced block.  In past blogs I’ve talked about creating your own pieced block.  All you need is some graph paper or a quilting design software program and some simple math.  Designing an applique block doesn’t exactly require a lot of math, but you do need an eye for spacing and proportion.  And there are a few things to keep in mind.

•  Don’t crowd your design.  Allow some background fabric to show through.  You want it to breathe. And remember to keep the applique pieces at least 1/4-inch away from the edge of the block so it won’t get caught in the seam allowance.

•  It’s a lot easier to design an applique pattern if it’s symmetrical.   This means you could draw a line down the center of your pattern and the sides mirror each other. While certainly not all applique patterns are symmetrical, this is an easier design than an asymmetrical one.  You simply come up with half the design, then flip it to form the other half.

•  Can’t draw?  No worries.  While I do think working with applique does help you to draw better, if you have serious doubts about your artistic ability, don’t sweat it.  Google has some great black and white line drawings as well as coloring pages for the kiddos.  If you need something simple, coloring books or pages are a great place to start.  They have simple designs, few pieces, and the pieces tend to lean towards the large-ish end of the spectrum, making them easier to manipulate under a needle.  If you have Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8), it has lots of applique pieces to choose from. 

As long as you’re making the quilt for yourself or giving it away or there are no plans to raffle it off or sell it, you’re good to go using coloring book pages.  Otherwise, be sure to check the copyright on the coloring book or Google image. 

•  You may find a card, picture, or illustration you would like to reproduce in applique.  This can happen, especially if you have young kiddos in your life who gift you with awesome works of art that deserve so much more than just a place on your refrigerator.  My brother gifted me with a super nice Mother’s Day card this year.  It was an e-card, which meant I could enlarge the beautiful picture before I sent it to the printer. 

There are several ways to go about transferring an image into an applique pattern.  There’s software and phone apps and lots of other tools.  I want to give you the simple, low-tech, low-cost version.  If you find you enjoy this and want to up your game to more complicated pictures, you may want to think about some software programs, especially if you want to applique portraits of pets or people.

I make a few copies of whatever it is I want to applique (just in case I really mess up and need a fresh copy). 

Then, with a pencil I outline the basic shapes.  I don’t outline tiny details (such as flower stamins or veins in the leaves or petals), as they can be added with embroidery, ink, or paint.  I do this by pencil first, so if I change my mind about something, I can erase it. 

After I’m happy with my decisions, I trace over the pencil marks with a fine-tipped Sharpie.  Then I place another sheet of white paper on top of the copy and trace the Sharpie lines.  A light box comes in handy with this step.

After this step is complete, I take the Sharpie copy and put it on the light box.  Then I trace each individual piece of applique.  I can cut this copy apart and use it as templates or leave it as is and trace the pieces from the front (if no mirror image is needed) or from the back (if mirrored images are needed) onto freezer paper or Appliquik interfacing. 

•  If you find yourself using lots of “spontaneous” applique, you may want to develop some “stock” applique pieces.  Applique is a great way to pull your quilt together and up your borders game.  Leftover fabric can be used for flowers, fruit – almost anything – and these pieces can be appliqued on a border along with a vine and some leaves or as individual pieces.  If you find yourself trending towards this design decision, you may want to zero in on some favorite images and keep those set aside as templates.  If you find yourself using the same applique motifs a lot, you may want to make the templates out of Mylar or something equally as long lasting, so you won’t have to redraw them every time you want to use them.

How to Effectively Choose Fabric for Your Applique Design

I’ll be the first to admit there are literally libraries of books about color theory.  Seriously.  There are even entire semester-long classes based on color theory.  There are YouTube videos and lectures and well, you name it, Color Theory probably has it.  With all this information, you may be thinking, “Is choosing the right colors for my applique design really that difficult?”

No.  Not at all.  As a matter of fact, set aside any fears you may have and go take a look out the window.  Do you think Mother Nature had any qualms at all when she mixed shades of green, brown, purple, blue, yellow, and black together and threw it in the great outdoors? 

No, she did not.  She riotously picked whatever appealed to her, used it, and then gave us the sense to love it.  That’s why none of us squint when we see a yellow and black bumblebee buzzing a red rose next to a brown fence.  It all works together. 

Applique quilts have the freedom to work a bit differently than pieced quilts.  With pieced quilts there is a need to have a neutral, lights, at least one dark, a focus fabric, and some mediums to balance the quilt.  Applique is less restricted. A background fabric is necessary, and it is good to have a dark involved somewhere.  But other than those two, the applique fabric can run the gamut.  It can carry all the colors of a flower garden or limit itself to the yellow and white of a Gerber daisy.  And you don’t necessarily have to limit yourself to quilting cottons.  I’ve used gold lame’ for angel haloes and tulle/netting for fairy wings.  Specialty fabrics have to be handled a bit differently than cotton fabric, but their effect really adds some zing to a quilt. 

