DJ Hand Piecing tips
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1
Row Tips 4
A 4
A2, One-Two Buckle My Shoe 4
A7, Dad’s Plaids 4
A10 4
A-11, Pebble’s Protest 5
B 5
B2 Sweet Tater Pie 5
B3 Mirror Image 5
B11, Bachelor’s Buttons 5
C 6
C-4,Tic Tac Toe 6
C5, Eye of the Needle 6
C8 6
D 6
D2, Mouse in the Mirror 6
D3, Jason’s Jacks 7
E 9
E-1, Aunt Exie’s Phlox 9
E-2, Merry May 10
E-3, Paddle Wheels 10
E-4, Buffalo Tree Hopper 10
E-5, Rising Sun 10
E5, Rising Sun 10
E-6, Michelle’s Medley 11
E-7, Bread Basket 11
E-8, Mama’s Maze 11
E-9, Quilt Jail 11
E-10, Five & Dime 11
E-11, Wagon Wheel 12
E-12, Mary Ruth’s Corset 13
E-13, Moth in a Web 13
F 13
F1, 13
F2, Kaleidoscope 13
G 14
G4, Shutterbug 14
G6, Papa’s Star 14
A. Center star 14
H 15
H2, Jacob Anthony 15
H3, Berry Basket 16
H13, Hannah’s Hearts 16
I10, Iris’ Medallion 17
I12, Fred’s Square Fair 18
I 13, Sweet Harmony 18
J 19
J2, Picture Perfect 19
J-3, Rick’s Volleyball Net 19
K 19
K-7, Rose of Sharing 19
L 20
L10,Nan’s Naiad 20
L11, Caitlin’s Rose 20
M 20
M1 20
M4, 20
M5, Mother’s Point 21
M13, Lynette’s Diamond 21
Tris 23
LS2, 23
RS3, Epicentre 24
Marilyn’s Triangle Agony 24
Sashing 26
Scallops 28
Lists of blocks –To Appliqué, That are Easy, etc. 29
Where Do I Begin? 30
Linda’s DJ Journey 30
Freezer Paper 39
Quilt Restoration 40
Basting Tips 40
Civil War Info 41
Johnny Clem the Drummer Boy of Chickamauga 41
The Siege of Vicksburg 43
Fabrics 46
Civil War fabrics 46
DJ Background Fabric Comments 47
Yardage for DJ Fabrics 51
DJ Journals & Record Keeping 56
Organizing all this Crazy DJ Mail! 57
DJ Hand Piecing tips 58
Hand piecing curves – Linda Franz 61
Special Pressing: 62
hand piecing questions 63
Appliqué tips, collected from the DJ list 66
Appliqué Instructions for block M-7 and I-5: 68
Needleturn 68
Appliquing Batiks tips: 74
An appliqué tip to offer for the “melons.” 75
One of my favorite tips is for the handle of Rebecca’s Basket. 75
Appliquéd sharp points. 76
Reverse Appliqué instructions: 77
Helen for Hobart’s Method 81
DJ Machine piecing tips 83
Foundation Piecing 84
Brenda Brayfield’s Paper Piecing Method-testimonial from Linda 92
Good References 93
Hand Quilting 96
Advantages of Stab-Stick Hand Quilting 96
Supplies for Hand Quilting 96
Machine Quilting 99
Links to Others’ Sites and pictures 102
Linda Franz 102
Running a home based quilting business. 104
Opinions on Various Quilting Products 104
Needles 104
Batting 104
Mountain Mist Gold 104
Quilt frames 105
Ulmer Quilt Frame 105
Sewing Machines 106
Elna 109
Bernina 109
Treadle Sewing Machines 110
FWs- Their care and maintenance 110
Small Machine Quilter 110
Thread 111
Silk Thread 111
Notions 111
Spray Basting 112
Software 112
BOM’s 112
Q & A 113
Does anyone Know 113
Quilting Wish List 115
Redwork 115
Tricks for Quilting 116
Scanning Pattern-Making sure they’re not backwards 116
Freezer Paper in the Printer 117
Sandboard – how to make one 118
Signing Tips 118
DJ Clothing 119
Monkey’s Diamond Tote Bag for Dear Jane Friends/Friends 119
Pincushion Quilt 121
Sewing Rooms 122
Fiction 122
The Jane Society card 122
The Dear Jane Tote Bag 122
DJ Get Together 123
Letters from Brenda 123
Good Mornning Sticklers! 126
Instructions for The Traditional Dear Jane Siggie Swap 127
Making Pillowcases 128
Pillowcase 128
Removing Silly Putty 129
Row Tips
A
A2, One-Two Buckle My Shoe
I have A2 all cut out ready to sew, all 40 pieces of it!, & I understand your pain. I ironed all my freezer paper pieces onto the appropriate 1 ¼” strips of fabric, leaving a ½”, exact! gap between each piece. To get that gap I cut a strip of manila folder ½” wide & placed that along side the first pieced I put on the fabric. I tap that with the nose of the hot iron, just to hold it in place, & then when I have the second piece in place, butted up to the strip of manila folder,I then tap it with the iron to hold it. I continue in this manner till I have them all in place & then press well. Then all I have to do is to cut with a ¼” seam allowance on one edge & that gives the ¼” allowance on the edge of the other piece. When I have completed all that I then reassemble the block on a felt mat I made, 8”x10”. Just glued the felt to heavy card, & that slips into a clear plastic sleeve for easy transporting around without fear of loosing any of those precious babies! Lyn from Down Under. 1,0,0,28 Wow!!!
A7, Dad’s Plaids
It needs to be shrunk a bit. The melons are drawn to big for this to work. (I learned this the hard way, and I sent my reject block home with Brenda) Pg 54, same problem here. Shrink the melons down, they are too big. (from Brenda’s workshop)
A10
It’s one of the few I haven’t finished. Have you all pieced the inside strip and appliquéd the arrows and inside melon or are you paper piecing the outside part? I’m ready to scratch what I’ve started and begin again. Help! Jane in Arizona
This is a GREAT one for reverse appliqué! I actually rev. app'ed the center part and then appliquéd the four corner triangles on top! Worked well and went fast!! Abracos, Marilyn!
A-11, Pebble’s Protest
Take the little tiny horizontal line out of the bottom right corner of the block. Just a little thing, but it doesn’t belong there.(from Brenda’s workshop)
A-11 can be done as a 9-patch. The center 3 squares will be narrower than the outside rows both North & South and East & West. Redraft the block having the center row as wide as the center square going North & south and East & West. If you look at Jane’s block you can see that each corner block can be made in 4 pieces. The large focal and smaller focal square + 2 background strips. When the squares are all joined do the narrow log cabin stripping all the way around. Hope this makes sense.Tracy in Ohio
It IS possible to paperpiece this doll, in 8 sections ! Make a “down the middle line” from top to bottom and from right to left, and another set of lines, diagonally, from corner to corner. You now “need” to erase a few seam-lines in the original so as not to have too many unnecessary seams. Then, go for it :-)
I made one this way, and have put it up on my Photopoint-site in the album “Machine-Jane”. Made it in two focus-fabrics to be able to show (myself and others) where the seams were put and eliminated, so you might be able to pick up some visual aid by looking there :-) But it is - possibly - one of the worst blocks in the entire quilt (IMAO :-) and it looks so innocent ! Hugs Tilde
B
B2 Sweet Tater Pie
B3 Mirror Image
Pg 25 (not correction, just a hint on how to do it) B2 and B3 are similar. For B3, Make two 4 patch blocks exactly the same. Put them one on top of the other, rotate the top one by a quarter turn. Then you can appliqué the top to the bottom in a circle formation. Does that make sense? So, for B2, you can do the same thing except you are making half-square triangle four patch blocks. Make them opposite in color placement. Then draw the circle and appliqué the top block onto the bottom one. I probably hopelessly confused you there, but it made sense when she was explaining it. (from Brenda’s workshop)
B11, Bachelor’s Buttons
I am currently working on B-1 Bachelor Buttons as my first appliqué and it is going very slowly. I have sewn two of the buttons down so far. I sewed lightweight interfacing to my background fabric, turned it right side out and ironed it and then with fabric glue put in on the color fabric and am now sewing it down. Next time I might try freezer paper Amy-Jane
C
C-4,Tic Tac Toe
1. I F Pieced three tiny rectangular blocks within the center square, the “underneath” lattices - three foreground separated by two little background fabrics.
2. Then traced the center square. I didn’t have to draw the details, since they were already made, so I drew the two strips of background fabric running vertically down the 1/3’s of the center square, and the outside edges of the square. I placed the center tiny rectangular block I already had made, pieced two long strips on either side. Then, lining up the background strips with the center one already on, laid on the side rectangles I had already made. Then added the strip border around the “outside” of the block.
3. Then, traced a paper piece with the center square lined out, and the next regular triangles and the “squashed” triangles.
4. When that was all done and pressed, I traced the outside background set-in pieces, and sewed them on by machine “freehand”.
C5, Eye of the Needle
C8
On C-8, for example, I F Pieced the center square with the four triangles around it. Then I drew the pattern for the four triangles outside that and F Pieced four units of the two triangles with the diamond. Then, with all the papers still on, I could line up the points of the center square with the diamond points. I sewed two opposite sides on, the started to remove the paper before any seam allowance was sewn down by another seam. The other two triangles were sewn on after the paper was removed. Press that, and determine the Large triangles around the outside, sew on opposing sides first with the center unit on top to match points. Eh, Voila!
D
D2, Mouse in the Mirror
Eek! I am going crazy doing the Mouse in the Mirror. When I look at everyone’s blocks online it looks perfectly simple, but when I try to do it all those paralellograms become willful and wayward. I’m thinking of coloring the little triangles with a marker. My center
came out huge did everyone cut their squares 2” or smaller. Constance-Jane 51/0/0/714/Repro
As I recall I English pp’ed those four hectagons (is that what they are??) in the middle, then appliquéd that whole four-piece piece onto a 5” plain square, then appliquéd those nasty little triangles on, both teeny ones and corner ones! This probably explains why I have about ½ the number of total pieces that Jane had!! Abracos, Marilyn!
I printed it out on freezer paper, then cut all the pieces apart and fused onto the wrong side of my fabrics. Then cut out the parts adding a ¼” seam allowance. You can sew by hand or machine, but just sew from corner to corner, like for hand piecing, right along the edge of the paper, and not extending into the seam allowances at the end. I’ve found that this method works really well for many blocks (and that one corner) that have a lot of Y-shaped seams. It’s very accurate. Caroljoy Spensley
English paper piece the hexagons, shaving off the slightest bit of your template edges. Then appliqué the hexagons to a square of background fabric. You can then foundation paper piece the four corner sections, leaving a generous outside edge just in case you shaved a little too much off the hexagon templates. Susanne, in IL
I made four little paperpieced snowball blocks for the center (yes, those little corners were tiny) and then put those together and added the four corners. One trick I discovered that really helped me get them lined up was to slide the pieces under the presser foot and then drop the needle into the pieces before I lowered the presser foot down. It really seemed to help with shifting.
Another paperpiecing trick that I like is to baste the pieces together using a longer stitch length, then checking them for line-up before stitching them together with those tiny, tiny stitches. That way I can rip the seam back out without cursing the whole time. This works much better for me than trying to pin those fiddly paper pieces together. If it’s a long seam I just baste where the seams cross and then check it to see if it lines up and then restitch the entire seam with smaller stitches. These hints may have shown up on the list before but they sure helped me out with D-2! Robin
D3, Jason’s Jacks
Jason's Jacks -Jeanna's Way (from Brenda)
I've taken this "class" from students for about six months. In Gettysburg, Jeanna said she walked into a shop and someone wa teaching it in the classroom and shared it with her. Aren't we such giving people?
Anyway, from what I understand this technique works well for blocks like Jason's Jacks - some in class were doing Jane's Tears (C-9) this way, though I much prefer to do her with reverse appliqué (the favorite method Goddess Connie and me)
Anyway, I'm certain Claire will give us some other blocks to try and hopefully good tips too. Now what I'm writing is not a law, ok? I'm merely giving you the concept as I understand it; refine it to suit your needs. As my mom always said, "There's more than one way to skin a cat."
I know we have no diagrams, but you can do this! Read through for general idea and just follow each step.
I. Pattern to Wrong Side of Background
Cut a 6 inch square of each of two fabrics, print and background. Place your background fabric rightside down on the Jason's Jacks pattern in your book. If your background is too dark to see through, trace the Jack on freezer paper, iron it to the wrong side and trace around it with a pencil or pigma pen. (I like to use brown pigma on light fabrics) Remove the freezer paper. If you can see through your fabric just trace the pattern straight to the wrong side of it.
II . Baste
Place your print fabric (which is you Jack fabric) right side up on top of the right side of your background (wrong side of Jack is on top of the right side of background. Pin from the back around the Jack drawing. Now sew the two pieces together on the pattern line using a small basting stitch. It helps if you use a little larger needle, like a 9 or 10; you're actually perforating your fabrics. Some like to stitch this using the machine with a larger needle, just don't use 4 stitches to the inch.
III Stitch
Turn your block to the front (print) side. Now you're ready to needleturn your heart out- no pins, no strain. Jason's Jacks is so small, I'd probably trim about half of it - leaving a "fat 1/8th" seam allowance. (Most needleturn is done while trimming only about an inch or two, whatever make you happy.)
Here's the fun part: I prefer starting either on the center of the inside curve or the center of one of the straight lines near the corners. This gives you a "warmup" before you hit points and corners. Remove about an inch of the basting. Hey! There they are- tiny little holes from your basting that are now your turn line. What a concept! Your work is basted and all you have to do is clip basting, turn under along perforations and stitch your little heart away.
Tip One- thank you Sadie Rose!
In which direction do you stitch? This is onlaid appliqué. Righthanders stitch counterclockwise; lefthanders stitch clockwise.
Trust me. If you stitch in the opposite direction and are happy, continue to do so. If you have always been uncomfortable appliquing, perhaps direction is the reason. I always ask students to give me at least 15 minutes, even if they don't appliqué- you never know what might happen! (When you do reverse or inlaid appliqué, change directions: righthanders stitch clockwise, lefthanders stitch counterclockwise)
Tip Two- Turn
Turn your block, not your hands. Keep your hands pretty much in front of you and turn your work as you stitch. A travel pillow is an excellent rest for your hands while you stitch; it gives the back a rest, too (Available at your favorite Walmart store for about 3 bucks)
Tip Three - Needles and Thread
Needles for appliqué or hand piecing are sharps and straws or milliners needles. I prefer size 11 straw and size 12 sharp. I use the straw/ milliners for appliquing something like Jason's Jacks, but for Baltimore appliqué or handpiecing I use 12 sharp. that's my preference. To my knowledge there are three companies in England that make all our needles. (All right, here we go, if you can't find these two needles and want to try before you buy, send me a stamped self-addressed envelop and don't tell anybody I'm doing this ) Thread: this month I'm using cotton on cotton. If you use silk, know that it stretches and you need to pull your stitches a bit snug- don't worry, when you press, the silk stretches and block is flat.
Tip Four -Tools
Your tools for needleturn are your needle and the thumb of the other hand. The needle is always working the seam allowance and the thumb is othe other hand is always keeping the work in place. If your curve or line develops a point where is shouldn't, chances are great that there's a fold in the seam allowance. Just take that needle in there and work the seam allowance until it comes out. You can do this even after the work is finished- you can always go back and add stitches and "fix stuff".
Tip Five - Corner
You've started and the curve, made a few stitches and bang, that corner is staring at you. Keep stitching and turning under the seam allowance all the way to the corner, taking a couple of extra, close stitches near the actual corner itself. Now is the time to trim the other side of the sorner- it probably has a little dog ear and some other stuff out there, just trim it all to about an 1/8th of an inch.You need these stitches to hold the seam allowance from the other side of the corner. Also as you near the corner, go ahead and turn under the fabric on the other side of the corner in as general way. When you get to the corner itself, bring that needle up in the point, pull your thread a bit snug, hold it there and turn under the other side of the corner evenly along the perforations and begin stitching down the other side. If your corner doesn't want to be too "pointy", just give that thread a little tug and work with the seam allowances on both sides.
Tip Six - Point
So here you are, close to the point of the Jack. All's well. Do as in Tip Five and take a couple extra stitches near the end, clip the other seam allowance even at about 1/8th inch. Again is on the corner, pull your needle out at the very point, give it a little tug and work the seam allowance on the next side of the corner. If it isn't too pointy, try trimming the seam allowances and working them till they're acceptable to you. Not all are perfect points - and "finished is better than perfect." Put your needle down into the background a couple of threads if you wish, this will create the illusion of a point. If you are really bothered by your point? Go back and color the background with a pigma pen in any shape you want! I 've seen it done (you can also do this if your machine thread shows on top of your piecing)
I think that's about it... now I might just go make a block myself! Hope this helps you with both Jeanna's way and appliqué itself.!
Hugs,
Brenda
Oooh I must try this method now, I haven’t done this kind of appliqué, only read about it. I’ve been teaching Jasons Jacks the Elly Sienkewicz cut-away appliqué way, using a square of each fabric, marking the “jacks” piece and layering it on top of the background square...then cutting about an inch or so at a time, and needleturning under as I go. This is very useful when you have one big fat appliqué in the middle of the block and you’re worried about placing it perfectly. PhabDianeJane/NYC...where we can’t be too thin, too rich or have too many appliqué methods!
E
E-1, Aunt Exie’s Phlox
Use your melon template from A-7 and save it for E-10.
Appliqué: Cut background 5 ½” square. Press the square on the diagonals to make placement guides. Copy the melon with freezer paper. Press freezer paper to the front side of the melon fabric being sure to place on the bias. Use diagonal guidelines on background fabric and the curve of the circle that adjoining melons form to place all the melons. Be very careful to stitch tips together tightly where they join in the center. Trim to size.
And another: trace to heat resistant mylar repeat the following for each of the four melons. Roughly trace including ¼” seam allowance. Cut out shape(s); lay template against back side of fabric and using undiluted starch, dampen seam allowances. Using a hot, dry iron and an orange stick or other stiletto-type instrument, hold seam allowance over template and press in place all the way around—press one side completely and then the other side completely to get sharp tips, folding back the excess at tip (if any). Trim seam allowances. When cool, remove template, and your perfectly made shape is already turned under and ready to appliqué—by machine or hand—in place. Follow placement of melons above.
E-2, Merry May
Appliqué/Piecing: Cut the center square about 41/2” and trim it after appliquéing the melons. Apply the melons either as two melons, exactly the same, one on top of the other or as two partial melons and one full melon. Put the full melon over the top of the partials. Be sure that you have added allowance to the partial melons for hiding the raw edges under the full melon. Trim and piece outer strips.
E-3, Paddle Wheels
See B-2 for help with the center points.
Hand/Machine Piecing: Use bias squares or half-square triangles.
Paper Piecing: Piece the eight-part center square in two units. Join the units. Then make a foundation for the whole block. Add two opposite sides (without the corner squares) to the center. Separately piece the other two sides, with the corner squares (two triangles). Add to the rest of the block.
E-4, Buffalo Tree Hopper
Paper Piecing: Divide the block visually into three “vertical” units. Decide if you are going to simplify the fancy corners to look like Jane’s. After piecing each triangular corner, add one of the side quadrilaterals to each. Paper piece (or machine or hand piece) the center unit of 3 pieces. Match up the seams and start sewing the long straight edge, stopping at the Y. Sew the Y from the outside to the meeting point.
E-5, Rising Sun
Paper Piecing: Draw the foundation ignoring all those center points, that is draw a maybe one inch circle and erase the lines in it. The much larger circle will be appliquéd over this “hole.” Piece in four sections. Use 2 inch strips of fabric. Appliqué the circle over the vacant center.
Hand/Machine Piecing: See B-2 for help joining the center points if you decide to include them—though you will most likely cut the center out to reduce the bulk. Pay careful attention to the wedge units, as some are reversed.
E5, Rising Sun
Foundation piece this one using 2 inch strips of fabric, then plop the circle on the top of where the seams come together and appliqué.
E-6, Michelle’s Medley
Paper Piecing: Paper piece the tiny center square: two units of a triangle and two strips with a triangle added to each, then the halves joined. Rotary cut and machine or hand piece the next round. Add the Northeast and Southwest corners, then to remaining corner triangles. Then appliqué those tiny squares. The 4 corner squares were pieced in with a couple extra paper piecing seam lines. This kept those squares VERY SQUARE!
E-7, Bread Basket
Piecing: To make the piecing easier draw a line down the middle and across the middle of the block. Assemble the center of 4 sections and add the sashing strips to the outside. This will break up the units and make them pieceable.
Appliqué: The block can be pieced easily by hand, machine or paper if the triangles and the square on point are ignored, then appliquéd onto the block. Save the outer strips to join after the appliqué is done.
Believe it or not, I worked up E-7 for foundation paper piecing. Certainly not traditional but it works.
Done in five sections. Ignore the outside borders (they can be log cabined later).
Divide the block into three vertical rows. On the two outside rows... the center section looks like a flying geese variation. Extend one of the lines that makes the triangle. You can now fpp the entire strip from top to bottom, then add the narrow strip on the inner edge. The center strip is divided into three sections, the two flying geese variation and a square in a square.. In the flying geese variation, extend one line that makes the triangle. Fpp these sections, then add it’s narrow strip. For the square in a square... extend two lines of the small square, make sure they oppose each o ther, thereby giving the center five pieces. Voila! What do you think? Susanne, in IL
E-8, Mama’s Maze
Machine Piecing: Rotary cut and strip piece. Cut the center square at 2” and the strips and corner squares at 1.”
Paper pieced: This was paper pieced in several rows
E-9, Quilt Jail
Paper Piecing: Divide into four “vertical” units, start from the left, adding a strip to the right side of each (except the fourth) and join them. With another foundation, start at the top and add the strips in turn. Hand/Machine Piecing: Rotary cut and strip piece. Squares should be cut at 11/4” and the narrow “sashing” at ¾.” Cut the outer strips 1” wide and trim the block when done.
E-10, Five & Dime
Use the melon template you saved from A-7 and E-1.
Appliqué: There are two options here: either piece the squares then appliqué the melons or appliqué the melons on two oversized squares, trim to 2 3/4” and join all four square units together. Or rotary cut (23/4”), join, then appliqué.
Reverse Appliqué: The melons can be reverse appliquéd needs to be shrunk a bit. The melons are drawn to big for this to work. Shrink the melons down, they are too big.(from Brenda’s workshop)
E-11, Wagon Wheel
Brenda showed us a great way to make this block. Trace the whole thing onto freezer paper. Cut the whole circle piece out, then cut away all the little scallops. This should be ironed on to the right side of your colored fabric. Then, take the other piece of freezer paper (call it the “frame”). Cut away the corner scallops. Iron this to the right side of the colored fabric. Take a 6 inch piece of background fabric, Reverse appliqué the “frame” to the background fabric, circle first. Then appliqué the inner scalloped circle inside of that. Circle diameter is 31/4” finished.
Appliqué: Appliqué the eight melons, being careful to keep the circle true.
Or reverse appliqué with a switch: use the background as the foundation fabric and appliqué the print over it.
Another appliqué suggestion: Cut a 6” square of print fabric and of the background fabric. (Iron freezer paper on to the print with the corners and center cut out.) Cut a circle of the print, larger than needed. Cut out the corners and center of the print foreground with a scant ¼” in order to “reverse” appliqué onto the background fabric. Cut out the center of the background fabric leaving a scant ¼” along the melons. Layer the circle of print on the bottom with background fabric on top of it, and then the 6” print on top of that. You will have three layers of fabric. You will see through the center circle of print that your background (melons) fabric is next and the circle of print behind. Reverse appliqué the foreground print center opening to the background fabric first. Then appliqué the background melons to the back circle of print fabric. With this technique you need to do quite a bit of pinning so the fabric doesn’t move.
And another: “I used the freezer paper on top method. My freezer paper piece was essentially the colored fabric in the photo of E-11. But, for the “scalloped” cut outs that form the circle I did not cut the freezer paper out about 1/8” on either side of the “connecting points.” That is, I left a “bridge” at those points, so the freezer paper circle wouldn’t fall apart. I started by reverse appliquéing the four corners. Then, to stitch the scallops I started in the middle of the inside curve, took a few stitches, then
carefully trimmed away the freezer paper bridge to the point of the scallop I was working on. I stitched to that point, turned and stitched toward the next point, clipping away the freezer paper when I got there. I did each of the scallops this way so by the time I was done the freezer paper pattern had been clipped apart. It would probably be easier to do this block in two units, the inside scalloped one and the outside frame, but I wanted to use one continuous piece of striped fabric.”
And another: Trace the whole thing onto freezer paper. Cut the whole circle piece out, then cut away all the little scallops. This should be ironed on to the right side of your colored fabric. Then, take the other piece of freezer paper (call it the “rame”). Cut away the corner scallops. Iron this to the right side of the colored fabric. Take a 6 inch piece of background fabric, Reverse appliqué the “frame” to the background fabric, circle first. Then appliqué the inner scalloped circle inside of that.
E-12, Mary Ruth’s Corset
Paper Piecing: See block C-7 for paper piecing the center section. This can be cut into two pieces on the diagonal and rejoined before adding the remaining pieces. The squares on point with the white triangles around them need to be pieced on the diagonal. The first one is a triangle to a triangle. The second piece is a triangle, a square and a triangle. The third is the
same as the second and the fourth is a triangle and a triangle. Join these units to form the center then add the strip to either side. The outside round can be paper, hand or machine pieced.
Machine Piecing: The center can be Seminole pieced.
E-13, Moth in a Web
Paper Piecing: I cut four triangles (the dark part) instead of making the strip and a triangle. I attached that to the center section. The center square section was done with two squares and two squares with a small amount cut off the corners to make a smaller triangle center with the dark fabric. Like in the picture - I used paper piecing for these tiny triangles to get them both the same size. I then appliqués the triangles in the very outside white corners and then sewed those triangles to the outside of the block.
F
F1,
Make a four patch of half square triangles for the center, then a larger four patch of half square triangles for the next section. Cut the octagon from freezer paper and iron it to the back of the smaller four patch. Baste under the edges and applique to the larger four patch. Add the corner triangles using your favorite method. Applique the diamonds. Or.... Extend two lines of the diamonds (make sure they oppose each other) You can now fpp the corners. Susanne, in IL
F2, Kaleidoscope
Yesterday I was working on block F-2 for the 2nd weekly challenge (over-achiever, haha) and was wondering where I should place the pieces I'm cutting on the fabric for straight of grain (SOG). I just decided to put the edge of the tiny pie pieces that would be sewn to the big pie piece on the SOG but when I was finished with one section, the bias was on the outside edge...that's a no-no. I've decided to determine the placement of SOG by the outside edges from now on with all my DJ blocks. I don't know why this
didn't occur to me sooner as I know the rules. I hope this helps out the newbies before they cut their fabric...or there again, there might be a rule of thumb used by experienced DJaner's that I'm not aware of.....help? Fuj
G
G4, Shutterbug
H I’m doing mine by hand too and I agree there are some I wouldn’t even attempt without paper piecing. That’s how I did G4 Shutterbug and it turned out great and wasn’t hard at all. Hope this helps.
G6, Papa’s Star
You asked for it!
A. Center star
Background fabric
cut 4 squares ¾”
cut 4 rectangles ¾” x 1”
cut one rectangle 1”x8”
Print fabric
cut 8 squares ¾”
cut one square 1”
B. Making the flying geese for the center star-
1. Fold the 8 print squares on the diagonal. You need two squares for each ‘goose’. Place two folded squares on one ¾” x 1” background rectangle so that the ‘goose’ is formed (which are the star points). Baste the two folded squares on the rectangle on the two outside edges-no sewing needed here. Make all four of the geese in this manner.
2. Sew your star together, using ¼” seam allowance. Trim to 1/8”. You may want to press open before joining the sections together.
3. Use the 1”x8” rectangle to sew 1” on each side of the star, sashing it, log cabin style.
4. Trace the block onto freezer paper. Do not trace the center star. DO trace the pentagon which surrounds it.
5a. Hand and Machine piecers: cut the pattern pieces of the star apart and iron all but the pentagon to the back of your fabrics, leaving space for a seam allowance. Rotary cut the pieces, adding a ¼” seam allowance outside the freezer paper.
BIG NOT: mark your freezer paper and add ½” seam allowance to all OUTSIDE edges. Makes it easy to trim to 5” when finished with block. Hand-piecers-draw around the pieces before removing the paper to stitch.
5b. Foundation piecers: cut the freezer paper into sections:
1. the top strip (3 pieces)
2. cente triangle-includes the pentagon and two triangles
3. one ‘leg’ section-two pieces
4. second ‘leg secton-three pieces
5. Pentagon freezer paper and star with 1” sashing around it:
Hold star up to light and move the freezer paper pentagon around until the star looks centered to you. It doesn’t matter which direction it turns, just try to center as well as you can. Iron the freezer paper to the TOP of the star. Now cut around freezer
paper, ADD ¼” SEAM ALLOWANCE OUTSIDE THE FREEZER PAPER.
6. Sew the two side triangles to the pentagon.
7. Using your favorite method, complete the top strip, add the section with your pretty little star, add the leg section with two pieces, and then the leg section with three pieces.
8. Press, trim to 5” and give it a little kiss as you put it in your favorite tin!-Brenda P.
I made the 6 inch version of Papa’s Star just now without the tiny center. I used a mottled gold and muslin and will surround it with some of my favorites of the traditional 4 ½ inchers. I think this will include some math. I doubt I’m up to that tonight so I will just continue to sew the ones I know so well. I think some type of checkerboard surrounding the star will work the design out and perhaps give it more prominence. Now, to decide what to write in the center of the star. Maybe it would have been easier to just make the tiny inner star!! :)
I did use Susan Gatewood’s specific directions for the paper piecing and it looks really good. That could be caused by several reasons of course but I’m very happy with it. Now, my next big step. Clearing off the table to show off the ditty. I guess it will be a while before I need to get that far..... Night all, Jane in Arizona
H
H2, Jacob Anthony
I need help doing Jacob Anthony, mine came out square and I see it is supposed to be a diamond. the outside frame didn’t fit. Has anyone got a good method for assembling this monster? Is it paper pieceable?
If someone has posted a picture of H-2 it would be a help because the one’s I’ve seen really show how they go together. I really appreciate all the beautiful blocks I’ve seen.
I am late on the reply here but having made at least 10 H-2 blocks (during a small DJ exchange with my internet quilting group), I feel somewhat qualified to answer you on this one. I paperpieced the three strips of triangles and put those three strips together. Then I used freezer paper templates to cut the four pieces of frame to go around the center unit. Cut the outside edges very generously so you can trim as needed. I carefully machine pieced those four pieces to the outside, remembering my set-in seam techniques (only stitch to the marked line and use lots of pins to get your pivot in place!). Then applique those two additional triangles. Worked great for me—at least 10 times! I even handpieced the four outside frame pieces on the first one or two H-2’s that I did before braving the sewing machine for the rest. I love this block now! Robin in CT
I am sitting here with 12 pages of tips for the H row of our beloved Quilt!
But I would like a few more for the following 2 easy blocks-H-3, Berry Basket, pg. 74 and H-13, Farm Fields, pg.81. I have 2 one liners for H-3 and only 1 one liner for H-13. Could also use one or two more for H-5, Michael’s Motorcycle, pg.76.
Also, below I have copied a tip which was submitted for H-7, Bennington Star, pg. 77. After reading through this, I believe it is for another block. Can someone please tell me which one? I will either move or delete it and see that it gets to the proper Row Mom. I really don’t think It pertains to this particular block. Sarah in NE Texas
Jill, I’ll share with you all how I machine pieced the diamonds. First I redrafted this with the outside corners drawn 3/8” further out. Then I drew the inside edges of the diamonds ¼” from the intersection, made the diamonds ½” and it looked good.
This made the dimensions very suitable for machine piecing. Cut the diamonds 1”, add ¾” strips to the inside diagonals, trim; then add 1 & ½” strips to the outside diagonals. When these sections are complete, make squares out of ½ square triangles and trim to size (including seam allowance) before adding the corner backgrounds. If this isn’t clear enough let me know and I’ll do my best.
H3, Berry Basket
I am curious if any of the rest of you use this method of FPP.
BASE UNIT FPP:
I use one paper copy of the whole block (my “base unit”) to which I sew everything else. Sometimes I need to FPP sections first and then sew that on to the “base unit”. When I have sewn a FPP section to the “base unit”, I fold that section back, press, trim, tear away paper and I take the fabric section that is hanging loose, line up all significant points and glue stick the back onto the “base unit. So all the while I can maintain the same base unit and the measurements come out perfectly.
