Month: October 2024

In quilting, there is this trinity of items which work together to make constructing a quilt a wonderful experience.  Throw one or more of these things out of alignment and you’ve just assured yourself of a frustrating sewing experience.  And while I stand by my assertion there are no hard, fast, rules in quilting, there are some guidelines which make a lot of sense.  The topic covered in this week’s blog is one of those guidelines.

The three items you absolutely must have in hand to make a quilt are thread, fabric, and a needle.  For today’s column, I am specifically talking about sewing machine needles, not hand sewing needles.  One of the items listed determines everything else used – the fabric.  So let’s pause for a minute and talk about quilting fabric.  To be sure, quilts can be made from any type of fabric.  I’ve seen quilts made from recycled jeans.  In the 1970’s, polyester fabric or cotton/polyester ruled the fabric stores because 100% cottons were pretty much unavailable.  Art quilters use any type of fabric needed to make their quilt say what they want it to (and a lot of non-fabric, too).  Today, the majority of quilters reach for 100% cotton fabrics for most of their quilts, followed by flannels, wools, batiks, and homespuns.  For the sake of this blog, I’ll talk primarily about 100% cotton quilting fabric, but will certainly throw in bits of information about the other fabrics as we come to them. 

Fabric

Cotton fabric has a tight weave with an average of 60 threads per square inch.  The highest quality quilting cottons have an average of 68 – 75 threads per square inch.  Batik fabrics can have as many as 200 threads per square inch.  Quilting flannels have between 60 and 75 threads per square inch* and worsted wools can have 100 threads per square inch.  Homespuns are a true outlier, as they have 60 threads or less per square inch.  All of this “threads per square inch information” is important because it determines what type of sewing machine needle you need.  If I am using “normal” quilting cottons in my quilt, I realize the thread count is high, but not as high as a batik or as low as a homespun.  I need a needle which will pierce the 60-ish thread count cleanly.  I don’t need one so large it will leave a hole in the fabric or one so small it struggles to go through the fabric at all. 

Sewing Machine Needles

So now it’s time to look at sewing machine needles.  Before we go into much more detail, for the purpose of this blog I will be using Schmetz needles as examples.  I decided to use this brand because they seem to be readily available in both Big Box Stores as well as quilt shops.  Zone of truth:  My favorite sewing machine needles are Organ Needles, but they don’t seem to be available anywhere near me except on websites.  Since Schmetz is apparently more accessible, I decided to use Schmetz as the example.  Also, be sure to read your sewing machine manual to find out what needles your machine can use.  Some sewing machines are brand-specific – they only take certain kinds of needles (many of the older Singer models are like this). 

Sewing machine needles are one of the items we tend to take for granted.  As long as things are humming along under the needle and over the feed dogs, we’re pretty happy.  But let the needle break or skip stitches and it’s one of the first troubleshooting steps we make.  Can’t remember the last time you changed your needle?  Well, then it’s time to do that.  I think quilters are even worse at this than garment sewers.  A garment sewer seems to instantly realize they can’t sew chiffon with the jeans needle they just hemmed a pair of pants with.  Quilters, since we tend to stick to the same types of fabric, may not keep up with just how long that Universal needle has been hanging out in our machine.  Rule of thumb:  Finish a project, change your needle.  Needles are one of the least expensive sewing notions.  Replace them often.

Needle Categories and Types

Needle points fall into three categories – ball point, sharp, and rounded-sharp.  Using the correct needle for the fabric makes all the sewing difference in the world.  Ball point needles have a slightly rounded point.  These are great for sewing knits, but in our quilting world, they are particularly good for piecing homespuns, which have a looser weave than most quilting cottons.  The ball point is made to push the fabric threads apart, not pierce them.  Sharp needles are made for woven fabrics, such as quilting cottons.  While the blunt tip of a ball point would make a hole in cotton fabric, a sharp will cleanly pierce the cotton threads.  The rounded-sharp may also be used for homespuns and some flannels*. 

Within these needle point categories are nine basic styles:  ball point, denim, embroidery, leather, metallic, microtext, quilting, universal, and topstitch.  There are also some specialty needles such as winged, double, and triple, etc.  For the sake of this blog we’ll look at the most common needles used in quilting – ball point, Microtex, quilting, and topstitch, and universal. 

• Ball Point – Generally, this isn’t a needle quilters use often.  However, if you’re sewing homespuns or you’re making a t-shirt quilt, it’s good to have these in your studio.  Typically, when I make a t-shirt quilt, the t-shirt is surrounded by cotton fabric, making the blocks easy to sew together.  However, if you opt to sew some shirts together to make a larger block (such as a center medallion), ball point needles are needed.  The rounded point slides the knit fibers apart and won’t make holes in the shirt.  The same thing holds true for the loosely woven homespuns.

• Microtex – This needle is sharper than the universal with a slenderer shaft.  It is used primarily on fine wovens and heirloom sewing.  I love the Microtex for piecing.  And if I’m piecing batiks, I absolutely have a Microtex in the machine.

• Quilting – The quilting needle has a tapered point for stitching through multiple layers and across seams.  The shape of the point minimizes damage to the quilting fabric.  If I am making a block such as this:

And my needle will be crossing a lot of seams I’ll reach for a quilting needle over a Microtex.

• Topstitch – A topstitch needle has an extra-large eye and a deeper groove for use with either heavier fabrics or heavier threads.  It can even accommodate two threads for more pronounced stitching.  This is the needle I usually reach for when I’m quilting a quilt sandwich on my domestic sewing machine.**

• Universal – This needle is truly the workhorse of the sewing world.  Sewing garments?  It’ll work.  Making a quilt?  If you have a universal needle, usually there are no problems.  So what makes this needle so special?  They come in two popular sizes – the 80/12 for lighter weight fabrics (think thin, flowy fabrics) and 90/14 (think quilting cottons).  The needle point falls somewhere between the sharper tip found on a Microtex or Quilting needle and the rounded tip of a Ball Point needle.  These are great to have on hand and if you can only afford one type of needle, this is the one I’d advise you to purchase.  If you get a free pack of needles when you buy a machine, chances are it will be a pack of mixed 80/12 and 90/14 universal needles.

Anatomy of a Sewing Machine Needle

Yes, a sewing machine needle has parts, and this is important because certain parts interact with the fabric and others with the thread – however all the parts must work together to make a stitch.

The butt of the needle is the very top (I have no idea why they call it the butt when it’s the top, but it is what it is).  This is the part which is inserted into your machine.  When you change your needle, it’s a good thing to cover the feed dogs just in case the old or new needle slips and falls into the feed dogs.  I’ve had a needle fall into the feed dogs and it was no fun.  I finally had to take it to my sewing machine tech to get it removed.  It’s also a good idea to tighten the needle clamp with a screwdriver to make sure the needle is firmly inserted and won’t fall out. 

Below the butt is the shank.  The shank generally has important information on it, such as the needle size.  Machine needles make sense.  The higher the number, the heavier duty the needle (hand sewing needles work the opposite way).  This number is generally written like a fraction, such as 90/14.  The top number – in this case 90 – is the European number.  The 14 is the American.  Some needles, such as Schemtz, will have color bands on the shank which indicate the type of needle and the size.  The color code is generally brand-specific, so be sure to consult the needle packaging.  Some needle brands have no color bands at all. 

The blade is beneath the shank, and this contains the “business” end of the needle.  Present in the blade is the long groove which the thread has to “nest” in, the eye, the point, and the tip. 

