I don't know if I've told you before, but I learned how to quilt while I lived in Japan in 2002. Japanese housewife culture, including their approach to quilting, has always fascenated me. I should have been an anthropologist and studied that more intensely, I know, but I got caught up in trying to communicate and became an ESL teacher instead. Anyway.. I discovered flickr in 2006 and the quilts I saw there lead me to start blogging about quilting. Tonight I want to share a handful of my favorite quilt photos from the Tokyo International Quilt festivals held each year in January. One year I'll make it there myself, but until then, I will live vicariously through Jennifer and Jan. Be*mused Tokyo Quilt Fest 2011 Set Be*mused Tokyo Quilt Fest 2010 Set Be*mused Tokyo Quilt Fest 2009 Set Movinghands Tokyo Quilt Fest 2008 Set Movinghands Tokyo Quilt Fest 2007 Set Movinghands Tokyo Quilt Fest 2006 Set (one of my all-time favorites is the 9th quilt in the set-- the blue one) All photos in this post were taken by Jan of Be*mused, used with permission. (*I hate to post quilt photos without information about the makers, but sadly most of these pics don't include any. Apparently the quilter info is only printed in Japanese at the show. If you have any information for any of these quilts, please comment and I will give them proper credit.)
Japanese embroidery ideas and techniques to try something a little different and learn about a different culture.
We are sew excited to share our ultimate guide on how to make a crazy quilt! From planning to stitch type, we've got everything you'll need!
With these tips, you'll be able to create beautiful projects with your slow stitching. Ways to plan before you begin an improv quilt or stitched piece and ideas for how to fix a project you don’t love (which can happen in our work at times and becomes a 'learning' for the next piece).
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from the sale if you click through and purchase. Are you scared of sewing with curves? Have no fear! Today I am sharing a few tips and tricks that have been helpful for me. Give this post a read and try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern . 1. Sew slow. It's tempting to put the pedal to the metal when you're comfortable sewing, but with curves it's all about slow sewing. You want to take your time and ease that curve slowly through the machine. 2. Needle Down. I set my machine in the needle down position when I sew. That means every time I lift my foot off the pedal the machine stops with the needle down. This helps to hold all the layers in place so that I can lift the presser foot and adjust around the curve. This will help you make that curve nice and smooth. Every few stitches, I raise the foot and turn the fabric slightly around the curve. 3. Pin, Pin, Pin!! Don't be stingy with those pins. As you pin your curved pieces together make sure you pin all the way around that curve to the very end. I also find it most helpful to start in the middle, work my way to one end, back to the middle and to the other end. 4. Steam Iron. I personally find that using steam is helpful. First of all it helps work out all those wrinkles from the pins so you can see if there are any puckers. Second, I think it helps ease out any accidental puckers if there are any. This is simply personal preference. I know there are mixed opinions on using a steam iron while quilting. I make sure not to pull or stretch the fabric too much since the steam will cause that to happen on it's own a little. 5. Tailor's Clapper! Alright this might be a new tool you haven't heard of before. I use this handmade clapper from Lamb and Loom. It makes such a difference to me! When I'm ready to press I open the seam, press and then quickly place the clapper over the seam and let it sit while I move on to the next piece. Then I repeat that process. The clapper helps to hold the heat on the seam and really make it crisp! I'm hooked on my clapper. The pattern above makes great practice - The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern. If you feel like you can conquer the curves try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. This pattern was my first attempt at sewing curves. You can do this! You have all the skills you need now. Good luck! Here are some additional blog posts you might enjoy: Sewing with Triangles Quilting Curves Making Half-Square Triangles The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern.
Quilts by Paula Fleischer, political and otherwise
Sashiko Stitch Instructions for beginners A trend in embroidery: Sashiko stitching and visible mending. This ancient Japanese craft is easy to learn. It gives quick results and makes stunning textile pieces. In this tutorial we explain the basics you need to know about Sashiko stitching. We share our recommendations for Sashiko materials. You will also
These 15 Easy Quilts for Beginners are a great place to start if you've always wanted to try quilting but worried it would be too hard!
Use strip-piecing short cuts to make this Nine Patch quilt in a traditional Irish Chain style. Gray and white low volume fabrics give it a modern feel.
Learn to make a puff quilt with precut fabric with a step by step guide and video tutorial.
Also known as: crewel stitch, stalk stitch, point de cable Through my research, I found out that stem stitch is crewel stitch. It is one of the easiest to be done and perhaps even one of the first stitches to be taught to any beginner. But, many...