Here is an example:
You can FPP this entire block perfectly by using a “base unit” (a paper block!). Prepare a “base unit” by making a copy of the entire block out of paper. Starting with the center section, FPP one diagonal section directly onto your “base unit”. Make a paper template for the other diagonal half, and sew it onto the center piece which is already on your “base unit”. Fold back the added section, press, trim and remove paper. Then glue stick the hanging section onto the “base unit”, matching points. Then again directly on your base unit, FPP the two wing sections, the sections to the left and to the right of the center section you just did. Next make paper templates for the top third of the block as well as the bottom third of the block.
FPP both of these and sew these onto the “base unit”. Fold back, press,
trim, and remove paper, glue stick the fabric onto the “base unit” matching up points. Turn the entire block to the paper side and trim the block to size. Remove all paper. Perfect!
Does this make sense to any of you? Am I just calling it something
different? I sure love doing it this way and maybe the rest of you do too. Let me know. Sandy in Oregon
H13, Hannah’s Hearts
You will find many blocks with the pattern slightly different than the photo. As an example, Hannah’s Hearts (H-12) really has 8 teardrops instead of 4 hearts. Your choice. You make it the way you want to. If you are after a high “number of pieces” count, use 8 tear drops. If you want to make the background of one piece, that’s great. If you want to divide it into 4 triangles and sew them to together, that is your option.
I was at least half way through the quilt before I finally picked up on some of these things. Some of the blocks could have been done more easily by adding a seam here and there and, indeed, in the original Jane quilt, they may be there.
I10, Iris’ Medallion
I paper-pieced the entire background in three vertical sections and sewed them together. THEN I created the mid-overlay consisting of the four triangles around the square. I created it by sewing large pieces onto each side of the square. THEN I made a freezer paper template of that 5-piece and ironed it onto the back of the 5-piece. Trimmed it to size and appliquéd it in place onto the middle of my paper-pieced sections. Sandy Arbuthnot.
Suzanne - for what its worth and as best as I can describe what I did, paper piecing with freezer paper:
Visually divide the block in four diagonally. You will see that you can paper piece the four ‘stripes’ that run towards the center square. Then add a wonky triangle bit to each side of each stripe, which gives you four chunks which are a pointy sort of triangle. Then paper piece the middle square with the four long triangles sticking out (I guess that is the piece you’ve already made.) If you lay the four ‘pointy triangles’ into the gaps in the long triangles it is now relatively easy to sew them in place. Hope this helps. As always, I give credit to Val Derks in Suffolk who is an absolute genius when it comes to this quilt. Beth Norfolk, England
Dear Suzanne-Jane and freinds
Well, it’s early morning here in Europe, so I guess you are already asleep Just in case you gave up and am ready to try again when you wake up, here are my suggestions:
Start by sewing the 4 star-points to the centre square. Sew only from corner to corner, no sewing into seam-allowances. This point is important since you will have to insert the pieced “side”-triangle into those points (and no, there is no way I know of to do this block without having to do inset seams
Sew the 4 “side”-triangles.
Now the two elements are to be joined :
Start by insetting the side-triangles in between the star-points. Pin one side and piece it, going only from star-point to the point of the central square. Now pin and sew the other side.
Repeat 4 times.
NOW, you piece the last little snippets of seams, the ones that go from the tip of the star-points to the corner of the block. Here it is really a great help if you have not sewn into seam-allowances, but have only sewn from corner to corner. Hope this helps Hugs Tilde in Copenhagen
I “cheated” - I appliqued the four triangles on and then appliqued the four squares on! Voila!!! in no time, it was finished and filed away! Worked like a charm!! Need I add, I’m a long way from purism!?? Abracos, Marilyn!
I paper pieced I-10 Iris Medallion as a 9-patch variation (3 rows by 3 rows). Then I paper-pieced a unit of the triangles to a center block and appliqued that whole unit over the top. Hope this helps Tracy in Ohio
I12, Fred’s Square Fair
It shows a white border around the photo. Yet, the block has been enlarged slightly so the white border is not there. How much of a purist are you? Same thing applies to I-13.
I 13, Sweet Harmony
Hi, I just finished Sweet Harmony, and while I thought of appliquéing it, if anyone who was at Jill’s remembers what my Mouse in the Mirror looks like, they’ll be glad to know I’ve given up on that idea!
My I13 turned out OK, and I just cut everything out, ironed it all to freezer paper, and hand pieced. I started with the very middle, piecing the middle small square to a long piece, then a tri, then another long piece, then a tri, etc., until I had the middle square.
I atttached two (in my case muslin) teeny squares to the end of two of the four “framing” pieces, then sewed the shorter framing pieces (pretend you’re putting on a quilt border), followed by the two longer pieces.
Moving to the 4 corner units, I attached the four small triangles to each of the 4 squares, then sewed the triangles to each side of the square unit, and finished with the corner triangle. I then sewed those units of 8 pieces to each of the sides.
I took the advice of many people, and made my outside edges bigger than ¼”. Mine were around ½” each. I did that by marking the edge pieces with two little slashes before cutting them out, so I knew which sides to make larger.
I really hope that I’ve explained this in a way that’s somewhat clear. You obviously need the picture in front of you when doing it. (my own method! Veronica)
First : If you want to do it like Jane, with a coloured border around, copy the pattern as it is down a bit, and add the border. I can’t remember how much it is to be taken down, but .... a bit :-)
Second : The little squares at the corners can be made smaller to comply better with Jane’s original
Third : None of the above is necessary.
Now, piecing it. Make the centre like you would make F-4. It is the same, just smaller. Border it with a sashing with corner-stones. This “finished” block then needs corners. You can either appliqué the little square to each corner, or you can add seam-lines and piece each corner. It all depends on what you enjoy the most.
I added seamlines and pieced. Add the corners to the centre-square. If you have reduced the size, add the coloured borders. Finished, Tilde
I have completed block I-13. I machine pieced the center square (on point) and then paper pieced the four outer triangle corners, then machine stitched to the inter corner. It went together smoothly. I didn't shrink the block down to attach the outside border like Dear Jane did.
I really love doing these little blocks. Sandi-Jane 8, 0, 0, 227
J
J2, Picture Perfect
I tried that Troy Tip #2, the double sided tape on my block J-2, I made tonight. I paper pieced the center and it worked like a charm to line up the two center halves. Thanks for sharing that tip Brenda. I going to store my tape in a sandwich baggie, since I have a long hair black cat that sheds. Mary in AZ 43,1,0,606
J-3, Rick’s Volleyball Net
looks like it has many fabrics in it, yet it was a “cheater print”. If you were looking for something that looked like the picture, you might have to mix several fabrics and consequently, have a lot more pieces than in the drawn pattern.
Here's how I did it.
Cut a 4" block of background fabric;
Cut the center portion (with the curves) from freezer paper and using 'freezer paper on top' method of appliqué, hand appliquéd the center to the 4" background. Drafted the corners and paper pieced them, then sewed the corners to the 4" appliquéd center. The seams on the corners and the curves matched perfectly! Hope this helps. S. Gatewood in Beautiful Smithfield, VA
K
K6, Ann’s Folly
In K-6, I don’t see those 4 little tiny squares that are in the pattern drawing corners in the photo. I left them out.
I would have made my life a lot easier if I treated the edges like borders with setting squares. It worked, but I fussed more than I needed to with piecing them. Veronica (2001/09/01)
K-7, Rose of Sharing
The diagram shows just two pieces. If you look at the picture, you see 8 pieces. So, in some cases, you are going to add more lines to the drawn pattern. I added seams in K-5, making the diamonds, then doing “logs” around them to square them up. I noticed little seams in the white and said “Jane didn’t reverse appliqué these rascals in! She sashed them!”
Q-Is it done as two pieces (background and top rose) or in eight piece ( 4 background and 4 top rose)? I did it both way like the 4 way the best. What has the others done with this block? Thanks for all the help. Sandra 0 0 0 0
A -If you look at the picture of Jane's own block, you can see that she has done it with 4 joined hearts. Personally I prefer it that way. The "break" emphasises the hearts and
changes what can easily turn into a "big blob" to hearts. BUT disregarding what Jane did or didn't, may I suggest that you do it the way you like it best. Tilde in Copenhagen
L
L10,Nan’s Naiad
the drawing is ¼ turn off from the picture.
Can you help me with L-10's construction? Please?
I started by paper piecing the top and bottom 1" borders ... a white triangle in the center, then a parallelogram of blue fabric and finally a longer white strip for the outer-most length.
Now I'm looking at a very complex series of diamonds surrounding a 1-½" square. I'm thinking this might be best done by hand-piecing ... am I right? And, are the two pair of triangles in the border appliquéd after the block is complete? Peace, Mary Ellen in CT
L11, Caitlin’s Rose
We had to redraw some lines on this one. I am sorry I can’t possibly explain it well enough for anyone to understand.(from Brenda’s workshop)
M
M1
To answer your M1 question, I FPP (foundation paper pieced the whole "background" EXCLUDING the center 9-patch. Then I pieced the 9-patch and appliquéd it onto the background piece. Sandy in Oregon
M4,
Is it best to trace the individual squares, (that aren't square) - by
this [ I mean] the small log cabin and flying geese part of the block.
Then would you join these together????
From: "Susan Kraftcheck"
That's how I did mine, Belinda. It turned out really well. Good luck!
> Susan In Ontario
>
> Belinda & Tom Walch wrote:
I did mine this way as well & it turned out great. Just piece each unit
separately (you'll have nine of them--making sure that center row is
measured correctly since it is not the same size as the top & bottom rows)
and then use pins to line up those points as you join them. I joined them
three at a time in rows and then joined the rows. It was precise and pretty.
Good success!
Leslie in California
M5, Mother’s Point
Confused, The picture of M-5 is not the same as the pattern....the two small squares on the white square does not add up? the little squares are in the corners. How do I figure this out?????? Mickey (Texas)
M13, Lynette’s Diamond
Tracy....I am probably the wrong one to be answering this because I did not do ANY applique on it. I totally machine-pieced it using paper patterns. Had it made in under two hours, so I didn't struggle with this method.
I made 4 units exactly alike. I made only one set of FP patterns for the first unit, and then used them for the other 3. My take on making multiple patterns of the same piece is that there is room for a margin of error which these DJ blocks do not forgive! By error I mean the width of the pencil or pen line could vary, stop and starting point might not be the same; where one cuts on the lines can change. So if a block uses the same piece a few times, I just make the one set.
The 3 pieces are: A, the outside focal fabric piece; B that BG curvy piece; C, the quarter square piece. When I trace a pattern I don't make a solid line; I use a series of dots which I find is easier and more accurate. Trace each pattern piece, and add the 1/4" seam allowances, being sure to make A's outside edges about 1/4" larger. Did this a while ago, but I also may have made the "outer" edges of B and C a bit larger. I mark the begin, end, center of each piece with a darker dot. I also mark in pencil any seam lines, especially the curved ones.
Iron to front of appropriate colors, cut out. Now mark those begin, end, and centers, and seam lines, which should be visible if you hold it to a light source.
Piece A has a convex curve; piece B has a concave curve. Carefully snip to within a couple threads the concave seam, B. When joining seams such as these, you only ever snip in the concave seam. Pin (applique pins work great here) A and B together at the begin, end, and center dots. You must match these dots carefully.....I just poke the pin thru one dot on A and "hunt and peck" till I find the right spot on B. You might want to add a couple more pins to the seam. Be sure you are aligning all parts of A and B's seams as you pin.
Now you are ready to stitch...and whether you hand or machine-stitch, it will be simple to do. I have stitched together with A on top, and w/B on top and don't see much difference. I read a tip somewhere to have the snipped piece on bottom when doing seams such as these. If machine stitching, do it slowly, and try to have a smooth motion as you do the curve....try not to do jerky stops and starts where you actually lift the presser foot and then move the piece even ever so slightly....what will happen is that you will get a "sharp" spot in your curve (Been there, done that!). Also, because you have drawn in your seam lines on both pieces and matched them, if you sew either by machine or hand exactly on this line, you will end up with a nice curve.
Make all 4 alike, press well, and I pressed to dark w/o a problem. At this point you might wish to make a FP pattern of one block, marking the lines for A, B, and C, and including the seams. Again, be sure to give the outside edges of A another 1/4" or so. You can use this as a check for your pieces, trimming if necessary. When you join the squares together, match the BC points, and the points near the outer edge. Need to pin them, not eyeball, no matter how well you have trimmed.....(Yep, did that too!). After that, the joining was fairly straightforward.
Give it a real good press....as Tilde always says, pressing can work miracles. I am looking at mine again, and am going to repress the seam where the 2 halves are joined.....it will "square up" that center square more nicely. Sometimes pressing iin the opposite direction improves the look so that you don't need to pick open the seam and redo! Then just square it up with Brenda's ruler and you are done.
I used the same idea on A-3, Hunter's Moon, and B-3, Mirror Image, and will do the same thing with B-2, Sweet Tater Pie. I think, tho, Marilyn has a good idea for B-2 in which she cuts 2 identical sets of half-square triangles, and stitched each group of four into a pinwheel. Think she cut the 2nd pinwheel into a circle and appliqued it on.....if I messed that one up, Marilyn, could you please repeat it? Quilty hugs from Massachusetts, Sherry
I like applique so I'm not sure if this method is for you. Trace the diagram onto freezer paper. Cut off the four quarter circles and iron them to the back of your color fabric. Cut out leaving a small seam allowance at the curved edge. Leave a generous SA at the straight edges.
Baste under the curved edges. Take the left over pointy diamond and iron it to the right side of a 6" square of your background fabric. That is your template for placement of the quarter circles. Applique the quarter circles. When finished, cut out the center square from the freezer paper and iron it to the back of a piece of color fabric. Trim leaving a seam allowance, baste under the edges and applique to the center of your block. Susanne, in IL
Tracy, see you may be fairly new at DJing or at least to this list. No one who has been on a bit of time will be surprised to hear me say: do it in reverse applique. Trace the pattern on freezer paper. First cut out the curved part of the pattern.
Have your colored fabric on top of your background fabric. Each cut to about
5-1/2".
Trace around the curved portion with a pigma pen. Don't worry, it will not run and you will make sure to turn that part under. Cut only the top fabric, leaving between 1/4 and 1/8" for turn under. Using needle turn, just do applique stitch. When finished, cut the center square and applique in place. Not daunting at all, is it? Hugs, Connie L.
I reverse appliqued this one and then appliqued the center square on afterwards! I sort of ran those four points microscopically into the seam allowance so that they’d hold better and the “tacking down” didn’t show! Turned out just great and went even faster than I’d anticipated! Abracos, Marilyn!
Hi Judy, Sheila, and Sticklers,
Taking Tilde’s admonition to write about our block experiences, I decided to say my 2 cents worth on M13, Lynette’s Diamond. I have not had experience with curved piecing (one of my summer projects is to learn how to do it), so when I saw Lynette’s I automatically thought of applique. I made a simple pieced background of the light material—a four patch—that gave me the lines I needed to line up the large corner applique pieces. I traced the curved corners (4) onto freezer paper (FP)* and put the paper side of the FP against the wrong side of the corner fabric. I trimmed my fabric in the same curve with a ¼” seam allowance and clipped the curve. I pressed the wrong side of the material along the curve to the FP, just pressing the seamline firmly (no steam) to get the material to adhere smoothly along the curve. When you look at the front of the fabric you have the perfect applique shape ready to place. Due to the large area of FP wax that is exposed on the back, you can line up your applique pieces very easily along the seam lines of the background fabric and press into place. I used three ¾” applique pins to hold it in place for security. So all the “needle turning” is done and all I had to do was to applique each corner piece into place. Once the pieces are appliqued in place, the FP can be tugged out easily. (the starch method would work just as well or better, but I learned that after I had done M13) Then for the center diamond, I cut the intersection of the four corners of the background fabric, and a diamond from FP and adhered the center seam allowance in the same way. I reverse appliqued the center green diamond and pulled away the FP. This is a great opportunity to show off some special focal piece like a flower, or in my case, a small black bird. To this day, this block makes me smile because of that cheerful bird in the center. What is nice about this block is that you could easily use different fabric for the corners and the center. Have fun with it! Let your imagination run free!
That is why our Janes are so delightfully different!
Leslie in California
*To make sure that all four corner pieces are equal, trace the curve on a piece of FP. Cut it and three more squares of FP and staple them together with the traced copy on top. Cut them all at once, remove the staple.
Tris
LS2,
Pg 151, the picture is not correct for that triangle. I think she said the correct picture isn’t in the book.
RS3, Epicentre
I know there are lots of fancier answers for this triangle, but I found the simplest way was just to hand piece it. Basically, that is my answer every time! The curves are easier and the center lies nice and flat. I liked this triangle so much I used the concept for one of my diamond blocks.
My tips for hand piecing curves are on my web site at
Hand piecing is a big advantage for blocks with many seams converging in the middle. You can press the seams in a spiral manner. Try spiralling in both directions--one might look better than the other. If there is a little hole in the center, tack it from the back side of the block.
Good luck, no matter what method you choose. Linda in Burlington Ontario
If you want to see how varying your colors will make that pinwheel pop in > Epicenter, take a look at Vivi's masterpiece at:
Having just finished attaching my triangles & corners to the mother ship,
I would recommend putting the triangles with the straight of grain running up
the middle. Also, when you are piecing triangles and there is a triangle
piece in the base, make sure the base is on the straight of grain and not the
bias. Why? Because the bias edge then has a piece sewn to it immediately
and won't be left on an edge that won't be attached for a while and
consequently be handle a lot. I also attached my plain triangles to each
side of the pieced triangles as I went along and continued to attach
subsequent triangles as they were completed. Tracy in Ohio
169-52-4-5228
Marilyn I was worried about those bias edges as well so I started ironing freezer paper to each triangle as I finished it. Now I can handle the triangles without worrying about messing up the edges.
I use my DJ Triangle ruler as a template and just fold freezer paper and cut with my paper rotary cutter...it works well! Deb Kloss
Marilyn’s Triangle Agony
Okay, so now that several of you innocent ones have managed to convince me that life would not be complete until I did triangles for this DJ#1, here I sit trying to get beyond 14 finished triangles - for you newbies, that is a clear indication that there is a max. of 14 "easy" triangles - never having been remotely even interested in math, I have refrained from even counting the total number of tris! For those of you detail-oriented DJers - go ahead and figure out how many there are that are driving me MAD!!!!!
Being organizationally-oriented (I refrain from saying anal retentive, as we ridicule DS#2 for that - but then he's overly so and his mother certainly isn't so it wasn't my drop in his gene pool that caused it, etc., etc.) I decided that part of my delay in moving right along with these "fun" things was my lack of pre-made "kits" as I had done for the squares! WAYYYY back when!! So today was "make kits day" - I'm planning on this pups getting me through dh's surgery recuperation as I did with his leg surgery two years ago on the squares! Anyway, kits are now partially put together - fabs selected, xerox of each triangle copied at 133% to make up for the 1 1/2" sashing I stupidly did prior to thinking and I have three piles glaring at me. The first and smallest is one with already drawn graphs for pp'ing, the second is "I have the graphs or can figure out how to pp these on my own" and the third and largest is "oh my God how will I do these?" Oh there's a couple in a pile of "machine piece first and then freezer paper appliqué those melons."
Bottom line is for all you tri experts I need HELP with a graph for the following tris!!! I don't have EQ4 but if there's some way someone can send graphs like Leslie does for the triangle challenges, I can deal with that! I think!!
First is LS3, page 153 - RS9, page 140 - LS5, page 154 - B3, page 144 - B7, page 147 - B11, page 149 - B8, page 147 - B10, page 148 - LS1, page 151 - LS8, page 155
Intellectually, I probably could figure these out but at the moment, I've drawn a total mental blank (maybe its ME that needs the circulation tests, not the dh!!??) and just am not up to figuring these things out - I will maybe start piecing some of these tomorrow while I'm still here alone just to get the beat started!
I must say I sat and stared at that one with the two-colored circle thing for quite awhile - wondering if it was a pair with Infernal Cyclone! I think not but its definitely tempting me to baptize it something other than whatever it officially is called! But at this point, best not ask! On the other hand..............!!! Nope, don't ask!!!
If anyone of you can help me get these things in a rational form for pp'ing I'd sure appreciate it. I'm just overly anxious to start having "fun" with these things. CJ, did you HEAR ME!!!!!!!!!????????????
Off to draw several "obvious" ones on architect's paper!!! See how far I get with that!!
Abracos, Marilyn!
Marilyn,
I do not have the capability to send you diagrams like Leslie does because I don't have the diagrams, nor the desire to draft them on the computer. But I have copied below how I did the triangles you had listed. 98% of my triangles were paper-pieced, and I HATE paper piecing, so I am not fond of doing the triangles. I listed how many sections so you might could figure out how to divide it on your own. I do not have my book handy or I would go into more detail. I can tell you this, more than once I would go to Susanne Kleen's site and look at her work and you can tell where she divided them up for paper piecing. If I wanted to keep it more like Jane's, I came up with something on my own. The only one I remember really dividing it up my own way was LS 8, the last one you listed. Susanne sent me her diagram, and it was not quite right for me so I did it my way. But Susanne's diagram was easier to construct than the way I did it. I do remember that. Maybe Susanne or someone else can resend the addy for her website as I do not have it on this new hard drive yet.
Sorry I could not be the sort of help you wanted. Just going and looking at her site, you can learn alot on how to divide these blocks and triangles up for pp if you don't happen to have that natural ability. Sarah-Jane in NE Texas 169,52, 4, 5702
First is LS3, page 153 - paper pieced in 4 sections, Hand Appliqué melons
RS9, page 140 -paper pieced in 8 sections
LS5, page 154 - paper pieced in 7 sections, Hand appliqué half circle
B3, page 144 -paper piece 5 sections
B7, page 147 - paper piece 8 sections
B11, page 149 - pp in 8 sections
B8, page 147 - pp in 7 sections, + 1machine pieced ctr. unit
B10, page 148 - pp in 7 sections with no set in piecing by adding lines as in Jane's triangle
LS1, page 151 - pp in 10 sections
LS8, page 155 - pp in 4 sections + 3 freezer paper templates + set in machine piecing, then hand appliqué
Sashing
Re sashing: I’ve been doing the sashing as I go. A 5” sash on the right side & a 5-1/2” along the bottom of the blocks. The only seam to line up is the vertical ... works for me.
You asked for thoughts on sashing. I handpieced my Baby Jane and added sashing on the right side as I completed each Block. Then I cut one long 1” x 65” ( I believe you are correct on that) and penciled my markings 4.5 (with adjustments at beginning and end) and .5 inches along the length. It pieced together very well (EXCEPT I put one row in backwards !!!!! -- still
have to correct that mistake.) Now I’m busy doing triangles. It’s wonderful that you’re now a Wonder Worker!
Laurie W. in NW Pa.
169, 18, 4, ????
Laurie Wellington
lwellington@
Dad’s Products Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 451, Mill St.
Meadville, PA 16335
800-458-1801 Ext. 4441
Fax 800-639-8649
The sashing between each blocks is 1x5. I would suggest you sew on the sashing as you finish your blocks. If you don’t, then trying to sew on 160 of those buggers is very BORING and tedious. Sew the sashing on the right of each block, except for the last block of each row. The sashing between rows is 1x (4.5x13) (do your math). I marked my sashing every 4.5 inches, then .5 in then 4.5 inch, and so on. Then there’s the sashing around the whole perimeter of the 169 blocks. That’s ¼” (3/4” cut). Hope that helps.
Last night I completed my 169th block! What a feeling! Wish I knew how many I have done over, but I am guessing I did probably 30 at least. Now I see one more that stares at me and may have to re-do it.
So now I am doing the sashing. Having already sewn the sashing on the right sides, I began by cutting 1” x 5 ½” sashes and sewing them onto the bottom of the blocks and then sewing the first row of blocks together. I carefully figured out which direction to press the seams so they would abut properly between blocks and rows. WELLLLLLLLL, having to iron the bottom seam UP on some of those blocks made terrible bulk. And the sashings were all different because some had both seam allowances, others had only one. So I decided to go for the LOOOOOOOOOONG strip. This way all sashing seams will go toward the sashing. And it appears to be much less work.
So I think I have figured out that those of you who are hand piecing would probably do the single sashes and those that are machining would do better to do the long sash in one piece. ANYONE HAVE THOUGHTS?
QUESTION: I figure I should cut that LONG sash between rows 65” long. If I do not make this accurate, seems like my triangles would not fit properly. Does anyone have experience or recollect what they did? Is 65” the correct measurement?
Anyway I am one happy camper that I have 169 completed blocks. Sandy 169,0,0,3495
I have my 2cents to contribute- I waited till I was almoast done and then I finally found the sashing fabric I wanted. I cut 5x1" strips for between the blocks in the rows. For the long strips I used a pigma marker on the back of the fabric (it's red) and carefully marked off each block and sash with my little omnigrid ruler. I just drew a straight, square line right across the strip at the point it should meet a seam. It would work with washable marker or pencil for those using lighter fabric. Then it was a matter of carefully lining these marks up with the seams and using enough pins. It worked like a dream. If I did another one I might opt for cornerstones just because I like the look but I had no trouble with my long strips. Where there's a want there's a way...Alice Curtis
I have now trimmed and mostly sashed all the blocks I have finished. Here is what I have learned.
1. I am too cheap on fabric. I needed to leave a larger allowance on the outside for ALL of them. Maybe not all but at least more than some. Newbies take note!
2. Think about the Brooklyn Revolver cutting mat. I thought it was way too high priced and what did I need with another mat. Like I only have a dozen. This is GREAT! It really makes the trimming all the way around more accurate and so much easier. I put a little mat on top of it so I have kept the surface tidy:) It was well worth the money.
3. Brenda's rulers are WONDERFUL to trim up the blocks. I haven't really used the triangle one yet but I will assume it will be just as useful. I had trimmed several of my first blocks and again I am too skimpy. I can fix this in the seam allowance in the sashing but why do I need to think this hard?
4. Think and measure those appliqué blocks that have big melons out to the seam allowance. Mine are pretty tight to the edge. Maybe it doesn't matter but I can see where it would have been better if I'd made the melons a bit smaller.
5. Have your machine serviced or do your own if you know what you are doing regularly. My FW has stopped on me at this critical point. I have oiled it on a regular basis and emptied the bottom etc and don't know what else to do know except take it in for service before I really do damage. Lucky for me I have another machine to work with so I will keep going ok.
I have having a ball putting all these baggies together finally. I wonder why I chose some of the colors where they are now but all the colors look good together so it will be fine. I have taken a couple apart completely as they are just strange but most of their parts are save-able. And they are so much easier to make the second time around! Jane in way too hot Arizona
Scallops
To Linda OR anyone, I am attempting to understand Linda's Scallop instructions which are very good. But I do have a question.
Her "second best tip" says to "Leave the edge of your quilt straight while you are quilting."
Question: Does this mean you QUILT the QUILT BEFORE DOING THE SCALLOPS? If this is the case one would sew the extra fabric strip (for the future scallops) around the entire piece of blocks and triangles and sandwich this so you can quilt it. Is this correct?
Thank you in advance! Sandy
Dear Sandy & DJ Friends/Freinds!
Yes! I quilted the whole quilt before I cut the scallops.
There are a few advantages to this. First of all, I was able to fool myself during months and months of hand quilting into thinking that I did not have to do the scallops at all! I thought they looked very hard to do well. I have always noticed bindings maybe because of my sewing background, before I started quilting) and have noticed that too many quilters don't do the same quality work in their bindings that they do in the quilt top and quilting. A great binding is much rarer than a great quilt top. Each of us has seen bindings (scalloped and otherwise) that are so poor they detract from a gorgeous quilt! Monkey says this has something to do with deadlines for quilt shows. He thinks he knows everything.
So, I quilted and quilted for months and months, with a big square quilt with straight edges. I made the backing extra large so there was enough fabric to fold over to the front, and baste, to protect the edges.
When I started quilting the outside blocks I decided to use a design that would be compatible with a scalloped edge "just in case" I changed my mind. Uh, oh! I started looking for clear scallop directions, and did not find what I was looking for. Then I practiced on sample quilt sandwiches (backing, batting, front) trying to find a size and technique for scallops that I liked. The best results are on my web site, and are illustrated and refined in the manuscript for Quilted Diamonds Jane Austen, Jane Stickle & Friends.
Other than months of peace of mind (if you think you don't have to do a scalloped edge, even though you probably will want to!) there is another big advantage to quilting with a straight edge. If you cut the scallops ahead of time, the bias edges could become stretched or rippled by the time you finish quilting. Bias is very temperamental! At the very least, you need to be more careful handling cut scallops than a straight edge. Several Dear Jane friends like to cut their scallops and triangles all in one piece, like a triangle plus semi-circle (ice cream cone), and it has worked for them. It is similar to that I did. My blue batik border pieces (see the left-hand edge of ) were cut as a triangle plus rectangle in one. The inset seam was easy because I hand pieced. I had lots of fabric available, and no extra seams, when I finally decided on the shape of the scallops and cut the curves. Otherwise, you could just sew a straight strip of fabric about 4 inches wide onto each side of the quilt top, giving yourself lots of room for scallops.
I have seen photographs of In Time of Friendship that have been cropped so you don't see the scallops and it looks like a completely different quilt---and not as pretty, light and lacy. I really have fallen in love with scalloped edges, haven't I? Sometimes I wonder if I will ever make a quilt without them. Who can say? Maybe someday I'll use more than two fabrics in a big quilt! Maybe I'll make a big quilt that isn't blue and white! Maybe Monkey will write a book? Maybe someday..Hugs,Linda & Monkey in Burlington
Yes....This is what I am doing! Then I will add the binding, curving it to the line drawn for my scallops, trim the excess when the binding is on! Bonnie
Bonnie is exactly right: trim the excess (the curves) when the binding is on!Linda & Monkey
Lists of blocks –To Appliqué, That are Easy, etc.
Many of the blocks are good for doing appliqué. I like Freezer Paper appliqué - but any method you are comfortable with will work.
I don't have my book with me, but from looking at the Mother Quilt I would say the following are good appliqué blocks:
A7 - Piece the 4 square for the background and appliqué the petals
A8 - Don't HAVE to piece this - just cut the background and appliqué 2 rectangles on top of each other!
B12 - Basic Appliqué
C9 - Basic Appliqué
D3 - VERY easy; Gentle curves (you will still need to clip)
E1 - Basic Appliqué
E10 - Basic Appliqué
F13 - Basic Appliqué
G3 – I did the centre flower as on piece; The border with the another piece.
H12 - Basic Appliqué
Jenny-Jane ,Apex, NC
Where Do I Begin?
The first thing I would do is to take your DJ book to a copy store and have them cut the spine off. Then from an office supple store such as Office Depot I would purchase a 3” 3 ring binder with pockets on the front and back and the spine (I purchased white). Also purchase enough clear 3 ring pocket pages (I purchased Avery PV119 - 2 boxes). Now I put the spine that was cut off in the spine pocket of the binder and the front cover page in the front cover pocket of the binder. Now I put each of the pages in its own pocket page. Now you too will have a book that is protected and the pages are easily accessable for copying patterns. I usually take them out of the sheet protectors to copy. Some people also keep a diary of when each block was started and completed in their book.
For doing hand or machine piecing - trace the block; cut the tracing apart; trace around the now cut template on the wrong side of the fabric and add ¼” for seam allowance and cut. For appliqué I add only 3/16th of an inch. Also when I complete a seam I trim to about 1/8th or 3/16th.
If you would like more information please let me know. Everyone wants to know about the numbers—number of blocks completed, number of triangles completed, number of corners completed, count of the pieces of fabric used in making your blocks of all types. now go and make a quilt - you too can enjoy this journey!
Linda’s DJ Journey
I joined the DJ list shortly after arriving in Brasil in Nov. 1999 on a dare from “Karen in Reno” (she’s still making her indigo DJ!!) and one of the first “amazing letters” was this one from Linda Franz! I was appalled that anyone could possibly become so “attached” to a cold, distant group in the internet! What silliness from a full-grown adult - on the other hand, that quilt of hers DID look interesting and totally amazing when checked out! So I reserved judgment and thought positive!
Two and a half years later, I’m totally “attached” to my two DJs in progress, the list, the friends I’ve made, the things I’ve learned about so many things from basting to hagis to world geography and religion! To say nothing of speaking Aussie to chooks!! would that be called Chook-ese??? Whatever, Linda, thanks for the memories with this nostalgic letter - it is an amazing group isn’t it! I sometimes wonder if there’s some equally fine group out there of maybe, Bent Nail Collectors or some such distant group!! Like looking into space and wondering if there really IS life out there somewhere and not having a clue where to start looking!! Amazing!! Abracos, Marilyn!
Linda Franz wrote:
Dear DJ Friends!