If you turn your needle sideways, you’ll observe a slight indentation on the back of the blade.  This is the scarf.  The scarf allows the bobbin hook to grab the thread loop to create a stitch. 

I know all of this sounds like a lot of minute detail about sewing machine needles – probably more information than you wanted to know.  If you’re a quilter, you simply need a good needle in the machine, the correct size, and you’re ready to go, right?  That’s true, but remember the “Holy Trinity of Quilting” – fabric, needle, and thread – must work in harmony to make your sewing experience pleasant, not frustrating.  Which leads us to the third part of our trinity….

The Thread

There have been books written about thread.  I have written blogs on thread (go here: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2023/10/11/threading-the-needle/   ).  I, myself, am a self-confessed thread snob.  There aren’t any plans with this blog to re-hash a lot of what’s in my other blogs about thread.  What I will emphasize here is the process of piecing a quilt and the thread required for that.  Raw-edge machine applique, finished edge machine applique, embroidery, and other types of garment sewing and topstitching require other types of thread.  For the purpose of piecing a quilt, these characteristics should be considered:  thickness, staple, strength, and color.  But first, let’s look at what makes a good piecing thread.

Most quilters prefer cotton thread for piecing because cotton threads can withstand the heat of an iron better than a polyester thread can.  That said, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t use polyester thread when piecing.  Years ago when polyester threads were still a relatively new sewing notion and their quality was on the inferior side, I would have agreed with this statement.  However, polyester thread has come such a long way.  Cotton-wrapped polyester is also a good choice for piecing; however, personally I still prefer a cotton thread.  If you opt to use polyester thread in any form, either in the seams or on top of the quilt, just be careful about the heat settings on your iron. 

Good piecing thread should also have a smooth twist.  If you hold a strand of thread up to the light and you can see bumps or inconsistent twists in the thread, it’s not good quality.  These bumps (called slubs) can get caught in your tension disks, contact points, and the eye of the needle.  They will also add bulk to your seams, making them not-so-flat.  The one thing you should see when you hold the thread up to the light is fuzz.  I realize that sounds counter-intuitive.  Less fuzz should mean less lint, which in the long run is better for the machine, right? 

Not exactly – at least not in this case.    The absence of any fuzz means either the thread is not labeled correctly, or it is glazed thread, which you don’t want to run through your machine.  Glazed thread is for hand quilting.  Using glazed thread in a sewing machine can gum up the tension disks and other parts of the machine.  Ideally, you do want to see a small amount of fuzz and it’s consistent.  A lot of fuzz or uneven amounts of fuzz indicates it’s not a quality thread.

So now that you have your thread in hand, and it seems to have a nice, even twist and just the right amount of fuzz, there still are a few characteristics to keep in mind. 

• Thickness – Cotton thread usually comes in 2-ply or 3-ply.  This simply means either two strands were twisted together to form the thread, or three strands were twisted together to form a thread.  A good quality 2-ply cotton quilting thread is stronger than a 3-ply thread of poor quality brought about by inferior processing.  A 3-ply thread can be smoother than a 2-ply thread if it has a tighter twist.  What we are looking for is a thin, smooth thread which will make the best seam because it will lie flat in the fabric.  If the quality of the thread is the same, a 50-wt. cotton thread will make a better seam than the heavier 40-wt cotton thread.  When pressed, not only will the seam lie flat, but points will match up better. 
• Staple – Cotton thread is made from cotton fibers (called staples) twisted and spun together.  In some threads, the cotton fibers are short, and it takes a lot of them to make a spool of thread.  With other cotton, the staples are longer, and it doesn’t require as many to make a spool of thread.  This is called long-staple thread and generally it’s made from Egyptian cotton and some American cottons.  While you can certainly piece with either short or long-staple cotton thread, a long-staple will leave less lint in your machine. 
• Strength – A non-glazed, fine cotton thread is not the strongest thread on the market; however, because the average stitch length for machine pieces is 12 stitches per inch, the strength is in the quantity of stitches, not the thread all by itself.  A high-quality 50-wt cotton makes a great piecing thread.  If you find your thread is breaking, check your needle size.  Typically, a 50-wt thread uses an 80/12 needle.  If you have the right needle in the machine, check your tension.  It should be about 4.0.
• Color – This one is up for debate.  Most of the time, quilters stick to some basic colors – white, beige, grey (light and dark), and black.  This is convenient.  Most quilts use at least a three- or four-color range and one of these colors of thread is sure to blend in with the fabric.  And this is handy, for two reasons.  First, it allows you to buy in bulk or stock up on thread when it’s on sale. You know you’ll use those colors.  Second, it keeps you from having to change thread every time you sew onto another color of fabric.  However, there is another school of thought which declares you should change thread colors each time you sew onto another color of fabric. 

So what should you do?

This is one of those quilting issues which definitely falls into the “personal preference” category.  I can tell you what I do – I stick with the basic colors.  I’ve quilted almost 40 years, and the basic quintet has served me very well and saved me some money.  The only time I don’t is if I’m making a two-color quilt, and the colors are stark opposites – such as a white and red quilt.  White thread would stick out like a sore thumb with red fabrics.  Occasionally, if the quilt is show-bound, I may be pickier about the thread.  If I find a light-colored thread shows too offensively on a darker fabric, I use a Pigma pen on the thread so it will match the fabric.

A couple of last thoughts about thread before I end the blog.  First, concerns the shelf life of thread.  If you purchase thread today, chances are it can stay in your thread stash for eternity and beyond.  That’s just how good our modern thread manufacturing is.  However, if you have spools in your thread stash which look like this:

The thread is wound on Styrofoam, gold plastic, or wooden spools, put it on display in a pretty jar and enjoy looking at it.  That thread definitely has a shelf life and the used by date has long passed.  If you’re curious about the usability of any thread, pull about eight to twelve inches off the spool and see how easy it is to break.  If it snaps in half easily, give it a hard pass and toss it in the jar.  If you struggle to snap it, it’s probably useable.

Second, a few years ago there was this rumor going around quilt circles concerning freezers and thread.  Rumor was, if you stored your thread in the freezer, it would extend the shelf life of the thread.  That rumor is false.  Storing thread in the freezer only gives you cold thread and takes up the room you need for extra ice cream.  Plus, the thread could pick up moisture and that moisture will wreak havoc in you machine.

How The Trinity Works to Give You the Best Sewing Experience

1.  The fabric should be good quality material.  Thin fabric isn’t a lot of fun to piece and even less fun to quilt.  You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for quality fabric, but do make sure you can’t see through it. 
2. Match the needle to the fabric.  If your fabric choice is homespun, go with a ball point needle which will push the loosely woven threads apart.  If your choice is quilting cottons, a universal, Microtex or quilting needle will work just fine.  Batiks?  I seriously recommend the Microtex to pierce those 200-count thread weights.
3. The needle is the conduit that passes the thread into the fabric to form a stitch.  The weight of the thread is just as important as the size of the needle.  The thread needs to rest in the long groove on the blade of the needle.  If the thread is too thin for the needle, it will wiggle and loop around, forming bird’s nests and loopy stitches.  If the thread is too thick for the needle, it won’t fit in the long groove at all, giving you just as much grief as a too light-weight thread will.  A 50-wt cotton thread is a great starting place.  You can decide which ply you and your machine prefer.  Personally, my very favorite piecing thread is the 50-wt, 2-ply Aurofil.  Make sure you thread is good quality, has a consistent twist and fuzz, and is preferably long-staple. 

