Favorite Things

 I did clean up my studio a little bit so I won't come home from Houston to a mess. 

There are a few special things in my studio I thought I would share. First, are two beachscapes I bought from my very talented friend, Eileen Williams. I love everything about these. The top one is 5" x 8", the larger one is 9" x 12".  Having shells and beads sewn on makes them so special, and I love the driftwood hanger on the bottom one. I don't get to the beach near as often as I wish so these help take me there:

Be sure to check out her beautiful work on her website: Fiber Art Quilts. She has had several gallery exhibitions this year so many of her pieces have sold. She has won numerous awards for her work over the years.  Read more about our lifelong friendship in this post: A Visit With Friends

The other item on my studio wall that makes me smile every day is this:

Garth Brooks, the inscription says "Barbara, sure love your boy--God bless your family, Garth". 

My son, Joshua Black Wilkins, is a professional photographer in Nashville, TN. A few years ago he was working on a shoot there with Garth Brooks. As it happened to be my birthday, I told Joshua to tell him his mother is a big fan. I have loved Garth's music from the beginning. During a break, Joshua did tell him that and Garth instantly asked for my address. A few days later I received a large box from Oklahoma. Not knowing anyone in OK, I was surprised and curious. It was full of all the merchandise sold at his shows. Lots of t-shirts, coffee mugs, key chains, stickers, all that stuff. Included was this signed photo. And a 3-CD set of all his music and a DVD of a big show. Pretty sweet and unexpected, for sure.  I hung this where Garth can watch me at my pressing station:

The Flying Geese quilt above is called Snowbirds by Jinny Beyer--I made it in 2000. On the left is a tiny twister quilt made by my friend, Ellen, in 2013. 

So, while I'm off to Houston, I will try to post a few simple posts about quilty things.

Be sure to check out the Tutorials tab above to find lots of helpful posts for quilting issues/techniques.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

How To Miter A Border

I've been asked how to add a mitered border to a quilt.

What is a miter? It is a 45 degree angle seam, making the border fabric appear as a picture frame does on a picture:

Two fabrics--an inner tan solid and a border stripe

Two fabrics--an inner black solid and a batik print

Two fabrics--a narrow inner rose and a border stripe

Here is a single fabric mitered, the green stripe, and is an example of what NOT to do--the narrow white solid was first added as a regular "butted" border, then the green stripe was mitered. If you are looking for "rules", it is considered better design to treat both outside borders in the same manner:

In looking through my own quilts, it became apparent to me that I used to miter many of my borders and today I rarely do. This is true of the many quilts I see friends, guild members and students make--miters are rare. In fact, 20 years ago I used to include how to add a mitered border in my beginning class--today I do not.

Why is this? Most quilters think it is "hard" to add a miter--it doesn't have to be. It certainly uses more fabric and that is a factor when I am "shopping" in my closet and only have a certain amount of fabric. And border stripe fabrics look wonderful when mitered--we have a lot fewer of those today than 20-30 years ago and quilters don't know how to use them. An excellent reference on working with border prints comes from the master of these fabrics: Jinny Beyer.

Let's look at the basics of adding a mitered border to your quilt. Here is a small sample--of course, the same information applies to a bed-size quilt. These blocks are 6" finished and the purple sashing is 1" finished--right now, this quilt is 13" x 13" finished:

Here is the quilt with the double borders laid out:

With butted borders, I would cut two purple borders 13.5" x 1.5" for the left and right sides. After adding them, I would cut two more 15.5" x 1.5" for the top and bottom. Then I would do the same with the outer border--each would be cut to exact size then added to the quilt, one at a time. This helps make certain your quilt remains square.

With mitered borders, I make "border fabric". This means I will sew the narrow purple fabric to the print fabric BEFORE sewing them onto the quilt. This is one of the reasons I like to miter borders on a bed quilt. If I had 10" of border,  made up of three different fabrics, it would take handling the entire quilt under the needle 12 times to add each of those borders separately if I did the "butted" borders method. By doing the "mitered" method, I only have the entire quilt under the needle 4 times, as I add each of the four borders that have been created as "border fabric".

Here is the trick--you have to know how long to cut those strips. There are two options to consider.

FIRST OPTION: cut each of the fabrics you want for your border the same length, the finished outside measurement of the quilt plus about 1" for insurance. This takes the most fabric but eliminates doing the math for each border. In the same quilt above I would cut both the purple and the print 20" NOTE:The print fabric was cut 2.25" wide because I had 4.5" strips leftover and it was easy to cut those in half. The math:

6" + 1" + 6"           = 13" center of the quilt
1" + 1"                   =   2"    purple inner borders
1.75" + 1.75"         = 3.5" print outer borders
1" minimum extra = 1"
Total length for each border = 19.5"--let's just cut them 20" to keep it simple

NOTE--if your quilt is a rectangle, you will calculate the sides separately from the top and bottom. Another reason I like square quilts and often make them.

