Qa beginners v3

quilting for beginners: 5 easy quilt patterns for beginners 1 Q u i lt i n g D A i lY. c o m

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Quilting for Beginners 5 eAsY Quilt pAtterns

quilting for beginners:

5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt

for Beginners

1 Branch and Bird Mini Quilt Series Candy GLEndEninG

2 Small Felted Wool Quilts Morna CritEs-MoorE

3 Art Quilting Made Easy LEsLEy riLEy

4 Quick and Easy Silhouette Quilts Maria ELkins

5 Stitch This: Free-motion Quilting Motifs to Try

HEatHEr tHoMas

4

5

2

13


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If you've wanted to learn how to quilt but didn't know where to begin or didn't want to take on a big project, our new free

downloadable eBook, Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners, is for you!

The eBook offers you basic quilting techniques and advice from

some of the most experienced quilt artists and teachers around. Each of the projects is small and manageable, just right for beginning quilting, and the quilting how-to information is easy to follow.

In “Branch and Bird Mini Quilt Series,” Candy Glendening shows you how to make small, simple, yet adorable quiltlets. These easy quilts offer a perfect way to try your hand at simple construction, composition, and free-motion stitching.

Morna Crites-Moore’s “Small Felted Wool Quilts” make an easy beginning quilting project because you use small scraps of

quilting for beginners:

5 Easy QuiLt PattErns PLus LEssons on

How to QuiLt for BEGinnErs

editorial director Helen gregory editor cate coulacos Prato

crEATivE SErvicES division art director larissa davis PHotograPHers larry stein Korday studio

Projects and information are for inspira-tion and personal use only. interweave Press LLc is not responsible for any li-ability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cautiously, espe-cially with respect to technical information. interweave grants permission to pho-tocopy any patterns published in this issue for personal use only.

in your lifetextureput

more

all about

PAINT PRINT

DYE RUB

STENCIL

create

5

perfect quilted circles with Carol Taylor

ways to color cloth

Be inspired to join our signature color challenge

all about all about

P. 52

800.406.5283 (U.S. & Canada)

760.291.1519 (International)quiltingarts.comQuilting Arts MAgAzine®, P.O. Box 469087, Escondido, CA 92046-9350

Quilting Arts MAgAzine® explores ideas, textiles, and techniques

related to embellished and contemporary art quilting. Inside,

you’ll find design inspiration, step-by-step directions, gorgeous

photo graphy, and motivation for developing your personal style, at

all skill levels.

felted wool to make a patchwork design and sew it by hand. It’s a fun, low-stress way to learn to quilt.

In “Art Quilting Made Easy,” Lesley Riley shows you how to make a simple quilt with two easy quilt patterns and directions for making it your own.

Maria Elkins, famous for her portrait quilts, shows how to make “Quick and Easy Silhouette Quilts.” This easy quilt pattern is one that you can make and show off to family and friends with pride.

Finally, you will learn to quilt pretty quilt stitching patterns from Heather Thomas in “Stitch This: Free-motion Quilting Motifs to Try.”

With Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners, you don’t have to wait to quilt any longer. It’s time to begin!

Warmly,

ViVikA HAnsen Denegre

Editor, Quilting Arts MAgAzinE


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as a quilter, I love taking

small units and joining them

together into larger compositions.

But sometimes deciding which

arrangement I like best can

become overwhelming. This is one

reason why I decided to create a

series of mini quilts depicting a

whole flock of wee birds sitting

on branches. Making many small

finished quilts allowed me to

focus on the composition of each

individual piece, and at the same

time create a larger work that

could be endlessly rearranged.

I worked on the whole series at the

same time, cutting out elements and

trying them in different combinations

before fusing them down. These mini

quilts have a layer of both batting and

stabilizer. The extra stiffness from

the stabilizer makes them easy to

hang, and it also gives an extra bit of

dimension to the quilting lines.

Whether you’d like to start working

in a series, or you enjoy endless

rearrangement, creating your own

batch of “Branch & Bird” quilts is

easy and will provide you with a fun

exercise in creating compositions both

small and large.

Directions1. Begin by selecting a group of

fabrics that work well together. I

chose a series of jewel tones from

my stash of hand-dyed fabrics.

These colors have plenty of

value and hue contrast, and most

importantly, made my heart sing

when I looked at them all stacked

branch&bird mini quilt series

AdApted froM internAtionAl Quilt festivAl: Quilt scene Winter 2011/2012

by CAnDy glenDening


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up together. From these fabrics,

cut (10) 7" × 7" squares, 1 for each

mini quilt background.