If all three – the thread, fabric, and needle – are compatible, you’re just about guaranteed a smooth, wonderful, sewing experience you’ll love.  But just like a triangle, remove one of those sides, and the experience collapses. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

*Let’s talk flannels for just a moment.  There is 100% cotton flannel.  This is the loosely woven, low thread count kind.  Cotton flannel is used in shirts, sheets, pajamas, and I have used it as the backing for some quilts. On occasion, I’ve also used it as the batting for baby quilts if the baby is born in the summer and traditional batting would be too hot for the newborn.  This is the type of flannel which a ball point needle works well with.  There is also the type of flannel I call “quilting flannels.”  Maywood Studios produces a lot of this type of flannel.  It’s thicker and more tightly woven than cotton flannels and has a bit of spandex in its manufacturing process.  A 90/14 needle is recommended for this type of flannel.  If a quilt is made entirely of this flannel, it’s super thick and may need a jeans needle to quilt it.

**Generally I don’t purchase brand-specific needles – primarily because my Janome M7 can use either Organ or Schmetz needles just fine and brand-specific needles can be pricey.  However, about a year ago I was quilting a wall hanging and was having the most difficult time.  Thinking the needle was old, I changed the needle. I knew I was using the correct sized needle for the weight of thread (40 wt), and everything should be good to go, except it wasn’t.  I finally Googled the issue for my machine.  Low and behold Janome had two suggestions – use the silicone washers beneath the bobbin (which I was already doing) and use the Janome brand blue-tipped quilting needles.  Since I was pushed for time to complete this quilt for a competition, I figured what did I have to lose?  I had a pack of the blue-tips overnighted.  After they arrived the next day, I swapped out the needles and started over.  They worked perfectly.  So when all else fails, Google the issue.  It may be your needle.

***Added bonus tip – If you’re like me and find yourself swapping out sewing machine needles frequently, you may find one of these:

Is a handy thing to have.  They’re found on Madamsew.com for $7.59.  It helps keep your needles organized so that when you have to change needles, you know you’ve got the one you need. Or you could make your own with an old tomato pincushion.

Somethings are so easy to take for granted.  Items and people we see every day.  Objects we regularly use.  And words.  So many times we take words for granted because we use them so often.  “Love” is one of those words.  We love people, but we may also love ice cream – however, in the great scheme of things I hope we love people more than ice cream.  Quilters can be terrible at this.  We bandy jargon around all the time and just assume other quilters – especially new quilters – know exactly what we mean. 

And they may not.  Sure those other quilters may nod in agreement, but they could have no idea what we’re talking about.  Today, I’d like to hit the pause button on making quilts and re-visit some of the terms we use and not only define them a bit better, but also really explain why understanding them is important.  Quilting “language” is really no different than any other niche’ hobby jargon.  We use words only quilters identify with, and those words can change meaning over time – like the word “binding.”  

Basic Foot – The term “presser foot” is usually shortened to just “foot” with almost any type of sewists – garment, crafter, or quilter.  Most folks who regularly use a sewing machine understand this pretty well.  However, we also may hear the term “basic foot” a lot, especially when we’re shopping for a new machine.  A “basic foot” can mean a lot of things to different people, depending on which foot you use the most.  For a quilter, if someone pops out the term “basic foot,” we assume you mean the quarter-inch foot.  For others who keep a walking foot on their machine, they may assume the basic foot is the walking foot.  Technically, the basic foot is neither.  It’s this foot:

This is the foot which comes on most machines.  It’s the foot used in most garment construction and it’s pretty standard across the board.  It helps you keep a consistent 3/8-inch to 5/8-inch seam allowance used in clothes making.  Understanding this term not only helps you, but it will also help the sales staff understand any presser feet discussion.  If they tell you the machine comes with a basic foot, you’ll know that’s not a quarter-inch foot and you can ask if that foot also comes with the machine.

Walking Foot – I’ve mentioned this foot in the last several blogs, but it’s only because I feel it’s so important. 

This foot works with the feed dogs to push both the top and bottom layer of fabric under the needle at the same time.  It’s invaluable when matching stripes, checks or plaids, sewing on binding, or any other type of sewing with bulky seams (such as bag making).  This is a foot.  A walking foot is also called a dual feed foot, but it is not dual feed.  A sewing machine with dual feed actually has a separate motor which allows the top fabric to feed under the needle at the same speed as the bottom fabric with all feet.

Pressing vs. Ironing – While these two words kind of imply the same idea – getting the wrinkles out of cloth – they’re not.  In fact many quilters would tell you the verb iron or ironing has no place in quilting.  Sounds kind of picky, doesn’t it?  Let me explain why quilters press and don’t iron.  Ironing denotes a back-and-forth action with an iron.  Pressing is the up and down motion of an iron.  Quilters press their cloth.  They press seams open or closed, they press a quilt block flat, they press applique pieces with fusible webbing on the back to another piece of cloth.  Quilters discovered ironing with its back-and-forth motion can stretch the fabric’s bias, making a quilt block all kinds of wonky. The up and down motion of pressing doesn’t.  So even if both words connote getting rid of wrinkles or even if a quilt pattern uses the verbs press and iron interchangeably, press your quilt block, don’t iron it.    

Press the Seams Open or to One Side – This is a bit trickier, because the situation defines the seam action of open or “closed” (pressed to one side).  One of the first concepts I learned in my beginning quilt classes was to press to the darker fabric so there would be no “shadowing” through on the lighter fabric (the dark fabric wouldn’t be seen through the lighter fabric).  Then you must think about “nesting” the seams, so they lock together, and nothing is mismatched. Pressing to the dark side will help you lock the seams.   Overall, I would cautiously tell you this is still true.  But with nearly 40 years of quilting under my belt, if I told you pressing to the dark side worked every time, I’d be lying to you. 

Quilt block construction requires you to put all the quilting balls in play as you work out a quilt – things like color placement and seam allowances, and how you plan to quilt your quilt.  Whether you plan to quilt your quilt or if you plan to “quilt by checkbook,” sometimes the quilting determines how you will press your seams.  If an overall, edge-to-edge quilting design is used, pressing your seams to the dark side works pretty well.  Especially if there’s no one area where there is a lot of bulk.  Take for instance the Nine-Patch blocks above. Although the blocks have several seams in it and while some of them come together at one spot, there’s not a whole lot of bulk.  The quilter could press towards the darker fabric, which would both prevent any shadowing and allow the seams to lock so all the corners meet. 

But this block:

Is a Starburst.  It has many seams and lots of those come together at one spot.  Pressing those seams closed (to the dark) would make the center super bulky in spots.  However, pressing the seams open would evenly spread the bulk out and make it easier for a needle to quilt right through the center. 

If custom quilting is in the plans, or quilting in the ditch, you probably want to press the seams closed (to one side).  If the seams are pressed open, the thread is exposed, and the quilting stitches could compromise the piecing stitches.

Piecing Thread – The type of thread used for piecing your blocks sounds like such a picky thing.  Thread is thread, right?  Does the type you use really matter?  Well, yes.  It does.  First, you don’t want to piece with specialty thread.  Rayon, metallic, monofilament, and quilting thread shouldn’t be used for piecing.  Some of these threads aren’t sturdy and your blocks won’t hold up.  Some of the threads are too thick and take up too much room in the seam.  Ideally, you want two or three ply, 50 to 60 weight thread. 