With all this in mind, where do you start?  If you’re new to applique, I suggest a pre-cut bundle of fabric in colors you like.  A fat-quarter bundle is a good place to begin.  Find a bundle you like and then open it up.  You may decide to add additional fabric to use with the fat quarters.  This can come from your stash or the location where you purchased the fat-quarter bundle.  A pre-cut bundle is usually part of a fabric “family” and you can find additional “fabric family members” which will work with the bundle either on line or in your local quilt store. 

Batiks are also good starting places.  The colors undulate across the batiks, which will give your applique pieces depth.  This is especially good for leaves and stems, as they’re not the same shade of green throughout.  Batiks are usually always my “go-to” fabrics for machine raw-edge applique because they have a firm weave and don’t fray easily.  They can also be used for hand applique, but I wash them in hot water first.  This process removes some of the finishes which make them difficult to needle. 

Ombres are awesome fabrics to use, too.  The colors can vary across the 45-inch width of fabric, giving you lots of variety for flower petals, fruit, vines, leaves, boats, and feathers. 

If your stash or fabric favorites tend to lean towards print fabric, don’t worry.  Applique quilts such as this:

Were made from small, printed calicoes.

And while solid fabrics aren’t my personal choice for applique, don’t rule them out.  Marie Webster rocked the applique world with pastel solids.

In short, the sky is the limit as far as applique fabric goes. Don’t worry about color theory.  Honestly, in my humble opinion, a great deal of color theory comes naturally to us.   However, do keep the following in mind as you pick your fabric.

•  If you’re mixing applique with a pieced quilt, such as this one:

You may want to pick your applique colors from the focus fabric.  It will make your quilt looked “pulled together.” Additional hint — piece the blocks prior to adding the applique. It’s just easier to center it.

•  Loosely woven fabrics can be used, but they can be a pain in the neck.  Generally stretchy or easy-to-fray fabrics need to be treated with an iron-on stabilizer.  If you’re hand appliqueing, cut the stabilizer pieces about ¼-inch (or less) smaller than the applique piece and press it on to the wrong side of the fabric, then stitch as normal.  If the stabilizer is super light, such as Pellon Soft and Stay, you may be able to cut the stabilizer piece the same size as the applique and still turn the edges under with relative ease.  For raw-edge machine applique, you can stabilize the entire piece. 

•  If using batiks and you know the quilt will be washed, make sure the batiks won’t run.  For more information on that, go here: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2017/09/01/to-prewash-or-not-to-prewash-thats-the-question/

Overall, be fearless in your color selection.  Once you’ve chosen your fabrics, you may want to leave them out for a day or so and then return to them.  If you’re still happy with your choices, dive in and start appliqueing.

Once I’ve chosen my fabrics, I have to remind myself of a cold, hard fact:  I am now in my sixties.  I have very clear intentions of remembering what color goes to each applique piece.  I honestly think I can recall every detail, but in reality, I can (and probably will) forget, especially if I must set aside my project for a while.  This is why I make a color chart like this:

I cut a swatch of fabric out, glue it to a piece of paper or cardboard (if I have a lot of swatches, a file folder is perfect), and give it a number.  Then I add the placement of the fabric beneath the swatch (leaves, red rose, etc.).  Once this is complete, I take the applique pattern layout sheet and add the fabric number to each applique piece.  If the pattern is numbered for placement, I make sure to use a different colored pen or pencil for the fabric numbers, so I don’t get the two confused. 

I know not every quilter likes applique although I don’t understand why but I do hope this blog gives you a few ideas to at least try it.  And if you do enjoy applique, I hope this helps you branch out and try your own patterns. 

Until next week, From My Studio to Yours,

Sherri and Felix

This week I’d like to continue our discussion about quilt settings.  The next setting we’ll pick up is the Medallion Setting.

Medallion Quilt Setting

A Medallion Quilt features a central motif surrounded by at least one border. They can feature pieced work, applique, a combination, or even be whole cloth quilts with the central motif and border achieved through quilted patterns.  This type of quilt was popular in Europe before it hitched a ride to American in the early 1800s and became just as popular here.  Broderie Perse quilts often used a medallion layout to highlight the best parts of the chintz fabric as well as conserve the scraps for additional quilts.  The imported chintz was expensive, and quilters sought to use every scrap of the fabric.  A medallion layout was a great choice because it did that very thing. 