2. Following the manufacturer’s

instructions, apply the fusible web

to the wrong side of the remaining

fabrics; these will be used for the

appliqués and backing squares.

Use pinking shears to cut (10)

41⁄2" × 41⁄2" backing squares, 1 for

each mini quilt; set these squares

aside.

note: Remove the fusible web’s paper

backing before cutting the backing

squares and appliqué shapes.

3. Using a lot of steam and little

pressure, fuse the batting to

the rough side of the fusible

interfacing, leaving the paper

backing on the opposite side.

After the layers cool, cut (10)

5" × 5" squares, 1 for each mini

quilt.

4. On each 7" × 7" background

fabric square, center an

interfacing/batting square

(batting-side down). There should

be a 1" border of fabric extending

beyond the batting on all sides.

Carefully flip the layers over and

fuse-baste each fabric square in

place with a small scrap of fusible

web.

5. For the branch appliqués, cut

arcs and simple forks long

enough to extend to the edges

of the background squares. Cut

several from different fabric

colors and begin placing them on

the backgrounds. When you are

happy with the layout and color

distribution of the branches, fuse

them in place.

6. Remove the paper backing from

the fusible interfacing. Outline the

branches with

free-motion machine sketching

(see “Free-motion machine

sketching”), stitching to the edges

of the background fabric.

7. To finish the edges of a mini

quilt, place it right-side down on

a pressing surface. Gently pull

1 corner of the extending fabric


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free-motion macHine sKetcHingWhat i call free-motion machine sketching is very similar to free-motion machine quilting: the feed dogs are down, you use a darning foot, and the needle goes fast while your hands move slowly. the difference is that when i‘m sketching, i am purposefully retracing my steps and trying to miss; this took some practice after years of trying to follow lines exactly. What i’m trying to emphasize here is that although i’m using a machine, the process is still created by my hands. i love the beautiful imperfection of a strong line that is created by drawing over and over—it’s just that my pencil is an electric sewing machine.

to the back and tack it to the

interfacing with your iron. Repeat

for the 3 remaining corners.

Wrap the sides to the back and

fuse them in place, being careful

to avoid touching the iron to

the exposed fusible glue of the

interfacing. Turn the mini quilt

right-side up and place it on the

backing paper you removed from

the interfacing. Press the square,

let it cool, and peel it off the

backing paper.

8. Now for the fun part—the birds! I

freehand cut all my birds; they’re

just 2 S-curved lines connected

at both ends. A small change in

the inflection point of the curve

can make a bird with an entirely

different personality. Freehand cut

1 or 2 birds for each mini quilt,

varying

the fabric

colors.

Move

them

around

the

different

squares until

you’ve created several squares that

each combine a few of the hues in

your palette in a different way.

9. When you’re happy with the

placement of the birds, fuse the

top only of each bird in place.

Free-motion sketch the legs,

beginning and ending under the

bottom of each bird. Fuse the rest

of the bird in place, then free-

motion sketch an outline and eye

for each bird.

10. Freehand cut a wing for each bird.

It’s amazing how a small change

in the angle of the wing can make

a sitting bird fly, so play around

with the placement a bit before

fusing. Fuse the wings in place.

Free-motion sketch an outline

around each wing.

11. To finish the back of each mini

quilt, center and fuse a

41⁄2" × 41⁄2" backing square in

place, covering the fabric edges

and thread ends. Use a needle

and embroidery floss to stitch

a hanging loop onto the back,

being careful to catch some of

the interfacing without stitching

through to the quilt front.

12. Display the mini quilts on your

wall in a long line or a grid. My

favorite way to hang these little

guys is on some butcher’s twine

with wee clothespins that you can

find at any big craft store. They

look so cute hanging in a row,

and you can change their order

however many times you’d like!

candiedfabrics.com


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small felted wool quilts recycling sWeaters into

Hand-stitcHed artWorK

AdApted froM Quilting Arts MAgAzine June/July 2010

by MornA Crites-Moore


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The process of making small quilts

from felted wool pieces is very

meditative. The first one I made came

about because I was playing with

scraps left over from other projects.

I kept finding little pieces in colors

that particularly pleased me, so I set

them aside. Then I started playing

with these scraps, without any idea of

what I was making. I just enjoyed the

process: the choosing, the stitching,

and the adorning. Soon I had quite a

collection of little stacks

of wool

scraps with lovely buttons on top. It

was time for more play, so I arranged

and rearranged these squares.

Eventually, I started sewing them to

a backing. I decided to call

these small quilts “Pieces

of Dreams” because

that’s what creating

them feels like. This

series is definitely

guided by an

invisible

force.

