O My Stars- Quilt Along with Pat Sloan

If you've precut squares from previous projects that you haven't used yet, it's time to sew a small quilt together. You can make a cute quilt even if those fabrics are not from the same designer collection. I recently have done a few control scrappy quilts and love the result. I did The Criss Cross Stars from the precut scraps from my stash.

Select a Free Printable Pattern

Step 1: Download a free pattern from one of your favourite hosts like Fat Quarter Shop, Pat Sloan, or Riley Blake. Many designers and quilters are willing to share their free designs, so give them their credit.

Step 2: Select your precut squares according to the diagram with your printed pattern beside you.

 

Step 3: Press and starch your fabric even if there are precuts. Mine are a mix of Batik, prints, and everything in between.

 Square Again!

Step 4: Those stretchy fabrics get out of shape after another good pressing.

One-eighth of an inch can make a difference to sew your rows or blocks appropriately. Always square your pieces as needed.

Sew Orphan Block

Step 5: While chain pieced, I sewed pieces from a previous project of the same fabric colour to make orphan blocks. I sewed one dark and light of the 2 1/2" squares to end the chain piecing.

                                           Orphan block are build for another projects.

Step 6: Don't overthink it. For this one, my goal was to use as many 5" squares. The good, bad, and ugly ones . The O my Stars pattern by Pat Sloan used 75. Press everything nicely, either open seams or to one side. Starch again or spray with water. A good 1/4" seam allowance helps too.

Step 7: Whether you like the result or not, you've accomplished your goal of using your scraps.

                                   O my Star was quilted on the Janome 7700

For the batting: I used Warm & Natural 80/20 from strips cut off from the larger quilts. 

For the backing: I used simply Batik piece that fit the entire small quilt.

This pattern was easy and fast. I'm sure of doing it again.

Resources

Pat Sloan: I love to make Quilts: https://www.patsloan.com/pat-sloans-free-patterns.html

Fat Quarter Shop:https://www.fatquartershop.com/free-fat-quarter-shop-exclusive-downloadable-pdf-quilt-patterns.

Riley Blake:https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/free-quilt-patterns

Quilting on the Cutie frame: Homestead Quilt

 Hello my Friends,

Homestead Quilt

The Homestead top quilt attempt on the Cutie Frame by Grace Company was successful. It could have been better, but the lops looked beautiful. A few things I should have bothered doing during this time was burying the loose thread into the layer of the batting. Learning how to quilt on the Cutie Frame was relatively easy and productive. The quilts chosen for the Cutie are those that I can quilt from left to right.

I favoured the Juki 2010 sewing machine over to the Janome 7700 for the Cutie Frame. Both sewing machines are excellent for quilting large quilts, which I have done with both. I mostly used the Janome 7700 for quilting and the Juki for piecing. It's my preference as the Juki's head is smaller in space, and I can see my work better. In contrast, Janome's head sewing machine is bulky and, instead, in my vision, I tend to crank my neck lower to see what I'm sewing. It's a bad habit I must correct while piecing with the Janome 7700.

It's unbelievable that this quilt took a week to finish on the Cutie. The results are excellent.

 Above is the close-up of the lop quilting done on the Homestead quilt. Another trick I learned on YouTube from people who used the Cutie Frame for quilting was to use clamps to hold the rolled quilt in a sausage matter so that every time you move it from left to right, it doesn't drag over the rails. I don't have large clamps, so I use bicycle leg clamps I purchased ages ago. It does the same trick.

Another Quilt

 

There is already a second quilt set on the Cutie Frame. I'll practice the same lop-wave to gain petal speed control and continual consistent stitches.
Another tool I plan to purchase to make this frame more effective is a Cutie Chanel Look. It prevents the sewing machine tray from swinging while dragging the quit from left to right.

In Progress

1. Abide in Him: Worked on the her hair, face, and limps, and  the cross.

2. Planning for year 2024: Choosing patterns & fabrics.

3.Pat Slaon QAL: O My Stars

4. On Cutie Frame: Giddy Gridlock

Let's Go Quilt!

 

 

Cuttie Frame

A Big Decision

 

I would have loved to quilt on a long-arm sewing machine in my wildest dreams as a quilter. BUT...here is the big 'but': I couldn't justify the means when I'm not working, being a homeschooling retired mom. Life is good, but the budget is restricted. So every cent (which doesn't exist anymore) is counted.