The use of a Medallion Quit is also a great way to feature part of a quilt you want to make without committing to the entire pattern.  For instance, if you find a great applique quilt pattern but you’re not sure you want to make all the blocks, find one block which especially speaks to you and feature it as the center of the medallion.  Let’s say you think you want to make a Baltimore Album Quilt, which is a serious quilting commitment.  You must really like applique and have the ability to somewhat stay on a schedule so you can complete it.  The blocks contain lots of detailed applique (many, many small pieces) and numerous Baltimore Album patterns also have embroidery, inking, and silk ribbon work.  You would really like to try it, but may be cautious about the investment of both time and money.

A Medallion Quilt would be a great way to “test drive” a Baltimore without a great deal of either investment.  Choose a block you like (make sure it’s fairly representative of the kind in your Baltimore pattern).  You may need to enlarge it, so it won’t get lost in the center of the quilt.  Generally, I always make sure the finished center of my Medallion Quilt is divisible by two, three, four, or five (we’ll talk about why in a bit).  After it’s completed, add borders around it.  Since the first borders will need to be smaller so as not to overwhelm the center, this will be easier to do if the center length and width is divisible by two or three.  This border can be pieced or a solid strip of fabric.  Keep adding borders around the center medallion until it’s the size you want. You may even decide to add a few more Baltimore Album blocks to the medallion in the borders. 

Medallion Quilts are a great way to feature those blocks you’ve made in a quilt class that you don’t know quite what to do with. It also comes in handy for those odd quilt panels you’ve picked up here and there because you thought they were cute, but you didn’t know how to set them. 

But what happens if your center isn’t divisible by two, three, four, or five?  Don’t sweat it.  Simply add a strip of fabric around it to bring it to the desired size.  For instance, let’s say your center finishes at 13.   Thirteen is a prime number and only divisible by itself and one.  However, if the center block was 14-inches, it would be divisible by two.  Simply add a narrow 1-inch finished strip of fabric to the 13-inch center block to make it 14-inches square.  This would make the sides of the medallion divisible by two. These narrow strips of fabric used to bring a quilt square to the size needed are called floaters.  The same process can be followed even if your center medallion is a rectangle.  Let’s say the center is 13-inches x 11-inches.  Both 13 and 11 are prime.  However, if we add a one-inch floater to both the length sides and width sides, it will bring the rectangle to 14-inches x 12-inches.  Both of these are divisible by two and it would be easy to add a border of pieced 2-inch squares to the rectangle center. If you reference the picture of my Halo Medallion quilt (pictured above), you’ll notice I made use of several floaters.

On-Point Quilt Setting

It’s no secret this is my very favorite quilt setting.  I think this setting adds grace and movement to a quilt, as well as has the ability to showcase some stellar piecing and quilting.  This setting simply means that instead of setting your blocks in horizontal or vertical rows, you turn the blocks sideways, so they look like this:

This type of setting has some wonderful advantages.  First, yes it can showcase some gorgeous pieced or applique blocks.  Second, if you have a limited number of blocks, the on-point setting can help you make the quilt a bit bigger.  Third, if you have a wonderful fabric you want to show off, this is a great setting to use.  Fourth, if you use setting squares in the layout, you can really display your quilting talents. Fifth, this reason is personal – I think on-point layouts are just prettier than the others.  The disadvantages?  Well, there’s the issue of bias – you’ll have to deal with it more in this setting.  It does take a bit more fabric, so you’ll need to decide early on if this is how you want to alter the pattern.  And there are quite a few other decisions you need to make early on, too – sashing or no sashing, setting squares or no setting squares. 

Finally there is the matter of math.  If you are altering a horizontal or vertical set quilt pattern to an on-point one, there’s some mathing involved.  However, it’s not difficult math and if you can remember the Quilter’s Cake, well…then you’re good to go (and if you don’t, we’ll review).

The very first decision to make concerns the blocks.  Make sure they will look okay if they are rotated and put on point.  Blocks such as these:

 Are fine.  Yes, they look a little different when they’re put on point rather than a straight line setting, but this “off-kilteredness” gives the block an entirely different vibe.  However,  blocks such as these:

When there is a distinct bottom and top will need to be re-drawn in order to be correctly oriented in an on-point setting. 

If you’re happy with the blocks on point, now decisions will need to be made concerning the layout.  You can certainly sew the blocks together without sashing or setting blocks:

You will need four corner triangles and some side-setting triangles.  For this particular quilt, we’ll need 12 side setting triangles.  Making these triangles is not difficult.  First, let’s review what Quilter’s Cake is – it’s simply the formula 1.414.  Hold that formula in mind, because it’s used a lot in converting a straight set quilt into one that’s on point. First let’s work with the four corner triangles before moving onto the side-setting triangles.