This type of thread is perfect for holding your block together while not taking up too much room in the seam.  My favorite piecing thread is Aurofil in either 50 or 60 weight.  It’s two ply and stitches beautifully.  Hopefully in the not-to-distance future I’ll do another blog on threads.

Change Your Blades, Change Your Needles, Change Your Pins, Change Your Seam Ripper – Quilting is a consumable hobby.  Nearly everything we use must be replaced at some point. 

Our problem is – well, my problems is, and I’m assuming some of you have the same problem – I tend to put off replacing them until they are dull beyond belief. At least until recently.  Recently my right shoulder has decided to allow arthritis to set up shop in its joint.  To keep the aches and pains down to a dull roar, I have to make sure these things are sharp.  When your rotary blade begins to make small skips or you really have to press down hard to make it slice its way through fabric, it’s time to change the blades.  Change your sewing machine needle regularly after 8 to 10 hours of sewing.  Replace hand sewing needles, pins, and your seam rippers.  Those things do grow dull.  If you can’t remember the last time you purchased a new pack of needles or pins or a seam ripper, it’s time to replace them.  Trust me. 

Know What a Quilt Sandwich Is and How to Make One —  Most of the time even beginner quilters realize at some point the quilt top has to marry the batting and the backing.  They must be layered together before they can be quilted.  What new quilters may not realize is the “technical” term for this layering is a Quilt Sandwich.  The backing is placed right-side down on a surface, the batting is added, and then the top is put on top of the batting, right side up.  Generally the batting and backing are several inches wider and longer than the top to allow for any shrinkage during the quilting process.  If you quilt your own quilts, you become accustomed to how much “extra” batting and backing you need for quilting on your long arm or domestic sewing machine.  If you are farming your quilting out to a long armer, you’ll need to ask them how much they require.

Know Your Basting Options – There are so many.  If you’re a new quilter, I suggest you try a couple of different options to determine which one works best for you.  First, there’s actual basting with thread.  This used to be done by hand, but now since a lot of domestic machines come with a basting stitch, you can baste it on your machine.  If it’s a large quilt, a long armer may agree to baste it for you.  I like this method if I am hand quilting a top or if the quilt sandwich will be stored for a while before I get around to quilting it.  Second, there are adhesives.   These are basting sprays or powders.  Personally, I like the sprays for smaller quilts I plan on quilting on my Janome M7.  If you use either on a bed quilt, you’ll want to wash your quilt after quilting to remove the basting spray.   For those of you who are worried about the lingering pH effects of the spray, Roxanne now has a basting spray which is pH balanced.  Third, you can always use safety pins to hold the quilt sandwich together – just be sure to place the pins closely enough together to prevent any slipping.  If you plan on long arming your quilt or having someone long arm the quilt for you, there is no need to baste. 

Understand the Term “Binding” – This is one of those quilting terms which has changed over time.  When you hear this term now, most quilters assume you mean the French fold binding – a strip of fabric usually 2 ¼-2 ½ -inch wide folded down the middle, wrong sides together.  This binding is machine sewn to the front of the quilt and then flipped over the wrong side of the quilt where it is whipped stitched down by hand.  The two layers of binding fabric, cut on the cross grain or the lengthwise grain, protect the raw edges of a quilt well.  However, there are also times you may use a bias binding.  This binding is not as wide as the French fold, and it’s cut on the bias of the fabric.  It’s used on scalloped borders.  The bias cut makes it easier to fold and manipulate smoothly around the scallop curves.  This is a very sturdy binding and holds up best to time and wear and tear.  Many antique quilts have bias binding.  Bias binding can also showcase plaids, checks, or stripes well, as it puts them on the diagonal. 

Quilter’s Knot – To make this knot, you wrap the thread twice around the needle and then pull it down to the end of the thread.  This knot is smaller and more compressed than other knots.  It’s used in hand applique and hand quilting thread. 

Strip Piecing – This involves cutting strips of fabric, sewing them together, and then sub-cutting them into two-patches or other units needed for piecing.  Knowing this technique and when to use it can save you a lot of time, fabric, and money.  I do have a future blog planned on strip piecing.

Know How to Choose Quality Fabric – and Realize It’s Going to Cost a Little More – First a blanket statement:  Yes, quality fabric is found at quilt and fabric stores.  However, it can also be found at Big Box Stores.  You just may need to look a little harder for it.  Big Box Stores try to be medium-priced so as not to scare the beginning or weekend hobbyist away.  But that doesn’t mean you won’t find some good Moda or Henry Glass tucked away somewhere in the bolts or pre-cuts.  I could caution two things.  First, thin fabrics generally don’t hold up well to the piecing and especially the quilting process.  Plus it can be incredibly linty.  Second, (and this is a personal matter) I would much rather make a smaller quilt out of good fabric than a large quilt out of inferior quality fabric.  Good quilting fabric – one which has a nice thread count per inch and you can’t see through it – pieces and holds the quilt stitches beautifully.  That said, also be aware, good fabric costs a bit more.  Even at a Big Box Store.

There are Hundreds of Fabric Styles.  Don’t Worry, You’ll Find Yours – One of the best, greatest, most wonderful things about quilting fabric is there are hundreds of styles available in hundreds of colors.  So much so, it can be overwhelming.  My first reaction when I visited Hancock’s of Paducah was to go right back out the door.  It was overwhelming – so many colors, so many styles, so many designers – I didn’t know where to start.  You may feel similarly just walking into your smaller, local quilt shop.  Personally, I think the best way to acclimate to all the colors and designs is to find your favorite colors and start there.  Over time, you’ll discover which designers and design houses you gravitate to.  For me it’s Fig Tree and reproduction fabrics.  That doesn’t mean I don’t use other fabric, but more than likely my most-used fabrics fall into one of these two categories.  You also may discover something else:  Your favorite quilting colors may be different from your favorite color.  My favorite color is purple.  But if you examine my quilts, I actually use very little purple in them.  I do use pinks, yellows, and oranges.   Go figure.

Sometimes You Are Not the Problem.  Your Machine Is – When your machine is giving you bobbin barf, skipped stitches, or some other issue of malfeasance, we automatically think it’s something we did or didn’t do.  So we re-thread the machine, change the needle, clean the machine, turn it off and turn it back on.  And it still happens. Then we grab the sewing machine manual, flip to the troubleshooting section and do everything it tells us to do…and things still don’t get any better.  At this point, it’s time to take the machine in.  If you’ve tried everything you know to rectify the situation, it’s time to talk to a tech.  The machine may have a timing issue or need a thorough cleaning only a sewing machine tech can give it. 

There Are No Quilt Police, But There Is Constructive Criticism – I’m going to put this out right here:  There are no hard, fast rules in quilting.  There.  I’ve said it.  But the fact of the matter is, there aren’t.  There are a lot of suggestions – such as the ¼-inch seam allowance – which stay pretty consistent, but even that’s not the Holy Grail of Quilting.  So don’t allow Miss Prissy Perfect at quilt guild meeting to cower you into thinking you’ve done anything wrong.  Just because she may not have made the quilt the same way you did, doesn’t make the way you constructed it wrong. 

However, there is such a thing as constructive criticism and that can be life altering to a quilter.  If you have a really good quilter in your life who can show you faster ways of doing things, or a new technique, or demonstrate methods to make your quilting better, you want to hang onto that person.  I’ve learned more from these quilters than from any book, video, or class.  I’m fortunate enough to have several of these quilters in my circle and if I run into an issue or need an opinion, they give me solid advice.  And they aren’t Prissy Perfect about it.