M A T E R I A l S

•Wool sweaters in a variety of colors

•Washing machine and dryer

•laundry detergent

•good quality shears

•material for the background, cut to about 2" larger than your finished piece, in a color that complements your wool sweaters (i like to use a recycled sweater, a single piece of fulled wool, or cotton fabric; use whatever material you like.)

•Wool tapestry thread in multiple colors (i use Paternayan® Persian Wool yarn.)

•several tapestry needles

•embellishments of your choice: buttons, beads, jewels, or anything else that is small enough to stitch to the top of a 1" square

•a thin piece of wool or batting for the middle layer

•material for the backing

•embroidery floss

•Hand-sewing thread

•a small piece of muslin for your label

•a pen suitable for writing on fabric

Optional

•foam board or corrugated cardboard

there is something about felted wool, made from old

sweaters and other discarded articles of clothing, that speaks to my

muse. Is it that the garments carry the stories of where they have been?

I don’t know. I only know that once I have felted these garments, they

seem to speak to my hands; my mind disengages and I go with the flow.

Previous page: “Dreams of Spring” • 51⁄2" × 5" “This is the twelfth item in my ‘Pieces of Dreams’ series. Its colors represent the beginning blossoms of spring, the green grass, and the blue sky.”

collecting the materials

The most difficult aspect of making one of these little quilts may be collecting the raw materials. I get my old wool sweaters from a variety of sources: thrift stores, yard sales, friends, relatives, and the occasional stranger who hears about what I do and mails me a few sweaters that were destined for the rubbish bin.

When I started making my felted wool items about 15 years ago, I had a sizeable collection of old buttons that I had been amassing since childhood. I quickly realized I needed to find another source. There are stores that sell antique buttons, such as the iconic Tender Buttons in New York City. Flea markets are another good source. I also attend the occasional button show, where vendors sell antique buttons.

Above: “Pale and Peaceful” • 7" × 7" • “I completed this piece a couple of years ago, but have since dismantled it and plan to add stitching to the squares. I have always envisioned it as being a perfect addition to a sweet baby’s room.”

Below: “When designing my small felted pieces, I like to pin the squares on a piece of foam board or corrugated cardboard so I can easily fiddle with their placement until I find a composition that I like.”


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Directions1. Decide on a color scheme for your

project and start accumulating

wool sweaters to fulfill your

vision. The sweaters must be

predominantly wool and they

can’t be washable wool. They can,

however, contain other materials.

The more sweaters you collect,

the better; the variations in color

give these pieces much of their

movement and charm.

2. Turning the sweaters into felted

wool is a fairly simple process.

Before washing your sweaters, cut

them apart along the seam lines,

then wash them in very hot water

with laundry detergent, about

four or five at a time. Be careful

not to mix colors, because there

are always sweaters that bleed. I


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leave my washing machine lid in

the open position, which causes it

to stop at the end of the agitation

cycle. I then reset it to start all over

again, usually putting the sweaters

through about four agitation cycles

before allowing the machine to

finish with rinsing and spinning.

note: The felting process happens

when wool fibers are subjected to heat

and agitation. When heat and agitation

are applied to knitted or woven wool,

it is called fulling. Technically, what

you will create is fulled wool; for the

sake of expediency, I refer to it as felted

wool, a term that is much more widely

recognized and understood.

“Sunset Dreams” • 6" × 6" • “This is the eleventh item in my ‘Pieces of Dreams’ series. While I stitched this little piece, I dreamed of the beautiful sunsets I see from my kitchen window: reds, pinks, blues, purples—a collection of colors stitched upon the sky. This piece is made from recycled sweaters, embellished with wool stitching and antique buttons, and has a silk border.”


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3. Dry the sweaters in the dryer, then

press them with a steam iron.

4. Now you need to cut the squares,

some for the bases and some

that are slightly smaller. My base

squares tend to be about 1", but

you should choose whatever

size you prefer. To make “Sunset

Dreams,” I cut 25 base squares and

25 slightly smaller squares. I don’t

use a template; I just eyeball it.

5. Put a small square atop each

base square, choosing color

combinations that please your eye,

and stitch them together with an

embellishment (a button, a bead,

etc.) on top.

6. Now it’s time to play with your

wooly squares. Arrange and

rearrange them until you have a

pattern that suits you. I usually

do this on a piece of foam board

or corrugated cardboard (you can

also use a table or tray), so I can

easily pin the squares in place.

Then I transfer the squares to

my background material, one at

a time. I sew the squares to the

background with just a couple

of stitches that I hide under the

button. This step is just to secure

everything in place.