In this mood of reminiscing, I am re-sending a letter I wrote to the list in January 1999, when I finished my DJ quilt and was declared to be the first GODDESS. In Time of Friendship was my first big quilt, and since I was the first on the list to finish a big DJ project, there was no term yet beyond Wonder Worker (169 blocks) and Miracle Worker (169 blocks plus all triangles). The letter is VERY long, and summarizes some Ancient History that many of us have shared together, and describes the background of the list for newbies.
The list has grown dramatically in the last year. Please keep in mind that every time you write a letter, it goes to more than 600 people, the vast majority of whom never have, and never will, write even one letter to the list. Because you don’t see their names, it is easy to forget that they are there. There are things that we feel comfortable writing about to people we “know” but would not want to say with a microphone from a stage in a big auditorium. There are also almost 250 people on Sort & Forward now, with more added every day, especially when the mail is heavy and when there are a lot of NDJ messages.
This list has a rich history since it was started in the winter of 1997, and we have many shared experiences. This list has made a lot of friendships possible and it is a very precious trust. Monkey and I are looking forward to meeting Veronica and Karen for the first time today, and to seeing Debra and Linda (of Hamilton) again, today in Oakville.
Quilts are great, but it is quilters that make the world go round.
Hugs, Linda & Monkey in Burlington Ontario
Home page:
>
Monkey’s Unofficial Encyclopedia for Dear Jane Friends
>
Description of Sort & Forward on web site at
>
More photos on PhotoPoint at
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 23:01:20 -0500
To: dearjane-list@
From: Linda Franz
Subject: DJ A Year in the Life of a DJ Goddess (VERY LONG!)
Dear DJ Friends!
I am overwhelmed with lovely incoming mail! Thank you! Thank you! On this one-year anniversary and momentous occasion (finished quilting the quilt!), I have been reminiscing about the past twelve months on the list. I have written a really long summary, thinking that I might put it in a pocket on the back of my quilt, with other DJ related stuff, like the book (heavily notated) and other letters and papers. You wouldn’t really miss anything if you deleted this long letter now, but it might bring back some happy memories of the past year on the list, or if you have recently joined the most fantastic list in cyber-space, it might give you a flavour of what goes on here!
January 1998
Mary helped me subscribe to the list on January 17, 1998 and I lurked until the 28th when Mary came with complete instructions for hand piecing C-1 Trooper Green’s Badge. The instructions said:
Preparation:
1. Wash selected fabric.
2. Place 4 cans of Diet Coke in refrigerator.
3. Secure a source of chocolate.
I confidently told Mary “I have never made a big quilt and I probably never will.” Well, SHE says I said, “I will NEVER make a big quilt,” and we are friends, so I won’t quibble about this. I know I only intended to make a 7 x 7 block wall hanging. I could not imagine hauling a collection of reproduction fabrics from Florida to Ontario and back again, so I decided to work with just two fabrics. I had a white-on-white Northcott Silk
cotton with a tiny vine design and a blue batik (with areas of pink, mauve, gray) also with a tiny vine design, in silver.
In my first week, April gave birth to my first DJ nephew, Will. :-) All of us were speculating on what Jane Stickle looked like and I hand pieced 13 blocks. After 10 days I had 15 blocks, (including Jill’s Challenges #6 & #7) and had bought a new Ott-lite, YLI silk thread, and close-up filters for my camera so I could take photos of individual blocks. It was true love. It wasn’t enough to tell everyone, everywhere, about Dear Jane and Brenda’s book and the list. I was carrying photos in my purse. Everyone was making plans for DJ2000, which I was not interested in attending. LOL
February
On February 13th there was a joyful DJ Gathering of Mary, Ann and Linda (me) at our guild’s quilt show in Naples. We all wore DJ paraphernalia like Swiss Army Knives (from Brenda) and pins (from Nancee-Jane), and thanks to Ann I found more of my batik so I could make more than 49 blocks—“if I wanted.” ROTFL—like I could stop if I wanted to! By the 22nd I had 25 blocks (Silverness had not been invented by Connie Lukacs yet); I was confident redrafting B-11 by myself; I had written “tips” for some of the blocks; I had The Quilt as my computer wallpaper. All the signs of a big quilt coming on, n’est-ce pas?
March
On March 1, in a letter to the list I asked how many pieces there were in the 169 blocks. Good grief!!! What was I thinking?? Someone had suggested that we each sign off with a block count, and I signed as “31 blocks, 0 triangles, 613 pieces.”
I was using Sadie Rose’s “bingo” technique, doing blocks in any order I wanted, and keeping a diary of my progress. When Jill issued a challenge with diamonds in the block, and I finally figured out how to get pointy points, I did all of the blocks with diamonds and put that behind me! Later in March I wrote “I am pretty sure I will make several small DJ projects rather than one full quilt. My work is “Sticklish,” and has nothing to do with an inability to follow the rules, eh?” I did not know myself.
By late March, Kathy Smith had finally introduced herself, after lurking for three months! Thank goodness! She has contributed a lot of great book reports and valuable advice about thread and batts and Roxanne thimbles, etc. She is a great resource for all kinds of quilting things, with great prices too, as many of you know! She is a good DJ friend.
Gail of FL started hand piecing her First Dear Jane in March and we created quite a diversion, sitting side by side hand piecing DJ blocks on a guild bus trip to the Miami Quilt Show. Suzanne Kleen joined the list around this time too.
I was starting to get really worried about how to get my DJ-related shopping back to Canada. Thanks to my DJ friends I had bought several new books, including 501 Quilt Blocks and Jill Kemp’s Bears Paw books and lots of fabric and neat stuff from the on-line catalogs. I was So Innocent about this form of retail therapy, pre-DJ! Looking back now, I realize how often I got great information from Sadie Rose and Karan Jane. There were
so many names on the list that it took me a long time to realize that Sadie Rose and Karen Jane were the same person, and that she was one of the founders of the Dear Jane list, before Brenda set up .
April
By the time we left Florida I had 55 blocks, including G-6 Papa’s Star and C-7 Megan’s Mountain Laurel. Jill in Jersey had over 100 blocks and Mary had 80. I had several blocks prepared and thanks to the traveling kit described on the list I had learned to hand piece in the car. There were new quilters joining the list almost every day, including Susan in PEI (who has since completed her DJ top), and more quilters in Australia and Holland.
We left Florida on April 8th, Jane Stickle’s Birthday, and I stitched 7 blocks on the journey north. At that time Nancee-Jane was doing extremely dangerous stunts, like walking through her dining room in Bunny Slippers, and Connie Sue decided to take pity on the deprived Canadians who were watching prehistoric Simply Quilts shows on Canadian HGTV. A relay system was established to send videos and fabrics from sea to shining sea and back to Virginia. This was just the beginning of the snail mail phenomenon at
my house. ALL of the Simply Quilts shows were new to me. I had never even heard of Simply Quilts, before DJ! My quilting education really started with Dear Jane Friends.
And in April everyone in the whole world was packing for Paducah (except poor me), we were all making a block for Michael, and our guild arranged to have Brenda Papadakis (YES YES YES) visit our guild in February 99 to give a lecture and workshops!!! The First Challenge Buddies Group was established.
In April the lucky ones met in Paducah and the stay-at-homes worked on M-3 Fireweed Flower. Rosemary-Jane bought 202 fat eighths of reproduction fabric in Paducah!!! (You may be wondering how I remember all this! Well, 202 fat eighths are hard to forget!) Naughty Rosie (Ruthie) was just a
newbie, already making us laugh, learning “frog stitching” (rip it, rip it)
and becoming a hand piecing buddy. I will meet her in person when she
visits Florida in March 99! It is a virtual friendship already.
May
I started reading Earlene Fowler’s quilt mysteries (recommended by DJers)
on the Nordic Track and the cotton/silk/other thread debate entered its
third or fourth month, but never achieved the importance of chocolate as a
DJ issue. I became a demi-Jane (85 blocks) on May 2nd while waiting for my
Dear Great Grandson to be born (descendant of DH really, but very Dear to
both of us). I marimba that around that time Gail of FL & KS and Mabel in
GA (with Don reporting) were making blocks so fast we were all stunned at
their progress. Paducah photos started showing up and we were all shocked
to see Rosemary-Jane’s extremely youthful face (a little old lady in a
rocking chair??) and Nancee-Jane’s resemblance to someone famous and
glamorous (who???). A marriage was arranged between my new DGGS and Mary’s
new DGD, for which wedding quilts are forecast. I first heard about The
Persian Pickle Club by Sandra “I Did It” Dallas—a must-read for every
quilter—recommended to me by Debbie Clem and others. Lots of “favourite
books” messages were exchanged.
In May, Linda of Flower Mound Texas (now grandmother of three day old
Allison Paige) came to Canada and there was a meeting of Linda, Linda (me)
and Barbara Joy in Hamilton. It was a great event to share our Dear Jane
experiences. DJ Web Sites appeared, including Susan’s in PEI.
> >
>Paula Hammer was the first Miracle Worker (all the blocks and triangles)
>and by mid-May there were a dozen Jubileers: Cheryl Rogers, Jill Reid,
>Lori DeJarnatt, Connie Lukacs, Janet Peterson (Janstormy), Fiona Brown,
>Mabel Sharp, Judy Stewart, Joan Gelder, Linda Campbell, Gail Stewart and my
>leader, Mary Althaus. Connie had started maintaining a list of
>”Jubileers” in April, using the name Jill suggested. (This later developed
>into the weekly lists.) Karen Ehrhardt, who was a bookless beginner in
>April, contributed the first Tally of DJers on the list in May! There were
>”only” about 200 of us on the list then! And the cyber-quilting frame was
>an amazement to us all, I think.
> >
>My DH and I moved in with my Dear Dad (Parkinson’s Disease) while my Mother
>went to England for a vacation and I found that hand piecing Dear Jane
>blocks was the perfect pastime while looking after Dad. We had a lovely
>time together, sitting on our front porch, or watching TV, or just talking,
>and he took a big interest in my quilt. I was able to cut out all of the
>rest of the 169 blocks and I reorganized my 96 completed and 69 prepared
>blocks in the pages meant for 5x7 photos (4 to a page).
> >
>It was a very happy time, despite Dad’s illness. I hand pieced Maze of
>Madness, my 100th block, while sitting on our front porch, with Dad and
>chipmunks in attendance. By my birthday in May I had 108 blocks, which was
>my age and a few to spare. This was a popular objective at the time.
>Around the same time, in a frenzy of challenge activity, someone dreamt up
>the “finish the whole quilt by Monday challenge,” which is outstanding even
>now if you are interested, and still satisfies that “craving for widespread
>incompletion” (Frank does have a way with words!). I got a lot of new
>quilting books for my birthday, and the best of them all was That Perfect
>Stitch by Roxanne McElroy. What a fabulous book. I heartily recommend it,
>her thimble and her needles.
> >
>We are only up to MAY, so far, and I must mention that around this time I
>learned that Alice Curtis stenciled the fabric for B-13 (you must see her
>web site at
>Almost everyone was collecting “reproductive” fabric and Tazzie or Bonnie
>improved my vocab with the term “blonditude.”
> >
>June
> >
>In June, there were lots of recommendations for children’s books and
>Roxanne’s products, causing a huge worldwide increase in orders for Good
>Dog Carl and The Roxanne Thimble. Rockie & Gay made their 100th blocks.
>Cheryl Rogers, Marcie Knudson, Gail Stewart, and Mabel Sharp became Wonder
>Workers--169! And there were more than 20 people with more than 100
>blocks!!! What an inspiration!
> >
>New people were joining the list every day and there was some kind of
>perverse competition over “most UFOs!” VBG I watched 22 Simply Quilts
>shows in one day (borrowed from Paula Hammer, all new episodes to me!) and
>edited out the commercials, juggling three remote controls while hand
>piecing my way to 125 blocks.
> >
>Also in June, there was a flood of newbies, on the list and on our back
>patio. Mama and five baby raccoons provided an episode of chook-like
>diversion, consuming lots of edibles and film in the process. There were
>DJ gatherings in GA and ME and IN. I received my first Roxanne thimble and
>started ordering from Kathy Smith—including The Block Book and Enduring
>Grace—both great! We moved on from UFOs to the Great Hand Quilting vs
>Machine Quilting Debate. I inadvertently mentioned Rubbermaid on the list
>and threw all of Australia into a State of Confusion.
> >
>My DH and I organized the Father’s Day Weekend Spa Extravaganza for Dad and
>a lot of signature blocks were made around this time! Deja vu all over
>again! Also in June, we Snoopy Danced for many achievers (did Mary Lou in
>WY start that?), everyone wore red underwear, we sometimes set our hair on
>fire, many played pass the stash. Norway won the World Cup for Berit. I
>started what later became “Sort & Forward” for one busy DJer, started my
>comparison of DJ blocks to Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Patterns and
>added “yonks” to my vocab. Before the end of the month I had my new
>Ott-lite floor lamp and had written a long description of my hand piecing
>methods! With 150 Dear Jane blocks I was feeling like an expert! LOL It
>was only five months since my first hand piecing attempt! There was more
>discussion about whether or not to cut away behind appliqué, and on and on!
> >
>July
> >
>In July, riding a wave of confidence, I wrote “Hand Piecing Curves” and
>Gabrielle met her birth mother. Nancee-Jane’s daughter Bethany wrote the
>fabulous DJ song, with the chorus: “Close your eyes, and imagine (just
>imagine) that you’re actually finished with the silly quilt. I get lost,
>lost in my mind, thinkin’ of this silly quilt” and Zanne took us all
>scalloping! There were terrible fires in Florida. I ordered my silk batt.
> Around this time I started spending more money (Canadian dollars!) on
>snail mail than on unlimited internet access every month!! E-mail spawns
>snail mail, and it is really fun!
> >
>I was ready for my 169th block, but I waited a couple of days so my Dear
>Dad would be with us when I finished. On the 9th of July I hand pieced
>J-11 Twin Sister, but sometime during the proceedings my DH and Dear Dad
>dozed off in front of the TV. Luckily I was able to share the triumph with
>people who really cared—you. LOL Jill in Jersey finished her 169th block
>a few days later and we were all responding to Catherine’s friend Sara in
>Redwood CA, who found comfort in learning to quilt Dear Jane blocks. The
>DJ server CRASHED! Dana & Brenda & others went to Quilt Camp. Fiona
>compiled the Roster for us all. Rosemary finally came down off the roof.
> >
>Sadly, at this time there was a serious discussion of netiquette on the
>list that resulted in a chill. I already had four people I was sorting and
>forwarding mail to—people whose lives were too busy for all the chatter.
>The Crazed Quilter Sort and Forward Service was born.
> >
>I was so inspired by Alice and Lisa and Susan and Tazzie and Susanne’s
>sites that I wanted my own and my Dear Sister Alison helped me with my
>first web site page. I fell seriously behind in my personal e-mail
>replies, and I became “Behindest of the Behind” for the first time, having
>wisely rejected “The Biggest Behind.”
> >
>Alice
>Lisa
>Susan
>Tazzie
>Suzanne
> >
>August
> >
>Faith Fairchild mysteries by Katherine Hall Page were recommended and I
>read them on the Nordic Track. In early August, Netcom made a change that
>prevented several of us from getting mail from the DJ server for a whole
>weekend. It was a sad and heart-breaking situation, test, test, test, and
>resulted in the development of the DJ Patch (Patent Pending). You may have
>forgotten, but I am STILL testing the DJ PATCH, which is similar to a
>Nicotine Patch, to try to help with the symptoms of DJ Withdrawal. The
>test patches are made out of high quality 100% cotton fabric, scented with
>chocolate, and come in many colours and shapes. They can be re-cycled into
>quilts after use. So far, market research shows that they don’t work at
>all. :-) Everyone in the test group still needs contact with their Dear
>Jane friends.
> >
>Out of the blue I had a call from Dana in Tennessee and heard her soft
>southern accent for the first time. What a generous and talented lady! I
>spoke to Brenda on the phone for the first time and was surprised to hear a
>very southern accent—from Indy! It was so special to speak with her!
> >
>I single handedly caused confusion between two Alices, both good DJ
>friends, and then resolved it. VBG We all mailed signature blocks to
>Gypsy and bought copies of Traditional quilter magazine, just for Brenda’s
>articles. Before the end of August I learned about Preparation H and how
>to use it. ;-) We all got excited about the Jane Austen quilt and there
>was a run on Australian Patchwork Quilting magazines.
> >
>I finally decided on the layout for my DJ blocks, using only 144 of the 169
>and adding 221 plain blocks in white and batik, for a total of 365 blocks,
>on point. You can see it at
> At the end of August,
>Chris in Adelaide finally de-lurked and we all added “chook” to the vocab.
> >;-)
> >
>September
> >
>I started hand sewing my quilt top together on September 1st. It was very
>slow by hand. If you know in advance the order in which you want to set
>your blocks, I would sincerely recommend sewing them together in strips or
>groups as you go, partly as inspiration, partly to avoid having to do it
>all at the end.
> >
>Dear Brenda had surgery and Pete kept us updated on her progress. It was a
>good time to share our hopes and fears together and it was heartening to
>hear of her recovery. The news was so good! In September we talked about
>Jane Austen even more and Alice Curtis indexed the blocks and triangle for
>us. Eighty or more of us received our parcels of gorgeous signature blocks
>from Gypsy. That was a major snail mail event. Gay at Attic Window
>introduced her new web site and that was a
>major shoppers’ event!
> >
>Before the end of the month I finished hand sewing all of my blocks into a
>completed top. Wow. My Dear Sister Alison helped me put the photo on my
>pathetic web site. I was gobsmacked by the response from so many friends!
>By the end of the month I had written a letter with my appliqué tips!!!
>”You’ve come a long way, baby!” :-) My chocolate life was enriched by a
>shipment of Tim Tams from Irene, down under!
> >
>October
> >
>In October, the Adelaide Janes all met at Irene’s house but several of us
>could not attend, being in the wrong hemisphere at the time. I got lots of
>advice from the list about basting my first big quilt (about 90 x 90) while
>I waited for my luscious silk batting to arrive. By this time, I felt so
>close to several friends, known only through cyber-space, that I felt
>compelled to buy a Zip Drive to back up my e-mail files. I knew I could
>not bear it if my computer crashed and I lost my letters from precious new
>friends. I hardly ever print messages, so I felt much better with backup
>copies.
> >
>The silk batts arrived. After almost a week it was determined that the
>batts were defective and I shared the long, sad story with this sympathetic
>group. It was a crushing blow, but sharing this debacle with everyone
>helped me carry on. ;-) I switched to a wool batt, basted it quickly and
>started quilting on the 19th. The unscientific testing of Preparation H
>was underway and I entered DJ Hell—that is, I began quilting on a schedule
>and had less time to write letters and be on the computer. I did write
>about favourite books again, and there were so many new people on the list
>that I re-sent my hand piecing tips. After 11 days of quilting I had 50
>blocks done but I noticed that I was getting some pulling on the back.
>LONG SAD STORY (available on request!).
> >
>I ripped out all of my quilting, re-basted and started quilting again on
>November 1. It was really important to share this sad episode with
>everyone. So October was a wipe-out---no silk batt, no quilting to show
>for it and I was Way Way Behind in my mail.
> >
>November
> >
>In November, when everyone was gathered in Shipshewana, we drove down I-75
>to Florida. When I logged on again for the first time, all the subject
>lines seemed to refer to gravestones! What happened!! By the end of the
>month we had celebrated our second Thanksgiving, I had written an
>authoritative-sounding letter about appliqué-ing melons! LOL and I had
>quilted 92 blocks, while wearing antlers (oh, Rockie!) and smelling of
>Preparation H Cream. I finally learned about S.E.X. and loved it. Around
>this time I also heard a lot about grunion, snipe, submarine races and
>jackalopes, if I marimba correctly. CJ finally finished her 169 plus
>another 26, for a total of 195. It took her over two months LOL but it
>seemed like a nanosecond and her quit top is stupendous.
> >
>December
> >
>December is a blur of quilting and snail mail! Christmas is my least
>favourite time of year, but I love Christmas cards and it seems that a lot
>of other DJers do too! There was a lot of activity for 99 Babies on the
>list. I spoke to Mary for the first time about DJ 2000. I want to go! I
>was reading books recommended to me by Paula Libby and Sadie Rose, while I
>skied and watched the blue sky and surf and palm trees. I ended the year
>with 246 of 365 blocks quilted.
> >
>January 1999
> >
>January! Retreats in Colorado and Shipshewana and everywhere else At Home.
> There was a huge increase in requests for Sort & Forward Service. Fifteen
>new requests came in almost all at once, and there are now between 40 and
>50 people on the Sort & Forward List! Should this be telling us all
>something???
> >
>What a year! There have been several new grandchildren and great
>grandchildren (any news from Brenda???) and we have seen each other through
>surgery and illnesses. We have sympathized with those with injured feet,
>hands, shoulders, arms, legs, whatever. Carol Valenta and Susanne
>Ellenberger and Nancee-Jane had long recoveries. We have each heard many
>stories of kindness and generosity and we have learned from each other and
>been encouraged and inspired. Even in a message this long I cannot mention
>everything. I will probably think of something else as soon as I send
>this. VBG
> >
>There have been any number of weather emergencies, including ice and snow
>and tornadoes and sheering winds and flooding and drought and fires. We
>have endured/enjoyed several televised major sporting events and exchanged
>recipes. The upcoming Super Bowl/Signature Block Party is part of this
>grand tradition. The Super Bowl and Signature Blocks have several things
>in common, mainly edible. VBG The Naples Daily News prints a special
>section comparing Super Bowl Snacks and recommending recipes. Dear Jane is
>even better!
> >
>So the excitement is building for the next signature swap. We have many
>wonderful new members and I will finally meet Brenda next month. 1999
>looks like a wonderful Dear Jane year!
> >
>Today, on the one-year anniversary of the first block and three days after
>I finished quilting my quilt, I realize that it is more than cotton and
>wool and silk. It will always remind me of you.
> >
>Hugs,
>Linda in Naples FL
Freezer Paper
The way I use freezer paper in my printer (and so far it has never caused a jam) is to iron the freezer paper to a sheet of regular paper and then feed it through. I cut the freezer paper just a smidge smaller then the regular size paper so I can separate them a bit easier. vickie in new hampshire
I have been hearing a lot about appliquéing with Freezer paper. I just pulled this from .
I like using freezer paper for my appliqué shapes. But I wanted to save some time by not hand tracing my patterns or running to the copy shop. So I chose an appliqué pattern from my computer to print on freezer paper, which I would then iron onto my fabric.
I cut a piece of freezer paper and fed it into my printer. What a time I had getting the freezer paper out of my printer after it jammed! Now I iron the freezer paper to a piece of muslin before I run it through my printer. I have learned a valuable lesson: Don’t use freezer paper in your printer unless you have something on the shiny side.
Marilyn Jewell
Brenda Dial
When printing on freezer paper I press the corners to a sheet of paper and it comes right off the sheet of paper when done.
Quilt Restoration
For information on the Quilt Restoration Conference go to and click on the restoration conference. This year’s conference concentrates on the basic techniques of restoration.
Basting Tips
The key to a smooth back has been in the layering for me. This is how I do it.
Fold your back in half widthwise. Crease at the center. Fold your back in half lengthwise and crease at the center. Put a pin in at the point where the 2 creases intersect.
Lay the back face down on a table and secure it to the table with large binder (aka bulldog) clips from the stationery store. Do the center of each of the 4 sides, then work to the left and right of each clip, alternating sides of the table. Make sure the backing is taut and smooth. It’s OK if your table isn’t wide or long enough for the full top. Do the center section first then move the quilt sandwich and complete basting later.
Next quarter the batting in the same way you did the backing and put a pin at the intersection of the folds. Lay it over the backing, matching the pins. Remove the center pin from the backing and pin the batting through both layers. Smooth the batting from the center outward and secure with clips, working from side to side as before.
Quarter the quilt top and match centers as before. Smooth it over the batting face up and secure with clips. Now you are ready to baste.
Once you are finished basting the center, you can move to the outside edges, securing them to the table a section at a time.
Let me know if any of this isn’t clear.
Peg G. in South Jersey
This is a nice description. I’d add two things, based on watching other people baste a lot of quilts:
Don’t STRETCH your back. Somewhere people got (at least in our area) the idea that since you were taping or clamping the backing to the table it should be taut. No. It should just lay there like the rest of your quilt Otherwise after stretching the back and then just laying down the batt and top, when you let go of the tape or clamps, the back will go BRRRR-LLL-OOOINK!!!!! . This leaves you with a smaller now-relaxed backing than you need in relation to the top.
So just lay out your backing, face down, on your tables and smooth it out, centering it as Peg suggests and then use just enough tape so you know it will stay put while it’s out of sight.
My friend Pat realized while folks were helping her pin baste a quilt top, that she prefers to put in all the pins at once and THEN close them. Once you have taken the little bite of the quilt with the pin (which doesn’t involve moving the top much) it’s pinned. It won’t go anywhere. Most people need to tug or lift the pin a bit to close it.
Better to do that when the areas around that pin are secure with other pins. So place all your pins first, and then close them.
Actually we find it goes a lot faster when you do this anyway and you miss closing fewer pins.
Small things perhaps but they both help in the end.
We use our guild meeting space with it’s 3 X 8 foot folding tables to baste and tie a LOT of quilts. We all pitch in to help each other. It goes fast, lots of yacking goes on and it’s good to know that when it’s your turn others will help you.
If you don’t have this sort of guild space (or guild) find a library or church hall that you can use for a few hours. Really! That’s all it takes MAX. Get it for the day, find a group of friends with a couple three quilts. Pack a lunch, a boom box, some CD’s and plan on a fun day of it. I’ve done it by myself and it’s still easier and more fun than doing it on the floor. Even MORE fun with a friend, even if they’re not a quilter.
Mary Beth
Civil War Info
I appreciate the interest in the tidbits and I will try to keep doing them
on a regular basis. I know a lot of you have young children so I thought it
might be good to talk about how the young sons went off to war. Try to
picture your young ones doing as these did.
Johnny Clem the Drummer Boy of Chickamauga
While both North and South had young drummers and even boys who fought with
adult soldiers probably none is better known than Johnny Clem. At age nine
Johnny refused to take no for an answer when he tried to enlist in the Union
Army. When one unit turned him down he went to another and tried again. He
finally just followed along with the Twenty second Michigan. He soon was
accepted by the unit and some of the men even collected money to give Johnny
the thirteen dollars a month pay. By the time of the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee in 1862 he was on the regular muster. After the battle newspapers dubbed him “Johnny Shiloh”.
Long afterward one of the members of his regiment said, “Johnny showed us
something. He showed us that this was a war in which everybody was involved; there were no onlookers.” (69)
In order to meet quotas of recruitment, Federal officers stopped asking questions and started taking anyone who stood on two legs, had two eyes, had more than half his teeth and looked like he was anywhere near eighteen. In the South anyone between sixteen and sixty was in uniform.
Uniforms were so expensive and sometimes scarce that the youngsters were clothed in whatever gear there was. This oftentimes turned out to be uniforms from the Mexican War as depicted in sketches made by artists. It is estimated that about 20,000 of the total national involvement of 60,000 small boys, marched and fought with the Rebel Army. Not all of these youngsters were drummers. Some were buglers but for some reason not much has been said about these young boys. And while army regulations stipulated that a man had to be eighteen to carry a gun nothing was said about carrying a sword. This resulted in a large number of sword carrying cavalrymen at the age of fifteen, sixteen and even thirteen and fourteen.
Most of the boys remained on land but some of them ended up on the sea. This was in defiance of regulation but these boys were priceless on warships. They were assigned to carry the powder buckets, which were actually canvas bags, to the magazines from below the decks. Their small size enabled them to go up and down the twisting stairways quicker than any of the full-grown men. Because boys by the age of fifteen were usually too large to accomplish this fete most boys who carried the powder buckets were fourteen or younger. Confederate statistics, sketchy as they are, show that at least fifty percent of their fighting forces were fifteen or younger.
Most of these youngsters remained anonymous. But not Johnny Clem. The story of Johnny got out and he became admired by the North and hated everywhere in the South.
At Chickamauga, Johnny was a sight to behold. The Federals decided to go in and break up the Confederate siege. Riding a caisson, a two-wheeled cart carrying ammunition, Johnny waved a musket the soldiers had cut down to size for him.
“Our men had hard going that day. We seesawed back and forth. During one of our retreats, a Rebel chased the piece of artillery on which Johnny rode. By then, everybody on both sides knew who Johnny was. So when the Rebel got close, he shouted out, ‘Surrender, you damned little Yankee!’ “Johnny Clem didn’t say a word. He just raised the sawed off musket and took the fellow down.” (71,72)
After that Johnny, at age twelve, was more famous than ever and was known as “drummer boy of Chickamauga”. Soon after the Battle of Chickamauga, Johnny put his drum away and became a courier for the rest of the war. When peace finally came, Johnny tried to enroll in West Point but was turned down because his formal education stopped at the third grade.
Johnny submitted an appeal and Ulysses Grant, starting the second year of his presidency, heard of Johnny’s plight. Grant who had been Johnny’s commander at Shiloh stepped in and bypassed the U.S. Military Academy and as a result, Johnny was commissioned a second lieutenant is the U.S. Army in 1871. Johnny went on to spend fifty-five years in uniform and retired in 1916 as a major general.
Garrison, Webb, “A Treasury of Civil War Tales”, New York, Ballantine Books,
1988. Winnie
Hi All, I was at the quilt show in Annapolis, MD all day today and am quite tired but a happy camper. It was a great show. Tonight rather than not send tidbits at all I'd like to send you to a website that Tom gave me a while back. It is an article found on the site. This article appeared in the Civil War magazine, "A Nation Divided". In addition to the maritime disaster, the article tells about the lasting effects it had on not only survivors but the survivors' families. So once again it causes one to realize how this horrible war caused many a hardship and many unhappy memories and permanent scars.
“On April 27, 1865 the worst maritime disaster in the history of the United States occurred when the sidewheel steamboat Sultana burst her boilers on the Mississippi River seven miles above Memphis while carrying a load of 2,400 passengers, most of whom were Union prisoners recently released from Rebel prison pens. Of the total number, over 1,700 would lose their lives.”
Winnie
Happy Fourth of July,
Hope everyone is enjoying the day.
When we think about July 1863, most of us think of the Battle of Gettysburg.
But did you know that the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi surrendered to
General Grant on July 4, 1863 after a siege that lasted for six weeks and
that the city did not celebrate Independence Day again until 1945?
The two opposing presidents, Abraham Lincoln of the Northern states and
Jefferson Davis of the Confederate states agreed on the importance of
Vicksburg. Abraham Lincoln said, “Vicksburg is the key. The war can never
be brought to a close until the key is in our pocket,”. Southerners agreed.
“Vicksburg is the nail head that holds the South’s two halves together,”
said Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
The Siege of Vicksburg
Vicksburg was virtually a fortress controlling the center of the Mississippi River. Situated high on bluffs that were practically unreachable by Union forces, the Confederate’s artillery controlled the river below. Union gunboats risked destruction when trying to sail past Vicksburg, and Port Hudson, another southern stronghold, prevented Union naval forces from sailing upstream.
General Grant planned a two-pronged advance on Vicksburg as early as 1862 but failed dismally. He tried five other times to capture the city to no avail. In a final attempt, Union Admiral Farragut succeeded in running the batteries at Port Hudson with two Federal gunboats and gained control of the Mississippi below Vicksburg. Admiral Porter on the other hand successfully moved his ships down past the Vicksburg artillery.
Grant ordered diversions by Major General Sherman at Haines Bluff and a cavalry raid by Colonel R.H. Grierson, both of which successfully distracted Confederate General Pemberton. Grant who had intended to land his troops at Grand Gulf, was unable to neutralize the Confederate forces there and instead landed at Bruinsburg, Mississippi on April 30, 1863.
Unable to recover quickly from the diversions, Pemberton did not have substantial forces to contain Grant after the landing. A Confederate task force under Brigadier General John Bowen met Grant at Port Gibson on May 1 but after a hard daylong battle retreated when no reinforcements arrived. On May 12, Grant began his move with about 44,000 troops toward the interior of Mississippi. They met and defeated a small Confederate task force at Raymond that same day and two days later broke up a concentration of
Confederate General Joe Johnston’s forces at Jackson. The Confederates abandoned the important railhead and supply depot located there and escaped
to the north.
General Johnston again ordered Pemberton to take his forces and attack
Grant, only this time from the rear. Pemberton delayed until May 15 and
finally marched out to take Grant’s non existent supply line. He decided on
May 16 to obey Johnston’s orders but by this time it was too late. Grant was
now in contact with his lead division near Champion Hill.
Grant, who had left Sherman with two divisions in Jackson to finish the
destruction of railroad tracks and stores, was left with about 29,000 troops
to face Pemberton’s 23,000. A desperate battle ensued with the key positions
changing hands several times but in the end it was Pemberton who was forced
to retreat into the Vicksburg defenses.