And finally…

Quilt Design Isn’t Difficult – Generally when the term “Quilt Design” is thrown out there, we tend to think about designing an entire pattern.  And that is a serious undertaking, but it’s not the only thing comprising quilt design.  Quilt design can be something as simple as making the blocks larger or smaller, altering borders, or changing out some of the blocks in the pattern for those you like better.  It could mean making 20 of your favorite block, sewing those together, and adding borders – all without a pattern.  Can any of this lead to “serious” quilt design?  Absolutely.  Start small and keep experimenting.

Hopefully this blog has helped clarify some quilting terms and ideas.  It’s easy to believe that everyone understands what we mean when we discuss binding or design or bobbin barf.  However, our terminology may leave others baffled and confused.  If you’re one of those new quilters who have shaken your head over the jargon, I hope I’ve assisted in a little additional understanding.

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours.

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

This year is quickly coming to an end.

It’s all been a blur – 2024 has literally flown by before I knew it.  Part of my plan this year was to bring you into my quilt studio.  Tell you about some quilt tips and tricks.  Introduce you to a little more quilt history.  And maybe let you in on a few lessons I’ve learned as a quilter.  That’s where we are now.  As we’re rapidly approaching the end of 2024, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a few (and sometimes hard) lessons I have learned in my 30+ years of quilting. 

I wanted to learn to quilt not so much for the quilts as it was for the fellowship with other quilters.  I enjoy the company of quilters – a wiser, more generous bunch of folks I don’t think I’d find anywhere else.  However, it has been through the process of quilting and learning to quilt I gained insights into other areas of my life.  In short, quilting has taught me more than just how to make quilts.  It’s taught me how to live.

Lesson One:  Perfection Can Be Found in the Simple

Some of the loveliest quilt blocks and quilts are simple ones.  Nine-patches.  Monkey Wrench.  Snowballs. Double Nine-Patch. Half-square triangles.  All of these blocks are simple and can be made with only two colors of fabric.  Easy construction, straight seams.  These are the blocks we introduce to new quilters because of their simplicity.  They do not take long to assemble and on a good afternoon when you have two uninterrupted hours to spare, you can make quite a few of these blocks.  Assembled, they make a lovely quilt top which can be made even lovelier with simple quilting.  When I look at a quilt made from blue and white nine-patches sewn together without sashing to form an Irish Chain Quilt, I honestly don’t think there’s nothing much else in the world that’s anymore perfect.  And it’s absolutely one of the simplest patterns out there. 

Life doesn’t have to be complicated.  Sure, we all walk through our trials.  There are difficult times in everyone’s life, but we don’t have to wallow in permanent despair.  Things change and time moves on ahead.  Despite the hardships we may be facing, joy can be found in simple things.  Clean bed sheets.  A good cup of coffee or tea.  Texting with a friend.  Reading a few pages in a favorite book.  Quilting has taught me that simple things done well give us a few perfect moments in the middle of complete chaos.

Lesson Two:  We Are Never Through Learning

One consistent thing about quilting is this:  There is always something new to learn.  Just when we think we know every method known to man about how to make a flying geese, another one comes along.  And this is great!  The more methods we learn, the more options we have.  What technique works best for me may not work best for you.  So, thank goodness for all the flying geese techniques because heaven knows there are hundreds of quilt blocks that use them.  It was this concept – quilters are never through learning more about quilting – which drew me to quilters.  Open-minded folks are always wonderful to be around.  You learn as much from them as you do from techniques.

Always be open to new information.  You don’t have to agree with it but listen to it.  Sift it through the absolutes you know.  Even if you don’t concur with it, listening to it will give you insights to the person conveying the information to you. 

Lesson Three:  Practice Brings Consistency

One of the first techniques new quilters learn is the quarter-inch seam.  And you know what’s one of the most difficult quilting techniques to perform consistently?  The quarter-inch seam.  That’s why we quilters have so many gadgets and notions to help us perform the quarter-inch seam.  However, the more you sew that seam allowance, the better you get at it.  You’ll even get to the point where you can look at a seam and tell if you’re off a thread or two.  The more I practice any quilting technique, the better I get at it.  Even if I tuck that technique away and don’t use it for a while, I really don’t forget it.  I may be a bit rusty when I return to it, but it doesn’t take long for me to pick it back up.

We’ve heard “Practice Makes Perfect” chanted for most of our lives in nearly every situation.  And while technically perfection can’t be achieved, consistency can – in almost every situation.

Lesson Four:  There are Consequences for Speed

I understand the concept of instant gratification.  I do.  Find a pattern you love online, put it in your cart, hit up PayPal, and sometimes all you have to do then is point, click, and print.  TaDa!  Instant retail gratification. Some quilters enjoy pushing their way quickly through a project so they can move to another one.  If I can hit the pause button for just a minute here, I would like to interject this:  Speed is really not your friend – that is unless you really like quality time with your seam ripper.  The faster you sew, the more mistakes your apt to make.  The more mistakes you make – well, those can be discouraging because no one likes to rip their block apart and re-sew it.  Recently I discovered a new way speed doesn’t work well – quilting with rulers.  Don’t let all those YouTube and Instagram videos fool you.  Those ruler quilting reels are sped up.  Slow and steady wins the race when quilting with rulers, as well as with most other quilting techniques.

There are some things in life (and quilting) you can do faster than others.  Just be discerning enough to know which ones you can and which ones you can’t.

Lesson Five:  Learn to Think Outside the Box

Quilting teaches this lesson in spades.  Making a quilt and you need three yards of fabric for the borders, but when you measure things out you discover you only have 2 ½?  We can figure that out.  Throw in some contrasting cornerstones and maybe some creative piecing with leftover scraps and we have those borders covered.  Most of us have learned it’s really kind of rare for a quilt to completely fall within the directions we’re given.  We may run short of fabric, make the blocks smaller than needed, or there could be mistakes in the directions.  If any of these situations pop up, we have to work with the fabric we have and come up with some new ideas.  Quilters do this all the time.

In life, it pays to be flexible.  Whether it’s the grocery store being out of plain flour and you have to substitute self-rising, or we simply have too much to do in a day.  Seldom are things truly bad or life and death situations.  Quilting teaches you to pause, take stock of what’s available, and make some decisions.  Sometimes those decision may be radically different than what you originally wanted, but it does help to be flexible.

Changing the subject just a bit… you may remember this quilt.

This is my 2023 Temperature Quilt (pattern available at White Arbor Quilting/Bethanne Nemesh).  Each bird represents one week in the year; hence there are 52 birds.  These are paper pieced blocks, and I had a blast making these feathered babies. I didn’t know temperature quilts were so popular with quilters until after I completed mine.   So much so that the Australian Catholic University and Dr. Tracey Clement began to track these quilts and their makers.  Dr. Clements saw my quilt on Instagram and asked if I would participate in her survey.  I agreed to, and this week she sent me the rough results, which I thought I would share with you.  The survey was open 63 days, and 176 quilters completed the survey.  Nine quilters had not completed a temperature quilt, so that left 167 valid responses.  All of the responders are female – which was unexpected by not surprising.  Most of the quilters fell in the 65-74 age range with the 55-64 age range coming in a close second.  Demographics out of the way, let’s see why quilters decided to make a temperature quilt.