For the Four Corner Triangles:

Step One – Take the size of the finished squares you wish to set on point.  For the sake of this quilt, let’s say our finished blocks are 10-inches finished. 

Step Two – Divide the size of the finished square by 1.414.  In our case 10-inches divided by 1.414 = 7.0721358

Step Three – Take that answer and multiply it by 2.   So 7.0721358 x 2 = 14.1442716, which we will round to 14 ¼-inches.

Step Four – Add 7/8-inch to 14 ¼-inch – 7/8 + 14 ¼ = 15 1/8-inches. 

So for the four corner triangles, cut two squares, each 15 1/8-inches and cut them both once across the diagonal so you have four triangles.  The long side of these triangles are cut on the bias, so be careful not to stretch them.    It would be a good idea to carefully press some starch into them and set them aside until you’re ready to sew them on.

For the Side-Setting Triangles (Also Called Quarter-Square Triangles)

Step One – Take the size of the finished square and multiply it by 1.414.  Staying with our 10-inch blocks, this is how we would begin calculating the setting triangles. 10-inches x 1.414 = 14.14

Step Two – Add 1 ¼-inches for seams.  14.14 + 1 ¼-inches = 15.38, which we can round to 15.  However, I may give it a little extra “skootch” room and cut my square at 15 ¼-inches.  You can always trim the triangles a bit after they’ve been sewn into the quilt center.

Unlike the corner square triangles, you’ll cut the 15 ¼-inch squares twice across the diagonal, so we have four triangles per block.  Since we need 12 side-setting triangles, and we get four per each 15 ¼-inch square, we need to cut three 15 ¼-inch squares.

With these triangles, the bias is on the two short sides of the triangles.  Those need to be treated carefully so the bias doesn’t stretch.  Press starch into the triangles and set aside until needed.

You can also add setting blocks to the on-point quilt. 

If you have a great focus fabric, this is a wonderful way to incorporate it with an on-point setting.  With this case, the method of calculating the corner triangles and setting triangles remain the same. 

Sashing and cornerstones can also be used in an on-point setting:

The math isn’t any more difficult than it was before. 

For the Side-Setting Triangles

Step One — Add the width of the finished sashing to the finished block.  In this case, we will keep our finished block size 10-inches and add 2-inch sashing.  10-inches + 2-inches = 12-inches

Step Two – Multiply 12-inches by 1.414 = 16.968, which we will round up to 17-inches

Step Three – Add the 1 ¼-inch seam allowance:  17-inches to 1 ¼-inches = 18 ¼-inches.

You will need three 18 ¼-inch squares for this quilt, then cut the squares on the diagonal twice. 

For the Four Corner Triangles

Step One – Add the width of the finished sashing to the size of the finished block.  Again, we’ll keep working with our 10-inch finished block and our 2-inch finished sashing.  10-inches + 2-inches = 12-inches.

Step Two – Divide the new width by 1.414.  12-inches/1.414 = 8.486, which we will round up to 8 ½-inches.

Step Three – Add ¾-inch for the seam allowance. 8 ½-inches + ¾-inches = 9 ¼-inches.

Cut two 9 ¼-inch squares and then cut them once across the diagonal.

At this point, I know what some of you are thinking:  That’s a lot of math.  It is quite a bit of math, but it’s not that difficult and at least you don’t have to memorize formulas like you did in high school.  You can keep them written down in a notebook or stored in the note section of your phone.  But what if you’re really digging the on-point look but don’t want to go through all the trouble of setting the quilt that way?  There is an alternative.  While it doesn’t look exactly like an on-point quilt, it can showcase your blocks and you don’t have to work with as much bias as you do with the traditional on-point setting.  It all has to deal with this block:

This is called a square-in-a-square or the economy block.  The block you want to put on point is placed in the middle and is surrounded by four triangles, which allows you to set the block in horizontal rows or vertical columns. 

There is a bit of math involved with this.  Take the size of the square in the middle and divide it by 2.  Let’s continue to stick with our 10-inch square. 

10/2 = 5

Now add a ½-inch for seam allowances – 5 + ½ = 5 ½-inches. 

This time we will use the stitch-and-flip method for attaching the side triangles.  This means you will need to cut four  5 ½-inch squares for your 10-inch center square. 

On the wrong side of the fabric of the four 5 ½-inch squares, draw a diagonal line from one corner to another. 

This is a bit like making flying geese, so hang in there.  Position one of the 5 ½-inch squares in the top left-hand corner, with the right sides of the fabric together.   Sew along the diagonal line you drew on the square.

Then repeat this process in the bottom right corner.

Press the squares outward to form triangles and trim the fabric beneath away.

Repeat the same process for the top right corner and then the bottom left corner.