Assaults on May 18 and May 22 proved unsuccessful. The Confederates were a
stubborn lot. Pemberton, who refused to obey his orders from Johnston and
withdraw from the city, called a council of war of his officers instead. The
vote was to dig in and hope for rescue, only this was not a reasonable hope
and they soon found themselves trapped. Grant after failing two times to
take the city, decided to let hunger work for him. Pemberton had 20,000 men,
plus several thousand civilians and dependents, shut up within the city’s
eight-mile-long perimeter (less than 10 square miles). By now the heat of
summer had settled on the city and between the Union’s bombardments and the
stench, life could be considered Hell. The citizens took to living in caves
and in the bluffs to escape the shellfire. People became uncivilized with
the search for food being the main reason for living. First cows
disappeared, then horses, then mules. Sickness ran rampant and men and women
began to die because their weakened constitutions could not withstand the
onslaught of disease.
The following is taken from a young woman’s diary.
“We are utterly cut off from the world, surrounded by a circle of fire.. The fiery shower of shells goes on day and night..People do nothing but eat what they can get, sleep when they can, and dodge the shells..
I think all the dogs and cats must be killed or starved. We don’t see any more pitiful animals prowling around..
The confinement is dreadful..
. This place has two large underground cisterns of good cool
water, and every night in my subterranean dressing room a tub of cold water is the nerve-calmer that sends me to sleep in spite of the roar.
One cistern I had to give up to the soldiers, who swarm about like hungry animals seeking something to devour. Poor fellows! My heart bleeds for them. They have nothing but spoiled, greasy bacon, and bread made of musty pea flour, and but little of that. The sick ones can’t bolt it. They come into the kitchen when Martha [a slave] puts the pan of corn-bread in the stove, and beg for the bowl she mixes it in. They shake up the scrapings with water, put in their bacon, and boil the mixture into a kind of soup, which is easier to swallow than pea-bread. When I happen in, they look so ashamed of their poor clothes. I know we saved the lives of two by giving a few meals..
The churches are a great resort for those who own no caves. People fancy they are not shelled so much, and they are substantial, and the pews good to sleep in.”
“We are utterly cut off from the world, surrounded by a circle of fire..
The fiery shower of shells goes on day and night. .People do nothing but
eat what they can get, sleep when
they can, and dodge the shells.. I think all the dogs and cats must be
killed or starved. We don’t see any more pitiful animals prowling around..
The confinement is dreadful.. This place has two large underground cisterns
of good cool water, and every night in my subterranean dressing room a tub
of cold water is the nerve-calmer that sends me to sleep in spite of the
roar. One cistern I had to give up to the soldiers, who swarm about like
hungry animals seeking something to devour. Poor fellows! My heart bleeds
for them. They have nothing but spoiled, greasy bacon, and bread made of
musty pea flour, and but little of that. The sick ones can’t bolt it. They
come into the kitchen when Martha [a slave] puts the pan of corn-bread in
the stove, and beg for the bowl she mixes it in. They shake up the scrapings
with water, put in their bacon, and boil the mixture into a kind of soup,
which is easier to swallow than pea-bread. When I happen in, they look so
ashamed of their poor clothes. I know we saved the lives of two by giving a
few meals.. The churches are a great resort for those who own no caves.
People fancy they are not shelled so much, and they are substantial, and the
pews good to sleep in.”
No other city during the entire Civil War suffered such hardship. After
forty days of siege, negotiations started between Grant and the defenders of
Vicksburg. This time Grant allowed conditions which included paroling the
soldiers of Vicksburg. He allowed them to go with a pledge not to fight
anymore. On July 4, 1863, General Pemberton surrendered the city into the
hands of General Grant.
The Union soldiers entered the city and immediately began distributing bread
and supplies to the starving Confederates. Grant telegraphed the news to
Lincoln who was already savoring the news of victory at Gettysburg and the
president said, “The Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea.”
Sources for today’s tidbit are:
“A Short History of the Civil War” by James L. Stokesbury, copyright 1995 by James L. Stokesbury.
“ Don’t Know Much About the Civil War” by Kenneth C.
Davis,copyright 1996 by Kenneth C. Davis.
Related websites:
(Battle of Raymond) (Battle of Jackson) (Battle of Champion Hill)
Hugs,
Winnie
Fabrics
Civil War fabrics
Re: Jane & CW fabrics
Several have been writing about the fabrics in Jane Stickle’s quilt... the current term “Civil War fabrics” is probably a misnomer...IMHO...fabric production (at least fabric for quilts) was at the very least diminished during the Civil War years (April 1861 to April 1865), and most women probably relied on their scrap bag “stashes” during that time. Jane Stickle signed her quilt “In War Time 1863”, and assuming she put the date she completed the quilt....chances are, she had started the quilt some time before that. Those of us who have hand stitched the blocks know the amount of time that takes, and then the quilting time. So...my conclusion is that Jane probably used fabrics from the 1850’s or even before. I think many people have misconceptions about the colors and designs (prints) that were available in the 1800’s... (and how many of these same designs are reprinted today...in contemporary colorways!!) Many of the fabric companies have kept & re-used their engraved rollers for printing designs, and just re- color them to suit current tastes. Some of the reproduction collections that are on the market now have one colorway that is accurate to the time period....and others that they hope will appeal to contemporary quilters who might not be “into” reproductions of old fabrics/colors. So just because you buy a piece of fabric from a repro line, doesn’t mean that it is necessarily authentic to that time period (!) Studying the blocks in Jane’s quilt is fascinating....but we have no proof that every fabric in it was purchased between 1861-1865, to make it truly a “Civil War fabric” quilt. Instead, I think it is far more interesting to learn about the colors/designs and techniques used to create the fabrics in her quilt. And of course, wonder if she traded with others, etc. to get the variety of fabrics in her quilt. Another factor is the affect time, light, moisture, etc. have on the fabric & dyes. Although the quilt appears to be in “mint” condition...it is very likely that some of the tan blocks were originally purples, etc. Barbara Brackman has several books that are excellent resources for study on these topics: “Clues in the Calico” is a classic....with detailed info on fabric history.
“Quilts from the Civil War” has excellent info, and includes a photo of “our” dear Jane Stickle’s quilt (!) as well as instructions for nine quilt projects. “Civil War Women” is her most recent book, it has chapters on 9 real women and their experiences during the Civil War, and includes quilt projects adapted from period quilts. There is also a section with ideas for re-enactors. Another great reference is Eileen Trestain’s “Dating Fabrics- A Color Guide 1800-1960” book, which has photos of hundreds of fabric swatches, sorted by decades. This really helps you get a “feel” for some of the colors/designs of different time periods.
“In the manner of Jane Stickle” we are each taking our own journey...and whatever colors or fabrics we chose, I am sure Jane would approve!! From the first stitch to the last, this project will challenge you to learn, trying new techniques, gaining new skills, researching information on fabric or Civil War history, etc. And we are so fortunate to have modern technology to make our list...instantanious communication & support... possible. Jane would find that a blessing...as we do!! Happy Stitching!! Karan-Jane
There are some neat new reproduction fabrics coming out....and Vintage & Vogue has a new web site: They are still building the site, but it is one worth visiting. Marianne Schwers, who owns V&V, has a new line of repro fabric coming out based on fabric samples from 4 New England mills: Cocheco, Arnold, Allen and Merrimack. She says there will be an article in “Early American Home” magazine, Oct. 2001 issue, about this new line. Something fun to look forward to!! There will be a quilt challenge contest in connection with this new fabric line “American Textile History Museum” (ATHM) Challenge... deadline July 2002. Info on the challenge will be posted at the website. (). Another good site to visit for repro fabrics is:
DJ Background Fabric Comments
Here are some comments made by other DJers on the background fabric
issue.
First my thoughts: Many have started with plain or solid colors, and found
that they have become “bored” with them after a while. I chose a “marbled”
look fabric that is a pale tan with a little darker tan & a little peach
marbling. Mine is a Marcus Bros. print, not a hand-dye. I have all my
blocks done & about 10 triangles & still am happy with my background fabric.
It has a nice “antiquey” look to go with the “Civil War era” repros I have
used for the print pieces. Some of my students have used white on white type
prints & been happy with those. Others have used “shirting prints” with
small motifs. One lady chose to use different shirting prints for each
block, so you don’t Have to use just one fabric for the whole quilt. The
comments below on the “weight” of the fabric are important, especially if you
plan to hand stitch, whether it is the piecing/appliqué or the quilting.
This quilt is mostly seam allowances VBG, and hand quilting is a
challenge...more so if you background fabric is heavier.
#2 question is how much background fabric to buy:
The book recommends 5 yards, which is an underestimate. I’d go for 14 yards,
which is about 12.125 meters. Others suggest buying the whole bolt, that way
you won’t have to worry about finding more background fabric, or dye lot
variations :)
I have not paid much attention to the different types of background fabric that people are using until a friend was saying that she was going to use Kona Cotton for her background fabric. Hasn’t there been other recommendations about something lighter in weight to use...because the Kona is to heavy... I was going to use a print on a print in the muslin colored family..Any idea’s?
I’m open on the background issue, too. I used Kona cotton on my Calico Garden quilt and wish I hadn’t because not only was it so coarsely woven it was heavier than the print cottons, but also the stuff frayed badly. I don’t want to go through that again with another quilt.
I used Kona White for my DJ quilt background & sashing - only because I knew that if I came up short, I could always buy more without worrying about dye lot differences. In retrospect, I wouldn't use Kona again because it ravels easily and I'm a little tired of picking itty bitty threads from my clothes everytime I finish a stitching session.Peace, Mary Ellen in CT
I am using Springmaid Natural Charm in a parchment color #10599. I use this for my backgrounds in most of my appliqué quilts. I really like it. I am making my quilt in CW Repros. Barbara Upstate NY
I wanted to tell you all my “tale of woe” (not really:-)) about background fabric. I have been hand piecing my Jane, and after 70+ blocks, I decided that I didn’t like my background fabric. You would think I would’ve figured this out before making all of those blocks, but what can I say, I’m a slow learner. Background #1 was Kona natural. I loved it when I saw it b/c it had a weight to it. That is also why I came to dislike it. I had a really hard time getting my seams to press flat once the blocks were done. It seems that b/c the kona was thicker than most of the repro prints I was
using, it added bulk, and made it impossible to have a flat block. Alas, after MUCH frustration, (and many calls/emails to Dana and Linda Franz) I decided to start over. This felt “defeating” and I put it all away for a while, but now I’m BACK!!
Background #2 is a dream. It is a Benartex Documentaries. It presses flat, and I have 7 blocks complete!!! My tip to all of you starting out is to try out a few blocks before committing to a background. These blocks make great coasters, and it would only take a few to make a bell pull or wallhanging. Also, for any of you who have done several blocks and aren’t happy with them, think about changing backgrounds. I am so glad I did. Nothing is ever wasted. I learned SO much on the first 70, and it isn’t as if I’m going to “throw them away”. I have just put them away, until I feel inspired on a setting for them. In the meantime, I’m going with “gusto” on the new DJ and loving every minute of it.
Subj: Sv: [DJ] Background fabric comments
Date: 03/05/2001 5:23:36 AM Central Standard Time
From: binger.hougaard@get2net.dk (Tilde Binger)
Sender: dearjane-list-owner@list.
To: dearjane-list@list. (DearJane-list)
Dear freinds
Can’t resist jumping in on this one :-)
Whereas I quite agree that the “wrong” BF can ruin a quilt, and the “right”
one can make it, I actually have quite a lot of trouble with the problems
that seem to be involved :-) Sorry, but there it is.
What made me fall in love with Jane in the first place was the impact her
quilt had on me. The totality of it. Now, I’m not overly fond of brown and
muted colours or of small scale florals, in spite of the fact that Jane has
taught me lots in this department. STILL the total impact of the quilt was
such, that disregarding my reservations about just about any single feature
in this quilt, I wanted to make it !
This led me to buy the most ordinary kind of unbleached muslin I could lay
my hands on for background. Not too high a thread-count (makes quilting
almost impossible), not too low (makes piecing almost impossible ;-). A
fairly soft hand for ease of piecing, and a completely un-obtrusive impact.
A piece of fabric that says nothing what-so-ever on its own.
I didn’t even buy all of it at once. I flatly refuse to believe that Jane
herself set aside 12-14 yards of fabric for her quilt before starting. What
I did do was cutting all sashings from the same piece. This ensures some
sort of .... continuity in the quilt, disregarding the (possible)
differences between the BF of individual blocks.
I have also used lots and lots of “coloured” fabric that doesn’t speak to me
in itself. I have done this in the hope that what worked for Jane would work
for me .... and it has :-) I am extremely satisfied with my Jane, in spite
of the fact that I find a good deal of the fabric uninteresting or even
ugly, and in spite of the fact that I find unbleached muslin boring on its
own.
My input is : If you want people to see the totality of the quilt rather
than the background fabric, go for un-obtrusive, easy to piece and easy to
quilt. Further, if you like the impact of the original quilt, my advice
would be to trust the instincts of the original maker, and follow in her
footsteps :-)
I have made small wall-hangings with Jane-blocks. One is with an Ecru / off-white patterned fabric, that demands much of the coloured fabric in order to get sufficient contrast for the blocks to show. Another is made with batiks, both as coloured- and background-fabric, and here I think one needs to work towards a certain amount of “tranquility” in the lay-out, since batiks can create quite a stir all on their own, dark grey and soft cream plays a major part in this one. Yet a third is made with fussy-cutting of 1930’es fabric and one block, and again, the impact is totally different, in this little wall-hanging, I have used muslin for BF, but a pink-pink as setting.
When this is said, I have to add that my next full-size Jane/s (!) are done with “what I have” of both coloured and WOW-fabrics. How this will turn out in the end, heaven alone knows, I sure don’t ;-) I have done it Jane’s way, and liked it, now I try it “another way”, and will find out whether I like it or not, in the fullness of time ;-)
I guess I can sum this up by asking : what kind of impact do you want your quilt to have ? Do you want it to be dramatic ? modern ? subdued ? classy ? Choose your BF accordingly, choose with an eye to quilting it eventually, and don’t despise the plain, cheap muslin because it is boring. Boring is often the perfect backdrop for exiting ;-) Tilde
Loved your comments on the variety of possibilities for background fabs – the more I look online at several of the DJ squares being done without the same background fab on all the squares, the more I like the idea! It is really quite charming, all 169 squares made of different fabs and not the recurring theme of the same background - but then I’m especially partial to scrappy quilts too! IF I were to do a DJ#3 I think I’d take it slowly and just combine different fabrics that “blended” and let it all fall where it may!
I fell into a whole new way of thinking when I suddenly realized (at the end of DJ#1) that once this pups are together, that one single square no longer stands out - they lean on each other and carry each other and one definitely gets lost in and amonst the other 168! So how ONE is made and put together and with what fabs doesn’t really matter, its the whole that makes the quilt! and while the sashing divides the quilt, it pulls it together at the same time with an elegance that seems particular only to this quilt! No matter what color scheme is used! Its just too bad we have to do all 169 squares and get them pieced before we can really FEEL that - maybe thats the reason so many of us move on to #2 and #3 etc - or is it really OCD? NAWWWW!!!! Marilyn!
Yardage for DJ Fabrics
There is no doubt that the yardage suggested in the book is far too little ! If you plan for background-fabric, and intend your sashing and outside border to be different from that which you use in the blocks and triangles, here are the figures (and I belong in the “stingy” or “frugal” category, so I don’t feel I’m calling anyone names here :-) :
Stingy : 7 1/3 yd
“Normal” : 12 yd
Paper-piecer : 16 ½ yd
This amount is good also, if you want all your blocks to be done with the same fabric for “coloured fabric”.
If OTOH you plan “scrappy” a F/16 (a quarter of a fat quarter, 9 x 11”) will with relative ease make 2 blocks, or a block and a triangle (unless you are really a snip-happy paper-piecer, who cuts big, big big chunks and throw the rest away
If you are calculating back-ground-fabric, and want sashing and outside border to be the same as your BF, you will need the following yardage :
Stingy : 9 yd
“Normal” : 14 yd
Paper-piecer : 19 yd
“Stingy” is based on the 6” square that the received lore says is enough for a block, and an 8” square for a triangle
“Normal” is based on 8” square for each block, and a 10” square for triangles
“Paper-Piecer” is based on 10” square for both blocks and triangles. In both cases, I have added 10 % shrinkage ! Tilde in Copenhagen
If you choose to use just one focal fabric, I would say the calculation is about the same is that for the Background-fabric, only difference is you would need to add extra in order to get the single-fabric triangles, (that would be about 1 ½ yd including shrinkage), but you will not need to add for sashing and border. Hope this helps.
I did not buy all my background-fabric at one time. Bought a total of 4 times (last time for the outside border I have put on the outside of my triangles), and can’t see any difference when its quilted and at more than one arm’s length away :-) However, I don’t know what will happen 1 year or 10 years from now.
IF you want to get it all at one time, here are my suggestions :
The “received lore” says a 6” square will get you by on a block as an average, and I would estimate an 8” square for a triangle. If you are really careful when you cut, this should be sufficient. Buying 44” wide fabric, you will need 6 yds 14”. Add 10 % shrinkage to that, and you will have to buy 7 yards.
IF you know yourself to be not downright stingy when you cut, but not wasteful either, I would suggest you plan with an 8” square for the blocks and a 10” square for the triangles This means 10 yards 32”, + shrinkage 10 % = 12 yards.
If you do lots and lots of paper-piecing, or know that you will waste a lot of background fabric as you go, aim at a 10” square for the blocks and the same for the triangles. Now, this is what my stingy, puritan little soul considers to be downright wasteful .... but then, good quality muslin costs the equivalent of 10-12 $ pr yard here in DK .... anyway :-) 10” square for everything, you will need 15 yards + shrinkage = 16 ½ yard. The calculation is - naturally - entirely different if you use fabric with another width (I have estimated a “working-width” of 42” in the above calculation, taking of 1” on each side for shrinkage and selvedges .
To this you need to add fabric for sashings and borders / scallops For the way the quilt is made originally, ie ½” wide, (finished size) sashing between all blocks, and ¼” wide (finished size) around all the blocks, you will need to get 1 yd 10” more than the above calculations.
To that, you will need to add the fabric you may or may not need for the outside border / scallops. My guesstimate (based on a 4” wide outside border, that may or may not end up as scallops is that an additional yard (if same fabric as your BF) will get you there.
If you want sashing and outside border to be the same as your BF, you will need to buy an additional 2 yd 10”. The needs if you use background-fabric for sashings and borders as well are :
Stingy (like me ;-) : 9 yd 10”
“Normal” :-) : 14 ud 10”
Paper-piecer :-) : 19 yd
A really good piece of advice is, to cut all the sashing-strips and outside-border bits from the same piece of fabric (relevant if you are buying as you go, or use different backgrounds). If you buy a 3 yd piece, you can cut the outside border (without any seams !), the looooooong sashing strips for the outside of the blocks, and between the rows, all the short sashing-strips that you add as you go (to save you boredom in the end and still have something to spare.
Making the sashings from the same fabric, will make your quilt “hang together” even if there are slight differences in the background-fabric on your quilt. Now, different background-fabrics can be a statement.
Personally, I would prefer this statement to be obvious ;-) so, another option is to get a lot of different F/4s for your background, and just sew what you feel like ;-) cj used (if my mind serves me right), 16 different WOWs (for her first Jane, but we are not talking about her speed-pieced CW-DJ :-), and I guess one could use more with ease, Tilde
To add to Tilde's insightful advice, I was "amazed" at the amount of fabric that the sashing "ate up". I had purchased my background fabric, 5 yards per directions in the book, not realizing that "Brenda had made up that figure". Remember, she is our wonderful "Pseudo-Goddess".
For some reason that I cannot explain, on my next visit to the shop, Ipurchased the remainder on the bolt which I think was about 3.5 yds. I used up the 3 yard piece first. Sometime into working from the 5 yd piece, I decided to cut the sashing strips on the lengthwise grain. THEN, I began to fear that I would not have enough fabric to complete all of the triangles and definitely would not have enough for a bias binding of the scallops. My background is a "lightish tea dyed color" which I have not seen since I purchased it.
Major panic UNTIL I discovered that Jane's binding was BLUE. This was after studying the fabric in the quilt for >1&1/2 years.
Moral of the story. If you want to use all the same background fab-----buy the bolt. It is much easier to use a variety of background fabs and certainly does not distract from the beauty of the quilt. Mary, one of the growing number of Goddesses. :)
Straight of Grain
I agree, Linda, are you listening? We want to hear the bias/sog story on your Diamonds!! come on share! Why is it that quilters’ stories always seem so long and drawn out and complicated but in the end we learn and enjoy!! Share, Linda, share!!!
Abracos, Marilyn!
Shooflyquilts@ wrote:
>
To all the gals who gave helpful hints about Straight of Grain (SOG)
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>
Subject: Re: [DJ] DJ Straight Grain on Outside Edges!
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 10:20:46 EDT
From: Shooflyquilts@
To: homebays@
>
Linda & Monkey and all the gals who responded to my problem about
Straight of
Grain......
>
I couldn”t stand it...I pulled the block apart (referring to F-2)
because
the one corner and two triangles (on the outside edges) were on the
bias. I
could see it, I could feel it, and I was so uncomfortable with it that
it
would have always felt like it was a mistake. I appreciate all the
advice
> (it all made sense) but it was easier to just pull it apart and start
> over...I had only sewn two sections when I noticed it. Anyway, it
> went
together wonderfully and I’m really happy with the block.
>
When this quilt is finished, I know I will be a much better quilter
than I
ever hoped to be because I’m going to follow the rules with this
one...call
me crazy. Now I will never have to question “what edge do I cut on
the
straight of grain...OUTSIDE EDGE!”
>
I agree with Tilde and Amanda in MA that there will be times when I want to break the rules with the design in the fabric or do a fussy cut but for the most part I’ll keep my eye on the outside edge. I haven’t decided on a sashing yet but the info I got from Amanda was so helpful. Sandi recommended “stay stitching” around the block which I’ll do when and if the problem arises again.
Mostly, I want to thank all you gals who gave me your thoughts about this problem. I know I’ll come across more detail stuff and I know where the expertise resides.
NO STEAM! Sorry, I just had to blurt that out! I have been reading the letters about
straight grain.
No sliding! Lift and lower!
Ah. Now Monkey and I feel better. On my way to Goddessness I came to respect straight grain with a passion. I think having straight grain on the outside edges of a block is by far the best alternative. Like Tilde, I sometimes have compelling reasons for breaking my own strict rules—especially on diamonds. When I have bias edges I make sure I do NOT use steam to press, press very carefully without sliding the iron, and store the blocks in plastic photo pages meant for 5 x 7 photos until I am ready to join them to something else.
I like Amanda’s idea of getting the sashing on quickly, so the outside edge is straight grain no matter what else happened along the way. My only problem with that is that I am not psychic. I never know in advance how my blocks are going to arrange themselves. It amazes me that so many quilters know what their blocks are going to decide! LOL I am an innocent bystander most of the time. Will they want sashing at all? What color? How wide?
Grain line does make a difference, especially with diamond shaped blocks. It is amazing that Fuj (Shoofly) raised this subject right now. It consumed hours and hours and HOURS of this past week for me, getting things right for Quilted Diamonds, the book. “I will tell you the whole story another time. (Persuasion, Chapter 18) Even Russ was involved! Long story.
We are having a heat wave in southern Ontario. Highs for the next three days of about 33 c, or low 90s. Russ’s morning glories and impatiens are not going to like this. The beautiful blue pansies in my window box succumbed this week. Miracle Grow can only do so much.
So, I will be staying cool inside, near the computer this weekend. To be continued.............Hugs, Linda & Monkey, in Burlington Ontario
I haven’t been following the grain line when cutting pieces for the blocks. I have been “fussy-cutting” many of them, as I want the pattern of the fabric to go a certain way. I figure the sashing (which I’ve rotary cut on the grain) will help prevent the block from stretching.
If you stay stitch around the bias block edges, won’t that keep the block in shape and eliminate the stretching that we fear?
Sandi
Life is good!
Dear Fuj and friends
I know there are people on this list, who will press upon you the importance of getting things straight on grain. I am not one of them. I finished J-3 for my sister’s quilt last week, and once I had finished it, I realized that every single outside border was on the bias ! Because I wanted the lines of both fabrics to run a certain way. So, this block will be bias. It will make it more .... tedious ... to handle this block once it gets sewn to it’s sisters, but it does give it an impact I like :-) If you are prepared to handle with care, and perhaps pin a note on the relevant block/s that this one has bias (so that you are prepared when you join it to its sister’s :-) I wouldn’t worry. In my opinion (and so-far experience :-) the individual pieces of this quilt are so small, that no single piece or block will make a major difference in the final run. The main thing is : are you prepared to handle bias edges later on. If not, take care not to get bias on the outside :-) cut on the straight of grain
Tilde in Copenhagen
DJ-Goddess
Dear Sister 25 - 0 - 0 - 428
Dear Me 26 - 0 - 0 - 531
And Tilde once again brings us back to my favorite harping point – this is ONE quilt made up of 169 little squares. While each square is important, it is not the start all/end all of the quilt. Its amazing how these little gals (??) support each other once the quilt is put together! So a “strange” color scheme or straight/angle/fussy cut of one or two pieces/squares will not make and/or break the whole - once it IS whole!! Even my Infernal Cyclone doesn’t look all THAT bad!! But then again, I refuse to look at her too!
Abracos, Marilyn
Yesterday I was working on block F-2 for the 2nd weekly challenge (over-achiever..haha) and was wondering where I should place the pieces I’m cutting on the fabric for straight of grain (SOG). I just decided to put the edge of the tiny pie pieces that would be sewn to the big pie piece on the SOG but when I was finished with one section, the bias was on the outside edge...that’s a no-no. I’ve decided to determine the placement of SOG by the outside edges from now on with all my DJ blocks. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me sooner as I know the rules. I hope this helps out the newbies before they cut their fabric...or there again, there might be a rule of thumb used by experienced DJaner’s that I’m not aware of.....help?
DJ Journals & Record Keeping
Kathy Edwards wrote:
Okay...today I bought a nice journal to keep while I work on my quilt. I plan on actually beginning my blocks Saturday Morning. My question is...what kinds of things would you include in this journal?
For your own records, why not take photos of each finished project -either bed size or wall hanging! You’ll find in later years, you’ll wish you had! I have pictures of almost every one I’ve ever made – a few escaped when I was w/out film in the camera - and they’re in a photo album - each with a typed page (also kept on record in the computer) telling about the quilt, what was happening in our family lives and the world at the time. where the fab was purchased, price paid, etc. and then I had a small plastic freezer envelope with a piece of fab about 14” square of each of the fabs used in the quilt. I tape that in wherever it fits so that should there ever be a need for repairs, there’s a bit of fab available - although recognizing that time will in fact fade things! I’ve had to go into those baggies years later on three occasions and was so glad for having kept those pieces!
And looking at the photos from the early 70s til now is amazing to see the changes that have occurred in fabrics,s tyle and my quilting styles and tastes too! Makes for a fun record! And again, its just proof for those descendants of mine “that old lady really was crazy as a loon.” Abracos, Marilyn!
I have kept track of all the fabric I have used : where does it come from , who gave it to me, did I received it in a swap, what fabric line, etc. You can also include the techniques used for each blocks and the number of pieces. Why not stick swatches of the fabric, pictures of your DJ in progress and letters received from DJ friends. Veronique in Paris, France
I keep a journey for Repro Jane. My faughter wants me to, write down small events from the farm and telling about the blocks and the sewing prosess. In front of the journal I have small samples of the reprofabricks and written down who prodused them and such informations.
Yesterday was such a day! I made some blocks and that was in frustration!!
First I forgot to close the gate, and the children were outdoors playing. Then a girlfriend called me and then---- you know.
When I got uotside again- no children! We had to start looking for them. I took half an hour before my DH thaught of a place where he used to hide as a child. We wnt there and found the two children.
As we had a meal our DS walked out og the house and let the sheeps out!!!
So we had to collect them and that took a lot of time! Our DS stayed with his grandfather while we were out looking. DS looked his grandfather in the toalett, and had the kitchen all by himself. He had a ball! Grandmothers very newly kleened kitchen had to kleened again. We do take good care of our DS but he is so increadably fast and active. Somrthing most almost happen around him.
I wrote that down in the journal, and the blocks that I sew in frustation after DS fall asleep at seven in the evening. I guess a day like he had just wore him out.
Happy stitching, and keep a journal it can be fun to read it later. Anne M Grothe in Norway
Organizing all this Crazy DJ Mail!
Folders are the way to go! I wrote up instructions awhile back on how to create a folder if you use Outlook Express. It also explains how to do 'mail rules' so you can have your DJ mail put into a DJ folder when it arrives. If you would like the directions please just let me know. Netscape works pretty much the same way. Vickie Hill
Another way to organize your DJ e-mail is to copy parts of it into a database such as Microsoft Access. I set up several tables in mine.
One table is just for what I call miscellaneous tips. It just has two fields: one for a description, and one long field. I put the long files such as hand-piecing and appliqué tips into that table. I can add to the tips section or just copy over it when a new tips file is sent to the DJ list.
Another table is set up with all of the blocks (including triangles and corners). I put in a field for the number of pieces in each block and one for the date of completion. I can print out a report that lists what blocks I have completed, how many blocks and how many pieces. I also have a field for each block where I put in tips. Then when I'm ready to make a block I can look it up in the database and see what tips I've saved. Each block also has a category (square, triangle or corner). There are several other fields in that table.
My guess is that this is similar to the Excel spreadsheet that has been discussed on the list, but the database includes more information (and is probably more complicated). If you have experience with databases, it might be a good option for you for organization. Janell
Greetings to all, Karan-Jane wrote " Another option is to download a free program, Keep Here, which was designed by Gordon on the Info-EQ list."
Karan is right, BUT there's an improved program named KeepMany which will allow you to save tips and notes for six different subjects. I wrote this after hearing that some folks had several copies of Keephere to track of all their notes. KeepMany does it better and takes less disk space. KeepMany is available from both Electric Quilt and SoftExpressions websites. If you have any questions, you are welcome to email me directly to save cluttering up this list. gordon_cooper@.nz
DJ Hand Piecing tips
Here is a group of tips I collected & saved from when we first started the DJ list, back in Feb. 1997. They are from several different DJ quilters. Hope some of these are helpful to those of you who have just joined us recently!!
Here is a suggestion, if you are piecing by hand, iron the freezer paper templates to the WRONG side of the fabric, then trace around with a pencil. I usually use a BIC disposable pencil with the fine lead, but if you are doing Amish style (dark solid background), you may want to use a Berol Prismacolor #949 - silver, or a Berol Verithin #753 silver pencil....or a white Dressmaker’s pencil, so the lines will show up well.
To make it easier to trace around the pieces, I glue a very fine piece of sand paper into a manila file folder....then lay the fabric over the sand paper. It helps hold the fabric in place while tracing the sewing line. Then, REMOVE the freezer paper before you piece.
If you are machine piecing, iron the freezer paper on (front or back of fabric...doesn’t matter which) then use a rotary cutter and an accurate ruler (I prefer the OMNIGRID 6” or 4” square for these small pieces). Lay the ruler over the fabric/paper template, with the edge of the paper template at the ¼” line in from the edge of the ruler. Then, trim away the excess fabric, leaving a ¼” seam allowance all around the patch. For some of the pieces, you may want to trace the seam line (as above) even though you are machine piecing. You can trace the line, then cut the ¼” seam allowance with the rotary cutter. Then, remove the freezer paper before piecing.
Brenda recommends copying the blocks onto freezer paper, instead of cutting millions of different templates. You can order “Poly Paper” brand of freezer type paper for quilters from Pinetree Quiltworks, on the Internet at: Pinetree@ If you don’t know about Addy and Pinetree Quiltworks, e-mail this address and request a catalog. You will need to give your snail mail address to have a catalog mailed to you. It comes in 12” square sheets, 25 to a package (about $5), and I think it holds better than the FP from the grocery store. I cut the Poly Paper to 8 ½” width, and can run it through my Inkjet printer or the Inkjet copier at work, to print DJ blocks right on to the FP. I love Jeana Kimball’s tiny appliqué pins, about ¾” long, which you can also get from Pinetree.
For freezer paper that doesn’t want to come off the fabric, here are 2 things to try: put the block in a plastic bag, and put it in the freezer for several hours. The cold is supposed to make the freezer paper condense or shrink slightly, loosening it. OR, go over the pieces with a warm iron, and peel immediately. The heat is also supposed to loosen the freezer paper.