I had my suspicions the world of academia assumed we were making these quilts as a response to global warming – did it show up in any of these quilts and how widely did the temperatures swing?  While this reason for making a temperature quilt did show up in the survey, it had the fewest number of responses (about 5).  The majority of respondents (> 60) were like me – they saw a temperature quilt on social media and decided they wanted to make one (like we do a lot of quilts!).  The third most popular reasons (around 16 for each category) were quilters liked the idea of a year long project and/or liked the idea of having complete control over the outcome.  The second reason listed for making a temperature quilt was “other” and it held steady at about 55 responses. 

Unsurprisingly (at least to me), 2020 was the year most of these temperature quilts were made.  This makes sense.   We all were home, sewing our stashes to the bare bones.  The year I made my quilt (2023) was the second most temperature quilt productive, followed by 2021. Which to me also makes sense.  By the time all those 2020 quilters began flashing pictures of their temperature quilts online, a bunch of us decided we wanted to make one, too!

According to Dr. Clement, there will be follow-up interviews and more data analysis before she publishes her findings.  I’m kind of anxious to see what she finds out. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

I’m going to begin this blog with a question:  How many of your sewing machines can sew a straight stitch?  Raise your hands.  Go ahead.  I’ll wait.

If you sew on a machine, it stitches a straight stitch.  All sewing machines will stitch a nice row of even stitches.  I’ve heard some machines make a prettier straight stitch than others.  There are those of us Featherweight owners who will swear on all we hold precious that a 221 or 222K makes the prettiest stitch out there.  Others will claim a Juki 2010Q has the straight stitch to beat all straight stitches. Bernina fans like their machines’ straight stitches, too.  Most machines will even offer a variety of straight stitches – the triple stitch, double stitch, etc.  The straight stitch is why the domestic sewing machine was invented – to ease the burden of the women who, at one time, had to make all their families’ clothing by hand.  It sped up the process and allowed the women to have more “free time.”  The straight stitch is the bedrock of our sewing machines.

Now let me ask you another question.  How many of your sewing machines can make a zigzag stitch?  With very few exceptions, I’d wager most of your machines can at least perform one type of zigzag stitch, and in many cases more than one.  Quilters almost take this stitch for granted.  Unless you use a zigzag stitch to sew your binding on or as a decorative stitch, we generally don’t tend to cue into this stitch.  I mean sure, if you make garments, you may use a zigzag or pinking shears to finish your seams so they won’t ravel, but maybe not for much more than that.  It’s not that we neglect this feature on our machine, it’s simply we don’t think about it often.

Third question:  How many stitches can your machine make besides the straight stitch and the zigzag stitch?  Go on.  Count.  Grab your manual and check.  I’ll wait….

My Janome M7 Continental has 400 stitches and with its stitch composer, the actual number of stitch types is limitless.  I have read in several places that the average number of stitch types that come on a basic sewing machine is 17.  That’s a lot of different types of stitches for us to use and enjoy.  But guess what?   If someone hadn’t taken the time to invent a sewing machine with a zigzag stitch, none of these stitches would be possible. 

That’s right.  That high-tech embroidery machine or equally high-tech sewing machine is primarily based on this:

The first zigzag sewing machine. 

The zigzag stitch fundamentally changed the world of sewing.  It changed what we could do with a machine, and it changed the sewing machine manufacturing world.  And while it wasn’t the only reason Singer’s stopped manufacturing wonderful straight- stitch-only machines like the Featherweight (cost of production was the primary reason), it certainly weighted that decision.  When faced with the decision of purchasing a machine which would make only a straight stitch over a machine that could make a straight stitch and a zigzag, most women back then would make the same decision we would today – pay a bit more money and have more options. 

Let’s have a look at what it took to develop a zigzag machine, how a machine performs this stitch, how it ties into today’s multi-stitch machines, and how the zigzag stitch also relieved our foremother’s of additional hand sewing.

Who Invented the Zigzag Sewing Machine

If you remember from my blog: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2023/09/13/the-sewing-machine-renaissance-part-i/  and: https://sherriquiltsalot.com/2023/09/20/the-sewing-machine-renaissance-part-2/ you know we had a workable, straight stitch sewing machine by 1851.  Elias Howe and Issac Singer worked out their differences, there was a patent trust developed, and bingo, bango, bongo, the housewife had a domestic sewing machine of sorts.  As soon as the Singer company gave Issac the boot (because as my paternal grandmother used to say, “That man is a piece of work.”), the Singer company began full-on development of a line of straight stitch sewing machines, each a little better than the one before.  The culmination of the idea of a straight stitch sewing machine reached its apex with the Featherweight (in my own personal opinion).  These little jewels are still sought after today and work wonderfully. 

However, there still were some steps women had to perform by hand.  Buttonholes,  for instance.  If you remember your Little House books, Laura worked as a seamstress to help earn money for her family.  The woman she worked for sewed shirts by machine, but Laura had to work buttonholes by hand because the machine couldn’t do a zigzag stitch.  Buttonholes and seam finishing were done exclusively via manual labor because there was no other way to do them.  Then in 1873, a woman changed all of this.  I would like to say this person was a fed-up seamstress who was tired of working hundreds of buttonholes by hand, but that would be wrong.  The inventor of the zigzag sewing machine was Helen Blanchard, and she did it for the money.

Born in 1840 in Portland, Maine, Blanchard showed an aptitude for mechanical devices at an early age.  She tinkered with many different types of inventions, but didn’t begin patenting her inventions until her family ran into financial difficulties.  After business losses from the panic of 1866 and the death of her father, Blanchard and her family had to sell their property.  Shortly afterwards, she borrowed money for her first patent.  She patented the zigzag sewing machine in 1873.  This sewing machine was different from the standard straight stitch machines of this time, as the zigzag made for a studier seam.  With the success of this zigzag machine, Blanchard continued to make improvements to both straight stitch and zigzag machines and sewing machine needles.  In 1881, she established the Blanchard Over-Seam Company of Philadelphia.  Her company was very profitable, and she was eventually able to buy back her family’s property. 

Helen Blanchard’s improvements to the sewing machine allowed for the industrial growth of sewing machines.  Twenty-two of Blanchard’s 28 machines were installed in large factories, saving time and money in the commercial sewing industry.  Although most of her patents relate to sewing, she experimented with other ideas, including a patented idea for a pencil sharpener.

With all her contributions to the field of sewing machines, their accessories, and sewing machine needles, you’d think Helen Blanchard would be enshrined in the Quilters Hall of Fame or some other related sewing Hall of Fame.  Nope.  She was admitted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006 for her US Patent No 141,987 for the Zigzag Sewing Machine. 

How the Zigzag Stitch Works

Singer was the first sewing machine manufacturer to jump on board the zigzag stitch band wagon.  Blanchard’s zigzag machine was designed for use in factories; Singer wanted domestic machines to also have this feature.  Since the company already had so many straight stitch machines in production, they invented an accessory which could be used on the straight stitch machines to produce a zigzag stitch.  And they were able to do this with pop-in cams called “The Singer Automatic Zigzagger.” 

These cams replaced the machine’s presser foot with its own and drew mechanical power from the needle clamp (which meant only straight stitch machines that had a needle clamp with a side-facing thumb screw would work).  It created the zigzag stitch by moving the fabric from side to side.  This cam had a series of grooves on its underside which, along with the movement of the feed dogs, shifted the fabric from side to side, allowing the machine to zigzag.  Singer produced a series of cams allowing for as many as four different zigzag stitches.  The YS Japanese Sewing Machine and White Sewing Machine companies led the way for other machine brands, producing their own sets of cams designed for low-shank machines.  All of the cams had a width control (also known as “bite”). 