 

Even if I was working, I debated whether I had the right reason for purchasing such a toy. The basement's space is limited. And having quilted on a regular sewing machine and switching to a long arm needs practice. 

 

So, after debating with myself for many years, I spoke with my husband about this Cutie Frame by Grace Company. After a concise discussion, we agreed to purchase it.

 

Assembling the Cutie Frame 

The instruction book has good pictures and directions for each step. Also, all the screws, Allen jack, and most pieces are labelled. I was able to assemble the entire frame without the help of my husband. There were a few steps which I wasn't sure about, and after watching on YouTube, Leah Day Tutorial Cutie Frame Build for those confusing steps.

 

 

                                                 Everything comes in a well packed box.

                               All the pieces are identified in the assemble guidebook.

It took a few hours to assemble and set my Juki and quilt. They suggest to practice on a small old project, but I'm in for the learning and challenge. Yep, the challenge was there as I learned the exact length and width of the working space. Which is roughly 6" x 32" if I use the Juki 2010.

Practice Makes Perfect 

I had a quilt set on the Cuttie Frame, and no, I didn't use an old quilt, but one I sewed in recent years. On my first attempt, quilting with a ruler and swinging the machine to the left, up and down in a row, was a disaster.

I had no speed control. I kept bumping the end of the machine into its limit zone. And the tread kept breaking. Ahhhh! My heart sank, and I wanted to cry, "What did I buy this frame? It's not working for me!" Okay, I'm dramatizing here. ( Chuckles).

The Juki 2010 is my favourite sewing machine, and I knew it quilted great on it, so the problem was elsewhere. So, with the mind of a beginner quilter, I simplified the design with free-motion loops. That worked fantastic.

Second, I controlled the speed by ensuring the pedal was in the zone where I swung the sewing machine. (Quilt a section-Stop- move the pedal to the left- Resume )Nope, I don't have a stitch regulator. That's another extravagant expense. Patience and practice is my best friend.

Third, I set a pace by removing the fabric straps and clamps from the rails. The two first rows set in motion how it worked best for me by keeping the same tempo. 

Fourth, I used paint tape for the zone-quilt area. 

Fifth, even if it was a small area the Juki 2010 gave, about 6" x 32", the quilting was much faster and easier on my body. 

Sixth, working on the Cutie Frame requires patience and understanding that it's not the BIG long-arm quilt machine. Still, it provided an opportunity to challenge myself in something new.

 Last week, I quilted the Homestead top, which is about the size of a twin bed. I love the result!

Let's Go Quilt!

 

Grace Company Cutie Assembly

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssaUZT2_oas

Quilt #9: Superlative Quilted!

Perfect Picture

If you don't remember, in April 2018, I posted the Superlative top finished. Now it's quilted, and it looks lovely on the twin bed at my house. Taking a perfect picture of a finished quilt has been challenging with so few sunny days in the forecast. Sometimes, the sun's angle is wrong, or there is too much shadow, but it has to be done and documented in my journal. Many of my quilts are leaving our home as gifts.

Quilter4Him

 Fabric Selection

When the designer for the Superlative chose the Emmy Grace Collection of fabric in the beautiful yellow, pink, and brown fabric, I was a bit reluctant to try it in those colours with my stash. I preferred the cold colour wheel, but the challenge was there, and I picked fabric that needed to go out of stash.

 Amazingly, after Superlative was quilted and hung on the close-line on a sunny Fall day, I fall in love with it! Sheesh, lesson taught here is: never underestimated your old fabric or colour you don't care working with because you never know until you sewed it together what awesome result you can get.

Be Straight with Me

As you see in this picture, there are all straight lines, quilted with a walking foot on the Janome 7700; because it's a smaller and manageable quilt, it was simple enough and not bulky.  

 

Backing Mystery

To keep the cost down for the backing, I sewed the panel and the large pieces of fabric left from the project. For this backing, I also use material I purchased on sale many years ago for a project but never did anything with it, so I used it here (the top part). The backing is upside down.
 

And the label is sewn on it, too. Voila, another in progress completed and checked off my list. How is your list 'in progress' coming along?

 

Resources:

Pattern: https://www.quiltingdaily.com/product/superlative-quilt-pattern-download/

Art Gallery Fabric: https://liveartgalleryfabrics.com/person/bari-j/