Vocabulary Review

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