The cams worked okay, but there were problems.  Thread loops could form on the back, the width of the stitches might vary wildly in a single seam, the fabric would pucker, or only the bobbin thread would form a zigzag stitch – the top stitches would remain perfectly straight.  Somedays it would take more patience than thread to sew a single zigzagged seam.  However, overall, cams were a workable solution to a lot of sewing issues.  Eventually the cam moved from being a part of the needle clamp to the top of the machine.  As a child growing up in the 1970’s, I can remember my mom’s sewing machine using cams.  This was a big deal for the Singer machines – with those cams a Singer Touch and Sew could make more types of stitches than any other machine.  Singer Sewing Machine Company  dominated the market for a long time.*

But as time and technology marched on, computers, motherboards, and computerized mechanisms became normal for use in homes.  We had microwaves, digital watches, desk top computers and computerized sewing machines.  In 1980, circuit boards made their way into the domestic sewing machines and completely changed the way machines stitched.  Instead of the fabric moving to make a zigzag stitch, the needle moved to make the stitch, and the fabric continued to be fed vertically over the feed dogs, resulting in a smoother, prettier stitch.  To put our sewing history in context in a personal context, my wonderful mother is 84 years old.  She had a standard straight stitch Singer with only a cam for a zigzag stitch and eventually moved to a Singer Touch and Sew with multiple cams for multiple stitches.  I’m 62 years old.  I’ve never owned a machine which only performed two stitches or took cams.  When I began sewing in earnest in my twenties, my first “basic” machine was computerized and had multiple stitches, including three kinds of zigzags. 

Why This is Important

Driven by the concept that a domestic sewing machine could make both a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch, Helen Blanchard and those innovators who came after her pursued two ideas: the notion a domestic machine would make sturdier, finished seams and — since the machine could make a zigzag stitch — it would also make better buttonholes.  As a result, technology moved us from this:

To this:

And from cams to the computerized technology which allows our sewing machine needles to move in all directions. We now have hundreds of different types of stitches, automatic buttonholes which accurately fit buttons, the blind hem stitch, the ability to sew knits, and sew on buttons by machine.   We have domestic embroidery machines which a few generations ago weren’t in anyone’s wildest sewing dreams.   Instead of owning a set of cams made only for use with one machine, we now own lots of different types of sewing machine feet for all these stitches — feet which are often interchangeable with other low-shank machines. 

All because of the pursuit of a zigzag sewing machine.   As quilters, we may not use this stitch often, but we should be thankful for it and Helen Blanchard each and every time we sit down at our tech-savvy sewing machines. 

*Let’s pause and take a minute to talk about Singer Sewing Machine Company.  For years – nearly since it’s inception in 1851 – Singer dominated the world of domestic sewing machines, halting production for only two years during World War II.  It maintained its dominance throughout most of the 1960’s.  However the Japanese and European sewing machines began to eat at Singer’s bottom line because they were the first to come out with zigzag capabilities for most of their machines, leaving Singer  struggling to catch up, since they originally only made cams for the Featherweight. The sewing machine market began to shift somewhat and by the 1960’s, Singer began to diversify into other fields such as audio and photography.  Eventually, in order to survive, Singer had to sell off some of their diversified fields to maintain their cash flow. However despite so much effort, by 1999 Singer declared bankruptcy (this process needs its own blog).  It was acquired by Kohlberg and Company, who also acquired Husqvarna and Pfaff.  Eventually all of this merged into the SVP Group. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches (both straight and zigzag),

Sherri and Felix

Usually once a year – more than once a year if I run across new ideas or helpful tools – I write a blog about quilt retreats.  According to the Quilt Retreat Registry there are over 100 locations in the United States designated for use as quilt retreats.  These can range from converted homes, hotels with rooms designed specifically for quilters, to smaller convention centers with a passion for hosting quilters, to quilt shops with large rooms or who rent out parts of local hotels.  For a list of quilt retreat locations near you, go here: https://ronatheribbiter.com/quilt-retreat-centers-us/.  Rona the Ribbiter breaks down quilt retreat locations by state. 

This blog is a little different.  This is a blog which talks a bit about retreat “etiquette” and a few things to be mindful of if you venture into quilt retreat category.  My local guild has hosted a retreat since 2012, and I make arrangements for it as well as field and filter any issues we may have – and there have been times when there have been some … situations arise I never thought of and had to deal with.  Whether you’re a seasoned retreater or one new to the experience, it may be worth your while to take a minute to peruse this week’s blog.

Come Prepared and Organized

If you’re new to quilt retreats, the whole experience of packing up your sewing area and transporting it to a new location can seem kind of daunting.  You worry about forgetting something important or something you really need.  And when you glance over your fabric and patterns, all of it seems a bit overwhelming.  What do you bring and what do you leave at home?

I really like these types of boxes:

You can find the clear, plastic boxes at Amazon, some dollar store establishments, and office supply places.  I use one box per project and double check to make sure I have all my fabric and any specialty notions for the project in the box (thread, fusible webbing, special rulers, etc.), as well as the pattern.  Then I take an index card and list the name of the project, difficulty level, how close I am to finishing it, and what’s in the box – just in case I need to “borrow” from one project to the next.  I personally think these boxes are a great way to keep everything corralled.   And the box doesn’t have to be clear plastic.  Sturdy cardboard boxes with lids work just as well.

General sewing supplies work a bit differently.  Items such as rotary cutters, extra blades, extra sewing machine needles, scissors, marking tools, etc., can be used in all projects.  I try to make a place to keep all of these together.  Recently I discovered this:

It’s a collapsible, three-tiered rolling cart with locking wheels.  The shelves have a lip around them, so items don’t fall off.  This works great for organizing fabric units if you’re chain piecing as well as a wonderful place to corral some of your larger sewing tools – such as rotary mats and pressing surfaces. 

I have also purchased this:

I found this tool caddy at a yard sale with the price tag still on it.  I think it will work wonderfully for keeping my rulers organized and for storing my rotary cutters, basting glue and spools of thread. 

And if you’re still worried about remembering all your general sewing supplies, I can offer you my packing system.  A couple of weeks out from the retreat date, I set a box or basket near my sewing machine.  Every time I pick up a tool to use it, I place it in the box or basket when I’m through.  This gives me a good idea about what to take with me.  If you’re still a bit daunted, Google retreat packing lists.  There are several great ones on the internet. 

With all of that said, there still is something to consider and that’s the sewing space – both yours individually and the space as a whole.  My guild’s retreat is held in a conference room at a state park.  It is large and well-lit, and since we limit the number of retreaters, we all have plenty of space to bring our collapsible wagons, carts, and a couple of sewing machines.  We each have two tables and a nice chair.  However, if I decided to attend a retreat I wasn’t familiar with – I didn’t know how much sewing space would be available to me – I would ask about it before I packed a single thing.  I wouldn’t want to encroach on anyone else’s space, so I would be mindful about what I brought.

Know Your Machine and Bring Your Manual and Maybe Even Your iPad

Chances are that your machine will get a great deal of use during the quilt retreat.  As a matter of fact, if you haven’t had your machine serviced within a year or eighteen months prior to the retreat, you may want to call your tech and get your machine a “spa day” before loading her up and hitting the road. 