Quilt bindings are the most magical, and sometime confusing part of quilt making, especially for a new quilter! I shared a tutorial a few years back, but have adapted and made a few changes as I’ve grown as a quilter, and thought it was enough to update the post. Any tips or suggestions you might […]
Hi there, I’m hoping you can help me. I have a newly finished quilt that got a small hole in the top from my cat’s claws. What’s the best way to repair…
Are you new to machine quilting? You may have made tied quilts for a while and now want to explore machine quilting. I’ve seen a lot of advice given for how to machine quilt but I think mos…
There's an imminent new arrival in our extended family, so it's time for me to get working on another version of my baby beach scenes. Simon suggested I incorporate surfing since the father is a keen surfer. That was the starting point for my designing, anyway. I ended up with this row of (potentially surfable?!) waves which will go across the top of the reef/water section, and I started by piecing them. I divided the waves into organic shapes, much like those I used in the much larger Australian scene and space quilts, which I could then piece from different colour water fabrics. The first step was to trace these onto mid-weight non-woven interfacing and mark some registration points along the curved seams to help piece thems evenly, then cut the pieces apart. After carefully selecting the fabrics to use for each piece (colour, and a smooth gradation was the main consideration)I placed the interfacing patter piece directly on the fabric and drew around it with a air-erasable marker, adding the 1/4in seam allowance by eye as I went. I then added the registration marks and the piece number with a fine-tip permanent pen before cutting it out. I've saved all the interfacing pieces in case I want to do the waves again. Then I pinned all the pieces in place on my pattern and checked I was happy with my fabric choices. Then it was just a case of gradually sewing them all together, carefully easing the curves. The wave section is all done now and will be pieced to the top of the reef/water section once that's done (the bottom is straight-ish).
Learn how to make a rag quilt, the easiest quilt there is! This simple tutorial shows you how to make 2 different sized rag quilts.
In an unprecedented act of blogging fanciness I decided to make a video documenting how I create the woodgrain texture (so thoroughly photographed in my last post) with free-motion quilting. Warning:
Free large hexagon quilt pattern & template. Make a simple hexagon quilt with no Y seams with our tutorial. Uses half hexagon quilt pieces.
Recently, I was inspired to make a quilt from my son’s onesies! This is pretty surprising because A) generally, I wouldn’t say I like onesie quilts, and B) I’m not…
If you find yourself losing steam after your patchwork quilt top is made, you’re not alone. But wait! Finishing that quilt is going to be soooo rewarding. Here are some ideas to help you push on to make that quilt backing.
It's been a few weeks since I shared my gingham blocks. I decided to go bigger and added an extra vertical and horizontal row of blocks ...
I bought some coloured pencils and nice paper recently and have been busy scribbling some potential quilt ideas. When I shared a few to my instagram stories, this was one of the favourites- so here is a tutorial so you can make one too!
Learning how to tie a quilt is a great way to give some hand quilted charm to your projects. Continue reading for 6 fun ways to try it out!
Binding is the final step of quilting and it must be perfect. Otherwise, all your efforts will be wasted!
It's finally here! The video showing you how I do big stitch quilting - a super easy and fun hand quilting technique! Big stitch quilting is my new favorite way to hand quilt - I'm not sure I'll ever go back to traditional hand quilting. It's just so much fun! I love the chunkiness of the
Get creative with fabric scraps! Learn the stitch and flip technique to make a one-of-a-kind crazy quilt block. Follow my step-by-step guide.
Watch nine months of quilt-making condensed into 3.5 minutes in Canadian textile artist Laurie Swim's studio.
Here are 9 of my go-to hand embroidery stitches for filling in spaces, step-by-step instructions, and examples.
Tying a quilt is an easy and quick way to finish a quilt. Tying a quilt means using thread or yarn to attach all three layers of a quilt together. This is a great option for beginner quilters as well as more advanced quilters! To add some extra interest, ties and quilting can be used...
If you've always wanted to learn embroidery stitches, here's the perfect guide for you. I have a video tutorial for each embroidery stitch.
Learning how to tie a quilt is a great way to give some hand quilted charm to your projects. Continue reading for 6 fun ways to try it out!
Sashiko—often translated as “little stabs.” Sashiko is a type of sewing or embroidery. Sashiko is a Japanese traditional art that dates back to the Edo era. Historically, sashiko was wi…
machine finished hand applique workshop
Landscape quilts were very popular several years ago, and are still fun to try now. Most of these early landscape quilts were made using "strips of fabric" sewn edge to edge arranged by the colors of the sky to the ground. These quilts...
Tying a quilt is an easy and quick way to finish a quilt. Tying a quilt means using thread or yarn to attach all three layers of a quilt together. This is a great option for beginner quilters as well as more advanced quilters! To add some extra interest, ties and quilting can be used...
Burst Block PDF Skateboard Appliqué PDF Pentagon Ball PDF BBQ Apron PDF Guitar/Camera Strap PDF Free Motion Basics PDF Action Figure Organizer PDF Sugar Skull PDF Needle Knowldge PDF Out of This World PDF 3 Dudes Quilt PDF Diamond Dreams PDF Bad Call Ball PDF Dog Bed PDF FMQ Straight Drill 2 PDF 60 Degree Ruler PDF FMQ Swoop Drill 3 PDF RAINBOW DRILL PDF Circle Drill PDF Coming Home PDF Superhero Cape PDF Drawstring Bag Toy Playmat PDF Beach Bag PDF Dancing Dots PDF Fabric Postcard PDF Gears Quilt PDF Trick or Treat Bag PDF Turkey Centerpiece PDF Coffee Kit PDF QuillowRead More →
Learn to make quilt binding in six simples steps by Simple Simon and Company.