7. Next comes some fun with

stitching—this is the part of the

process that I enjoy most. Using

wool thread, add as many stitches

as you like, sewing through both

squares and/or just the base square.

My earlier pieces had no decorative

stitches, and I think they are

beautiful, but lately I am enjoying

adding more and more stitches.

8. Once you have completed your

decorative stitching, turn the

edges of the background material

under, leaving a small margin as

the border. Add some decorative

stitching to the border using

embroidery floss; this stitching will

also secure the folded edge.

9. Turn the little quilt over so it is

lying face down (Figure 1), and

lay your chosen middle layer onto

the back. Then place the backing

fabric, turning its edges under.

10. Stitch around the edge of the

backing, securing it to the

background material, and then

add additional stitches using

ordinary thread to hold the three

layers together. These stitches,

which add necessary substance to

the piece, should go through the

backing fabric, middle material,

and background fabric, but be

hidden on the front. I stitch in a

grid pattern so that the stitches are

hidden in the spaces between the

squares.

11. Your little quilt is now finished.

Add a signature label by writing

your name and date on a piece of

muslin and stitching it to the back

of the piece.

mornacrites-moore.com

Figure 1


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art quilting by lesley riley

AdApted froM Quilting Arts MAgAzine

fAll 2004

“Thinking Chair” • 7" × 12"


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something has kept you

from making an art quilt.

Maybe it’s the word “art” that has

stopped you. Perhaps the endless

products and embellishments

seem overwhelming. Whatever

the reason, there is only one

solution—just begin. With a few

simple tools, a little fabric, and

a desire to play, you can create a

small art quilt of your own design.

An art quilt is an expression of your

own individuality. It can draw on

traditional patterns and techniques,

but the end result is a totally

new—unique to you—design. The

beads, paints, transfers and other

applications are there for your use

if the spirit moves you—if not, save

them for another day. In fact, because

art quilts are not meant for “use,”

and therefore will not be washed,

you are free to experiment with non-

traditional methods and materials.

There is no right or wrong.

To get you started, I will lead you

through the processes I used to make

two small and simple art quilts. When

you are ready to move on to bigger,

more complex things, there are many

excellent resources available. You

may even decide you want to take a

class on design or learn about specific

quilting techniques that will enhance

your new passion. But keep this in

mind—many wonderful art quilts

have been created by self-taught artists

and quilters. Don’t let a lack of formal

training hold you back. The most

important quality that you can bring

to your art quilt is your own vision.

Good workmanship is important, but

it should not inhibit your creativity,

especially when you are just starting

out. Perfectionism should not be

pursued at the expense of creativity,

learning, and enjoying yourself. I

like to tell my students, “If you’re not

having fun, you’re doing something

wrong.” Confidence, certainty, and

expertise come from doing what you

love over and over and over again. So

let’s begin.

Art quilts generally follow the

same construction techniques as a

traditional quilt:

1. The quilt is composed of three

layers: top, batting, and backing,

also known as a quilt “sandwich.”

2. The quilt top is created by one of

three methods: piecing, appliqué,

or whole cloth.

3. The three layers are held together

by stitching, tying, or fusing.

You do not need to own a sewing

machine to make your first art quilt.

Just like our ancestors, you can sew

your quilt entirely by hand. But unlike

those women before us, you can

now create a quilt entirely by fusing.

Fusing is a term for joining fabric

using an adhesive material that is

activated by heat from an iron. Quilt

fabrics backed with a sheet of fusible

webbing, such as Wonder Under, can

be fused together to create a no-sew

art quilt. Optional hand-stitching can

add depth and detail.

Don’t let a lack of

formal training hold you

back. The most important

quality that you can

bring to your art quilt is

your own vision.


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Appliqué is a French word meaning

“to apply.” In an appliquéd quilt, small

pieces of fabric are applied to a larger,

background fabric by sewing or fusing.

Shapes can be recognizable, such as

a door or tree, geometric, or simply

freeform shapes. Traditionally, any

fabric that lies under another piece of

fabric and is not seen is trimmed away

to reduce bulk when hand quilting.

With my appliqué method, I find that

trimming is not necessary. To prevent

layers of fabric from slipping, I use

a walking foot attachment on my

sewing machine. A walking foot is an

attachment or a built-in feature on your

sewing machine that feeds the fabric

layers evenly through the machine and

prevents the layers from slipping. If you

do not have a walking foot, use more

pins to prevent slipping or puckering, or

fuse all layers before machine stitching.