SECOND OPTION: cut the inner borders the finished length plus 1" for insurance. Do the same with the outer borders. Fold each in half, mark the middle, pin in the middle so you are staggering the inner border on the outer border. This saves some of the inner fabric--especially if the outer border is really a lot wider than the inner one. In this little sample it really doesn't matter as it doesn't save much. The math:

Purple fabric:
6" + 1" + 6"           = 13" center of the quilt
1" + 1"                   =   2"    purple inner borders

1" minimum extra = 1" 

Total length for purple inner border = 16"--cut four of these, saving 4" on each one

Outer Print fabric:
6" + 1" + 6" + 1" + 1" = 15" center of quilt and width of both finished purple borders
1.75" + 1.75"              = 3.5"  finished width of both outer borders
1" minimum extra     =  1"
Total length for outer print border = 19.5--again, I will just cut them 20", cut four of these.

The photo above shows both of these methods. On the top is the FIRST option, each was cut 20" and then joined to create "border fabric". On the bottom is the SECOND option, purple borders are cut shorter than the outer borders, then centered on the outer border fabric and sewn. In both cases, I pressed the seam toward the purple--it is narrower and might not have any quilting in it. It is also darker but the overriding thought process is about the quilting--where will the thickness of the seam allowances be less of a bother?

Now that the border fabric is created, it's time to sew them to the quilt. Find the center by pressing the border fabric in half, make a pencil mark  at the center. Now make another mark 6.5" on either side of that center mark. This is half of the center of the quilt (13") and gives you the exact place to start and stop sewing, 1/4" in from the outer edges of the quilt.

On a long border, I make pencil marks at several places where the border should line up with the body of the quilt, like where blocks join the border. If you just sew a long border to the quilt without measuring, the chances are very good your border will be wavy or full or short, not nice and flat as you want it to be.

Pin the border to the center to the quilt, matching the marks and you are ready to sew, one border at a time. You may also find it helps to make a mark on the four corners of the quilt, 1/4" in from the outer edge--this is the starting and stopping point. I sew with the quilt center on top so I can keep an eye of those seam allowances and prevent them from flipping in the wrong direction:

Here is the first border sewn in place. This is one of those rare places in piecing a quilt where you backstitch because this seam will not be crossed by another seam to lock it:

The starting edge

The stopping edge

Press toward the purple inner border, the path of least resistance:

Pin and sew the second border on in the same manner, being sure to start and stop at the dot, 1/4" inside the outer edge. If you go a "stitch too far", just take that stitch out:

Turn to the back side. Place the borders on top of each other, folding the quilt center at a 45 degree angle. Be careful to align the seams of the purple/print borders exactly on top of each other. When I have a border stripe fabric, I carefully check  by pinning that the stripes are aligned well:

Use a ruler and pencil to draw the sewing line. If you  have a Half Square Triangle ruler, use it. Align the sewn seam on the border with a line on the ruler to keep things straight and square:

If you have a square ruler, you can use it, again being sure the border fabrics are straight:

When I have multiple borders or a border stripe fabric, I usually baste the important intersections before I sew the seam for real. Here I have basted only the place where the purple and print meet, with very long stitches:

It only takes a few seconds to do this, and if things don't match up as well as you would like, it's easy to remove the basting stitches, fiddle with it again, and re-baste. When you are happy, turn the stitch length back to normal size and sew the seam, directly on top of those basting stitches. Be sure to start at the dot where the quilt joins the border and backstitch. I backstitch at the outer edge as well.  If the whole seam is good, I remove the basting stitches:

To trim the excess fabric away, place a ruler on the sewn seam, 1/4" away from the seam--remember, the part you want to PROTECT is under the ruler:

Trim the excess away and press the seam open:

The back

The front

Continue until you have added all four borders to the quilt and sewn each miter. I tell students the first time you do this you will have one that is perfect, one that is awful and two that are pretty good. The next time you do it, none will be awful. The third time you do it, you will have the process down pat.

A mitered border can add a touch of elegance to your quilt and it looks like you took a bit of extra care to make the quilt special. Try it, you just might like it!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

The Journey #5

Still taking a look back at some of my early quilts.

The Journey #1
The Journey #2
The Journey #3
The Journey #4

By the mid-1990's I was making bed quilts and lots of class samples as well as smaller quilts for magazine publication. I was introduced to needle-turn applique' by Nancy Pearson and enjoyed making several applique' quilts.

"If It's Purple"--a traditional Baltimore-style quilt, these patterns were published in the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville newsletter from September 1989-August 1990. I designed the swag border and had it hand quilted by a local quilter.  I finished it in time for the 1995 Fanfare Quilt show where it was awarded Best of Show:

 A detail of the quilting and applique':

I presented this quilt to my son Andrew and his wife Lauren for their wedding. It is currently in storage until they are ready for it. 