Of course this doesn’t look exactly like an on-point quilt, but it’s close.  There’s less bias to deal with and sashing/sashing with cornerstones can always be added if desired. And this setting will add width and length to the quilt top, so be sure to adjust the border measurements accordingly.

I hope these two blogs on quilt settings will open up your imagination and creativity.  There are no hard and fast rules in quilting.  You can alter a pattern nearly any way to suit you.  Often this does mean planning ahead, especially before you purchase fabric or cut anything out.  So the next time you start a new quilt project, pause before you begin to pull fabric from your stash or purchase it online or from your LQS.  Think about the layout and if you want to make your quilt that way or change the layout.  It really is all up to you and what you like.

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

There are no rules in quilting.

None.

Nada.

Nope.

And there are no quilt police.

The closest we get to any absolute in quilting is the ¼-inch seam.  Most of the time that suggestion applies, but not always which is why you should always make a test block.  Pattern directions are good to follow, and you should definitely read them through a couple of times before beginning your project, but always  remember they are merely suggestions.  No one will show up at your door and arrest you if at some point you choose to toss them.  Nothing bad will happen if you opt to swap out blocks or borders for something better.

And nothing – absolutely nothing – will go majorly wrong if you decide to set your quilt differently than the pattern suggests.  This is what I want to discuss in this blog (and maybe the next):  Quilt settings.

A quilt setting is defined as simply the way you assemble your quilt. 

Horizontal rows, vertical columns, medallion, on-point, and it-looks-as-if-it’s-on-point-but-its-not are the most common quilt settings. In this blog, we’ll discuss each setting, how to use them, how effective each is, as well as the pros and cons to using them.  These are all things to consider before you actually start construction.  And the decision usually must be considered even before you purchase fabric or pull it from your stash, as some settings take more fabric than the requirements listed on the pattern.  We’ll begin with the most basic of settings, the horizontal set quilt. 

Horizontal Quilt Settings

This is also known as straight line quilt setting.  Horizontal quilt settings are one of the first type of quilt settings taught.  These are easy and quilt blocks can be rotated, sashed, or alternate blocks added without a great deal of math.  However, don’t let the ease fool you.  When used creatively, horizontal quilt settings can pack a punch, enhance the beauty of a quilt, and take a basic idea and completely turn it into a “Cinderella” quilt.  A basic, horizontally set quilt, with no sashing, cornerstones, or alternative blocks looks something like this: 

This is a great quilt.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with it and if I were teaching a group of true beginner quilters who had no experience with sewing or quilt math, this would be the setting I would lean towards.  I still use this setting a great deal with cuddle quilts and table toppers.  These quilts don’t need to be super big and are generally used up.  With great quilt blocks and great fabric, a basic horizontal set renders a beautiful quilt. 

But…there comes a time when basic can become boring.  You may want to spice the quilt top up a bit.  Sashing is one way to do this.  As a matter of fact, if you’re a true beginner quilter, you may want sashing to be the next step in your quilting journey.  Sashing is defined as strips of fabric surrounding the quilt block – on the vertical and horizontal.  Typically, I like to add my sashing to my blocks as I make them because it helps me make sure my blocks are all the correct size.  For instance, if I am making a quilt which has 12 ½-inch blocks, I’ll cut my 12 ½-inch sashing strips out with the rest of my quilt.  After I finish a 12 ½-inch block, I sew a 12 ½-inch strip of sashing to the right side of my block.  If the block and sashing strip don’t match in size, I can stop then and see if the block is too big or small or if I cut my sashing strip incorrectly.  After I complete another block, I sew this to the sashing of the first block and add a strip of sashing to the right side of the second block.  I continue this way until I’ve added all the blocks in one row, but I do not add a sashing strip to the right side of the last block.  If I want the appearance of vertical sashing on the left side of the first block in a row and the right side of the last block in a row, I can add a border around the sides, top, and bottom of the quilt center (see quilt below).

The horizontal sashing is handled a bit differently, depending on the look you want.  If the horizontal sashing is made from all the same fabric, cut  a strip of fabric the length of the row, and sew it on to the bottom of the row (before starting the horizontal sashing, measure all the rows to make sure they’re the same size).  Do this to all the rows except the last row.  The top and bottom horizontal sashing will be taken care of by the first border.

And by the way, if you don’t want to add that first border, you don’t have to.  Your quilt will look just fine without it. 

Once you conquer basic sashing, you may want to try cornerstones in your sashing.  Cornerstones are squares of fabric positioned at the top and bottom of vertical sashing. 

The basic construction remains the same, except with your horizontal sashing.  This time instead of the horizontal sashing remaining one continual strip of fabric, it will be pieced.  One strip of the horizontal sashing will be the width of the block but then a square of fabric will be joined which is the width of the sashing.  Once you’ve assembled a row of horizontal sashing the length of the row of blocks, you sew it own, matching the seams so the cornerstones line up with the vertical sashing. 