1. I scanned and printed an old photo

onto fabric treated for ink-jet

printers.

2. Using the photo as a starting

point, I chose a blue background

fabric as the base for my appliqué

because blue is complimentary

to the orange in the photo and it

provided a good, strong contrast.

Three other fabrics in blue and

orange tones were layered behind

the photo to offset it from the

background, and the composition

was pinned in place. I tucked small

pieces of my chosen border fabrics

under the image to visually pull

the outside edges of the quilt in

towards the photo.

3. Using a straight stitch and my

sewing machine, I stitched down

all of the fabric layers to the

background fabric, starting with

the image and working outward.

I started with the topmost layer,

and stitched the exposed edges of

every layer. This secured all layers

underneath. This construction

technique is similar to paper

collage.

4. To mimic a border, I ironed

Wonder Under to the back of

the plaid fabric (a commercial

fabric consisting of already pieced

plaids.) Cut four strips, each 1.5"

wide by the length of each side of

the quilt top plus an additional two

inches in length to make sure they

overlap at the corners.

5. I used a simple finishing method

to create the outer border, one that

also serves as the quilt backing and

edge finish: Cut a piece of batting

2.5" inches larger than finished

quilt top. Cut backing fabric 3"

larger on all sides than quilt top.

Place backing fabric right side

down, with batting on top. Fold

backing fabric to front, mitering

corners as if wrapping a package.

Iron down. Place quilt top on top.

6. I removed the paper backing from

the Wonder Undered strips and

slid them under the quilt top edges

and on top of the folded-over

backing fabric to mimic a border.

To form the border, I sandwiched

the strips of fabric with Wonder

Under on them between the quilt

top edges and the folded-over

backing fabric, then ironed them

in place.

7. I stitched the quilt top to the

batting and backing with a straight

stitch going around the edges of

the quilt top and again around the

plaid borders.

8. To give the completed quilt a nice

finished edge, I stitched around all

four sides of the quilt 1/4" in from

the finished edge, with a second

line of stitching 1/4" inside of the

first line of stitching.

9. I appliquéd a vintage leaf to the

lower left corner of the image, with

the tip of the leaf directing the

eye towards the child’s face in the

photo.

M A T E R I A l S

•an assortment of fabrics in coordinating colors

•ink-jet printer fabric

•copyright-free image

•scanner

•ink-jet printer

•straight pins

•fabric scissors (scissors that have been used to cut paper may be too dull for fabric cutting)

•Wonder under

•batting (commercial batting, flannel, or felt)

•Hand-sewing needle or sewing machine

•embellishments

aPPliquéd quilt


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Mov

e O

ver

Moo

n” •

9" ×

14"


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In a whole cloth quilt the emphasis is

on the surface design of the fabric and/

or the quilting stitches. Using paint,

stamps, screening or transfers, a plain

piece of fabric can be transformed into

a work of art. The addition of quilting

completes the overall design.

1. I scanned a favorite photo of mine

into my computer and printed it

onto an ink-jet transparency.

2. The image was transferred to fabric

by applying acrylic medium to

the fabric, laying the inked side

of the transparency down on the

fabric and burnishing the image to

transfer the ink to the fabric.

3. I chose to machine stitch a red

line around the images to add

definition. This could have been

hand-stitched or omitted.

4. Using the fluid acrylic, I randomly

added color to the quilt top,

leaving the paint concentrated

in some areas and adding

water to thin it out to make it more

subtle in others.

5. I layered the backing fabric,

batting, and quilt top to form the

quilt sandwich.

6. I ironed Wonder Under onto the

binding fabric. Four strips were

cut the length of the quilt sides

plus 1". Before removing the paper

backing, the strips were folded in

half and ironed. The backing paper

was removed and the strips were

M A T E R I A l S

•cotton canvas or muslin

•copyright-free image

•scanner

•ink-jet printer

•transparency

•golden acrylic matte medium

•1" foam brush

•golden quinacridone gold fluid acrylic

•fabric scissors (scissors that have been used to cut paper may be too dull for fabric cutting.)

•backing and binding fabric

•batting (commercial batting, flannel, or felt)

•Wonder under

•Hand-sewing needle and thread

•buttons or embellishments

•sewing machine (optional)

WHole clotH quilt


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ironed to fuse the binding to the

quilt edges. Any additional fabric

at the corners was trimmed away.