When I cut out my freezer paper shapes and there are multiple pieces of the same shape, I trace that shape one time onto the paper and fold the freezer paper so that when I cut that one traced shape I will end up with the required number of paper pieces. You will need to staple inside the shape otherwise the paper will shift while cutting and the shapes wont be totally accurate. You can also reuse the freezer paper several times before it loses it’s ability to stick.
In my experience, finishes on the fabric, eg: starch and sizing, interfere with the adhesion of the freezer paper. I’ve done tons of freezer paper appliqué aand found the best adhesion comes with pre-washed, untreated fabrics.
It also seem like freezer paper ‘likes’ some fabrics better than others. I follow the same steps preparing my fabric and the freezer paper holds tight to some fabric and blows off of other fabrics.
When cutting out your pieces, leave a half inch seam allowance around all ‘outside’ pieces. This gives you extra insurance in case your pieced block comes out just a little smaller than it should have. After the block is done & pressed, you can trim away any extra fabric. (I make “hash marks” around all the outside lines before I cut the FP pattern apart, so I will know which pieces are around the outside edge & get the “extra” seam allowance when I cut them out.)
A “page protector” is a good place to store your block pieces until you are ready to stitch them together. I am keeping mine in a 3 ring binder (notebook), one page protector for each block. I am also printing out our notes/tips and keeping them in the same notebook.
There are a number of small circles in the blocks. A “circle template” is an inexpensive plastic tool to make drawing the circles easy and accurate. Mine is made by A. & W. Products Co. Inc. of NY. It cost .89 and has “holes” to draw circles from 1/16” to 1 ½” These templates are usually available at office supply or art supply stores.
Another “tool” to look for in the office or art supply store, is a 1” by 6” C-Thru ruler. These cost about $1.00, and have the red grid lines, 1/8” apart, just like the larger 2” x 18” “Quilter’s C-Thru Rulers”. The small size is perfect for tracing the DJ blocks, and much easier to fit into a tin, ziploc bag or sewing basket.
When marking around the freezer paper (for hand piecing), make a definite “dot” at each corner. This way you will know exactly where the seam should start & end. If you just “trace” around the freezer paper, its easy to lighten up at the corners, and then when you go to stitch, you aren’t quite sure where the “end” should be.
I am using Mettler 60 wt. 100% cotton, silk finish thread for both my appliqué & piecing. This is a very fine thread, some use it for machine embroidery/appliqué. Much easier to thread through those John James #11 sharps (appliqué needles)- and it doesn’t add any bulk to the seam, which a heavier thread can.
When pinning your pieces (for hand piecing), place the pins parallel to the sewing line. This will hold the 2 seam lines exactly together. If you put the pin in perpendicular to the sewing line, it will often shift one of the fabrics down a bit, so the seam lines don’t match.
Usually in hand piecing, you leave the seams “free” so you can “press the seam any direction”. I think with these small pieces, it is easier to sew them down, just as you would if you were machine piecing. Especially good for seams which are at the outside edge of the block. If you “sew off the edge” it will be more stable when it comes time to assemble with sashing, etc.
I have 2 kinds of mini “flannel boards” to lay my pieces out as I am working on a block. These can be used for hand or machine construction. One is to take a “manilla file folder” and glue a piece of flannel, dense cotton batting or dense fleece type batting to one side of the folder. Lay your block pieces out on the flannel. You can close the file folder to transport the pieces or protect them til the next time you stitch. OR: cut a piece of sturdy corrugated cardboard (about an 8” square is good for these little blocks) and cover one side with flannel, dense cotton batting or dense fleece type batting. You can either use spray glue for this, or double stick tape. You can cut a piece just the size of the cardboard....or cut it about 12” and pull the batting over to the back and attach there. I lay the pieces out in order of the finished block. This helps avoid sewing the wrong pieces together!!
Hand piecing tips: don’t start with too small a seam allowance (a full ¼” is good)...trim it AFTER you sew the seam. This gives you more to hold on to while stitching. Take tiny stitches...and take a backstitch about every ½” , especially important on short seams like K-2 has. I have started doing “mock machine piecing” and sewing PAST the end points (but not completely off the edge, as you would by machine), whenever possible. If you are going to set in a triangle, etc, of course, you can’t do this. This way, I don’t have a knot at the corner, which is where the pressure is put on the seam, and sometimes that knot will pop through to the front. I also backstitch a few stitches at the beginning & end, to be sure the seam is secure.
I have been sewing my seam allowances down, pressed towards the dark fabric usually....as I would do if I were machine piecing the blocks. I feel this is making a stronger piece (No seams flopping around on the back). It actually makes the blocks easier to press, as the seam allowance is already anchored in that direction.
Some of these tips aren’t the “conventional” way to piece, but I like to take what I see working well from one method, and adapt or apply it to another. I don’t think there is any reason that our hand-pieced blocks should be any less sturdy than a machine pieced block (and I also don’t believe in using the machine as a scapegoat for poorly matched points, etc :)
Hope some of this info might be helpful!! I tell my students that you have to try different methods & then pick the one(s) that work the best & make sense to YOU! Karan-Jane
Here is a suggestion for blocks like K-2 (which I think looks more like Grandpa’s Checkers than Chickens!!).... instead of reading this as horizontal rows of squares to be pieced together, break it up into little blocks. K-2 breaks up easily into 4 Nine Patch blocks. I have found that it is much easier to keep long rows of squares (as in a Colourwash or Watercolor quilt, for example) in straight lines, if you sew them as “blocks” of 4 patches or 9 patches- instead of 18 little squares in a row. Don’t know if I am making this clear, will try to illustrate:
horizontal row Row 1 XOXOXO my way: Row 1 XOX OXO
method: Row 2 OXOXOX Row 2 OXO XOX
Row 3 XOXOXO Row 3 XOX OXO
next step for horizontal rows would be to sew the rows together. Next step for my way, would be to sew the 3 short rows into a Nine Patch block. Then sew the 2 Nine Patches together. With this method, you are dealing with shorter seams, and there is less likelihood of stretching the row out of shape when sewing or pressing.
So, for K-2, you would make 4 Nine Patches, then sew them together for the center, then add the borders around. Karan-Jane
There is a good web site by a lady who only pieces by hand. I do both, but I get better results by hand than by machine, b/c I just haven’t done enough machine work yet. her name is Candy Goff. It is:
april, thanks for posting this site. visiting is equal to a day class. wonderful information and pictures.
There were several messages about using the background fabric, how much to buy, etc., and I thought I’d pass along the way I use my background fabric for these blocks. I cut several strips in various sizes ¾”, 1” (a lot of these), 1 ½”, 2”, 2 ½”, 3” and 5”. I have found that most of the pieces for the DJ blocks can be cut from a strip this size. I also have a little plastic basket (about 3” x 5”) on my cutting table. Any scraps or ends of the strips are kept in here until I can use them for something. I don’t think I’ve thrown away more than a few threads or shreds of my background fabric. It also makes it more convenient than cutting pieces from a large piece of fabric. (zuella)
I have a hanging file I’ve used forever in my office(s), but is now retired like I am. Each row has its own file. I have the copies of the patterns in the proper file, and as I find a fabric that I want to use for a certain block, I put it in the file also. I have files for the four sides for triangles and one for the corners. It keeps things kind of in order. (zuella)
Hand piecing curves – Linda Franz
Hand piecing curved seams is not hard. There are a few little tips that I have picked up from my DJ friends since January, and I will try to summarize them here.
Prepare your pieces for hand piecing in your usual way, with the seam lines marked.
Mark the centre of each curved seam. I do this by inserting a pin in the
cross hair mark at the seam endings, folding to make a crease at the middle
and then making a pencil mark on the fold. (This is helpful on some of the
longer straight seams in these blocks too!)
Clip the concave seam at the centre mark and clip every ¼” or so to the
ends of the seam.
Pin the centre first, HOLDING YOUR WORK WITH THE UN-CLIPPED SEAM UP. This
is probably the opposite of what you would do on the sewing machine. Then
“pin” the beginning of the seam with your first stitch. Don’t bother
pinning the last half of the seam until you get to the centre. On these
small blocks I usually only need to pin the centre and the end, with no
other pins in between. If you want to, you can add more, but for me they
just get in the way.
Stitch to the centre point. (This is the time for your smallest stitches,
for two reasons. First, because the curve will be smoother, second because
one seam allowance is already weakened by the clipping.) On tight curves,
like in H-8 Pie Sale, take one stitch at a time. It may seem slow, but
it’s as fast as appliqué! One stitch at a time there too! On gentler
curves, like B-3 Mirror Image, you can probably take 2 or 3 tiny stitches
at a time. If you take too many, the curve will not look smooth when it is
pressed.
Press on cotton setting, no steam, from the right side. The seam will press flat with the UN-CLIPPED seam allowance pressed flat and the clips lying open in little v’s.
Special Pressing:
On some blocks I have had to make a clip through both layers of seam allowance and press part of a seam in one direction and part in the other. For example, on M-13 Lynette’s Diamond I made four of these clips, about 1-1/4” from the outside edge of the block, so the seam allowance could all press beautifully flat toward the centre of the block, except where two curved seams overlapped and part of one had to be pressed in the opposite direction. This is incredibly difficult to explain, all of a sudden. It is perfectly clear in my mind :-) but there is a disconnect between me and the keyboard. LOL. Is it clear enough??? Can you see it? It is worth your while to try hand piecing the curves, because they show up in a LOT of blocks!
I pieced all the seams on the following blocks:
A-3 Hunter’s Moon: I added the diagonal seams which show in the photo of
Jane’s block.
B-2 Sweet Tater Pie: I forgot to compensate for mirror image on my freezer paper pattern. It’s up to you.
B-3 Mirror Image: These gentle curves are the easiest.
B-7 World Series: Again, I added diagonal seams so I could piece all of this except the corner diamonds. I used the pressing and clipping technique described for M-13 above to make the seams lie flat.
B-11 Melissa’s Cross: I redrew this to add more white space around the blue circle and added the seams out to the edges, which show on Jane’s block.
B-12 Starflower: A lot of people appliqué this one, I think. It was easy to piece, and since the seam allowances will naturally press toward the dark I think it is prettier, with no seam allowances shadowing through the melons.
C-5 Eye of the Cyclone: I did compensate for the mirror image on this one when I made my freezer paper pattern.
C-6 Ashley’s Aura: Again, a lot of people appliqué this one, but I found it easy to piece and I think that is what Jane did. If you appliqué it, your seams will shadow through the white melons. When you piece it, the seams naturally lie flat under the dark fabric.
C-11 Soldiers and Sailors Monument: These curves are a little tighter, but not really hard.
D-4 Crystal Star: I hand pieced those little melons and it turned out very well. I guess I just got tired of appliqué-ing melons so I pieced when I could! :-) The pointy ends ARE pointy!!
E-11 Wagon Wheel: I redrew the corner quarter circles to be larger, to match Jane’s a bit more closely, and added short seams from the circle to the midpoint of each of the four sides. Maybe you could save this one until you have a few easier ones under your belt, but don’t be afraid of it!
F-5 Parcheesi
F-9 Autumn Aster: I hand pieced the centre curves and appliquéd the eight
melon shapes.
F-11 On Target: I re-drew this, flattening the corner curves slightly and
widening the quarter circles in the centre so they touched the radiating
seams. Mine is entirely hand pieced and it is a stunning block this way.
G-1 Hattie’s Hen House
G-7 Indianapolis: I re-drew this one to extend the white triangles in the corner to be bigger, trying to match Jane’s more closely. The curves are gentle. It is not difficult to piece by hand.
G-13 Molly’s Muffins
H-6 Pie Sale: Tight curves! Go slow!
H-8 Eaton’s Crossroads: I added four seams, from the circle to the points of the inner square, trying to match the photo of Jane’s block.
I-4 Stability: See seam pressing and clipping direction for M-13, above.
I-5 Maria’s Majesty: I pieced the centre shape, pressed like M-13 and then appliquéd the four curved pieces. What a beauty!
J-3 Rick’s Volleyball Net
L-13 Harvest Moon
M-7 Junko’s Rose Garden: This is one of the seven blocks I have left to do. I have it prepared to piece the centre shape (I added diagonal seams)and then appliqué the four curves and four melons. I guess I’ve been putting this one off!
M-13 Lynette’s Diamond: See seam pressing and clipping directions above.
I appliquéd these blocks, but I think they could have been hand pieced if I had had more confidence at the time:
A-7 Dad’s Plaids
E-1 Aunt Exie’s Phlox
E-10 Five & Dime (By appliqué-ing, you avoid seam allowances shadowing
through the light fabric.)
G-5 Poof
I am going to send this to the whole list, Deb, and see if of the other hand piecers can add anything. I only learned hand piecing in January, so there will be more ideas out there! We hand piecers do stick together, eh? So, are you sorry you asked? :-)
May all your curves be smooth,
Linda in Burlington, Ontario
hand piecing questions
Jinny Beyer[SMTP:jbstudio@inter-]
Hello April,
I was away, and now wonder if you have had your baby. I appreciate your nice comments about the web page. Check back to it in a few days, there are a lot of changes going up. I’ll try to answer your questions.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge via the web site. I have recently re-discovered the joy of hand piecing, and I have a few (make that several) questions.
First, I am looking for a good quality 100% cotton thread to piece with, and unfortunately, other than quilting thread (that is glazed), I have been unsuccessful. What thread do you use, and where do you purchase it?
I use Conso heavy duty thread. I think it is listed on the price sheet of my web page. If not let me know. We can send you a price sheet. I use it for all my hand piecing and sometimes for quilting. I haven’t found a thread I like better and I think it is a real bargain. The thread comes in 2 oz. tubes....that is a LOT of thread. It takes me a few years to use up a spool. The tube sells for $4.20. Compare that with regular thread which costs close to $2.00.
Second, b/c some threads are thicker, what needles do you use that are thin enough, but have large enough eyes to accomodate the thicker thread?
I like Clover Gold Eye #12. The eye is bigger than a lot of 12’s and the needle is nice and sturdy. To thread small needles easier, hold the thread very tight and cut it at an angle.
Third, do you have any tips on pressing blocks? Do you press as you go, or after the block is completed?
I sort of finger press the seams as I sew and then wait until the block is finished and press it all at once, from the top.
Fourth, I have been using freezer paper templates for the blocks that I am working with. Do you have any tips on making templates? I am currently working on a project from the book, Dear Jane that has 255 different blocks, so I am finding that freezer paper is the most economical. I am using 3/16” seam allowance because the blocks are only 4.5”.
I use a plastic see through material for templates, but when working with blocks the size you are, the freezer paper probably is good tool
Fifth, do you know of other hand piecers that are online? Do you know of any group bulletin board? I have browsed through Candy Goff’s web page, but otherwise, I am finding information on this peaceful activity to be scarce.
No I don’t know of any such group.
Finally, what tools, or ideas do you have that make your work easily portable? I have a 2 year old son, and another baby due in 2 weeks, and I know that my time is limited. I might only have small snippets of time here and there to work on projects, so portability (even at home) is important.
I have some great scissors that fold up and fit into a small leather case. The hole in the tube of conso thread is just big enough to fit my thimble so I use it as a thimble holder, and I carry my piecing and supplies around in zip-lock bags (smaller baggies for the pieces for sewing that fit into the larger bag. We just recently found two great products that we are ordering to sell at the Hilton Head Seminar. One is “project pouches” which are heavy plastic zipper envelopes, about half again larger than a gallon zip-loc bag and I am switching from plastic bags to that, because in time the plastic bags get worn and holes. The other item is a “notions tote” that will fit into the “project pouch” This has zippers, pockets, etc for fabrics, needles, etc. When I go places I have pieces cut and ready to sew and the bag I carry everything in is no larger than the zip-lock gallon bag, so it fits easily into a tote bag. The project pouch will be slightly larger, but still easily portable.
I am very well pleased with the way my points meet. I’ll try to describe how I do it (but will probably not succeed :-)First : I pin excessively. I use the appliqué-pins for my Janes. The ordinary ones seem so immensely long for these tiny pieces when you have the small ones. Then I draw around the freezer-paper on the back-side of each piece (probably as everyone else does), making sure that every corner is as exactly marked as I can do it.
I never sew into seam-allowances (makes for easier pressing as well).
Where seams are supposed to meet I pin (and eventually sew) “diagonally”.
I’ll try to explain : Piece AB and piece CD have to meet in a sharp point. This means that AC have to be exactly opposite one another and BD have to be exactly opposite one another. Sew up to the point. Go from exact-corner of A to exact corner of D (!). Go back through the seam-allowance (not over) to piece C and then from exact corner of C to exact corner of B. You now have sewn a cross between these corners. Does this make sense at all ? That is the least bad way I can describe it for now, and more often than not, it results in what I consider to be pretty sharp corners :-)
It works for me, but I would love to hear whether there are any other tricks
on how to do it.
Hugs
Tilde in Copenhagen
Hi, I recently attended a DJ seminar with Brenda Papadakis as instructor......how great and how much fun. Anyway. A couple of tips I use that I picked up in seminar are: paper piecing by hand on lightweight tearaway. Love it.
Great for traveling. I never hand pieced before (just a little) and this method sure helped me out.
Joyce in Montana
First, pieced curves:
the first thing I do when making my templates is to draw the section of the
block that I will cut apart for templates and make a couple of hash marks
along the curves that go into both pattern pieces (on C-5 I would probably
make two or three. This way when I cut the templates apart, the hash marks
will be on both templates. Now, when tracing the template onto your fabric,
include the hash marks in the seam allowances, this will help you line up the
curves correctly. You will want to pin the pieces together so that the curve
goes away from you when you hold the piece in front of you Pinning: when
pinning two pieces of fabric together, I first place a pin at the end of the
line which I will be stitching, leaving the pin in perpendicular to the
fabric, in other words, I don’t bring the sharp end back through. Then I take
a second pin and put it through the fabric right next to the first pin,
bringing that pin back through the fabric. The first pin stabilizes the
fabric, preventing the “back” piece from shifting down when the pin goes back
through to the front. I then repeat that process where I will begin my
stitching and at every hash mark. If the curve is very deep, I may pin more
frequently. I find this method helps me to successfully hand piece curves.
Linda in GR (Lindaingr@)
This is an important email I saved from BAKINFTC@
The sashing between each blocks is 1x5. I would suggest you sew on the sashing as you finish your blocks. If you don’t, then trying to sew on 160 of those buggers is very BORING and tedious. Sew the sashing on the right of each block, except for the last block of each row. The sashing between rows is 1x (4.5x13) (do your math). I marked my sashing every 4.5 inches, then .5 in then 4.5 inch, and so on. Then there’s the sashing around the whole perimeter of the 169 blocks. That’s ¼” (3/4” cut). Hope that helps.
Here is a sneaky trick to get those points in the center to line up, for
blocks
like G-8 & H-11.
First, piece the 2 halves as usual. Trim the seam allowances slightly to
reduce bulk at the center. Then, instead of sewing half A to half B, pick
up half A and fold under a ¼” seam allowance right at the center point, and
then back about ½” either way. You can pin or baste this down. Lay half
A on top of half B, lining up the center points. Pin. Then Appliqué,
starting about ½” from the center, through the center & about ½” beyond.
With the center appliquéd together, you can then flip the pieces, right sides
together & piece as usual. Have found this to be a good way to make those
centers “behave” :) Hope this makes sense to you!!
Happy Stitching...Karan-Jane
Appliqué tips, collected from the DJ list
For appliqué pieces, I like the Freezer Paper on top method, so leave the freezer paper on til the appliqué is complete. If the FP is starting to peel off too soon, you can re-iron it, or try making a stitch a bit further in, catching just a bit of the freezer paper, every once in a while. You will have to be careful when removing it, but this will help keep it in place while you are still appliquéing. I also love Jeana Kimball’s tiny appliqué pins, about ¾” long. You can order them from Pinetree Quiltworks, on the Internet at: mailto:Pinetree@ If you don’t know about Addy and Pinetree Quiltworks, e-mail this address and request a catalog. You will need to give your snail mail address to have a catalog mailed to you. They also sell “Poly Paper” brand of freezer type paper, for quilters. It comes in 12” square sheets, 25 to a package, and I think it holds better than the FP from the grocery store. I cut the Poly Paper to 8 ½” width, and can run it through my Inkjet printer or the Inkjet copier at work, to print DJ blocks right on to the FP.
For freezer paper that doesn’t want to come off the fabric, here are 2 things to try: put the block in a plastic bag, and put it in the freezer for several hours. The cold is supposed to make the freezer paper condense or shrink slightly, loosening it. OR, go over the pieces with a warm iron, and peel immediately. The heat is also supposed to loosen the freezer paper.
When I cut out my freezer paper shapes and there are multiple pieces of the same shape, I trace that shape one time onto the paper and fold the freezer paper so that when I cut that one traced shape I will end up with the required number of paper pieces. You will need to staple inside the shape otherwise the paper will shift while cutting and the shapes wont be totally accurate. Be careful if you have mirror image templates, though! You can also reuse the freezer paper several times before it loses it’s ability to
stick.
In my experience, finishes on the fabric, e.g.: starch and sizing, interfere with the adhesion of the freezer paper. I’ve done tons of freezer paper appliqué and found the best adhesion comes with pre-washed, untreated fabrics.
It also seem like freezer paper ‘likes’ some fabrics better than others. I follow the same steps preparing my fabric and the freezer paper holds tight to some fabric and blows off of other fabrics.
Often, as you appliqué along (freezer paper on top method) the paper starts to lift away from the fabric along the edge. If you take a tiny stitch “into” the FP every once in a while, it will hold the FP in place (with out pins). I just catch the very edge of the FP, don’t want a big stitch that would show later...but this has helped a lot...especially when you are stitching at a baseball game or in the car, etc, far away from an iron!!
Happy Stitching, everyone, Karan-Jane
I cut my background blocks about an inch larger than my finished size because the appliqué will cause a bit of shrinkage. Then I use a clear square template I have cut with the center marked on it to lay over my completed appliqué blocks and trim the block after I’m all finished sewing it.
I am using Mettler 60 wt. 100% cotton, silk finish thread for both my appliqué & piecing. This is a very fine thread, some use it for machine embroidery/appliqué. Much easier to thread through those John James #11sharps (appliqué needles)- and it doesn’t add any bulk to the seam, which a heavier thread can.
For appliqué: there are a lot of “pumpkin seed” type leaf shapes (pointed at both ends). Trim the seam allowance a little narrower at the ends. Then, using a Glue Stick for Fabric, put a little glue on one edge of the point (wrong side of the fabric) and fold the edge under. Then, put the glue on the other edge, and press under. Now, that pesky point is “already” turned. I do this for “freezer paper on top” appliqué, but is should work for “fp on the bottom” too. I also “glue under” the seam allowances for other tricky pieces, skinny stems for example.
Now for my discovery. A little product called “Roxanne’s Glue-Baste-It.” I got it by mail from Connecting Threads, cost about $4.50. It looks suspiciously like diluted Elmer’s Glue. Comes in a little plastic bottle with a needle-nose applicator. Gives nice little dots of water-soluble glue to hold those melons right where you want them to be. I like it ALOT better than a glue stick. Pinning seemed to let my melons shift around a lot. Even thread basting was clumsy.
Just a quick note to let you know about a problem I’ve had with Roxanne’s glue baste-it. I teach alot of appliqué classes (needle-turn, I was taught by a master- Jeana Kimball, who also happens to be a very good friend). Anyway, I had students in class who were asking about the glue so I tried it, it worked fine until I used it on a piece of pink Moda solid. The block on which I used it has been washed 5 times and I still see the tiny dots of glue, IT DID NOT WASH OUT! I followed the directions to the letter. I would suggest that if you’re going to use this, please test it on a non-important piece (make a sample) first. I no longer use the glue. Just my humble opinion and a word of caution so no one else runs into the same problem I did (also makes me wonder what’s going to happen to the glue in a few years!) Linda Gabrielse
Appliqué Instructions for block M-7 and I-5:
I am using the same colors as in the book, red for the red parts & “background” for the white parts.
1) Start with a 5” square of the red fabric.
2) Iron freezer paper patterns of the 4 “melon” pieces of background (on top of the fabric). Cut out with scant seam allowance.
3) Trace the whole block design onto a thin piece of plastic with permanent pen (I use page protectors, cut to 6” sq.)
4) Lay transparency over the red square. Slip one melon between the transparency & the red fabric, with the freezer paper on top. Get the melon centered exactly under the melon drawn on the transparency. I put a dab of fabric gluestick on the back of the piece before I slip it under the transparency, so I can just press it in place.
5) Remove the transparency & appliqué the melon in place. Repeat for the other 3 melons. I put one piece in place, appl. it, then put the next piece on, etc.
6) Now you have the 4 melons appliquéd on the red square. Remove the FP templates for these 4 melons. (I do this as I finish each one.)
7) Position the FP templates for the 4 crescent pieces on the red fabric, touching the background melons you just appliquéd on. Iron in place.
8) Trim seam allowance away, leaving you the center (red), 4 back. melons, and the FP over the red 4 crescents.
9) Lay this piece over a 6” sq. of background fabric. Make one clip in the seam allowance at the end point of each crescent, where the 2 crescents meet. Appliqué in place. Remove FP templates.
10) Iron FP templates for the 4 “corner” melons (the ones that point to each outside corner) onto red fabric. I used the leftover from the original red square. Cut out with a scant seam allowance.
11) Again, use the transparency to position the melons, then appliqué in place. Remove FP. Tah dah...all done.
Hope this is clearer & helps!! If you look quickly at the block, you
might think you should appliqué the red center piece onto the
background...but those long, skinny points are very hard to do...no where for
the seam all. to go!! I try to figure out the easiest way to come out with
an accurate block!! What seems logical to me, might not be the way someone
else chooses to do the block, though!
Needleturn
here’s one I learned from Nancy
Pearson’s
class:
Whether you draw the lines on your fabric and do straight needleturn, or use
freezer paper (on top or on bottom), you can do this: Crease the stitching
line, just in little short segments, before stitching it down. Rub with your
thumbnail to set the crease. Even if you open it up, 100% cotton will
“remember” where the crease goes, and when you turn the edge under, it will
want to go to just that same spot.
To save your fingers from getting poked while you appliqué, try the little adhesive protectors called “Leaf Its”. These are available from office supply stores, or from Pinetree Quiltworks. You can re-use these several times, and they are so thin, they don’t bother you while you are stitching. I have been trying to find appliqué tips, because I want to do my baby Jane by hand and my appliqué skills are pretty non-existent, though I can make nice small stitches.
So I found an “Appliqué FAQ” through the Mining Company’s Appliqué page and it
is a must-see.
(formerly the Mining Co. now Quilting.)
é.htm
There are pages linked from there on needle turning (with pictures), freezer
method how-tos etc.
There was a discussion a while ago about using a toothpick for appliqué. I love doing appliqué that way, maybe because that is how I was first taught. Toothpicks work, and are even better when moist, which can usually be arranged. (I learned that from a DJ friend.) I recently discovered that a few of you have never seen Cracker Barrel toothpicks. They are really special round toothpicks, pointed on one end and decorated with a few grooves at the other, sort of like a stair rail. For those of you in the south, with access to Cracker Barrel restaurants, you can pick up a few from the dispenser beside the cash register, or buy a box in the gift shop. Only this group would understand this, but it is very nice to mail toothpicks to your friends. They are a fun gift and easy to mail. :-) It is not an insult to receive them. Linda Franz
I’m well into my first totally hand-appliqué project, and before starting had read virtually every book which discussed methods and tools for appliqué. I went out and bought a brand new box of round toothpicks for the needleturn appliqué as all the authors said they were a valuable tool for turning seam allowances under. I realized that the reason they work besides being small, is that the wood is slightly rough and grabs the fabric. I started using them but they always dropped between the seat cushion and the seat and were never handy when I needed them.
Then I broke a nail (not while appliquéing) and had to go to my manicure stuff and saw some ORANGE STICKS. They are wood, as long as a pencil, and have flat wedge-like tips. I took one and sharpened one end of it in a pencil sharpener so it would have a pointed tip more like the toothpick.
When I started using it I found that I would start with the pointed end, but more often than not I’d wind up using the wedge-shaped end. It can really grab and push those seam allowances in. The other bonus is its length. It won’t get lost, and between uses I can just shove it behind my ear. I’ve put the toothpicks back in the kitchen, where they belong. (If you use the orange sticks, you can even rough up the wedge even more by sanding it lightly with your nail file.)
Just thought I’d share this tidbit with others who could probably use an assist turning those sharp points. Judy in Ringoes, NJ
I took a class from a very experienced quilt teacher who is incredible at sewing techniques and her artistic touch is catching to say the least. Anyway, she showed us a great technique I’ve never heard of before. You first trace a template onto freezer paper as usual (using a lightbox helps).
This template is the one you would use to iron to the back of the fabric and then cut the fabric piece an extra ¼ inch for the seam allowances.
Then, you cut another template also without seam allowances preferably from a gridded freezer paper (sold in quilt shops or just use plain freezer paper and make some marks on it so you will know it is to be used separately).
Then, place this second template behind the first template with the shiny side away from the fabric back . You end up with this sandwich: a fabric shape, the back of the fabric having a freezer paper template ironed to it with seam allowances extended beyond the template and another gridded paper just sitting behind the first one. Then, you proceed to very carefully clip inside seamline curves and iron the fabric seam allowance over the entire edge of this sandwich with the fabric all around the paper. The seam allowance of the fabric will adhere to the shiny side of the second template. When you look at the front of the piece right side up it has all the edges turned under.
Then, you remove the second back template and proceed to sew the appliqué to the background block as usual with the ironed on paper attached. You leave a small opening and slowly pull the paper away with tweezers when you are done and then close the hole with a few more stitches.
This teacher has been teaching some incredible classes on the beautiful quilts that Kumiko Sudo has graciously shown in her books. If you have seen any of these beautiful Japanese styled quilts, you will know (especially from Circles of the East), that the appliqués can be extremely, intricate, and almost impossible to create by the usual appliqué techniques. However, with this technique and careful attention to ironing the edges over the paper, you get a very fine finish on the edge. I’ve never seen more beautiful appliqué.
I had never done appliqué before I took her classes and I could make a very difficult shape look smooth within one class. (Please note that this is not a fast technique but it works every time and is quite successful.)
I hope I explained this clearly and that it is helpful to anyone interested in freezer paper appliqué. Sincerely, Aviva
Just wanted to pass on some appliqué ideas I picked up in a class I took yesterday with Irma Gail Hatcher. I have moaned and complained over every bit of appliqué I’ve ever done but, after yesterday’s class, I may become a convert. Irma Gail has made many award-winning quilts and her handwork is exquisite. She was also a delightful teacher.
These instructions are for leaves with nice points, which I had found impossible until yesterday. Would work for melons also. The method she recommended was to trace the pattern on the top side of the fabric, on the BIAS, and cut out adding the 1/8” seam allowance. Cut only one piece at a time and finger press the seam allowance in place. Pin to background with one pin from the under side. That was really helpful - keeps the thread from getting tangled up in the pin. Appliqué to one point, unpin the leaf or melon and fold out, right side to right side, exposing the seam allowance. With your fingers, fold remaining side in forming the point. Lay entire leaf or melon back in place and re-pin, holding point seam allowance in place. (Almost need three hands here.)
Continue appliquéing in place, needleturning the finger-pressed SA as you go. Less needleturning on the point seems to cut down on fraying. Hope this is clear enough to help others. JoAnne in Keller, Texas
Following up on JoAnne’s (Texas)appliqué tips: When pinning appliqué pieces I use a small gold safety pin on the back—no bloody fingers helps and I need all the help I can get. Another tip I find helpful is to put a pin-dot mark on the base fabric for each leaf tip so that I know where the leaf should be placed and not have all that marking to cover. (Use washable pencil). I mark piece placement this way whenever possible. Linda in Pittsburg, Ks
For your “melon” appliqué question, my “no anxiety” method is to do Freezer Paper on top, but before you start to stitch, use a fabric glue stick to “glue” under the points on the ends. First, I sort of “round” the seam allowance, leaving a scant 1/8” of fabric. Put a tiny bit of glue along the seam allowance on the left side of the point, then fold it under. The glue will hold it in place. Use the edge of the FP to get it folded under just right, just as you do when you appliqué. Then, put a bit of glue on the right side and do the same. You may have a “triangle” of fabric sticking out on the left side, leave it. Appliqué down the right side of the melon (I start about ½” from the point)...stitch the point. Then use your needle to “flip” that little extra triangle back under the point. Appliqué along the “left” side (only you turn it so now it will be the right side ;) repeat the point, and stitch along the rest of the way to meet up with where you started from. This “pre-glued” method also works great on skinny little stems, etc.
I also use my “tranparency” method to get the melons postioned just right, and with the seam allowance “pre-glued” you can see exactly where they should go. E-mail me if you need a copy of that. Karan-Jane
But I do have a suggestion when appliquéing pieces where points need to meet. Actually, this is a variation on a tip that Robert Callahan (Grandma’s Country Album) demonstrated on Simply Quilts.