This small cornerstone has infinite possibilities.  It can be a square of contrasting fabric.

It can be made from the leftover scraps of the remaining fabric (which is a great way to harmonize a quilt and use up scraps).

It can be simply pieced.

Or it can be intricately pieced. 

Let me also add your vertical and horizontal sashing can be pieced.  This can alter the look of your quilt immensely, as well as showcase your piecing skills. 

So…while basic horizontally set quilts can be considered predictable, easy, or boring…the fact is they can be anything but easy or boring or predictable.  Sashing can make a quilt Met Gala Gorgeous.  You’re only limited by your imagination. 

And if you decide to forego sashing, don’t worry about your quilt receiving yawns of boring acceptance.  Those pieced blocks can be rotated to make all kinds of designs.  Log cabin quilts are the most wonderful examples of this. 

Or pieced half-square triangles.

What really is kind of mind blowing is using an alternate block between your primary blocks to make a secondary pattern. 

Or using the same block but using a second colorway on half the blocks to make a secondary pattern. 

Honestly…who can think horizontally pieced quilts are boring?

Vertical Quilt Settings

When you decide to set your quilt in columns instead of rows, you have vertical quilt settings.  The most common example of this is the Chinese Coins quilt.

If you have a lot of scraps you need to use up, this may be a quilt setting to consider.  These are quick and easy and show off a vertical setting at its best.  Vertical settings are also a handy-dandy tool to employ if you have blocks of different heights, but the same width.  They also work well if you have a lot of different sized blocks.  You simply frame them with horizontal sashing to make them the same width and sew them vertical columns. 

If you have quilt blocks all the same size, but would like to have an uneven placement instead of horizontal rows, a vertical setting will work.  You simply vary the sashing width and placement between the blocks.   I used this type of setting in my 2023 temperature quilt.  I think vertical quilt settings help pull the eye across the quilt in a different manner.   Typically we “read” a quilt like a book – left to right.  A vertical setting makes you look at a quilt in an entirely different manner. 

Vertical settings are used in bargello quilts, braid quilts, Grandmother’s Flower Gardens, Double Wedding Rings,  and in some landscape quilts.   And I have been known to use them as a background for my applique quilts. 

If I need a particular colored background (in this case blue), I pull my blue scraps and make a  Chinese Coin background.  This way I get whatever background color I need, but I can vary the hues and make it more interesting, but yet it won’t compete with the applique. 

Another thing I really like about vertical settings is the vertical sashing. You can make them super-wide to show off a focus fabric or your quilting skills.  If you want to particularly highlight one color in the quilt to use, you can make the sashing out of that color. 

Admittedly, vertical settings aren’t the first quilt setting you think about as you peruse a new pattern.  But they can be a real quilt life saver.  Picture this scenario.  You find a quilt pattern or even just a quilt block you think you like.  Construction is begun, but after the sixth block or so, you just aren’t feeling this quilt pattern/block anymore.  It’s not that you don’t like it, it’s just that you can’t picture yourself making 30-something blocks for a quilt.  However, you have the fabric which makes you feel committed to the project.  Besides, what would you do with only six blocks?  I mean, you could make a table runner, but you have all this fabric to make a bed quilt.  The answer to assuage your confused thoughts and use up that fabric is a vertical setting.  It’s not hard to do.

First, figure out the dimensions for your quilt.  In the case of the quilt below, it’s a square queen-size quilt, 98-inches x 98-inches. 

Next, taking into consideration the size of the finished quilt blocks, begin to plan your placements.  How many blocks do you need for the vertical columns?  With this quilt, the blocks are kind of large, so we’re using three blocks for the vertical columns.  To get the additional length for the column, we’ll add some sashing to the bottom of the columns.   Since we only have five vertical columns, with three blocks in each, we only need 15 blocks.  That’s half of what we would need if we stuck to the original pattern.

Just like with horizontal settings, the sashing can be solid pieces of fabric:

Or you can piece the sashing so the quilt can take on a secondary design.

Vertical settings also work great for quilts you need to make on the fly.  It’s quick and easy to make a nice-sized lap quilt with a few blocks and some vertical sashing.  This setting also works great for charity quilts for the same reason.  Personally, I love the vertical setting for applique quilts.  It’s unexpected and really showcases the applique. 

The only disadvantage to this quilt setting is the same one as for horizontal settings:  You have to plan in advance if you want to change from another setting to the vertical setting option.  If there’s a particular fabric you want to showcase in the sashing, you may need to purchase more of one fabric than is listed on the pattern. 