If your machine is a recent purchase, be sure you know the basics.  Quilters are among the most patient and generous folks I know, and if you have an issue with your machine, chances are good several of them will help you figure out any problems.  However, it helps to remember that:

1. No one else at the retreat may have your brand of machine; and
2. It’s their quilt retreat, too.  They have arrived with unfinished projects they want to complete and new ones they want to start.  Don’t monopolize their time.  Bring your manual to help troubleshoot any issues.  An iPad or cell phone will allow you access to YouTube or other sites which also can help you (how did we ever quilt without the internet?). 

Have a Good Idea About What You’re Doing

A quilt retreat is a great place to get quilty ideas and learn new tricks, tips, and techniques – however, it’s not a workshop (unless one is given at the retreat) or class.  If you’re having some issues with a block or technique, having all that quilting knowledge in one room is a huge advantage – quilters will help other quilters.  But I caution again, don’t monopolize someone’s time.  Don’t expect to have someone hold your hand as you complete each unit and block.  If you run into part of a quilt you are really having issues with and you’ve asked for help, but you still can’t quite “get it,” there are a few steps you can take yourself:

1.  Put the project away and work on something else for a while.  Quite often our brains simply need a break away from what we’re working on.
2. Google the pattern.  There may be pattern corrections, a blog, a YouTube video or some other type of instruction which can help you (another great reason for bringing your iPad). 

Don’t Bring Anything You’re Asked Not to Bring

Sometime the location of the retreat may have certain regulations.  If the retreat is at a hotel with a restaurant, they may ask for no outside food deliveries.  If it’s at a religious retreat center, the rules may include no adult beverages.  Be sure to read through all the retreat information before packing to make sure you’re in compliance.

Honestly the biggest issue I’ve personally had with this is irons.  Yup.  Irons.  While most quilters can’t quilt without one, your retreat information may ask that you limit pressing tools to small, travel-type irons.  There is a reason for this rule.  Unless the retreat location has been built to specifically house quilters and other crafters who use irons, the fuses and wiring may not accommodate a lot of irons being plugged in at the same time.  Irons pull a lot of voltage.  If you have a room full of quilters and each of them has a standard iron and all of those irons are plugged in, some fuses are gonna blow and the power will go out until the fuse can be fixed.  More than likely the retreat organizer will ask one or two specific folks to bring their regular irons and set up pressing stations for everyone to use. 

Pets – most specifically dogs – have also become an issue.  Another quilter friend of mine who has a by-invitation-only retreat let me know she finally had to issue a “No Pets” rule.  She never dreamed she would have to do this, but she had several quilters ask to bring their pets to the retreat.  “It never occurred to me anyone would want to bring their pet to a quilt retreat,” she told me.  “There are needles and pins everywhere and all we needed was a couple of dogs to get underfoot and trip up some of us old geezers.”  Chances are, no matter how much you adore Fido or Fluffy, they can’t come to retreat.  If there isn’t a written rule about pets, ask someone before you show up with yours. 

Be Considerate of Others

This sounds like such a basic rule, especially considering how awesome most quilters are.  However, sometimes we are so locked into our normal routine, we forget how it may affect others.  If you normally use a scented body wash, you may want to opt for a non-scented one during retreat.  Some retreaters may have sensitive noses or get migraines from the odors which don’t bother us at all.  So when you pack your personal items, you may want to opt for unscented body wash, shampoo, and lotion.  Along with your iPad, pack your ear buds.  Just because you’re interested in a YouTube video or want to listen to some music doesn’t mean those around want to hear it, too. 

If there are designated cutting areas, use those for short cutting steps.  Plan to do major cutting at home.  Cut out your quilt there, not at retreat.  Be mindful of space.  If you need to run extension cords, bring some tape to secure them to the floor so they won’t be a trip hazard.  Keep your quilting supplies in your space.

Pack Mindfully

We are so careful as we pack for retreats – we organize, re-organize, and pack – making sure we have all our necessary supplies and projects.  If I can offer one word of advice about packing, it would be this:  Remember what goes in must come out.  Everything you bring to retreat, must go home.  And while we really want to sew until the last minute, it’s really good to hit the pause button about an hour before leaving and start to pack up  as mindfully as we packed to come to the retreat.  Make sure all the projects are back in their boxes along with any special thread, rulers, fusibles, etc.  Be sure you pack the foot pedal to your sewing machine.  Check to see if you left any rulers or rotary cutters at the cutting area.  Unplug your iron and give it time to cool down.  I try to break down my area in the order I’ll unpack it at home.  This really saves me time once I re-enter my non-retreat reality. 

Also tidy up the area.  While most retreat locations plan to clean up behind their customers, it’s nice to have the larger pieces of fabric which may clog the vacuum picked up off the floor. 

Watch the Snacks and Beverages

If the retreat location does allow adult beverages, know what places open containers are appropriate and where they’re not allowed.  If everyone is asked to bring a snack (at my retreat, the snack table is legendary – my guild has such good cooks!), be sure to have enough for everyone and something which doesn’t require refrigeration (unless you have access to a refrigerator). 

If you have dietary restrictions, you may want to keep your snacks in your sewing area, so they won’t accidentally be eaten by everyone else.  You gotta eat to have energy for quilting marathons!

And Finally A Few Last Thoughts….

1.  Bring a cushy for your tushy.  No matter how wonderful the chairs are, at a retreat you’re sitting for much longer periods of time than what’s normal for you.  A cushion for the bottom of your chair may help ease some aches and pains.
2. Bring an extra light.  I’ve found the lighting in a room can change throughout the day.  The room where my guild has its retreat has a wall of windows on one side, so the daytime lighting is great, but at night it’s not so great.  An extra sewing light (besides the one on your machine) is a handy thing to have.
3. Bring a variety of projects.  You may come to retreat with a quilt all cut and prepped and ready to go, thinking that you’ll get that top completed and ready for quilting.  But take it from someone who’s been there, by the end of Day Two, you’ll need a break from the project to keep your sanity intact.  Bring some handwork and two or three other projects to work on.
4. Extra fabric may come in handy.  Quilters are infamously creative, and chances are you’ll see new patterns, tips, or techniques you want to try.  A few extra fat quarters thrown in your bag will allow you to try these out during retreat, so you don’t forget anything when you get home.
5. We’re not college students any longer.  Forget the all-nighters.  During the very first quilt retreat I participated in, I made the mistake of sewing until the wee hours of the next day.  And I suffered for it.  The following day found me tired, achy, and grouchy.  Try to stay on your regular sleep schedule.  This keeps life pleasant for others and better for you. 
6. Bring a positive attitude.  All the folks coming to retreat are looking forward to a good time of fellowship, fun, and creativity.  Don’t be a “Debbie Downer.”  Even if your quilt project turns out all kinds of wrong and you’re concerned about things other than quilting, don’t let a negative attitude try to be your BFF.  As Thumper said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

I do hope you’re able to attend a quilt retreat, a quilt cruise, or even an all-day quilt bee.  There’s nothing like quilty fellowship and experiencing all that creativity in one room. 

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

PS — Continue to keep Western North Carolina in your thoughts and prayers. Asheville is completely cut off, and some small towns have been completely wiped off the map. There is a dire need for bottled water, infant formula, diapers, baby wipes, and just the basics we take so much for granted. Lots of nonprofits are in place, working to make sure folks are rescued, emergency workers and folks have hot meals and a place to stay, etc. The outpouring of care, concern, and physically meeting folks needs is amazing. If you feel led to donate, go here:https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helene.