We are traditionally taught to start our first appliqué stitches along the straightest part of the appliqué piece. But when fastening a point at a specif spot, take your first stitch in that point. Come up through the background fabric dead center where you want that point to be fastened and then work all the way around. When you get back to the original point, you want to bring the needle up to the top and then immediately take your first stitch in the point of the next piece so that they are pulled together with a common stitch. Continue around the appliqué piece and continue to join the pointy melons by small joining stitches at the point junction. CstitchNana (Connie Sue Thompson)
So many of you have written me asking me about this method of appliqué. Brenda just wrote a great message on doing Jeana Kimball's method, doing it on Jason's Jacks. This method works for any appliqué block and practicing it on any of Jane's blocks is great. Once you get good at it, then you can move onto the tiny pieces such as in the Little Brown Bird quilt! Which is my favorite these days.
Brenda outlined everything that you need to learn how to do this method. I'll go ahead and explain it too and between the two of us, you should get it down ok.
This method does not use freezer paper for templates, unless, like Brenda mentioned, you need to see better onto darker fabric that you can't trace onto. Take your background fabric and trace your design onto the wrong side of the fabric. I like using the blue water-erasable pens. You'll also find that when you trace on the back of your fabric, that if your pattern is NOT symmetrical, it will turn out mirror-imaged. Sometimes you may be ok with it, but if you're not, you can turn your pattern over and use a light box to see the line drawing to trace your lines onto your fabric. Draw the whole pattern design onto the wrong side of the fabric.
Most of Jane's blocks do not have 'perspective', meaning, there is not one piece that is 'behind' another piece or seems to be in the 'background'. (Remember your art class in school about 'perspectives). So you can start with any piece you want to appliqué. On a block that has 'perspectives', such as leaves or flower petals, you'll need to find the one that is the 'farthest away', one that is 'behind' another piece. Take the fabric that you will appliqué, and cut a piece that will cover that entire 'leaf' or 'petal' or tear drop (as in Jane's quilt) and make sure you have enough to completely cover including seam allowance. Hold up that piece to the light if you need to to put in place. Sometimes using that blue pen, you can see through the fabric. You can use ONE pin here if you must. Sometimes the fabric piece is small enough to just hold.
Now, Brenda mentioned using a larger than usual needle. This is very important. You don't want to use the same needle that you prefer to appliqué with. You'll want to use a larger needle that will 'perforate' the fabric as you baste. A yarn needle is WAY too big! Also use a heavier thread, such as quilting thread or even several strands of floss will work. Don't knot the thread. And try to use a contrasting color. Just makes it easier!
You can start and stop the basting anywhere along the stitching line. Turn your block over to the line drawing and baste around the line till you meet up with where you started. Some pieces, such as petals, do not meet up. That's ok. Leave short ends of the thread. When you turn over your piece to start appliquing, you'll see exactly where you need to start appliqué. Now you'll need to trim the fabric with your favorite seam allowance. Trim all around the basting. Small sharp scissors are best to use.
Switch over to your favorite appliqué needle and matching thread and start appliquing. Pull out the first few stitches of the basting, needle-turn the seam allowance and appliqué down. If there are any clipping along curves that need to be done, you can do that before or after you start stitching. You'll notice that because of the bigger needle and heavier thread, that your fabric will turn over easier because it's been perforated. You should be able to see the holes too to guide you. But don't worry about the holes, they'll close up! After stitching every few centimeters,(inches sounded too long!), pull out more basting and keep stitching till you complete. You should cut off the basting thread as you go or you'll have this big long thread to contend with. I love turning over to the back and seeing how well I kept on the drawn line and I'm always amazed that I am right on the line!
This is an amazing method for several reasons: You don't have to use freezer paper, so that cuts out one big step. You don't have to cut your fabric into perfect sized pieces, just big enough to cover the area that you're appliquing. You don't have to glue in place, unless the piece is so large that you'll have to pin or glue. Most of Jane's blocks are small enough that you can hold in place while you baste. And there's no pins to keep your thread from getting caught. I found when I'm doing the center of a flower, for instance, I still don't have to worry about having the perfect circle cut. You can use this method to sew layer upon layer of fabric because you're still using that line drawing on the back of your fabric block. I spritz my block with water to erase the blue line and iron well.
This is a great method, but it's not for everyone, or for every situation. You have to find what works best for you. I may find that I still like finger pressing some pieces, but for now, if I can use this for tiny little pieces that's in the Little Brown Bird quilt, then this will surely work for the Dear Jane blocks!
Boy, it's hard to explain perfectly just by writing, so I hope this is clear enough for you to give it a try. Try it with Jane's Tears (C9) or Batchelor Buttons (B1) or Rose of Sharing (K7). Then try it with Merry May (E2). That block does have perspective. You would start with the melon that is 'behind' the top one.
I hope you will give it a try and see what you think. I love it! Good luck!
Claire
DJ Goddess
PS. Jeana Kimball is a nationally known quilter who lives in Salt Lake City. I don't think she has a website. She was on "Simply Quilts' just last Friday and I watched her to see how she did it, and I was happy to know that I do it just like her!!
Jeana Kimball does have a basic website but I didn’t see much by way on instructions, just her books and notions. Here's the address:
Cynthia Thorp
Dear Janes,
I have been trying the Jeanna Kimble appliqué method today and here is what I found. I machine basted the fabric from the back of the background where I had marked the pattern using a lightbox. The longest stitch did not allow enough control to follow the pattern. Ended up with a stitch halfway between longest and normal to be able to control it. Couldn’t see the holes when stitching in the car (and not under my lamp at home, either), so took my new white Clover marker pen which appears as it drys and marked just outside the line I had sewn (on the purple top fabric). I figured that I would just turn that line under when appliquéing and would end up on the stitched line in the end. Now other than having to do this extra marking step, I really like this method of appliqué. It saves a lot of prep time over some types, and it was really nice to work with the whole piece “basted” without any pins to get in the way. Try it, you might like it! Hugs to all! Jennifer in Iowa
Another tip for getting your melon tips to match up:
Appliqué each melon onto a square of fabric that is 4-5” square, instead of the ‘actual size’ that you need (the 2-1/4” or whatever the particular block calls for). A little easier to work with, and leaves room for the slight slippage or movement of the appliqué patch. After you appliqué the melon onto this larger background, make a little template of the square plus seam allowances. When tracing the square from the book, be sure to draw in the melon as well. Make your template out of freezer paper, stiff tracing paper, whatever you can see through. Iron or pin it down onto the piece with the appliquéd melon, lining up the traced melon with the actual appliquéd melon, then mark and cut out the square. The two points of the melon will fall exactly where you need them with the patch, and then you are left with merely making sure you line up the patches correctly to machine or hand piece.
I use this frequently. I also start with the points, as someone else suggested, when needing to line up something exactly. Naomi
When I sent you the “melon tip” I didn’t mention using templar instead of cardboard because I didn’t want to confuse people or make them think it wouldn’t work without templar (a heat resistant plastic template material available in some quilt shops and/or Joannes or places like that). I really do prefer the templar because you can see through it.
Peg Gilson just sent me an email and said she uses the same method for circles and uses templar. So I thought I’d mention it to the rest of the list just in case they can find it in their area. I’m pretty sure the international gals won’t be able to, but really, the fine cardboard does work, too. If you do use the templar, be careful not to get your iron too hot. “Wool” setting will work just fine.
The other good thing I forgot to mention is that this is the only “ironing” method I have tried that doesn’t burn your fingers.
Another tip I am doing is to use Solvy and trace your watermelon or whatever it is you are going to appliqué and then stitch it down to the right side of your fabric. Cut a fairly large slit in the solvey and “carefully” turn it to the back. Once it is turned to the back you can press, do not use steam. It makes for a NEAT TURN AND SHARP CORNERS.........HOORAY HOORAY
Joyce in Montana
Appliquing Batiks tips:
For curved pieces like the melons, when I was doing appliqué on top (as opposed to reverse appliqué), I learned from a DJ friend that it helped to fold and crease all of the edges to be appliquéd before placing the piece on the background. It made an amazing difference for me in getting a smooth curve. I got best results with freezer paper underneath. After ironing the freezer paper to the wrong side, I folded and finger pressed a very narrow seam allowance to the underside of the melon shape or heart, using the thickness of freezer paper for support. On points, I folded across the point first, and then folded in each side and held firmly between my fingers for several seconds, to crease. As I got better at this, I found I could remove the freezer paper before I started sewing because the crease was enough of a guide. If I left the freezer paper in, I had to wiggle it out with tweezers before I finished sewing the last ½” or so.
One advantage of the batik is that because it does not fray, you can trim to a scant 1/8” or even 1/16” seam allowance, and another is that it will hold a sharp crease. On the other hand, the batik is difficult to pierce with a needle. I used the finest sharp I could find. The Roxanne Sharp #12 was my favourite, but it is hard to tell the difference between it and the John James Sharp #12, except that the Roxanne needles are cheaper and come in a great little tube. Although I like the Jeana Kimball Straw #11, it was too hard to drive it through the tight weave of the batik. I love the straw needle with other fabrics.
I used YLI silk thread (very fine #100 weight)---oh, dear!!! I hope I won’t regret it but it was so lovely to work with!!!----for appliqué and to baste the pieces in place. Every kind of pin I tried was too thick to slide easily through the batik, so it was just as easy to baste these small pieces instead. Pinning with very fine needles also works well. You only need two or three or four, including the one you sew with, so Try to Keep Track of Them, okay? VBG
Where several points of melons or triangles meet, it can help to tack the matching points of the appliqué pieces to each other BEFORE you baste them to the background, and eat chocolate BEFORE and AFTER, but not during. (See A-7 Dad’s Plaids, D-8 Dee Dee’s Delight, E-1 Aunt Exie’s Phlox, E-10 Five & Dime, F-6 Deanie’s Daisies, F-9 Autumn Aster, I-5 Maria’s Majesty, J-10 Chieko’s Calla Lily, J-11 Twin Sister, M-7 Junko’s Rose Garden).
I hope this is “easily visualized advice!” Good luck! Hugs, Linda Franz
An appliqué tip to offer for the “melons.”
Make a template for the melons out of lightweight cardboard, such as a 3” x 5” card or the inserts that come in magazines for subscription orders. Mark your fabric on the WRONG side of the fabric, cut out, leaving a 3/16 or “scant ¼” seam. In the seam allowance, do a running stitch from one end of the melon to the other, with your knot at the tip. Then do the same thing on the other side, starting at the same tip you started at before. Think of “gathering stitches.” Put the cardboard shape behind your melon and draw up the two threads. This will make the fabric “form itself” around the cardboard shape. Now, take it to the ironing board and press that seam in. One tip will already be formed (the one that was knotted). The other you can press in at the ironing board. Now your shape is perfect and when the fabric cools, you can remove the cardboard template and stitch your melon in place. I would make all the melons you need for a block and put them in place on the background before you stitch any down.
This was the way I originally learned to appliqué, and I still use this when I need to do lots of berries or grapes or other circles. It works wonderfully for hearts, too. Once you feel comfortable with needleturning curves, you probably wouldn’t need to do this anymore, but you sure do get perfect circles and curves. It’s wonderfully easy for those who are “appliqué challenged.” Sue Johnson
My absolute favourite appliqué tip is taking all those nearly or partly finished spools of thread and putting them on bobbins. I have a little 4 x 6 clear plastic tray with a cover which the bobbins fit into. I keep this next to me and all the colours I could possibly want to appliqué as this little tray has room for about 25. From: Snowbird@
One of my favorite tips is for the handle of Rebecca’s Basket.
Wind fusible onto the bobbin only and proceed to make the handle as you would do when making Celtic appliqué, using a press-bar and a strip of fabric cut on the bias. Seam the strip and press with the bar inside and the seam on the bottom with the fusible thread next to your ironing board. You can press long enough to crease the “tube” of fabric but surprisingly the fusible thread will not melt into your ironing board cover. Remove the pressing bar and shape your bias strip on the top piece of the background. Press it down and it is held in place by that fusible thread, ready to appliqué. No Pins, glue, or bumps, just a nice smooth curve. Works like a charm and does not take as long to do as I did explaining it! Judy in the Mitten
I used Saral paper to transfer the pattern to both of the fabrics for E-11 Wagon Wheel blocks. This is the first time that I have used this product. It will not be the last. It is really great. I experimented to make sure that it would wash off easily and it really makes it easy to transfer the lines, especially on the batik that is hard to see through. brantba@ (Ginger Brant)
Appliquéd sharp points.
My first suggestion is to make sure that your seam allowance isn’t too large. For small pieces I use a scant 3/16 inch seam allowance, too much seam allowance causes alot of bulk and your points can’t be as sharp. The second thing I do is appliqué to the point, taking an extra stitch in the point, this helps to prevent puckering up when giving a tug on the thread. At this point if you have a rather large dog ear of fabric showing from underneath the piece, carefully trim it with your scissors from underneath the side you have appliquéd, this will reduce the bulk in the point.Then, take your needle and turn under the seam allowance at the tip so that it is almost perpendicular to the point, if you are right handed, it should slant downwards slightly to the left, if you are left handed, it should slant downwards slightly to the right. Then take your needle and turn the seam allowance under on the next side (left side if you are right handed, right side if you are left handed) smoothing the appliqué after you tuck the seam allowance under. Now take your needle and thread and give a tug up towards the 12 o’clock position, this should pull out the point to a nice sharp point (since you have taken an extra stitch in the point at the beginning, it shouldn’t pucker up the appliqué). After pulling the thread towards twelve o’clock, take two stitches about two threads out into the background fabric (it is important to use a thread that matches your appliqué with this technique) taking these two stitches out into the background will give the illusion of fabric and give you a fantastic looking sharp point. I took the judging seminar at the Omaha NQA show this summer and Anita Shackelford commented that you only saw appliqué of the quality on my piece about once a day (she didn’t know it was mine so I was really flattered) so this technique I feel really works for me. If you have any questions, please let me know. I’m sure that you’ll receive many replies and many great way of doing these techniques. Linda in GR (Lindaingr@)
Dear Janers, I had replied to Snow’s request for assistance with curved piecing and sharp points and she asked me to forward my instructions to the list, so here they are. In regards to the curved piecing pinning technique, I forgot to mention that once I had the pin next to the perpendicular pin in place, I removed the perpendicular pin, only one pin in a spot. I feel that it is very important to give credit where credit is due so I learned this technique from Bonnie Browning. Bonnie is an NQA Certified Judge and works as an editor for AQS and is the AQS show coordinator.Hope these hints help you. Linda Gabrielse
I know what you mean - It really takes SEEING someone else do it for ME to learn! I had Cyndi Black at Busy Thimble show me how to do sharp points. She said to stitch right up to the point on ONE side of it, 9Such as on a melon) then, completely unfold the other side. Then tuck it back in using the length of your needle to fold it right tight up beside the part you just sewed. Hold that down and tuck in anything else that is left over, then give your thread a little tug to make a nice point. Hope this helps!! Maggi in Maine
When tucking tight, you need to be holding the area that creates the point with index finger underneath and thumb on top. Your thumb and finger are like a vice or iron or whatever it takes to hold it firm.
You will make it. You might treat yourself to one of my favorite books by Elly Sienkievicz’s Appliqué 12 Easy Ways. It has great visuals and written instructions for all kinds of appliqué. Hugs and quilts, Linda in Pittsburg, Ks
I really enjoyed reading all the wonderful tips which should help making those tricky DJ blocks. I would like to add one for appliqué. It can be used with templates or if you just draw the edge of the pattern and turn it under along the line. Take a ½” paint brush and brush the edges with undiluted starch. Press the edge. You will end up with a sharp, flat edge that is very easy to appliqué. I learned this from my appliqué teacher Caroline Darkow.
Here are some web sites to check out, the first is “The A Word” (appliqué) by Addy Harkavy from Pinetree Quiltworks. Great info on appliqué. The second is a listing of other things at the site. Happy surfing!!
I was given a helpful hint years ago about appliquing and it works just as well with rev. app! That is when putting the needle down into the fab (after having come up, obviously) put the needle in BACK about one thread instead of forward! Somehow that makes the stitch almost totally invisible - obviously a small one - but that microscopic move “backwards” really makes a major difference! I am eternally grateful to whoever it was who suggested that to me - darned if I can remember!
Abracos, Marilyn!
I found that Ami Simm’s book got me over my appliqué hump as well. Ladder stitch is my stitch of choice. Great for fixing little piecing boo boos as well!
The other book that really helped me was the first in the series Ellie Sienkievicz Baltimore book -- I learned the little mantra that when you’re doing a leaf for instance, you sew right up to the point, take a stitch and then turn the corner. Don’t worry about that (turning the corner) til you get there!
I liked Ellie’s book in part because it gives different approaches for everything. So if one way doesn’t work, there are a couple more ways to try. I appliqué with the appliqué edge pointing away from me. I have a friend who does it with the fold pointing toward her.
Different strokes!
Mary Beth Goodman
Reverse Appliqué instructions:
Reverse appliqué is where you have the “background” fabric on top, and the colored fabric below, and you cut through the top fabric to “reveal” the colored fabric underneath. This is the REVERSE of regular appliqué...where
you have the colored fabric on top, and you want to be looking OVER THE EDGE of the fold, as you appliqué (still left to right). Practice a bit & you will see that Reverse Appliqué can work very well for some designs... you clip on curves as you would with reg. appliqué. Stitch is the same as for “regular appliqué”. A good practice design for reverse appliqué is a simple heart:
Baste a 3” square of your print fabric behind a 3” piece of muslin, that has a simple heart drawn on in pencil. Baste it out around the edges of the square, not right by the heart lines. Try to have 90 degree angles at the top and bottom points of the heart, these are easiest to stitch.
Trim out the center of the heart, leaving a scant ¼” seam allowance INSIDE the line you drew. Make a single clip almost to the line of the right angle point at the bottom of the heart.
Thread your needle with thread that matches your background (muslin) fabric. Use the point of the needle (or your fingernail or a toothpick) to flip the seam allowance under along one straight side.
(**These instructions are written for right handers).
Start with the bottom point of the heart, holding it facing AWAY from you. You should be looking AT the folded edge as you appliqué (this is the Reverse of how you look at the folded edge for “regular appliqué....and it really does make a difference!) Bring your thread up from the back side just a thread or two inside the folded edge of the muslin fabric. Put the point of your needle back down into the print fabric, with the point just slightly under the folded edge. Once the needle is down, pivot it to the left (or towards you), and bring it back through to the front about 1/8” away from the
first stitch, again catching just a tiny bite of the muslin fabric. You will be stitching from the bottom point (facing away from you) along the left side of the heart.
The really important thing with the appliqué stitch, for either “regular” or “reverse”....is that you take a STRAIGHT stitch. This is determined by where the needle goes back into the fabric. If the needle is ahead of, or behind, where you first came up, you will have a diagonal stitch that will show. If you go down Straight across from where you came up, you will have a short, straight stitch that will not catch the light, and will disappear into the folded edge of the fabric. Also, give the thread a little “tug” after each stitch, which also helps to bury the stitch. If you can see little “loops” of thread along the folded edge...you really need to take that extra tug!!
Stitch to the left, keeping the seam allowance pushed under about ½” ahead of where you are stitching. When you come to the curved part, make small clips about 1/8” apart, to but not through the drawn line. Stitch to the point at the top of the heart, then use the point of the needle to “flip “the point under (like folding a mitered corner on a bedsheet). Turn the block, as you work your way around. Again, clip in the curved areas as you get to them.
Keep the seam allowance tucked under about ½” ahead of where you are stitching (hold it with your thumbnail). **This is the secret to smooth, even curves! Use the point of the needle to tuck any unruly threads that don’t want to make a nice curve, into place. Hold with your thumb & forefinger till you have it secured with a stitch. (If you stitch to the point you have turned under, then push another section under...you will end up with a series of angled lines instead of a smooth curve.)
Finish stitching the curve, turning the block as you go. When you get to the point, and your corner is laying under nice & sharp, just take an extra stitch there, and tie off on the back. If your “corner” is more rounded than 90 degree angled, take an appliqué stitch, but when you go down, angle your needle back between the muslin and print fabric, about an 1/8” or so before you push the needle through the print fabric. When you pull the stitch through, this should pull the “corner” into position. Keep a little tension on the thread until you tie it off.
**If you are doing Reverse Appliqué on a large piece, don’t trim the seam allowance & clip for curves until you are ready to stitch it. DO make clips inside each shape you will be reverse appliquéing, so you have somewhere to start cutting from, without having to worry about cutting into the colored fabric below. (Example: I did a Balt. Album block of a Feathered Wreath, where the design was marked on the “background” fabric, and then each feather was reverse appliquéd. I made a small clip inside each feather, before I basted the colored fabric “below”.) It took me a long time to finish stitching this block. If I had cut out inside each of the feathers & clipped the seams for the curves, it would probably have frayed or raveled before I finally got it done. By making a tiny clip in the middle, I could easily get my scissors in to start trimming & clipping when I was ready to stitch that feather, and the fabric stayed in perfect condition.
Karan
(SadieRose)
When you Sticklers start the tris, you might appreciate this hint-I did a LOT of them in RA. I would cut 6x9” rectangles of both the background and patterned fabrics, baste them together with both R sides facing up, make a
freezer paper pattern, cut out the pattern to be RA (on the freezer paper), iron freezer paper to the top of the two rectangles, carefully cut out the top fabric only, leaving a ¼” allowance to be turned under. Snip to the corners of any angles, also many U curves, then start stitching. I also would recommend cutting away only small amounts at a time, stitch, then cut a bit further. This helps to not distort the fabric. I left mine as rectangles until ready to attach the plain rectangles, this cut down on raveling. Hope this helps someone.
Connie L.
Dear freinds
OK, here goes the saga of “How I do Reverse Appliqué”. Others might well do it in other ways, and I for one would much appreciate to see other versions as well :-) I’ll use B-12 as the block in question, since that was the one Marie asked about :-)
Draft the pattern of the block to freezer-paper. With B-12, notice that Jane’s original block does NOT have points that meet each other. Take comfort from this fact :-)
Take a sharp pair of scissors and cut away the melons and the centre “square”. Cut away all of it without cutting into the rest of the freezer-paper, and leave a “thread” of paper between the melons and the centre “square”, so that you have one piece of paper with a total of 5 holes in it. This is your template.
Take two pieces of fabric, one coloured and one background. Choose your “on top fabric”, so that it is not a loose-woven one. For a first try, I like batik, since this hardly ravels at all, and you want a nice, tight-woven fabric which does not fray easily :-) Make Coloured Fabric square at least 5 ½”, and Plain Fabric square at least 5” (I prefer 6” squares, even if it is going to end up being just 5” unfinished)
Iron your freezer-paper template to the Coloured fabric (NO STEAM), use a warm iron and good pressure. You want this freezer-paper to stay on, but be prepared to re-iron at least once as you sew. The freezerpaper stays on until you have finished the block. I prefer it this way, compared to drawing lines etc, because IF you pull your thread too tight, the freezer-paper will start coming off. It also gives a .... stiffness ... to the fabric, comparable to the stiffness you get with starch (that I know many people use).
Cut a tiny slit in each melon and in the middle “square” (ie there where you can see your fabric through holes in your Freezer Paper template), not enough to make it “open”, but of a sufficient size for you to be able to get a small pair of sharp scissors down in that hole. Place it fairly in the middle of each, so you will not have to battle having cut too closely to the edge.
Put the coloured fabric, face (= freezer-paper side) down on the table. Lay the plain- fabric on top of it (also “face down”). Pin the two layers together. I have some small safety-pins, and usually put one in each corner and one in the middle. BUT you can’t really pin in the middle here, since you are going to sew there. You may put a pin in each “melon-slot” too, since you are going to start with the middle “square” :-)
Turn over. Cut the middle “square” open. Since it is so small, I would probably cut a cross, from corner to corner, and prepare to get the entire “square” sewn in one session :-)
Fold one edge under, and fingerpress. You may have to use your needle (or which-ever gadget you use for turning under seams with ordinary appliqué), to get it turned under, and you may want to clip the top off the triangle you have from cutting “corner to corner”. It isn’t necessary to clip it now, if it makes you feel uncomfortable, you can always trim later :-)
Now you sew, as you would with ordinary appliqué, only, you are appliqué’ing your :background” down on your pattern.
When you reach the corner, cut 2 threads further into the corner than you would like to. Use the length, not the tip of the needle, to tuck the seam-allowance in, or (again) use whatever gadget you usually use for turning under seams when appliquéing :-)
Take a stitch that is a bit longer, and thus visible, at the absolute corner, and then a slightly smaller stitch. The “bit longer stitch” will make the corner appear sharper than it is. When you - at that corner stitch - push the needle into the bottom fabric, go a bit “in” or “under” the fabric on top, so that your stitch is not exactly on the stitching-line, but slightly further out, at least for that stitch. It will also make your point seem sharper.
After you have made those two stitches in the absolute corner, THEN you turn under the next side, and continue.
And, all of a sudden your centre “square” is done.
Now, remove the pin from one of the melons, and pin around it (through freezerpaper and all), about ¼” away from the edge, then do as you did with the centre “square”.
And so on, and so forth, until you have it all done.
Now, if you have pressed the Freezer Paper on really, really zealously, you will have trouble getting it off, so iron it lightly (NO STEAM) to make it thoroughly warm, and the paper will peel off easily. You may have stitched into it a couple of times (which is why your thread should match the fabric on top), so, ease it off at those points.
Turn it over, face down, and give it a good steam. I prefer to put it on a bath-towel, since this prevents possible “shining” edges :-)
NOW you trim excess fabric from the back. Both the excess Plain fabric, and wherever your seam-allowances from the top-fabric was too generous.
Trim to size
Finished (and remember, this is better than perfect :-)
Now, when someone (DH, DFreinds etc) gives you a compliment on that block,
don’t tell them they are wrong. Just take your tongue in a vice and say
“Thank you” :-D
Hope this was understandable
Good luck
Hugs
Tilde
DJ-Goddess
Dear Sister 12 - 0 - 0 - 2??
Dear Me 12 - 0 - 0 - 2??
I also do a lot of reverse appliqué - hence my poor score in the pieces department - a lot of mine come out as 2 pieces :))
Hey this must make 3 of us on this list who when in doubt say reverse appliqué.
Helen from Hobart
who just did 3 versions of Maze of Madness L6
[pic] reverse, foundation pieced and naked pieced (no templates just cut the pieces) and prefers the reverse, but has to admit the naked piecing was the most accurate
Helen has great instructions for Reverse Appliqué, here is one suggestion to try to avoid this situation:
>
After you mark the top fabric, and before you baste the 2 layers together, make a tiny slit in the middle of any areas you are going to RA. This gives you a starting point to clip from, and less chance of cutting through the under layer, too. I learned this technique from Elly S. when doing the feathered heart block that is all RA. Love that block!!
Happy Stitching!! Karan-Jane
I was given a helpful hint years ago about appliquing and it works just as well with rev. app! That is when putting the needle down into the fab (after having come up, obviously) put the needle in BACK about one thread instead of forward! Somehow that makes the stitch almost totally invisible - obviously a small one - but that microscopic move”backwards” really makes a major difference! I am eternally grateful to whoever it was who suggested that to me - darned if I can remember! Abracos, Marilyn!
DJ Machine piecing tips
Machine piecing tricks: finger press your seams as you sew them (or the little wood “iron” they use for foundation piecing works, too). I press both seam allowances one direction, and try to have the next seam it will be sewn to going the opposite direction (usually towards the darker fabric). Then, when you go to line up the next 2 sections, they will sort of “hook” into one another. Pinning tip: Poke a pin straight through the corner point from the front piece, through the corner point of the back piece. DON’T weave the pin
in. Now, take a second pin & weave this pin...this way you won’t shift one or the other fabrics, by weaving the first pin. This really does make a difference. Also, it is better to pin right on the seam lines...so a “horizontal” pin, than to poke the pin in at the seam line,and then weave it down or up (vertical to the seam). Vertical pinning moves either the front piece or the back piece, so they won’t be lined up properly.
Be sure when you press, you have the seam “opened” all the way...often, there is a tiny “pleat” in the seam, and this repeated over the surface of a block can make a difference in whether your pieces all fit & the block comes out the right size or not! The other obvious thing to check is your seam allowance width...I have been amazed at students who come back to class & complain that the pattern was inaccurate, and I say, “let’s look at your block” & flip it over & they have 1/8” seams, ½” seams, nothing consistant. Then they wonder why the pieces don’t fit together!! I try to compare it to putting puzzle pieces together, each one has to be just the right size, or the puzzle won’t fit back together.
A piece of cardboard, larger than the block (or even small wall quilt), you are piecing- covered with either cotton quilt batting or flannel...makes a great surface to lay out your pieces & then transport them to the sewing machine (or put up from inquiring small hands!!) The fuzzy surface will hold the patches in place...so you won’t make mistakes when sewing them together.
I have a couple of 24” sq. pieces of Masonite, covered with batting (just taped it over the edges on the back), which I use for larger pieces, too.
Goofy tip: learned this from a guild member: if you chain piece a whole bunch of pieces, and then need to clip them apart: take a large wooden spool, and slide a seam ripper down in the center hole. It should fit snuggly, or
you can wrap it with some tape. Then, you just hold the “chain” of pieces on either side of the couple of free stitches, and push those down over the seam ripper- the sharp curved part. Gee, this is much harder to write than to show
someone!! Anyway, you can just “pop” along & cut those pieces apart in no time!!
Foundation Piecing
I will FP almost any straight line. (Unless it’s so simple as to be embarrassing!). On C-8, for example, I F Pieced the center square with the four triangles around it. Then I drew the pattern for the four triangles outside that and F Pieced four units of the two triangles with the diamond. Then, with all the papers still on, I could line up the points of the center square with the diamond points. I sewed two opposite sides on, the started to remove the paper before any seam allowance was sewn down by another seam. The other two triangles were sewn on after the paper was removed. Press that, and determine the Large triangles around the outside, sew on opposing sides first with the center unit on top to match points. Eh, Voila!
For C-4, 1. I F Pieced three tiny rectangular blocks within the center square, the “underneath” lattices - three foreground separated by two little background fabrics. 2. Then traced the center square. I didn’t have to draw the details, since they were already made, so I drew the two strips of background fabric running vertically down the 1/3’s of the center square, and the outside edges of the square. I placed the center tiny rectangular block I already had made, pieced two long strips on either side. Then, lining up the background strips with the center one already on, laid on the side rectangles I had already made. Then added the strip border around the “outside” of the block. 3. Then, traced a paper piece with the center square lined out, and the next regular triangles and the “squashed” triangles. 4. When that was all done and pressed, I
traced the outside background set-in pieces, and sewed them on by machine “freehand”.
I hope this gives you an idea of how versatile FP is for this quilt. I am getting literally perfect results, as long as I stick with the program. As you can see, it’s time consuming hand work. I don’t have EQ, but my Friend Lynn does, and I believe it would not be flexible enough to F Piece as I do. I know I’ve requested blocks from her in FP method, and EQ sometimes says “Can’t be done”.
I have a large stock of what my Friend Barbara calls “10 lb” computer paper. All 11’ x 14” form feed single sheets left over from print jobs at work. It’s really thin, and I can lay it down on the illustrations in the book, and trace them. No need for a light table, paper is thin enough. I use a black Uniball pen, one of those rollerballs, the ink flows on very steadily with a light hand. No skipping or blotting as many traditional ball-points do, and no hand cramps, either. The other advantage to the light paper is that it tears off nicely when done.
Jackie
Even though my most recent interest is hand piecing, I appreciate the two Foundation Piecing sites mentioned by Becky in VA and Alice Curtis in Connecticut. Thanks for directing me to two great sites.