7. I chose to quilt this whole cloth

quilt by sewing on buttons (button-

quilting.) This was a decision I had

made once the image transfer and

painting was completed. I wanted

an additional dimension and more

visual interest for this simple quilt

top, plus more color. The buttons

served all three purposes. Three

sizes of red buttons were sewn on

with the largest at the bottom to

provide visual weight and lead the

eye upward.

lesleyriley.com

a few Words about quiltingoriginally, small closely spaced quilting stitches were necessary to keep loose cotton batting from shifting around between the quilt layers. naturally these early quilters wanted their stitching to be as attractive as their piecing and appliqué were, and they designed patterns for their stitches to take. the care and attention put into these stitches later became the basis for judging workmanship and mastery of the craft.

quilting stitches also added another dimension to what is basically a two-dimensional surface and often complimented the design of the piecing and appliqué. With today’s technology in manufacturing, batting no longer needs to be stitched at such close and regular intervals. many manufacturers now recommend stitching only every 6 to12 inches.

today’s quilters have the choice of using quilting stitches as an integral part of their overall quilt design or purely for functional purposes. if you love to hand stitch, a small art quilt can serve as a canvas for your stitching. Perhaps you want to use a machine, but are afraid of “ruining” your quilt; you can use simple straight-stitch quilting methods. stitch-in-the-ditch hides your machine stitching in the ditch, or junction, where two fabrics are joined together. by following these seam lines, you can add dimension to the quilt surface and secure the quilt layers together. stitching-in-the-ditch can also be done by hand.

another simple quilting method, called the outline method, is to stitch by hand or machine, 1⁄4" from the ditch, or seam lines. stitching can be done 1⁄4" inside or outside of the pieced or appliquéd edge. this method is easier

than free-form or free-motion quilting and adds dimension and definition to your quilt top.

two very simple methods that are perfect for anyone new to sewing or someone who does not have a sewing machine are tying and button-quilting. tying a quilt is as easy as tying your shoe, but you do have to know how to thread a needle. a heavier thread, like Pearl cotton or embroidery floss, is usually used. starting from the top put the needle and thread through the quilt top to the back leaving a 4" tail of thread. come back through to the front, close to your original stitch, and tie a double knot in the two thread tails. using decorative thread, or thread in a contrasting color can add another element to the overall quilt design.

to button-quilt your quilt, sew on buttons in a random or planned pattern, stitching through all three layers of the quilt sandwich. you can hide your knots under the buttons. the color of the buttons can be subdued to blend in, or serve as an element of the overall design as in the quilt opposite.

and last, but not least, the easiest and most portable method, called stippling, is to quilt by taking random stitches across the surface of the quilt with a matching, contrasting or decorative thread. these randomly scattered stitches are similar to the tied method, but without the loose hanging thread tails. Pieced quilts and appliqué can be enhanced by background stippling. many close stitches tend to depress the background and cause unstitched shapes to puff up. While a few well placed stitches are sufficient to hold your quilt together, you may find that you enjoy the relaxing rhythm of hand stitching.

N O - S E W quiltmakingYou can make an appliquéd

art quilt without ever taking

a stitch. Fusing is a method

that joins fabrics together

using a heat-activated bonding

material. A paper-backed

fusible is ironed to the back of

fabric. You can draw designs on

the paper backing, or cut out

free-form shapes. Remove the

paper backing from the fabric

and following manufacturer’s

directions, iron to another piece

of fabric to fuse them together.

Fusible batting allows you to

adhere your quilt layers together

simply by ironing. Strips of

fusible-backed fabric can be

folded and ironed over the quilt

edges to bind the quilt. Voila!

You have created a quilt without

sewing a stitch.


©interweave


For my latest project, I wanted a fresh

twist on a traditional black silhouette,

so I decided to try some fun prints

and favorite colors. When designing

a silhouette, the direction the

person faces is a matter of personal

preference. I’ve read historical

references where it was thought that

if the subject was looking to their

right they were symbolically looking

forward, to the future. If the subject

was looking to their left they were

looking backwards, into the past,

perhaps reflecting or remembering.

Directionscreate the silhouette pattern1. Take a profile (side view) picture

of a loved one. Hold your camera

at the same height as your subject’s

face. Eliminate distractions by

having your subject stand in front

of a plain white wall or door.

note: If you will be combining several

people into a single project, hang a

gridded rotary-cutting mat on the wall

and take individual photos. Make sure

each person stands the same distance

away from the gridded surface. Place

the camera on a tripod so it remains

the same distance away from the wall,

too. This will make it easy to combine

quicK & easy

silhouette quilts


by MAriA elkins

i’ve always been drawn to portraiture. Silhouettes, in particular, hold

my interest. I find it amazing how much a silhouette can look like the

person portrayed even when all of the details have been removed.