"Lone Star Garden"--an original  design inspired by a quilt in the book Star Quilts by Mary Elizabeth Johnson. The applique' designs I adapted from patterns by Patricia Campbell. The star is made from 8 huge diamonds all cut exactly the same from a Jinny Beyer border print--I made one big paper template so I could cut each one accurately. I bought 6 yards of the stripe, went back and got 3 more yards, then to make the outer border I bought 3 more.

The border treatment is a style Jinny Beyer called "Soft Edge Applique'". It would have been easier to just add a plain border but after all that applique' in the middle, this quilt just deserved more of a finish. It took a lot longer but I am happy with it. Hand quilted by the local quilter--I was keeping her busy during these years. 

It was fun to work with lots of fabrics from my stash for the many flowers in the background. Why use one fabric for a color when you can use lots? Detail shots: 

I basted the border stripe to the pink outer print, then carefully cut along a line in the print, a few inches at a time as I needle-turned under a narrow seam. As I recall, the process took a couple months of evening sewing. The borders were also cut exactly the same so the corners would miter nicely:

When working with border prints, it can be fun to see what you get where all 8 of the diamonds  come together. I was very happy with the central design and don't remember working it out in advance with mirrors. The big star is about 60" square:

I had this quilt finished for the 1999 quilt show and it won First Place in Group Applique'.

Fast forward to 2013 International Quilt Festival Houston--both of these quilts were featured in the Special Exhibit  "Traditional Treasures":

Although I love hand applique', the need to get quilts finished more quickly leads me to piecing most often. Other quilts made in the late '90s include:

"Purple Plus":

"Secret Stars":

"Half Log Cabin":

And many smaller quilts for classes and magazine publication.  I did not remember just how many pieces I made for Christmas Year Round, Country Stitch and McCalls' Quilting until I dug out these issues:

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

My Favorite Quilt Books

I learned to quilt in 1985, before the Internet. It was possible, just different from the way many quilters learn today. There were a few books and lots of magazines. I learned a lot from magazines and began to buy books--I was very much a self-taught quilter in those early years.Over time I have accumulated a substantial library, almost 400 titles.

To be able to find the book I am looking for, they are filed alphabetically on these great IKEA bookcases in several categories: Amish, Applique', Children's Books, Clothing, Color, Design, Embellishment, Handwork, History, Miniatures, Pieced, Quilting, and Reference. By far, the largest number of books are in the Pieced category. And, yes, I have a spreadsheet.

When I tried to select my Top 10--the books I would keep until the very end--I just could not limit it to 10. So, here are my Top 15 Favorite Quilt Books.

15. Quilting: Patchwork and Applique' A Sunset Book

This is the first book I bought. It came from Hechinger's, a big-box store like  Lowes in Northen Virginia. I can still remember reading it, and trying to understand the difference between "Patchwork" and "Quilting". For sentimental reasons, this is a keeper.

14. An Amish Adventure by Roberta Horton

This is the first book ever published by C&T Publishing. First published in 1983, it is still available today from their website as a print-on-demand title. I bought my copy in 1987, when my small guild, the Virginia Star Quilters of Fredericksburg, VA offered a weekly "class"--we met and worked on quilts from this book. I saw my first quilt as a 10 year old when my Girl Scout troop made a visit to Lancaster County, PA. I was smitten right then but it would be 20 more years before I began my quilting journey. I think it is time to start a similar "class"--solids are very popular again--Amish, the first Modern quilters.

13. Patchwork Patterns by Jinny Beyer

As a new quilter, I was in awe of this cover quilt, "Ray of Light" by Jinny Beyer. I clearly remember saying "Some day I want to be able to make a quilt like this." Years later, when I realized I was making a lot of Medallion-style quilts, I knew exactly where my inspiration came from. I am a huge fan of Jinny's and have been able to "talk quilt" with her many times. This book discusses hand piecing but designing and cutting out patchwork blocks is pretty much the same for machine piecing, the method I  use most often. This book is full of great blocks--it opened my eyes to quilt design.

12. Clues in the Calico by Barbara Brackman

First published in 1989, I got mine about that time. It began my love affair with Quilt History, which in many ways is Women's History, and introduced me to the process of dating old quilts from their fabrics and patterns. In 1988 I bought my first old quilt top and later had it dated to about 1875 by Merikay Waldvogel, an expert in quilt history too. Using this book, I could see why she came up with that date. I have read this book cover-to-cover and learn something new each time I pick it up.

11. Heirloom Machine Quilting by Harriet Hargrave

Harriet made it OK to quilt our quilts by machine. I took classes from her in 1994, now I lived in Alabama and our guild, the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, brought wonderful teachers for several workshops a year. I was making more quilt tops than I could hand-quilt so the "idea" of machine quilting was appealing. It's harder than it looks and I'm still learning to do adequate machine quilting. This book really helped me understand the process and provided lots of design ideas.