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Jennifer,
I try to line the seam lines up with very fine pins. I also have drawn reference lines across the stitching line of the seam that I have to cut apart to do the foundation piecing. This line, some times two or and x, help me to line up which seam goes where when I reattach the sections. I also number or mark compass directions so I will always reattach the right sections. Not all of these are the same triangle or piece even though they look like they are the same. Hope this is clear and some help. Carla Jolman
When you have to cut sections apart, mark them first. Make a cross-hatch that runs thru both sections and can be matched up later. It’s kind of like matching the match-points on a dress pattern. If you find shifting is a problem, you can baste that match point, then come back and sew the whole seam. Janet janstormy@)
The blocks that I think would be especially good for FP are ones that have small units like Log Cabins, or Flying Geese or Pineapple, with lots of tiny pieces that are a pain to hand stitch, or machine stitch with “conventional”
methods. Here is the list I made up for my students (not to say that these are the only ones suitable for FP, just my suggestions):
A-5 Flying Geese
A-9 Pineapple center
A-12 Flying Geese units
B-4 Strips to center
C-1 Center triangles; Log Cabin
D-6 Pineapple style
G-4 Pineapple
J-3 Rows w/ 2 sashing strips
I-8 Pineapple
I-9 Pineapple, Flying Geese
L-1 Pineapple, Flying Geese units
L-3 Log Cabin
L-4 Log Cabin
L-6 Log Cabin “units”
L-7 Center diamond
M-4 Log Cabin, Flying Geese units
Many of these blocks would be assembled in sections...some FP blocks can be made all one one pattern piece, others have smaller areas or units, that are then combined to make the block. D-13 could be FP, you would start with the center square on point, and then sew on the 4 triangles. This is a block where you could do all with one FP pattern piece. A-5 would have to be done in “units”. Hope you understand what I mean by this. There are lots of good books & web sites on FP, as it is a popular technique now, and very accurate, especially for small pieces! that is the fun thing about the DJ blocks....you can experiment or ask for advice & then decide which method YOU are most comfortable with, or think will be the most successful for you. Karan-Jane (SadieRose)
Tips from: basset@ (Paula Libby)
When pressing FP to your fabric, use an Unpadded surface. You can make a FP pressing board with a scrap piece of lumber or thin plywood. Cover the board with heavy duty alum. foil and then a layer of either washed muslin or old flannel so it can double as a tracing board. Tape the raw edges over to the back side of the board. (One of my friends glued her sandpaper over the raw edges on back and uses that side for tracing.) The tin foil prevents sap from bleeding through the muslin and additionally throws the heat of the iron back up into the fabric.
Two great spots on the “net” for paper foundation is:
and for excellent instructions:
These two are the best for paper foundation “stuff” on the internet..
Hope this helps. Liz Ewing, Fort Smith, AR, USA
I don’t know about a book, but there are several sites on the internet that can give you some help in paper piecing. Try Quilter’s Online Resources at or the world Wide Quilting Page at There are others as well.
The name of the book that I like on paper piecing is called Easy Machine Paper Piecing by Carol Doak. It has 65 quilt block patterns for foundation piecing in it. I also enjoyed Marvelous Mini Quilts for Foundation Piecing by Ellen Rosintoski. That book gave me great ideas for making small quilts. Gwen in LaPlace, La.
I just read on a list the neatest trick for paper piecing and thought I ought to share. I hate tearing out all that paper and this you can use with muslin or interfacing, use tracing paper and the tracing wheel. If you use paper it even helps put the perforations in for you. Sue in Kansas
Being the pp expert that I am not, and with limited appropriate resources for materials here in Brasil, I opted to use what is literally translated as “vegetable paper.” It feels like old fashioned wax paper without the wax, if you can creatively imagine that! Its used almost exclusively by drawing/designers and I’m told its called Architect Paper in the U.S. Would imagine that any store with architectural/design supplies would have it. I purchase it by the meter here off a big roll. Think its about 4’across. It works like a dream! Needle goes through easily and when it comes time to remove it just fold and the piece of paper just pops right up along the seamline for removal - even those tiny little triangles! Its marvelous! Not sure though if it can go through a xerox machine for for DJ don’t need that! Abracos, Marilyn!
I use Vellum paper found in Art supply stores and I think you can get it at the office supply also. Very thin but firm. It will also go thru the printer. I think it is close to what Marilyn is talking about. Sandi in Arlington Tx
Well, I hand-paper-piece occasionally :-) Only, I use very thin paper, like “heavy tissue paper”, OR I use the cheapest available .... interfacing without glue (or with glue if you can’t get it without :-). The tissue-paper is very easy to tear, the interfacing-stuff you don’t have to tear off, you just leave it there :-) Makes your block a bit thick, but if you choose a really lousy quality of it, it doesn’t really bother :-)
Hand PP’ing is very handy when you travel (fx on the train as I do), and cannot always rely on the movements of your chosen vehicle :-) I did blocks from Margaret Rolfe’s “A Quilters Ark” on my “Days on the train” last fall.
This year they have given way for Jane’ing, but still. The trick to hand PP’ing is the same as to machine PP’ing :-) You don’t have to rely on accurate seam-measurements, but snip as you go, also, there are occasional bits that are .... too ridiculously small to cut and piece. If speed is you goal, when PP’ing, then obviously Hand PP’ing is ... silly :-) If accuracy is your object, and you like hand-sewing, then I can assure you, that PP’ing by hand is as good as by machine. Hugs, Tilde in Copenhagen
I have used both “Easy Piece” paper by Zippy Publishing and “Papers for Foundation Piecing” by That Patchwork Place . Both go through my printer nicely but I think I prefer the paper from That Patchwork Place more as the ink doesn’t seem to smear on it like it does with the Easy Piece. It’s not as transluscent as the Easy Piece but I use a light box when I paper piece so that’s not an issue. I can also get it locally while I had to order the Easy Piece from Zippy Publishing. Karen in Tampa
I paper-piece by hand. Not just foundation-piece, but (sort of) Paper-piece. I use a really thin (and crummy :-) quality of ... vlieseline/ fusible web that is not fusible, ie does not have the glue. This is non-woven, but stable and you can see through it. It doesn’t have to be taken out afterwards and adds hardly any bulk to the block. If your object is speed when pp’ing,doing it by hand will not be a help :-) If it is precision, it will.Just my 0.02 $ Hugs, Tilde in Copenhagen
I use typing/printer paper for my foundation for paper piecing. But as soon as it comes out of the printer I heat set the print with a warn iron,with a clean piece of paper over it, as it can transfer to your fabric and be permanent!!! I have no trouble tearing it away, because I use a size 14 needle and smaller stitches so the holes are much closer together.
Can paper piecing be done by hand? I haven’t tried it as I didn’t think the stitches would hold tight enough to rip the paper.
Actually they can! I’ve had to do some that way coz I’ve been out somewhere and couldnt pencil the lines in, and it works fine as long as you backstitch about every 4-5 stitches. Then just give the paper a little spray with a water bottle and it sluffs right off! Maggi
Hi, I recently attended a DJ seminar with Brenda Papadakis as instructor......how great and how much fun. A couple of tips I use that I picked up inseminar are: Paper piecing by hand on lightweight tearaway. Love it. Great for traveling. I never hand pieced before (just a little) and this method sure helped me out. Joyce in Montana
I have done several of my Jane blocks with the “paper” piecing method using a very lightweight interfacing instead of paper. It works beautifully and is less bulky than using muslin. I have heard that some people use used fabric softener sheets. I use a nonfusible interfacing of course and I don’t tear it off when I’m done. I imagine it will make quilting a bit more difficult but I really like the results...the blocks are very nearly perfect. Hope this helps someone. Donna on Delmarva
After trying to explain why a postcard can be useful for paper piecing I decided to copy you a part of an email I got from Carol Doak (I asked her for some personal tips for the customers of my friend´s quiltshop) - so here it is:
Be sure to cut generous size fabric pieces. Place a postcard on the next line you will sew, fold the paper over the edge of the postcard, trim the exposed fabric ¼” from the fold. I use a 6” Add-A-Quarter ruler to do this because it has a ¼” lip that clips onto the fold. Folding the paper along the next seam line also weakens it making the paper much easier to remove later. Place the fabric piece to be added right side up first on the blank side of the paper over the area they need to fill (looking through the blank side of the paper) before flipping them right sides together. This way you will know they are positioned correctly before you sew. When you complete your block, sit back and marvel at your accurate patchwork!
Wishing you all happy quilting!
All the best, Carol Doak
Susanne Kleen has some DJ blocks drawn for FPP, contact her privately at:
arlo32@
Beth Maddocks has an excellent site with tips & patterns for FPP:
Hello Janers—I have noticed some interest in foundation paper piecing patterns and I would like to tell you about a web site that is one of the best I have ever visited. This one has the fpps ALPHABETICALLY listed and there are tons. It makes it so easy when you are looking for a particular pattern. Thank you to whomever went to all this trouble. Bookmark this one:
Diann Smith in Jackson,TN
Hi All, I wanted to share a new tip with you when I reported in about the triangle challenge...but had to see if it was mine to share! I used a product called Rinse Away...I used it for paper piecing the triangle...It will run thru the copy machine as well as the printer on the computer. Best thing is that it doesn’t have to be torn away. But you have to be willing to wash your finished product...The Rinse Away does not completely rinse away..but becomes very soft...so you just leave it in...It is stiff to start with...and comes on a bolt like interfacing does.(similar look). A friend of mine has come up with this idea...and also uses it for appliqué....she uses a glue stick and glues the fabric edges to the back of the rinse away pattern..then machine appliqués it on...when washed it softens and gives the appliqué a dimension it wouldn’t have otherwise with machine appliqué. Susan in Nebraska
I found the following suggestions on today’s Info-EQ list. I thought they were worth sharing. I am not personally a big fan of foundation piecing, mostly because it wastes fabric & often ends up with the grain lines going every which way!! I thought the following idea was fantastic!!
When you paper piece you cut a piece of fabric YOU THINK will cover the SPACE it goes into, plus leaving ¼” of extra fabric all around the PIECE, for seam allowance. SOMETIMES we do NOT CUT ENOUGH fabric for this piece, and when you flip it over, IT DID NOT COVER THE SPACE. RIP it out and try again!! I did a lot of RIPPING! By using the TEMPLATE METHOD, we can cut the fabric ahead of time, and have it all ready to piece. You will know the fabrics will fit because you cut them BIGGER than the SPACE it goes onto. This method saves TIME and FABRIC!!
it doesn’t matter what the original size of the block or how many pieces/templates the block has...if you print out the templates for the same block..one inch larger.. all of the templates will be the calibrated to fit the larger block....
Hi everyone,
I was so excited about this idea, too. But then someone pointed out that depending on the size of the original block and the number of pieces in the block, adding 1” to the original overall size would not necessarily add ¼” seam to each individual piece. . . I still agree it’s a great idea and should work for many blocks but perhaps not all.
I would not use it to try to create an **exact** ¼” seam allowance. You are just trying to create the angles of the fabric pieces at the right angle and make the piece larger than the piece you actually need so, you can trim off the excess after you the fabric onto the foundation.
I did a test of the hint with a 4” pattern and when I printed it out only 1 inch larger there was no extra for slip ups and just barely ¼” seam allowance... so I printed it out 2 inches larger and still didn’t gave me much excess fabric beyond the ¼” seam allowance... so I printed it out ** 3 inches** larger and it was great!! If you put the fabric on the seam you are sewing on, ¼” beyond the sewing line, that gives you about ½” extra all around for safety and you will have the right angles of the cut piece.
This is basically the same tip I have had in QNM and on my WWW site for the PC Piecers, only I added the extra around the template by hand... this is much easier!!
one more time, using EQ4
1.print out a foundation pattern for a 4 inch block...try the tree pattern(top row 2nd from the left) in the paper pieced block library
2. print out templates for the same block only change the measurements to a 5 inch block(one inch larger than the original block) the templates will automatically have the ¼ inch seam added....soooooooo they will not only be larger they will have an added ¼ seam all around....
3. cut the templates apart and hold them up to the paper pieced foundation and you will see the difference for each piece of the block.....
now understand, the templates are not the exact size of the foundation pieces,for the smaller block, they will be trimmed each time the next piece is added...but they will be the same shape and the trimming will be minimal...try doing the suggested tree block and you will see it fall into place...an added bonus is that your block will be on the straight of the grain....jean
Note the difference, Jean is printing templates from a block 1” larger (5” instead of 4”), then using the pre-cut fabric for foundation piecing the 4” size block. Hope this tip is helpful for your foundation piecing blocks!! Of course, if you have EQ4, it is very easy to print the block out in whatever size you want. If you don’t have the software, then you would have to enlarge the block on a copier, or just make templates with seam allowance included, of the larger block.
vrhill@worldnet. writes:
I learned that when you have to frog on paper piece that you need to put tape on the paper to hold it together - I don’t bother with the tape. I have only had trouble once with a line that had to be ripped out 3 times. I taped it then! Of course, a friend taught me to use a razor blade to rip on pp. I don’t have the courage to do that with regular piecing though. Since the razor blade rips it so quickly that may be a factor in my being able to get away without the tape. I also use regular computer paper for my paper piecing. As Carol Doak as told me the using of the card trick and folding of the paper in that process really help break down the fibers of the paper. As well I horten the stitch length. When I am done with the block I hold opposite corners and give a hard tug to break the perferated paper line. I also learned that from Carol Doak. She told me that doing all of those 3 things will almost always release the paper easily. I have found that to be true. She is a very nice person and has been known to hang out in the AOL quilt forum chat room.
Anne in Colorado
I would like to thank all of you who contributed to my search of paper piecing foundation material.
I have located the 17 lb. paper. in 8.5 x 11 sheets. It is calledUV Ultra Translucent #01379. It sells for 12 cents per sheet or only 6 cents if you purchase a ream and share it. It is the same paper sold in quilt shops in pkgs., of 25 sheets at about 25 cents per sheet. I located this at a paper supply and print shop that I did not even know was in town.
Sorry for the incredibly long URL, but I tracked this down at and it appears to be the translucent paper that Jean referred to and is available for order online. It carries the same product number (1379). If you can’t deal with pasting the URL or clicking on it, go to and click on Paper Selection Assistant. In the drop-down box next to Brand Name, select UV Ultra II, and click Search Now. After getting a page with color choices, I clicked on white, which brings up the chart with the catalog # 1379. Here’s the URL:
That’s why I draw them into EQ4 or trace by hand. If you don’t have EQ4 for doing multiple copies, trace one by hand then stack 10-15 sheets of copy paper together witht he traced one on top. STaple this stack in several places around the edges. Now take the thread out of your sewing machine. Sew along the lines of the traced copy. This will put perferations through your other copies. You can number each copy but if it is an easy pattern just kept the traced copy as a guide sheet and pieced that copy last. The perferations also help break the paper down for removal. Remember when you are actually sewing the blocks to shorten your stitch length to about 20 per inch. You want the first perferations to be about 12 per inch. Anne in Colorado,
Also, someone once told me to use a blue jeans needle. It makes really big holes and it practically pulverizes the paper. I tried it and the paper practically fell off on its own. Carla
From the Info-EQ maillist:
Judy Mathieson uses freezer paper as her foundation for piecing on the blocks from her Mariner’s Compass book that can be foundation pieced. She does stitch through the paper. She also uses the freezer paper for templates and stitches alongside the templates when she’s not foundation piecing.
However, a friend of mine who recently took a class from Judy showed me yet another nifty foundation method from Judy. You fold back the freezer paper along the seam line, trim the fabrics with the seam allowance, sew just along the fold and not through the paper. Open up the fabric and the paper after seaming and iron the paper to the new patch. Then release the paper, fold back along the next stitching line, trim at the seam allowance, and again sew next to the fold. By the time you finish, the ironing has secured the foundation paper as you go along, but you can now peel the whole thing off of the back of the block without ripping and reuse the pattern sheet! Ingenious!
Hi All,
I did try to do a paper piecing block, that did not have the seam allowance on the sections of the block. It was more confusing than I thought. If, I remember right this gal just copies the blocks and cuts them apart. If you are not an experienced paper piecer, please be careful and remember that all important seam allowance. I sew allot when I have had a hard day at work, and I won’t do paper piecing this way, I have to think too hard. If I find a block that will work for paper piecing, and it has sections, I draw the ¼” seam allowance on, than I don’t have to think.
THIS GAL DOES LIST ALL THE BLOCKS THAT CAN BE PAPER PIECED,
So it is still a valuable site. Just a word of caution.
Mary in AZ
I found a site with some simple foundation piecing tips for individual DJ blocks. You might want to take a look.
Here’s her site:
HELLO ALL,
I am curious if any of the rest of you use this method of FPP.
BASE UNIT FPP:
I use one paper copy of the whole block (my “base unit”) to which I sew everything else. Sometimes I need to FPP sections first and then sew that on to the “base unit”. When I have sewn a FPP section to the “base unit”, I fold that section back, press, trim, tear away paper and I take the fabric section that is hanging loose, line up all significant points and glue stick the back onto the “base unit. So all the while I can maintain the same base unit and the measurements come out perfectly.
Here is an example:
H-3 Berry Baskets, p 74
You can FPP this entire block perfectly by using a “base unit” (a paper block!). Prepare a “base unit” by making a copy of the entire block out of paper. Starting with the center section, FPP one diagonal section directly onto your “base unit”. Make a paper template for the other diagonal half, and sew it onto the center piece which is already on your “base unit”. Fold back the added section, press, trim and remove paper. Then glue stick the hanging section onto the “base unit”, matching points. Then again directly on your base unit, FPP the two wing sections, the sections to the left and to the right of the center section you just did. Next make paper templates for the top third of the block as well as the bottom third of the block.
FPP both of these and sew these onto the “base unit”. Fold back, press, trim, and remove paper, glue stick the fabric onto the “base unit” matching up points. Turn the entire block to the paper side and trim the block to size. Remove all paper. Perfect!
Does this make sense to any of you? Am I just calling it something different? I sure love doing it this way and maybe the rest of you do too. Let me know. Sandy in Oregon
I’ve done an entire quilt using the printed fp that way. That one came with templates. I scanned the pattern into the computer, then ‘cut’ away each piece. Then I used a new page and pasted as many say leaves that I needed until the page was full(ya, I’m cheap!). I was even able to reverse the piece when I needed. Say I needed 2 and 2 reverse, I would paste 2 down, then paste the other 2, click on them, then reverse them. I used Adobe Photodeluxe(that came with the broken scanner) but any program would work that comes with your scanner. To print, I just made sure there weren’t any jagged edges, etc., and fed them 1 sheet at a time to print. Couldn’t be easier.
Now I’m scanning in all of the DJ blocks to print on freezer paper(and whole sheet labels). When I’ve scanned them all, I’ll offer on the list to anyone who wants the files and save YOU the time!LOL Also, I print using the economy method. Comes out just fine and saves ink Karen
The first time I tried it I used regular printer paper but that seemed a little stiff. The last couple of times I used Doodle Pad type paper that I got at Office Depot. I’m sure Staples has it as well. It’s not quite so stiff. I have some “Papers for Foundation Piecing” from That Patchwork Place that I want to try. It’s about the same weight at the Doodle Pad paper so will probably handle the same way. I just take very small stitches
and they are more of a jab type stitch rather than a running stitch. I found the running stitch harder to do. I learned this from Toni Carr who teaches a monthly DJ class at the Bear’s Paw in Ellicott City, MD.
I just got this tip from wonderful hand piecer, Rickie Orzen. Her addy is: rmorz@ and she is delightful. Don’t hesitate to write her—she is a joy to correspond with. Very experienced. “One thing I do for FPP tris that have many sections: I trace the sections (minus seam allowances) on very light non woven interfacing and then I don’t have to worry about tearing off all that paper. It’s so light it can stay in the block. It’s an extra step but saves in the long run.”
Brenda Brayfield’s Paper Piecing Method-testimonial from Linda
This is a public service announcement about foundation piecing. Instead of spending a relaxing evening hand piecing a diamond in FOUR fabrics , I am at the keyboard again, with valuable information for you.
You know that I am addicted to hand piecing and am almost fanatical about the overwhelming benefits of hand piecing Dear Jane blocks (and diamonds), but Monkey says some of you insist on foundation piecing. Oh, well. I tried foundation piecing when I first started quilting and I was not very good at it. It sounded like a good idea but I did not like sewing on paper rather than fabric, or flipping the block back and forth trying to line up the next piece to be sewn from the back. I spent a lot of time frog stitching (rip-it, rip-it), squatting in a swamp of wasted fabric which I industriously built up by cutting pieces too small or too large. I found it difficult to line up stripes and grain line from underneath.Recently I heard that there is a better way! It cannot possibly be as good as hand piecing but well, it is kind of neat. I have become acquainted with another new AQS author from Canada, Brenda Brayfield. She has written “Log Cabin Rediscovered by Machine,” in which she explains a different method of foundation piecing----“on-top” piecing. It is an old method that Brenda “rediscovered,” and she has been teaching this technique in British Columbia for years.
Instead of working from the back side of the block and sewing on the paper, her method allows you to sew on the fabric and avoid all the waste, backward thinking, and dangerous INDAFT (aka Insane Needless Dyslexia with Atrocious Frustrating Tendencies—my term) of normal foundation piecing. Brenda’s foundations are drafted so that the lines are placement lines, not sewing lines. You line up the edge of the fabric with the line on the foundation paper and stitch exactly ¼ inch away, on fabric. I tried one of Brenda’s log cabin blocks, and it was really fun.
Brenda explains it so well in her book that I was able to draw a foundation for C-1 Trooper Green’s Badge that works! This has great possibilities for those obstinate individuals who insist on foundations, and may even be a step towards total rehabilitation! . Brenda’s book includes several log cabin variations, like Courthouse Steps, Thick and Thin, Thin and Thick, Steps to the Cabin, Tulip, Pineapple, Wild Goose Chase, Square in a Square. Is it just me, or does this sound like a Foundation DJer’s dream?
I can already see why Brenda Brayfield’s method is popular with her students. Have any of you tried on-top foundations? Brenda has a web site at > and you can find her book now in quilt shops everywhere, on Amazon, and on the AQS site. She doesn’t sell the book on her own site, but she does sell a floppy disk of the patterns to be used in EQ4. (I can see your eyes lighting up!) I bought that too, of course. :-)I hope anyone suffering from INDAFT, or anyone interested in very precise techniques, or anyone who loves log cabin blocks, will look for Brenda’s book in quilt shops. Of course, if you can get a driver you can hand piece in the car all the way there. Monkey and I are very simpatico with first time authors with beautiful new books. (This one has a great gallery of quilts too.) I think I’ll send Brenda Brayfield a copy of this. She might like to hear from you too. Do you think she is ready for Dear Jane? Linda & Monkey
Good References
Another good book is Pat Campbell’s “Jacobean Rhapsodies”. That has good instructions. I’ve been told that the book from Piece O Cake is also a good reference book. You can see it at Judy in rainy NW Ohio
Elly Sienkeivitz (sp) has many great books about appliqué. I went to one of herAppliqué Academy’s and she is the best as far as I am concerned....Ely,MN”
I just picked up Alex Anderson’s new book on Appliqué’ (just published) to use as the resource book for a needle turn appliqué’ class that I am teaching and it is great. She shows techniques both right and left-handed, which as a leftie I have always appreciated in Alex Anderson’s books.
I have also use Mimi Dietrich’s “Basic Quiltmaking Techniques for Hand Appliqué’”, which is also very good. Ami Simms’ book on invisible appliqué’ is a good one as well, but doesn’t have beginner’s projects or patterns. Care of Antique Quilts
Hope this helps:
Here’s a site you might want to check out ---
And here is a book on the subject ---
American Quilt Collections is a thought-provoking, information-filled guide to the types of quilts and services that are available. It integrates new information about how, when and why some of the great public and private collections were formed and also explores curatorial concerns about displaying a quilt collection, giving access to scholars, and caring for these fragile textiles. It will “fill in the blanks” for collectors, quiltmakers, dealers, curators, scholars, and anyone interested in antique American quilts.
Hand Quilting the Unconventional Way — “Stab-Stick” Quilting
Caroljoy Spensley
cj.spensley@
Many of the guidelines and suggestions for Stab-stick hand quilting are the same as for traditional hand quilting.
[pic] Good basting, whether with pins or thread, is essential. Stretch your quilt backing before layering batting and top.
[pic] The quilt should be firm but not tight in the hoop.
[pic] Cut your thread about the length of your forearm, plus a couple inches.
[pic] Knot the cut end of the thread (closest to the spool).
[pic] Begin on the top of the quilt, bringing the needle into the top and batting about ½” from where you want to start quilting. Come up through the top at the desired starting point. Tug the thread to bring the knot into the batting, and clip the tail.
First, a little disclaimer: The terms “smart hand” and “dumb hand” are in no way meant to insult or offend either left- or right-handers! My right hand is smart and my left hand is not. That’s just the way it is, and it makes giving directions a lot easier!
Here’s where it gets different:
[pic] Place your “smart” (for most people, right) hand underneath, and your “dumb” (left for most people) above the quilt.
[pic] Turn the needle in your “dumb” hand so it’s perpendicular to the quilt top, inserting and pushing all the way through the quilt sandwich. Grab the needle with your “smart” hand, and pull about 6” of thread through.
[pic] Turn the needle in your “smart” hand so it’s perpendicular to the underside of the quilt top. But how do you know if it’s straight? (This is the secret to getting your stitches straight and even!) Answer: push it through, just a little. Can you see the tip? Is it straight and perpendicular to the quilt top? If not, pull it all the way out, and try again. With practice, you’ll do just fine. Once you see that it’s straight, push the needle halfway through, grab with your “dumb” hand and pull through.
That’s really all there is to it. Like anything else, the real secret is PRACTICE, and lots of it. Here are some hints that may be helpful:
[pic] Draw a complete line for your quilting design, not just the slits in the stencil — fill in the spaces left by bridges in stencils, connect dots, etc. Being sure of where the line of sttiches belongs will help insure good straight lines of nicely placed stitches.
[pic] Watch for the perpendicular needle! With practice, you’ll find the exact hand position that gives the best results. Turn the needle in your fingers; don’t try to move your hand to change the needle position.
[pic] Take a few stitches at a time, keeping most of your thread on top so it doesn’t tangle. About 4-6” underneath is enough to turn the needle and push it back up through the quilt. After placing a few stitches, pull the thread through.
[pic] Sit in a comfortable chair and put your feet up, if possible.
[pic] Lean your hoop or frame on a table, your lap, or the arm of your chair. Don’t try to hold the frame. This leaves both hands free for stitching. Use your “dumb” hand’s elbow to help steady the frame.
[pic] Work a line of stitching from your “dumb” side to your “smart” side. This way, your work will never be in the shadow of your hand. Light should be positioned over your “smart” shoulder.
[pic] Place the needle tip in the center of your design line. Watch for the needle tip to come up from the back of your work, again in the center of the design line.
[pic] Bring your “smart” hand to the top for starting and stopping lines of stitching, and for burying thread in the batting between sections of stitching. You may want to try training your “dumb” hand to do this.
[pic] Snug your stitches as you work. Don’t pull too tight, or stitches could pop when the quilt is used. Just tug enough to make a nice dimple in the quilt. These dimples will be form the shadows on your quilt when it’s done.
[pic] The size of your stitches is not as important as the need for them to be consistent. Larger, even stitches are better than tiny, but irregular ones. The space between stitches should equal the length of the stitches.
[pic] It really doesn’t matter which method you use for hand quilting. Pick and choose, and adjust/adapt the good parts of each method into your own personal style. Remember, it is the end result that counts!
[pic] Never be afraid to undo a little stitching. If you are unhappy with a line, remove the needle, pull the thread, trim it and restitch it.
You’ll be glad you took the time to re-stitch.
[pic] Stop stitching about 4” from the end of the thread. The section of the thread that has been in the eye of the needle will be worn, and should not become part of the finished quilting. When you try to squeeze out a few more stitches, you’ll spend a lot more time rethreading the needle, the thread will fray, and can become soiled from the extra handling.
[pic] Thread and knot several needles at a time so you don’t loose your momentum or concentration when you run out. “Park” threaded needles on one side of your work; unthreaded needles on the opposite side. Begin your quilting session by threading up all the empty needles.
Hand Quilting
Advantages of Stab-Stick Hand Quilting
There’s only one stitch to master — even rocker stitchers still have to stab-stick through thick spots.
[pic] You can hand quilt with this method on just about any batting, thick, thin, soft, firm.
[pic] There’s no need to “steer” through curves or angles, as all stitches are made exactly the same way.
[pic] There is no side-to-side distortion or sliding of layers, as the work is always done straight.
[pic] Good control of stitch length and spacing. The back will look as nice as the front, giving a “whole-cloth” look on the back of your work.
Supplies for Hand Quilting
Needles — “Between” needles, size 10 or 11. They are small, sharp, short, easy to turn in your hand. If you find it difficult to thread them, purchase a good quality needle threader and keep it handy.
Hand quilting thread — There are many good brands available. Thread made for hand quilting is pre-coated to prevent tangling and provide for smooth stitching. Because these threads are glazed (coated), do not use them in your sewing machine! The finish on the thread will leave residue that can damage the tension mechanism.
Thread is usually smoother in one direction than the other. Most threads are wound onto the spool so that the exposed end should go through the needle first. Knot the end closest to the spool when you cut.
YLI - 1200 yard spool is very economical and good quality thread (available at quilt shops), 100% cotton, glazed; good color selection. My current favorite!
Gutterman - good color selection on 200 meter spools (available at quilt shops), 100% cotton.
Coat’s Hand Quilting - 250 yard spool in a variety of colors – glazed cotton-covered polyester Americana - 150 yard spool, 100% cotton glazed, inexpensive.
Decorative threads are fun to use for hand quilting - metallics, rayons, twists can add a lovely accent to your finished quilt. Cut shorter strands and run the thread over beeswax or “Thread Heaven” before stitching. You may find it helpful to use a different needle with these threads. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Whatever thread you choose, buy enough to complete your project.
Thimble or pad — There are many different thimbles on the market today, from the elegant silver “Roxanne” thimble to Kim White’s roll of duct tape! Since you’ll be pushing the needle through multiple layers, whichever method you use, you’ll want to protect your fingers so you can keep stitching. I used to do all my handwork without a thimble, but when
I started doing a lot of appliqué’ I finally searched for a thimble I could work with. Stitching unprotected will eventually develop a callous on your finger, but the needle will still poke through that callous once in a while, and it’s painful!
If a traditional thimble is uncomfortable for you, try some of the self-adhesive pads available, like “Thimble-it” or “Thimble-pad.” They provide protection from “pokies” without sweaty fingertips.
Scissors — Small, sharp embroidery scissors are always handy. You want to be able to make precise, clean cuts close to the quilt. I keep my little Stork scissors on a cord around my neck when I quilt, so they are always handy.
Markers — There are many ways to mark your quilting design. Experiment with different methods and see what works for you. Remember it’s easier to mark the quilt before basting, but the marks need to last a long time. As with anything else, try the different methods on samples before marking your entire quilt top.
General Chalk Pencils - about $1 each, these come in a variety of colors, can be sharpened in the pencil sharpener, and show up on just about everything. The chalk removes easily and any that remains after
stitching washes out in cold water.
Ultimate Marking Pencil - mechanical pencil comes in two styles - black line or a set of colors (red, yellow, blue, green). It makes a very thin line, and you can purchase refill leads. The lead snaps easily, but the marks are very fine and disappear under your stitching.
Saral Tracing Paper - Handy for duplicating complex designs. Photocopy the design, then use a knitting needle or other blunt-tipped item to trace without damaging your master. Saral washes out in cold water.
Wash-out markers - The “evil blue marker” isn’t all bad. I’ve found that I don’t have problems removing its marks when there is no polyester nearby. Use only cold water without soap to remove the marks, as the ink is heat-sensitive. The purple fade-out marker is not a good choice because it disappears too quickly.
Masking tape - Quarter-inch wide masking tape can be used to mark grid lines. It will also flex around gentle curves. Stitch on one or both sides of the line without stitching through the tape. You can re-use the tape several times before it won’t stick anymore. Wider tape is nice for cutting out shapes to stitch around. Again, they can be re-used several times.
Contac paper - Cut design shapes out of this paper and press in place. The self-adhesive backing will stick for many re-uses. Contac paper is nice for large complex shapes. It comes in colored prints and
clear, which is nice for fussy-placing of designs over piecing or appliqué’ elements.
Tiger Tape - This evenly-striped tape is nice for working at getting your stitches even in length.
Hoop or frame — You will need to control the tension on your quilt. The particular device does not need to be complicated or expensive and it can be large or small. Think about when and where you want to quilt as you consider the options available:
Embroidery hoop - many hand quilters work in a 14” embroidery hoop.
Q-Snap PVC frames - These come in smaller 1” tubing lap sizes (I like the 11x17” best), also in 2” tubing floor model that is 2x3’. Connector kits are available to join two 2x3’ units into a large floor frame. Plastic clamps hold the quilt in place. I’ve found that these are great for pieced quilts, but the clamps are a little hard on my appliqué’.
Floor frames - There are many of these available. Check the ads in quilting magazines—Hintenberg, Jasmine, Grace are all nice frames with a variety of features, including three-rail system, ratcheted
rails, lamp holders, side tensioning, etc. Three-rail floor frames offer the additional advantage that you don’t have to baste, but they are not at all portable.
Threader - Never be too proud to carry one! Cut your thread diagonally and moisten it slightly. Hold the thread in your “dumb” hand between thumb and index finger with just a small amount of thread showing. Lower the eye of the needle onto the thread, roll between your fingers and your needle will be ready to stitch. (Remember that needles are
manufactured with a stamping process, so if they are hard to thread, roll them over ½ turn and try again. They are actually easier to thread from one side than the other!)