©interweave


the pictures in a digital photo-editing

program, and it allows you to ensure

that each person’s silhouette will be the

correct size.

2. Open your photo in the

digital-editing program of your

choice. Mirror the image, and

size your picture as desired. Make

sure you leave margins around

the silhouette. If desired, you can

digitally erase some or all of the

background. (To combine multiple

portraits, start with one image and

paste the second image onto a new

layer. Reduce the opacity on the

second image to 50%. If needed,

adjust the size of the images until

the grids match.)

3. Print out your picture to the

desired size. (If you have multiple

portraits, it may be easier to print

each silhouette separately.)

4. To create your silhouette pattern

on the printout, outline your

subject’s profile with a red gel pen.

This is your chance to add subtle

facelifts or stylized hair curls. You

will also need to decide how to

deal with the neck and shoulders

area. For instance, you can have

your subject extend off the lower

edge of your quilt or, if you want

a vintage look, draw a gentle “S”

curve that echoes the curve of the

shoulder and flows down to the

front of your subject’s chest.

M A T E R I A l S

•digital camera

•Photo-editing software

•computer and printer

•red gel pen

•fabric (two contrasting colors for the quilt top)

•fusible web (i use lite steam-a-seam 2®.)

•small, sharp scissors

•iron and ironing surface

•thread

•sewing machine

•batting

•fabric for the backing and binding

Optional

•gridded rotary-cutting mat

•tripod

“Dawning” • 20" × 14" • Cotton fabric (hand-painted background), cotton batting; fused appliqué, machine stitched.


©interweave


select anD prepare the fabrics1. Choose two contrasting fabrics.

Typically, the darker color will

be the silhouette and the lighter

color will be the background. Cut

both fabrics about 3" larger than

the planned size of your finished

portrait quilt.

tip: If you choose background and

foreground fabrics that have similar

colors that merge, choose a third fabric

to create an outline that will visually

separate the similar colors and add

contrast.

2. Cut a piece of fusible web slightly

larger than your silhouette pattern.

Remove one of the paper backings

and fuse the webbing to the wrong

side of the silhouette fabric. (If you

are using a third fabric to create an

outline, apply fusible web to the

back of that fabric too.

3. Remove the remaining paper

backing from the applied fusible

web. Using your hand, press the

paper printout (with the marked

red silhouette pattern) to the

wrong side of your silhouette

fabric. Do not iron.

tip: Pay attention to where you position

the paper pattern on the fabric. You may

want to position the eyes/nose/mouth

area so it is not interrupted by specific

designs on your fabric.

4. Following the outer edge of your

silhouette pattern, cut out the

silhouette fabric. (If you are using

a third fabric, position the

cut-out silhouette fabric on the

third fabric. Remove the paper

pattern and fuse with a hot iron.

Create an outline by cutting the

third fabric 1⁄8" beyond the edge of

the silhouette fabric.)

fuse anD finish1. Position your silhouette on the

background fabric. Fuse with a hot

iron.

2. Prepare your quilt sandwich. Quilt

and bind.

mariaelkins.com

“Stephanie” • 16" × 12" • Cotton fabric, cotton batting; fused appliqué, machine stitched.


©interweave


Doodling has led me to new and

expanded designs that I can interpret

into freestyle machine quilting. I

know that if I can draw a design as a

continuous line without having to lift

my pencil, then I can quilt it without

having to knot off. In this

third installment of my

column on free-motion

stitching I invite you to

pick up your pencil, start

doodling, and discover the designs

waiting to be released.

beginnerheartsStitched hearts are a great design for

baby quilts and can add a feminine

touch to any project. Most of us can

easily draw a heart. You may like

long, thin hearts or prefer thick, squat

hearts, or maybe your favorite style of

heart is somewhere in between. When

stitching hearts, draw from the tip

(point) up rather than from the center

cleft. Here are three variations of

heart-based fillers just waiting for you

to give them a try. Get comfortable

with each design by doodling it first.

Double heartThe first stitched sample features

meandering double hearts. Each set of

hearts is about 1" in size. Beginning

near the center of the area you want

to fill, stitch a small heart beginning at

the pointed tip. Stitch up and around,

then down slightly to form the cleft

in the center of the heart. Then stitch


by HeAtHer tHoMAs

M A T E R I A l S

•sketchbook

•Pencil

•sewing machine with free-motion capabilities

•free-motion or darning foot (i use an open-toe foot.)