Okay, enough about settings this week.  Next week we’ll take up medallion quilt settings, on-point settings (which happen to be my favorite), and the how-to-make-your-quilt-look-as-if-it’s-on-point-but-it’s-really-not setting.

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

Quilt Retreats. 

Those folks who know me well will tell you I love quilt retreats.  I will drop whatever it is I’m doing and go to one in a hot second.  I love being with wonderful quilters making wonderful quilty things.  I love the laughter, the fun, the fellowship, and the food.  I’m fortunate enough to live in North Carolina, a state which has lots of retreat locations.  I’ve attended enough retreats to know what to bring and what to leave at home.  I also quilt with a group of ladies who attend as many retreats as I do, and some of them even more.  And we’re not above corralling a few quilters together and sequestering ourselves in a hotel for a long weekend and have our own retreat. 

Many of these quilters belong to the same on-line quilt bee I do.  As we were chatting the other night about quilt retreats and notions, they began throwing out suggestions I had not thought about.  While most quilters anticipate the “normal” quilting supplies needed for a retreat– thread, scissors, rotary cutter, mat, sewing machine, etc., – these women were giving me ideas I had never even considered.  And since these ideas were super-stellar, I wanted to share them with you.

• A suitcase with wheels.  Don’t take it for granted you will be able to park near the retreat center or near the sleeping quarters.  The parking lot may be a bit away from either.  Suitcases with wheels – one for your clothing and one with your quilting notions – will go a long way in saving your back and knees from anguish.

•  Project boxes.  Yes, you can carry your quilting projects in bags, but boxes make it much easier to organize the needed supplies and fabric and then keep it all together so you can see it.  Clear, plastic boxes are my favorite.  I use an index card to make a label for the box.  On the label I have the name of the project, give it a priority number (1 is the most important, 2 is next, etc,), list the notions in the box (in case I have to “borrow” something for another project), and give it a classification such as easy, intermediate, or challenging.  I do this because depending on the time of day, the level of classification may take precedence over the priority.  If number 1 is a challenging quilt, but number 5 is an easy quilt, I may opt to take on number 5 after dinner.  By then it’s been a long day, I’ve probably already put in several hours on a challenging quilt, and my brain needs to rest.  I reach for the next priority project which is easy. 

• Don’t use your sewing machine bag/trolley for your sewing machine.  I realize this sounds contradictory. You’re probably wondering “Then why did I spend money on a sewing machine bag/trolley when I’m not using it to haul my machine around?”  Good question.  Most sewing machines come with handles and covers.  Use the sewing machine cover to protect your machine and carry it by the handle.  Use the machine bag/trolly for your standard supplies.  Most of these have wheels and are pretty roomy.  You can pack a lot in one of them.

“But I can’t carry my sewing machine!  It’s heavy!  What if it’s a long distance from my car to the sewing area?”  Glad you asked.  This is why you need number 4…

•  A collapsable wagon.  These little jewels are priceless for retreats of any kind.  You can load lots of stuff in these wagons and haul it to your room or the sewing area.  Use them to store your project boxes in them.  They are roomy enough to hold a lot of “stuff” you need, but small enough to tuck neatly against a wall, out of everyone’s way.  Once retreat is over, they also collapse into a small bundle which can easily be stored in a closet.  Lots of quilters now use these, so one word of caution:  Be sure to put your name somewhere on your wagon so no one confuses your wagon with theirs.

•  A dog ramp.  Yes, you read that right – a dog ramp.  While you may not take beloved Fido or Fifi to quilt retreat with you – or you may not even own a dog — you still might want to invest in a dog ramp. These ramps are made to angle next to a van/car/truck door to assist with the pup getting in and out of the vehicle so they don’t injure themselves.  These inclines also make it easier for you to get your sewing machine bag/trolly and suitcases with wheels in and out of your car/truck/van.  Instead of possibly hurting your back or knees by lifting those, you simply maneuver them to the ramp and roll them either down or up. 

• Extra fabric to try new things.  While you’re busy packing the fabric you need for your projects, you may want to throw in a few extra fat quarters to try out new ideas.  For me, this scenario invariably plays out year after year:  I go to retreat and work on my projects for several hours.  Then I simply must stand up and walk.  As I stroll around our sewing area, I always find a project someone else is making that I really want to try.  In the past I took a lot of notes, asked a lot of questions, and took a lot of pictures with my phone.  However, if I have a few spare fat quarters or half-yard cuts, I have the option of making that project right then and there (or at least starting it) before I get home and forget.  Since we have a few ladies in our group who are the Queens of Bag Making, I also throw in a few bag making supplies, too. 