Bees wax or “Thread Heaven” - These products are used to prepare the thread for stitching. They are usually not needed on pre-glazed quilting threads, but you’ll find them handy when you work with standard sewing threads or decorative threads.
Machine Quilting
Hi Mary!
I do all machine quilting and you really don’t need a frame to do it. I tried the frame at tne of the shows and since I already know how to machine quilt, I found it too confining. You can only quilt in a strip,then you have to stop and roll to the next strip.
I highly recommend taking a machine quilting course. I have taught machine quilting to hundreds of people and the biggest problem is an old machine. Most old machines do not do nice machine quilting. Then you just need to practice! I quilt queen size on my Bernina. You have to be more patient with a larger quilt, but once the center is done than it is easy!
I would be happy to give you more hints on machine quilting if you like....it saves you lots of money and you have a unique quilt all your own!
Pat Sloan
Pat,
Before I got my Bernina, I did machine quilting on my husband’s grandmother’s 1934 Singer - and it worked beautifully. There was a darning foot with the machine and I used it to learn stippling and meandering on my own. I also learned to stitch in the ditch on my Singer Featherweight - with a walking foot. I don’t have any knowlege about how machines from the 1960’s - 1980’s do. Of course, my Bernina is like quilting through butter!! I was showing my sister how to do straight line quilting and meandering last last week-end and she couldn’t believe it. She’s a relatively new quilter, but she’s talking new machine!! Robin - VA Beach
I wrote an article on machine quilting for another list. It is on the scrap bag page of my website You don’t need a machine that costs thousands of dollars. I find the biggest problem is the machine does not have enough room between the foot (when lowered) and the bed of the machine. If you cover your feeddogs with a plate that takes away much needed space. If you are able to put the quilt under the foot and move it freely without tugging, then it is a matter of practice and having the right tension. If your stitches are nice on the top and bottom (no loops) then the tension is correct. Otherwise adjust the tension from either side of center until there are no loops. If loops still occur, take your machine and sample in for servicing. Then more practice! Pat Sloan
See my new patterns on the Website:
Email: pat@
Good morning. Seems like John Flynn isn’t getting rave reviews here. (By the way, he’s a great speaker, absolutely hysterical, if you ever get the chance to hear him). Now, it seems like the biggest objection to his system in having to re-roll the quilt alot. But, in the class I took we rolled the quilt using bicycle clips to hold it and had to keep doing this as we went along. This is what I do with a large quilt, so surely his system would be an improvement on that. I have no problems with anything under twin size. It’s the biggies that cause problems. I do agree with Pat that the old machines are difficult because of the feed dog cover. I have a newer machine that I can drop the feed dogs on, but it will not quilt. Don’t know why, my attempts on it were very frustrating. Mary in the sunny Shenandoah Valley
Hi......I just took a Virginia Avery reversible sandwich stitched jacket workshop and used for the very first time my new (just for classes) Janome 4014, an easy-to-use lightweight machine. I was told to bring lots of threads, including metallics and rayons. Never had used them before. But....at Jo-anne Fabrics the one clerk helping me w/threads asked if I had ”metallic needles.” Of course, I said, “What are those?” They have a larger eye so that the metallic thread doesn’t get chewed and break. That was hint #1 and it worked like a charm......never broke the thread once.
Hint #2 was in class when Jinny said to be sure and loosen the tension! Well, with my 37-yr-old industrial Bernina I never was in the habit of playing with the tension, so needless to say I was a LOT nervous about doing that on a brand new machine! But the Janome tension knob is numbered and was set at 5, and Jinny said to take it down to 3.5 or even 3....and practice, practice, practice, which is what I did. I think I ended up with the metallics using about 3.5 to 4. When I switched to rayons I was almost back to the 5. Don’t know if this will help or not. Sherry in Massachusetts 50,22,2,1371
My Photopoint
When I do a large quilt I do not roll it with the clips. I found that to be too much work. Some hints on large quilts
1. Remember you only have to put ½ the quilt in the hole. Turn the quilt to the other side instead of pushing the whole thing in the opening. Also work on the side that is more narrow...make it easy for yourself!
2. Do the center first, that gets the hard part out of the way!
3. Fan fold your quilt instead of rolling it. Then you can just kind of push or pull out a ‘fold’ as you work.
4. Stop and ‘fluff’ your quilt OFTEN. As soon as you get tugging, you have to stop (needle down) and take the pressure off the quilt. With a large quilt you have to do this a lot.
5. If you don’t have a tray or table around your sewing machine you will find it very frustrating. You need a place to put your hands.
6. Be sure your table is the correct height. Bend your elbow at 90 degrees and the palm of your hand should be even with the bed of your machine. Most of us quilt with the machine too high which causes aches and pains. Pat Sloan
Hi! I have a Janome 8000 that I quilted on all the time (til I bought the Pfaff and then the Bernina). The thing I found on my Janome for machine quilting is to put your top tension on zero for the metallic thread. Then you can increase the tension as you go. Also make sure you are using a needle designed for metallic thread or a size 14 top-stitching needle so the thread won’t shred.
Another suggestion is to run your metallic with monofilament thread at the same time. Sometimes you have to run your machine slower with metallics. I don’t know what type machine you have, but these are suggestions to try. I’ve kept my 8000 as a back-up machine (and had to use it when lightning fried the mother board on my Pfaff). I usually piece on my Pfaff and quilt on my Bernina. I know I’m ‘machine spoiled’ but I’m not complaining. Good luck. Patti in Florida 48,1,0,948
I haven’t tried my Flynn frame on machine quilting yet, but I have done hand
quilting on it and basted a small quilt that I intend (someday) to try to
machine quilt with it. I like it a lot. I would like the working area to be wider though. I definitely prefer the Flynn to crawling around on the floor handbasting. It also leans up against the wall nicely and I can rest the ends on practically anything when I’m using it. Can’t hand quilt anything for a couple of weeks, got a carpal tunnel thing going on! Sarah Fish, Saratoga Springs, NY
Hello, everyone. I am new to the list and hope everyone will be patient with my lack of computer savy. I saw the Jane Stickle quilt on TV a couple of years ago and flipped over it. I have always loved old looking fabric, so I have been collecting repos and old looking stuff for awhile now. I havent received my book yet, but can’t wait to see if I already have some fabrics in my stash that will work well. I would like to make mine as similar to the original as I can.
With all of the discussion of machine quilting I thought I would send this tip. I saw a lady on TV who said she preferred to leave her feed dogs up (and not covered) as she felt it gave her a little more control of the fabric. I had the perfect opportunity to try this on a friend’s machine because we could not figure out how to lower her feed dogs. She has a Brother Asanti, and her manual said her embroidery gizmo would automatically lower her feed dogs. We couldn’t figure out how to bypass that when I wanted to teach her to free motion quilt, so I tried the lady’s suggestion and it worked just fine. We did have to adjust the tension a little. I have a Husqvarna Viking Lily 545 and it is wonderful for all types of machine quilting. By the way, my email address has jane in it, not because I have done a block yet, but because it is my middle name. Hope to add a -Jane to it soon. Love you all, Susan Stanley in Atlanta.
The most stunning machine quilting I’ve ever seen:
I’m sure someone has probably already mentioned that a DJ quilt won a Blue Ribbon at Machine Quilters Showcase in Springfield this month. Is it’s owner a list member? It won 1st place in the Traditional Quilts catagory. Sue, the gal who machine quilted it is very talented. Thought some of you might enjoy seeing the pictures from MQS.
Regarding the metallic thread breaking in an ‘older’ machine, make sure that you have the correct machine needle, specifically for metallics! Also, fuss with the tension; it usually needs to be lessened for metallic threads.
I had the same difficulty with my 1974 Kenmore, until I used a needle specifically for metallic thread. I still get an occasional break, but usually due to the thread knotting.
Since I’ve been deemed the “machine queen” a time or two... here are my thoughts on machine quilting (which I don’t do a LOT of, but have many friends that do....)
1. The Flynn Frame....I have a couple friends that have it... as someone else pointed out.... it doesn’t give a lot of freedom of movement. My friends both decided that they DO like the frame, just not for machine quilting. They are able to roll the layers of their quilt on it and use for hand-quilting without basting.
2. More than one teacher and a few friends who do quite a lot of machine quilting on their home machines recommend/practice NOT using the clips or neatly rolling the quilt to go under the arm of the machine. They find that the “scrunch and stuff as you go” method works much better.
3. I also like to leave the feed dogs UP when using my free-motion foot. It seems to make the quilt just a tad bit less “free” ... and doesn’t impair movement at all. (this is on a Bernina 1080 & 1090)
4. As other have pointed out... PRACTICE is very important. One of my teachers who is VERY accomplished at machine quilting says she practices on scraps from a few min to an hour each time she sits down to machine quilt.
Hugs ‘n stitches to all.........Cheryl R in Iowa
Links to Others’ Sites and pictures
Linda Franz
Linda & Monkey in Burlington Ontario
Home page:
Monkey's Unofficial Encyclopedia for Dear Jane Friends
Description of Sort & Forward on web site at
More photos on PhotoPoint at
Various sewing rooms:
Diane Becka
.
Lots of Jane quilt links:
Janice I am making a BA quilt in batiks for the background and batiks and hand dyes for the flowers (which are all 3-d and have lots of silk ribbon in there too.) I will sew mine together on the machine and will also machine quilt it – I know sacrilege to many)but it is my quilt and I don’t think I want to go through bending and breaking more needles like I am so far on the appliqué.
Star
oesquilter@
“No matter the storm, when you’re with God, there’s always a rainbow
waiting”
swaps 2001 -
my studio:
Dear Jane:
Singer 66-4 treadle - 1929
2 FW 221-1 - 1947 & 1937
Singer 99K - 1946
Pfaff 6270
Dear Jane (civil war fabrics) 17/0/0/279
Hi Veronica...
Thanks for the roses to my website...
I my the jewellery myself after old ....very old....danish recipes...from the wikings, exactly...And my cats....it is Catmom ...the grey and Fisen ...the red ond it is mom and daughter and of course they are our towns best cats, if you ask me.. hehe.. The embroidery...yes...I am a eduacated teacher in embroidery...and this is some of my things...Glad you like it.... I do too...Have a great weekend... Love from Vivi in Denmark...
In Denmark there is:
4863 with the name Vivi
110 with the name Risum
in the album “Diamond Blouses” and some DJ blouses at >. I like having bias binding at the neck and arms. I have lots of binding practice!
My dear friend Mary “Avalon” (who became a grammie again this week!) has appliquéd “oops” blocks onto a denim dress/jumper and oriental DJ blocks on an elegant black jacket. They are both great looks.
Good luck! It is a wonderful way to share Dear Jane and a nice way to
experiment with different fabric combinations without making a big commitment. Linda & Monkey in Burlington Ontario
Monkey’s Diamond Tote Bag for Dear Jane Friends/Friends
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for transporting diamonds, new quilt books (or reasonable facsimile), hand piecing, chocolate, etc. (Monkeys not included.)
Supplies:
a little quilt about 13 x 8 inches, for the pocket 3/8 yard Ultrasuede (13 ½ inches by 44 inches)
1. Cut the Ultrasuede into four pieces, with your rotary cutter: two pieces 19 x 13 ½ inches, for front, back and sides, two pieces 3 x 13 ½ inches, for handles.
Try not to moan or stroke this sensuous fabric excessively.
2. Position the little quilt on the right side of the front, centering it from side to side, with top edge about 2 ¾ inches from the top edge of the Ultrasuede. Pin and then create the pocket by top stitching along both sides and across the bottom, just inside the binding of the little quilt.
3. With front and back pieces aligned right sides together, pin baste and then stitch a ¼ inch seam down the sides and across the bottom of the bag, pivoting at the corners.
4. (Pause for chocolate while you read this part. It might help you visualize this step without an illustration.) Sew two triangles to shape the bottom of the bag by sewing across the corners a scant 2 inches from the points. To create the points: with bag inside out, work from the corner to finger press the side seam and bottom seam open for a few inches, and use a pin to align the seams exactly with each other. Create the triangle flap by stitching a scant 2 inches from the point through all layers, edge to edge, with side and bottom seams lying open. “She said all that was reasonable and proper on the business.” (JA, Persuasion, Chapter 12)
5. Turn bag right side out. There will be a thick triangle inside each bottom corner, giving the tote a boxy shape.
6. To make a firm top edge, fold in a scant ¾ inch, and then fold in another ¾ inch, creating a three-layer band on the inside of the bag. Pin baste and then stitch close to the top and bottom edges of the band all the way around (through 3 layers, plus side seams, which should be finger pressed open).
7. To define the edge of the front and side, with the bag right side out, fold the Ultrasuede from the top edge of the bag to the lower front corner formed by the triangle you made in step 4. The folded edge should be an even, scant 2 inches (approx) from the side seam. Top stitch ¼ inch from the fold, from top edge to about ¼ inch from the bottom corner. Repeat for the other side of the front, both sides of the back, and across the bottom edges (front and back). There will be a short gap (1/4 to ½ inch) at each of the four bottom corners that you cannot properly stitch through, but the tote will have a pleasing finished look, and a firmness that makes
it almost stand up by itself.
8. Fold the Ultrasuede strips for the handles into three layers about 1 inch wide by 13.5 inches long, pin baste and then top stitch close to the edges along both sides (through 3 layers).
9. Position the handles with the ends on the inside of the bag, overlapping exactly the width of the top band, and with the outer edge of each handle 3 ¾ inches from the corner.
10.Stitch each handle securely to the bag along the two stitching lines of the top band.
That’s it! The bag is ready! Fill it up with hand piecing projects, novels by Jane Austen, new quilt books, and chocolate.
Notes:
You may want to stiffen the bottom by putting matt board or foam core in the bottom, cut to fit snuggly (about 3 by 14 ½ inches).
You may prefer longer handles (18 inches?) made of purchased braid or heavy ribbon.
I get good results sewing on Ultrasuede with my ordinary machine needle (Pfaff Universal 130/705 80/12)
Monkey says, “Go wild with embellishments and decorative stitches.”
Copyright Linda Franz 2001
Fabric
Stashes
What to do with scraps
I use Debbie Caffrey book called “Can of Worms” as a guide for my scraps. She says to cut all scraps in 2 ½” widths. Take a look at the many lovely patterns you can make from this measurement. I really like her books because the directions are made for me...very clear on everything. Fran Megarry
Jane Austen Quilt
Jane Austen quilt I hope you like it! I bought the pattern and templates,
fabrics and now deciding on background fabric! HUGS, Jean Crawley in Texas
Pincushion Quilt
Mary you are right... I purchased the Pincushion Quilt pattern from Froncie Quinn, when we were in Vermont, to use my leftover DJ fabrics. I fell in love with the original quilt and wanted to make my very own. It is my "learn to hand-piece" project. I am not doing too badly with my hand-piecing either. Would love to have some constructive feedback on it someday so I can improve my technique. I have 14 units pieced and several more prepped. I took them to Oakville last Saturday but we never did settle down to stitch that day! We were having too much fun. I would like to make the Pomegranate quilt too.
Thanks for the compliment about my quilting. I have 46 DJ blocks quilted and hope to work on some more just as soon as I put the binding on the Kaleidoscope lap quilt I finished yesterday. I'm going to stitch that binding on right now... Susan in Ontario
Sewing Rooms
Fiction
I think you'll enjoy the book, "The Cross Country Quilters". It is Jennifer Chiaverini's third book. The other two are, "The Quilter's Apprentice" and "Round Robin".
The Jane Society card
For those in Canada, if you want a Jane Society card, if you could send me a fat sixteenth of fabric, say 9” x 11” or a 10” square and your address, I will see that you get one. That amount of fabric will cover the cost of mailing to Canada. (AND you can get a Jane block out of that size, some with leftovers!) And I would really appreciate either Civil War Repros or 30’s repros, if I get a choice from your stash. Please don’t buy anything special. For those of you in other countries, email me privately and we can make arrangements. For those of you in the US, please remember to put that STAMP on that SASE.
I have had to put stamps on 3 so far. Mail to:
Sarah Francis
Dept. DJ
2663 Fm 1564 East
Greenville TX 75402-8675
Many Thanks to the response of my card. Sarah-Jane in NE Texas
The Dear Jane Tote Bag
As requested, YES, I can tell you about Brenda’s new Tote as I purchased one from Brenda last Friday. So I have it here and shall describe it as best I can.
First: I LOVE IT!
It is about 13 X 12 X 4” and made from a heavy duty nylon (I think!). The top has a flap that goes all the way down the front and closes with Velcro and entails a nice large zippered compartment on the outside of the flap. As I lift up the flap I can peek inside and see a large area, BIG ENOUGH for a good size binder. (You know, the kind we all have our notes in?) Plus your DJ book and whatever else...lots of room. Then the front side has more little compartments. One for several credit card sized things, one for several pen/ scissor size things and one which looks like it could hold a calculator.
Now to the sides. One side have a deep pocket which closes with Velcro and the other side has a detachable pouch for “things”, perhaps you could attach to your belt, purse, or just leave attached to the Tote.
On the outside of the Tote on the back is ANOTHER zippered compartment.
The Tote has a nice heavy duty adjustable strap.
Then the front has this printed:
“Dear Jane
Finished is better than perfect”
You will all love it! Sandy
DJ Get Together
August 25, 2001 Jillybean’s Pride Oakville, ON
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Back: Veronica (Oakville), Val (Pembroke), Lynda (Peterboro), Sue (Kingston), Jill & Debra (Jillybean's in Oakville), Karen (NY) Front: Beth (Kingston), Susan (Exeter), Debbie (Peterboro), Linda & Monkey (Burlington), Del & Monkey-Boy (Toronto)
Letters from Brenda
June 1, 2001
Hello, World of Jane Stickle!
How is everyone?? I just travel and lurk and travel and lurk it seems....It’s been ages and lots of news, so set down ‘fer a spell’ as we say in the South.
Paducah, so long ago but so fresh in the memory bank! I would never hurt the feelings of anyone who had a quilt in the show, BUT hands down “The Spirit of Jane Stickle” was the most wonderful of all. No matter where it goes, it is always the grandest!! (What do you mean I may be a bit prejudicedVBG) Now Kathy and Linda and the rest of you who entered, being #2 isn’t bad -:) Just kidding- you know how I feel about your quilts! (And I’m leafing the pages of a magazine and there big as Life itself is an ad for Quilted Diamonds! Why I almost burst my buttons with pride! It will be a reality soon, Linda, just hang in there!)
I don’t know what was more fun: playing with my friends, meeting everyone at the gathering and seeing their quilts or watching Tilde glide all over the show like a little butterfly. No matter what vendor I visited, they would say, “We met your friend Tilde from Denmark.” I think she knew everyone in the town before we left!:)
Tilde, where are you?( Just took a break to call and see how Tilde is feeling- and to tell her I miss her homemade bread and tea.!What I really miss most are her smile and her hugs.Get well soon!)
Then back to Indy for a few days of R&R and off to Shipshewana. It was everything your roving reporters claimed and more! What a delightful time was had by all! And one of the most delightful of times was the appearance of Dean and Penny of EQ fame! They had a great Jane Revelation when they saw everyone playing and sewing and eating and sharing and all of the wonderful quilts on display . What a wonderful group! (One more time, I don’t want to upstage anyone, but you all know whose quilt was the most gorgeous, don’t you?? Why, mine of course!VBG) Then we were off to be interviewed and taped for the CD- still can’t believe it!! By the way, guess whose quilt was the backdrop for the interview? You’re absolutely right!:) Have I thanked you all recently for that beautiful quilt? Thank you again and again. I was sick in Bennington and turned the car around, saying to myself, “I don’t need a road trip now, what I need is to go to my room and snuggle under my Jane.” I did and felt so warm...and thought of you all, as I do every day. You’re such a blessing in my life.
Also in Shipshie were some great volunteers for appliquéing blocks for the new quilt. I really appreciate your taking your time to make these blocks- the quilt is months ahead of schedule because of you all.
As for the CD, now that it seems destined for its “debut,” get your quilts ready to ship! They want to have a gallery of Janes on the CD, big ones , small ones - maybe even potholders:)
They must be finished - i.e. bound. If you’re willing to participate, please e-mail me privately.
If it scares you to send off your baby, perhaps you’ll send her to me and I’ll take them there for a shoot.
ROW MOMS: Need a report on how the tips are coming. Our goal was to have them ready for June 1 to update website. (On the CD also, each block and triangle will have it’s own card and tips for making it. )
Well, we have some new numbers, Janiacs. We are 600 plus on the list and another 200 plus on sort and forward. I don’t know about digest. Also we’re now in the ninth printing 36,000 and growing. Can you believe this???
After about a week of recovery, I headed off to Troy and NY! Quilts! What a fantastic Jane group, and more Virgin Janes.. And some were there from the “early days” of swapping blocks and I loved seeing all their “stuff.” The show was very good - how could it not be when the “Featured New York Teacher” was our very own Phab Phan Diane Schneck!!!!! What a colossal exhibit she had- WOW! Linda, we decided she and I are really the twins! Just ask us: favorite things to do- quilt, buy fabric, shop-Wal-Mart, Office Depot and Craft stores- we did it all! Just wait till Sept when I get to NY city!! We learned two new tricks in Troy.. New Tricks in Troy ...is that funny or am I too tiredVBG.
Anyway, number one: Clear Avery Labels to use as template material. One of my students last fall showed me that and I was reminded again this trip. The labels come in 8.5 X 11 sheets. Trace your block on them just like you do with freezer paper. They stick better and you can hand-piece with them if you wish. Hannah used some last Fall to hand piece her first little four patch- so it has to be easy! Note: do not iron!!!they leave that sticky stuff on the fabric. However if you don’t iron, they peel right off and nothing is left on your fabric. They can be reused indefinitely; good when making the same block many times.
Troy Trick #2: When you’re paper-piecing and have those myriad seams to match when sewing blocks together, use double-sided tape to hold them while you sew. What??? Place a strip of double-sided tape between your two blocks- outside the seam allowance, you don’t want to sew on it. Now you can just stitch away- there are no pins to distort your work! Is that wonderful or what?? (And you know I probably paper -piece something twice a yearVBG) Anyway, that tip came from a man who makes tiny miniature blocks using foundation patterns he designs on the computer. You don’t need expensive tape like for photos, just common two-sided stick tape.
I want to especially thank Kate Roehr for taking care of me all week-end. Kate, you’re a jewel!!
From Troy, I headed to my favorite place-Bennington and Shaftsbury. Oh, how I love driving in those glorious mountains.! My heart is warm, my spirit renewed and my soul soars with the clouds! A day to rest and visit the Museum and have lunch with Ruth Levin. Of course, I went to Shaftsbury everyday, to the house, cemetery. On the last day, I took some flowers to Jane from all of us. I found a florist who will take our orders and deliver to her. She said, “Oh, I know where she is- I saw that beautiful new headstone and wondered what it was doing in with all the old ones!” Yep, that’s us- anyway, she’s a quilter too. I gave her a book and soon she’ll be Janeing.
Next, I was off to St. Albans- way up there next to Canada! - stopped at the Red Kettle in Northfield and had dinner with Richard Cleveland. It’s always a treat to visit with him of course. He’s busy busy with the quilt festival, now to be held June 29.
In beautiful St. Albans had a reunion with Denise and the Janes from Quilters Gathering last fall. Lecture and a superb day of class were the finale of the trip. More new Janes to add to our group. What a great time!
This was a mini-vacation and I actually stayed in my room one day and pieced two blocks for a new quilt!! Yes, that’s hand-pieced too! I tried a one-eighth inch seam allowance on them. Then I realized I will have trouble if I want to machine stitch them to the background, so probably won’t do that again soon.
So here we are.. grounded for a while, playing catch-up. We going to be on Simply Quilts!
Taping in July. Now that’s exciting isn’t it?? I hardly know what to do with myself!
One thing I know- I need to stop now. You’re tired of reading! Pete always says it’s either feast or famine with me. Classic case, right? I’m certain I can add more if I forgot anything VBG
Please have a good day wherever you may be. Thank you for being here...
Love,
Brenda
Sent September 4, 2001
Good Mornning Sticklers!
How is everyone this morning? It’s wonderfully clear and crisp here in Indy, and the smell of fall is in the air. Yes!
I’m way overdue with a letter - especially a report from Oklahoma. What a wonderful time was had by all! There were quite a few Virgin Janes ( those who have never made a block), Sarah Jane (the Bennington Star - H-7) brought her top, and there were others with 50 blocks, 100 blocks, one with two quilts in progress. At Show and Tell- one lady has made TWO DJ’s!! She brought the quilted one and is quilting the other. What a spirit! I believe she told be she is 70-80 and fairly new quilter. Talk about making it your own: if she thought a block was too difficult for her, she simply put in a traditional block in it’s place! Isn’t that wonderful? Once again she proves “where there’s a will there’s a way.” Her quilt(s) are no less beautiful because she did that; she has made them hers.
Everyone in the classes was so sweet, I really hated to leave. You know, everywhere I go, always look for a house in the area- I want to stay! By the way, in the past few months, I’m seeing more and more “Old Janes” who started their quilts 2-3 years ago and are bringing her out from under the bed to finish. What a treat!
Texan Sarah Jane (BRC) red-and-green top is a Framed Fancy (A-12). I was Star Struck (F-7). I had been in a Quandry (K-10) aboout a quilt for the new book and Poof!(G-5) I knew right away that I must commission the Goshen Girls (BLC) to make me a Mirror Image (B-3). Now a word about those Wild Texas Women-our Meeting Place (D-7) was the La Quinta Inn and it was Sweet Harmony (I-13)all the way, like Seven Sisters (K-3) (Hard as I try, Sarah, I can’t do this as well as you) (These “wimmin” are all ladies and upstanding members of their communities, so I won’t tell you about the leopard pj’s and pink boas and cow patties VBG) Of course,, no matter where I go and no matter how many DJ quilts I see, the Spirit of Jane Stickle is the most beautiful of all. She hung for three days in the classroom and lecture hall (same place) and we couldn’t keep our eyes off her. Thank youagain and again!!!
Next trip: New Jersey, near Philadelphia, Long Island and afternoon crumpets and tea (yea, right)with the NY City Quilters and my office supply buddy PhabPhan! Hope you all can come- the 18th of Sept. One of the best parts of this trip: Gail DJ Goddess/Freind/ FamilyMember/Task Driver/Navigator/ Advisor/ Lady-of-Many-Hats/ Stewart is making the trip with me!!
Ok, ok, I lied-VBG- too many people have already made too many D-13 siggie blocks- I’ve even been told “Well, it’s a tradition to use D-13.” Far be it from me to break a tradition! Sooooooooooooo, D-13 it is. Will post the directions and then I ask you to please not have conversations about it for a while, ok? February is a long time away... I will tell you that Fiona has a wonderful idea which I call “”Adopt a Swapper.” Someone in the US will adopt a person outside the US and they will make arrangements for the US person to pay the postage for the “AdoptEE” in the other country. That person (Adoptee) will then send a gift - fabric, souvenir, first-born- the AdoptOR. Isn’t that great? Now let’s not spend the week arranging that either We’ll deal with it in plenty of time for all to participate.
Some are curious about the naming of the Dear Jane blocks: two thirds of them were named by students. It was an easy process: you came to class with ideas and if your name was selected, you could pick your choice of half-yard fabric in the shop. (As you can see, this has always been a not-for- profit journey for meVBG) Then other friends and family members named the most of the rest, and yours truly named the rest. In May, 98 I was in Grand Rapids and someone said, “When are you going to name the triangles?” “Well, today!.” And so we did. I took the liberty of naming the four corners myself. The new Book? Well, I take the patterns with me and we name these too in class. It’s a tradition
I think there was something else you asked that I was going to answer, but I can find neither the note nor the post about it. That’s my signal to hush! Oh, goodness, I forgot one more thing: Gettysburg Camp has become my responsibility.(Don’t be afraid - it’s already under control!) There are still 5-6 spaces Oct 15 and 16 class. The 18th and 19th class has been cancelled. There is a dinner at Dobbins House at 5 o’clock on Oct 14th. I don’t know the price yet, we may just order off the menu. The dinner will be your show and tell- of course I have a couple of things to share also (if you have paid already and the price changes, you’ll receive a refund.) I will try an get a letter out to all who are participating in the next few days. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we make this transition. If you want to come, please send me an e-mail.
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Brenda
PS will send separate posts about siggie swaps and later one about Jeanna’s way to appliqué (we’ll do Jason’s Jacks) Must go organize some more! VBG
Instructions for The Traditional Dear Jane Siggie Swap
Background- use muslin, WOW, tan beige cream- anything thing that is 100% cotton and that you can see to write your name on: cut ONE center square 3.5 inches
Print- whatever you choose that is 100% cotton: Cut TWO squares 3.5 inches; cut these two squares on the diagonal - you have 4 triangles for the four corners
Stitch
1) sew two triangles on opposite sides of the square
2) press seams toward the triangles (outside)
3) sew on the two remaning triangles
4) press block
Sign
Use a Pigma pen or a Sharpie or other permanent marker for your signature; do not use Jelly Roll pens on fabric (this is a rule) Now you can do it the hard way, like I've always done and iron freezer paper to each block and sign it or you can do like smarter people do and just place your block on a piece of sandpaper and sign. I always signed my blocks first with freezer paper on the square and then took it off and made the block. I won't do that again, now that I know better VBG
DO NOT TRIM your blocks
Do check your blocks after you've made a few. They must be at least 5 inches- we'll trim the rest. If you're blocks aren't at least five inches, change your seam allowance to make it so. It breaks everyone's heart to be fondling and trimming blocks and find those which aren't five inches. What to do? Some leave these blocks out, some remake them - ugh! - and some of course, put our DJ log cabin around them and then trim
DJ log cabin: Cut one strip 1 x 5 inches, two strips 1 X 5.5 inches, one strip 1 X 6 inches. Sew them arojnd the block in log- cabin style, press and trim Please save this somewhere- idea now that I'm getting organized: make a folder called siggie swap, print these instructions and keep them. Yes, of course we will send them bunches of times later, but you have yours in case of a question. If you loose it, just e-mail me. Also please check these instructions - they're off the top of my head and you all know that's dangerous!
Have fun!
Brenda
Making Pillowcases
Passed to me by Pat Sloan
Here's a site for making pillowcases: Html/tips/tip51.html Bobbie
Here you go.
Debbie in THC
Pillowcase
¾ yd for main pillowcase piece
¼ yd for hem
2 inches for folded trim
Straighten cut edges of main piece and 9” hem piece.
As you straighten the 2” piece, trim if down to 1 ¼” wide. Fold this piece in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
Matching raw edges place folded piece along one of the 45” ends on the right side of the main fabric. At the same time, pin the right side of the hem piece to the wrong side of the main piece. Now sew all three pieces together with ¼” seam allowance.
Press from the wrong side with seam away from the main fabric. Press up ¼” of long raw edge of hem piece to wrong side of itself.
Fold pressed edge up to the small strip just barely covering the stitching
line with wrong sides together. Pin. Press the folded edge of the hem.
Stitch the pinned edge of this hem through all layers. You can use a
straight or a decorative stitch. Press again flat and smooth.
Fold pillowcase, right sides together, matching the hem. Trim edges even.
Trim off excess fabric. Sew side and top seam. Turn right side out and
press again.
Remember, pressing is very important to insure a smooth, flat pillowcase.
Enjoy!
> Pat,
I don’t have the instructions on hand right now, but Am Patchwork &
Quilting has had these instructions many times. Lots of times with
Thimbleberry Designs.
Use 45” w fabric & length would be 2X the pillow width + sa + extra
room. This allows for turnup on the ends to tuck the pillow in. If you
have any kind of catalog that sells linens it will give those
measurements.
Do hope this helps.
It seems like every quilt shop website I visit has your patterns, etc.
Good for you.
Jeane in memphis
>
I also found a pattern on the Hoffman fabric website......
Pat Sloan
Removing Silly Putty
Ok, you ladies who know everything...try this one...
This morning, I noticed that my DS Allen (11) had put his special Christmas quilt on my chair in the sewing room. Suspecting him of late-night tv watching, I asked him what it was doing in there. He said, "there's something on it." I went in and took a closer look, and it looked exactly like fresh cat barf. Yuck. I told him I thought that was what it was, and that he should have put it in the laundry room...and picked it up. I was very surprised when I realized it was dry...whatever it was, it was NOT cat barf. I heard a sheepish voice say, "Mom, it might be Silly Putty." Hmmmmm.....
So, I'm looking for help in removing gold metallic Silly Putty from an all-cotton (including the batting) quilt, that has been quilted with Sulky Rayon thread. Anyone have suggestions? I am afraid to put it in the washer for fear it will make the darn stuff permanent.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cj in Wheaton, IL Still wondering why he was sleeping with Silly Putty in his bed. Yuck.
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