10. The Art of Machine Piecing and Drafting for the Creative Quilter, both by Sally Collins

The most professional quilt teacher I have ever taken a class from is Sally Collins. Besides being well-prepared in class, she really knows her stuff and makes the process of precise piecing understandable. "Drafting" scares quilters, but it's just a word for drawing a pattern and determining how to cut it out so the pieces fit together. I often tell my students "If you had known you were going to be a quilter, you would have paid more attention in Geometry class." I love "quilter's math" and the precise way patterns are created by color and cloth. These two books are like a Master's Class is quilt design. Have to keep them both.

9. Floral Applique' by Nancy Pearson

In 1989 my guild brought Nancy Pearson to teach needle-turn applique'. I was a convert right then, and loved everything about her beautiful designs. She was also one of the sweetest women I've ever met. She helped me with a quilt design I was working on in 2005, using one of her patterns as a starting point. It is one of my favorite quilts, partly because we discussed it during the design stage. I have taken many applique' classes since, but her love of beautiful applique' got me started.

8. The Quilter's Practical Guide to Color by Becky Goldsmith

I have several books on color--this is the one I have read cover-to-cover and have taught from. Many quilters struggle with "color theory" and think they are no good at color if they don't have an art background. This book makes basic concepts easy to understand and provides simple projects that teach those concepts.

7. All-in-One Rotary Cutting Magic by Nancy Johnson-Srebro

This little reference book is a great companion to Nancy's other books: Measure the Possibilities and Rotary Magic. The rotary cutter changed everything about quiltmaking and I am convinced it is the reason we have come so far. If we still had to cut out all our pieces by hand with scissors, most of us would not be quilters. This teaches "quilters math" in an easy way--whatever shape you want to cut out, from squares to trapezoids and prisms, you can easily see how to cut those shapes accurately. 

6. Oh, Scrap! by Lissa Alexander

One of the most recent books I've bought, this one stays because there are several quilts in it I want to make. The subtitle "Fabulous Quilts that make the most of your Stash" says it all--I have a stash and I want to make fabulous quilts. Add to the fact Lissa is a great person who I enjoy talking to at Market every year--she words for MODA fabrics--and this is a keeper too.

5. Small & Scrappy by Kathleen Tracy

I have several of Kathleen's books. This one has a great subtitle: Pint-Size Patchwork Quilts Using Reproduction Fabrics. That is perfect for me. I love reproduction fabrics and make lots of small quilts. Each quilt in this book inspires me--I don't often follow the directions, but am inspired by her designs here to create my own similar quilts. 

4. 19th Century Patchwork Divas' Treasury of Quilts by Betsy Chutchian and Carol Staehle

I have several of Betsy's books but this one reminds me how I fell head-over-heels in love with her group, the 19th Century Patchwork Divas'. Several years ago many of these quilts were in a Special Exhibit in Houston and I went back again and again over my two-weeks there to study and admire them. This is a group I want to be in--not just start one like it. It makes me happy to have gotten to know Betsy and I hope to take a class from her in the future. And if I start a group, what could be a better name? I am stumped, I think they have the best name ever.

3. Guide to Machine Quilting by Diane Gaudynski

Still intrigued with beautiful machine quilting. this book is a fantastic reference book for the process. Diane's work has always thrilled and inspired me. If only reading her words could make my quilting look like hers, I'd have it made. Alas, it takes lots of practice. I'm still working on it. 

2. The Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns by Barbara Brackman

The Bible of pieced quilt blocks. I look through this book frequently when designing a new quilt, looking for blocks I might not know. For appraisers, this book is a must as it provides not only names for almost every pieced block ever printed but the years and sources of those patterns. Barbara Brackman is a TREASURE as a quilt historian--I have learned so much from her books.  This book is one of my most important titles. 

1. The Art of Classic Quiltmaking by Sharyn Craig and Harriet Hargrave

If I could keep only ONE book, this is the one. We don't have great "process" books like this today, most are "project" books. This one covers all aspects of quiltmaking, from all the sizes of standard mattresses and what size quilt to make to fit them, to great quilt projects starting with simple scrap quilts all the way up to challenging curved-pieced blocks. There is an entire chapter on borders, another on quilting, another whole chapter on finishing--the binding, etc. This one book could teach a person most everything they need to know to be a great quilter. I am so thankful they wrote it, I still recommend students try to find a copy online and I have TWO copies--just in case something happens to the first one.  It is my go-to reference book, hands down.

So, there you have it. Did one of your favorites make the list? What is your #1 book? 

And, one bit of advice--if you have great quilt books, take time to READ them, not just look at the photos. They can teach you a lot.

Let's quilt!

Barbara