•fabric

•batting

•Pins

•thread (in various colors contrasting with your fabrics)

•marking tool (i use a Hera™ marker.)

being a life-long doodler is one of the things that

makes machine quilting so fun for me. Whether I’m

watching TV, talking on the phone, or resting with a cup of

coffee, I have a sketchbook and pencil in hand. We all have

our own doodles inside us. I like to draw trees, flowers,

hearts, and suns along with plenty of swirly designs. I’ve

even found evidence of my swirly-centered, five-petal

flowers on old schoolwork from high school.

Heart

stitch this!free-motion quilting motifs to try


©interweave


back up and around and back down

to where you started to form the tip

of the heart. The first heart should be

about 1/2" wide and a little taller.

Next, echo the heart along the

outside edge, stitching in the opposite

direction and keeping the echo line

about 1/4" away from the original

heart. Once the echo is complete,

stitch a second small heart in the same

manner and echo it. Keep stitching

sets of hearts, nestling new hearts

between previously sewn ones, and

angling them in different directions.

Strive to keep a similar distance for a

neat and tidy fill.

large heartThe second stitched sample features

the same echoed heart shape, but

the hearts are larger (about 11/2"–13/4"

in size), and instead of nestling the

echoed hearts into each other, the

echoed hearts are linked by

loop-d-loops. Begin by stitching a set

of echoed double hearts. Once you

have echoed the heart and are back at

the tip, stitch away from the heart and

form a loop that is about 1/4" in size.

Stitch away from the loop and form

a second loop. Keep stitching small

loops around the heart until you are

positioned to stitch a second echoed

heart. Continue stitching echoed

hearts, linking and surrounding them

with loop-d-loops, until you have

filled the space. Strive for equal-sized

hearts stitched at various angles as

well as equal-sized loops and balanced

negative space.

spiral heartThe final heart design features larger,

thicker hearts linked by spirals. Each

heart is about 11/2"–2" in size and is

about as wide as it is tall. To keep the

design looking neat and tidy, try to

make the spirals about half the size of

the hearts.

Beginning at the tip (point) of a heart,

stitch up one side forming a very

round peak and a deep cleft; then

stitch the second side of the heart. As

you reach the bottom tip of the heart,

stitch a small spiral about the size of

Double heart

Large heart

Spiral heart


©interweave


a nickel. leave space in the spiral to

stitch back out again and complete the

spiral. Once you are out of the spiral,

stitch away and form another heart.

Keep stitching thick hearts and using

spirals to travel between them. Strive

to keep the hearts about the same

size with an equal amount of negative

space between them.

intermeDiateflowersThe wonderful thing about flowers

is that they are organic and therefore

you don’t need to worry about each

one looking exactly like the other—a

misshaped petal is a natural thing. The

example shows a basic flower, with a

swirly center and five-pointed petals,

stitched out in four slightly different

ways. Doodle out each one before

you begin stitching.

basic flowerTo stitch out the basic flower, begin

in the center and stitch a swirl about

the size of a quarter. Once you have

completed the center swirl, stitch

the end of it into itself to close it

up. Begin forming the first petal

by stitching out and away from the

center and toward the right about 1";

then begin angling toward the left,

stitching another 1" and then stop.

Now stitch down and out to the back,

toward the center, to form the second

side of the petal. Strive to keep the

base of each petal about the same

size (about 1⁄5 the circumference of

the center). Stitch the remaining four

petals in the same manner.

Take note of the other flowers shown.

Each variation on the basic flower has

a different type of center and different-

shaped petals. The base of one flower

has small circles that are stitched so

that they abut one another to form a

larger, circular center. The petals are

long and narrow, with wavy edges, and

some of the petals are nestled in such

a way as to make them look as if they

are behind the other petals. To achieve

this effect requires some backtracking.

asterisk flowerAn asterisk flower begins with an

asterisk-like center surrounded by

elongated, round-ended petals. To

form the center, stitch a short line,

about 1/2"; then double back to the

starting point. Stitch another short

line about 1/2" and a scant bit away

from the first line; then stitch back

to the starting point. Keep adding

doubled-up lines that radiate out

from the starting point until you have

Basic flower

Basic flower


©interweave


formed the asterisk’s center. The petals

that surround the center are about 2"

long and about 1⁄4" wide at the base

and about 3⁄4" wide at the rounded

end.

tip: You can doll up your flowers in so

many ways! Flowers can be used as an

allover design or as a focal point. In

the detail (opposite far left), I stitched

out loads of flowers and linked them

together with stems and leaves. The

design looks neat and tidy when the

leaves are much smaller than the petals

of the flowers.

heatherthomasblog.blogspot.com

Asterisk flower

Variation on a basic flower

Technology

Qa beginners v3