• Bring more projects than you think you need.  There are a couple of solid reasons for this.  First, there is a chance you may finish everything brought to work on.   This scenario could leave you sitting for a while with nothing to do.  And nothing is more miserable than being at a quilt retreat with nothing to sew.  Second, you may honestly just get sick and tired of working on what your brought, especially if several of the projects are ones you started at home and are struggling to finish at retreat.  Something new and shiny may be just the thing you need to get you back in the mood to sew just a bit longer and give you the motive you need to return to the previous project. 

• Looooonnnnnnggggg extension cords.  One of somewhat troublesome logistics of a retreat is the sewing room.  Unlike your quilt studio at home, you have no idea about how good (or how bad) the lighting is, how big the tables are, or where the electrical outlets are (or how many).  A long extension cord is a great thing to pack.  I like the type of extension cord above.

Depending on the type of extension cord reel you buy, they can house from 30 to 150 feet plus of extension cord.  They also have outlets built into the hub.  That much extension cord should take care of any electrical outlet issues you may have.  Word of caution – plugging an electrical strip into an extension cord is a fire hazard, so don’t do that. Also be sure to pull all the cord out of the reel to prevent it from overheating and be sure to tape down the extension cord if it is across an area where there’s foot traffic.  We don’t need anyone to trip and hurt themselves at quilt retreat. 

•  Don’t forget your phone charger and your iPad.  Most of us are pretty phone savvy by this point.  We keep a charger in our car or bag all the time.  However, I think packing for a quilt retreat is more challenging than packing for vacation simply because there’s so much to remember.  Add a phone charger to your “Do Not Forget” check off list just to be sure you remember it. 

An iPad is handy to have for lots of reasons.  Instructional YouTube quilting videos.  A chance to catch a movie or a TV show if you need a break from sewing.  But most of all, it’s a lot easier to see an iPad screen than a phone screen if you need to do a bit of quilty shopping while at retreat. At retreat you’ll invariably see notions you’ve never used before and decide that you need them in your life.  You may run low on supplies and have to place an order.  And goodness knows you’ll be exposed to some gorgeous fabric you may find you need a yard or three of.  Having that iPad available makes seeing what you’re purchasing so much easier than squinting at that tiny screen on your phone. 

On a side note while we are on the topic of phone chargers and iPads (and don’t forget your iPad charger either if it needs a different cord than the one your iPhone uses).  I have noticed that many of the newer sewing lights contain USB ports so you can charge phones or pads at your sewing station. This may be a feature you want to look for when it’s time to replace your light.  And speaking of lights….

•  Think about bringing your own sewing light and sewing chair.  If you’ve never been to the retreat location before, you may want to bring a sewing light with you just in case the one on your sewing machine isn’t enough and the overhead lighting is inadequate.  This little extra from home can go a long way in preventing eye strain and headaches.  It’s also important to keep in mind the lighting in the room can go from adequate to inadequate as the sun sets.  For instance, the room where my guild’s retreat is held has wonderful daytime lighting.  The overhead lights are great, and one wall is floor-to-ceiling windows.  But once the sun sets, things can get a little dim.  The extra sewing light really comes in handy. 

I realize your own sewing chair may take up a bit of room in your car, but you may want to seriously consider making space for it if you have back issues and your chair is the kind tailored to support your back and neck.  You may be sitting for longer periods of time at retreat than you do in your studio.  Packing up the chair may be worth the trouble.  You may also want to bring your chair if you don’t like the chairs available at the retreat site.  I’m thinking primarily about chairs with armrests.  Many quilters don’t like the armrests and tend to get their quilting and themselves tangled around them.  If you think this might be an issue, a quick email or phone call to the retreat site to find out if their chairs have arms would be worth it. 

If carrying your chair is simply impossible or arm rests don’t bother you, I would add you may want to consider bringing a cushion or pillow for your tushie.  Again, remember you will more than likely be sitting for longer periods of time behind your machine at retreat than you do at home.  Make yourself as comfortable as possible. 

•  Read each pattern through thoroughly before packing.  Maybe even read it twice. Even the patterns you’ve used before.   Make sure you have everything you need packed for the pattern – the correct amount of fabric, notions, any specialty rulers, interfacings, or threads.  Check them off as they’re packed.  Nothing is more discouraging than arriving at a retreat, believing you have lots of time to make a brand-new project, and then find you left several critical items back home in your quilt room.  It’s really a bummer. 

I hope this list of eclectic retreat items helps you as you pack and plan for any retreats in your future.  Several of these – such as the dog ramp – I’ve never thought about before, but I can see how they would certainly come in handy.  My back would definitely appreciate it.  Please let me know if you take any “not-so-normal-quilting supplies” on retreat and what they are.  I’d love to add them to this list!

Until next week, from my studio to yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix