Trim the stabilizer down.

Then place your lace into a shallow pool of water until the stabilizer melts away – it just takes a minute or two.  Oh yes, the cat is important to your success with this step!

Gently dry your lace by patting it with a towel.  Place the damp lace on a clean, dry, flat surface until completely dry.

This is what you lace looks like when dry.  Nice pattern!

I used some leftover scrap strips for the inner border and ran out of fabric!  Diaster?  No, this quilt is scrappy!  I am going to use a small section of another strip I have with similar colors.  ‘Doubt anyone will be able to tell the difference.  I was tempted to go buy more of the same fabric – but, alas, no longer in the stores!  This forced me to stay true to the scrappy approach and still keep my quilt design intact.  Much more scrap fabric to use and much more designing to come…..  I’m having fun!

By the way, this is not really an inner border, it is a “flange” that will actually flip up from the quilt top. I took at 2.5 inch strip pressed it in half and sewed the raw edges to the outside edge of the inner border. The folded side is free to flip up.  The next border will be more of the beige neutral I used for the first border, then a big surprize!

 What next ???  Keep watching!  I am making this up as I go along and I have a lot of scrap blocks to use up!

So, I pulled out some off white/beige 5 inch squares and some multi-colored 3.5 inch square blocks this morning.  There are lots of other colors in the 3.5 inch pile, trust me!  I cute the 5 inch blocks in half on the diagonal.

Then I sewed the beige triangles onto the 3.5 inch squares to make a square in a square block.

I trimmed the block to a 6 inch block and now I am making LOTS of these blocks!  The fun part is that this is easy and a little mindless, so I can listen to the radio, do the laundry and sew in between.  I don’t know where this quilt is going from a design standpoint yet. You may want to send me some ideas….all are welcomed!  I enjoy the adventure of putting together scrappy quilts of my own design (see the 9-patch quilt project from about a year ago….).  I know I want a light colored quilt with pops of color, so I think I am headed in the right direction.  I also want to practice adding piping to my quilts, so there will be piping and maybe prairie points!!  Stay tuned, I will post updates as this quilt develops and we can explore piping and prairie point instructions.

I am modestly ashamed to say that I have owned my Bernina 630 with its embroidery module for nearly 2 years and I am only now getting around to taking the FREE embroidery mastery classes!  I truly did not know what I was missing! I completed the second class with Stephanie yesterday.  Folks, these are wonderful classes that have opened up all kinds of new ideas for my quilting! This heart pattern is actually part of the embrodery patterns that came with my machine.

The Bernina embroidery programming is so easy!  All touch screen interfaces on the face of your sewing machine.  Once you understand the different types of stabilizer and when to use them, the sky is the limit!  Did you know that you can download embroidery patterns from the internet directly into your sewing machine? ’ Just use the cable provided to link your computer to your Bernina.  Or better yet, build folders of your embroidery patterns on your laptop and transfer them to your Bernina with a USB stick. You will need Artlink 6 software to do this and it is available for free on the Bernina website, just install it on your computer! Once you know the size limits of the patterns based on your hoop size (mine is 5 X 7 inches for the larger hoop), you select the correct size pattern.  There are lots of free patterns available on the internet, so be prepared to spend hours looking at them!

In the second class we learned to place embroidery on garments, towels, pillow cases etc.  I love personalized tea towels as gifts (see earlier blog postings), so I played with some ideas. 

You can also quilt your quilts in the embroidery hoop.  Here is a test I did with a “quilt sandwich” of two layers of muslin and batting – gorgeous, right?  This pattern fits beautifully in a 6 X 6 inch finished block.  I am working on a baby quilt and will use this pattern to quilt each block, then stitch in the ditch around the blocks.  There are feather patterns as well for borders.  Just plan how many patterns to place in the border based on size of the embroidery pattern and space them appropriately across the border.  Quilters, this looks wonderful and really elevates the detail of the quilting you can do on your quilts! 

More to follow after class three!!  I hope to learn how to “piece in the hoop” to combing applique and embroidery to make Balitmore Album-styled blocks….

If your family needs holiday Wish List ideas for your quilter, come by the shop and consider the following:

1.  A gift card  – Fabric, fabric, and more fabric is what a quilter wants and craves.  We know it is difficult to pick fabric for your favorite quilter. Let your quilter have a “free” shopping experience at our New Year’s sale (or whenever) with a gift card!  This is a dream come true, trust me!

2. Scissors – really GOOD scissors!  Some how we always need a new pair of scissors.  I want a pair of the Olfa Loophole scissors for applique work.  They are only 5 inches in length and perfect for traveling with your quilting!  If you can figure out how to put your quilter’s name on them, you are golden! 

3. A RollerTravel  Bag for Your Sewing Machine – this is definitely on my list this year.  I am tired of carrying my sewing machine to class or workshops!  Not to mention, afraid I will drop it!!  Please Santa, can I have a pretty roller bag for my Bernina this year?

4. Thread – Quilters love thread in lots of colors!  The shop has lots and lots of thread, pick out several spools in her favorite color for her stocking!

5. A gift Certificate to Three Cups – so that every time your quilter takes a class at Thimble Pleasures, her coffee is “free” next door!!  (Did I mention they also have doughnut muffins??)

6. A “walking foot” – I know it sounds weird, but if your quilter is just starting out, a walking foot is is essential to actually completing the quilt.  New quilters need a lot of basics and greatly appreciate these gifts (so they can spend their money on fabric)!  If your quilter is experienced, ask us to recommend a very useful pressor foot for her sewing machine!  There are so many different things a pressor foot can do – I love my 1/4 inch foot!

7.  Class Enrollment – Give your quilter a quilting class!  One year my daughter and I got gift certificates to take a quilt class together!  It was very thoughtful and that boyfriend who gave us that class is still in her life!

8. An Ott Light – sooo very nice to help your quilter see those stitiches!

9. A sewing table. If you want to go big and make your quilter really happy, or just get her sewimg machine off the kitchen table, buy her a sewimg machine table.  She will love you forever!!  They come in all sizes and prices to fit your budget and she will love, love, love you!  Not to mention her back will feel a lot better for it!

10. Embroidery supplies and programs.  (See thread above).  There are many beautiful patterns for embroidery that your quilter can use to enhace her quilts.  Books, thread, patterns, computer programs – we have them all!  The photos at the beginning and end of this blog entry are embroidery form a new set of Christmas designs.

11.  Time.  This gift is priceless in many ways!  Give her time to sew or take a class.  Maybe you can take the kids to park every Saturday morning for a month, or you do the dishes or laundry for her so she can sew (NOT do other chores), or babysit while she is in class – this is the best gift of all.  Everyone needs a hobby or activity in their lives.  Your quilter needs the self-expression that comes with quilting. You’ll have a happier quilter for it!

If you select a gift, big or small, that shows you took time to think of your quilters interests, you will rceive a lot in return!  Yes, a gorgeous quilt, but also love and attention for supporting her in her quilting!  Let us help you pick something out – we are great with  fathers, husbands, and brothers!  Even boyfriends!  So stop by the shop soon  and Happy Holidays from Thimble Pleasures!

• This is not the swap to get rid of your ugly fabric! (That’s another challenge!!)
• Choose a good quality fabric, preferably pre-washed
• Square up your fabric
• Cut one 5” strip from the width of fabric
• Do not unfold strip, cut off both salvages
• Sub cut into eight 5” squares. Set one square aside, for you.
• Place seven 5” charms in a ziplock bag and place your name and name of swap either on bag or on a piece of paper in bag ex: Janet Doe blue
• Only good quality fabric. Make accurate cuts. No fabrics outside of guideline
• Agree that the 5 inch charms must somehow remain intact (no cutting it up!).  This doesn’t mean that they have to be focus fabric, hint, hint….

Select one color or a set of colors:

• Blue – Overall color is to be blue but prints are allowed, lights to darks
• Green – Overall color is to be green but prints are allowed, lights to darks
• Red – Overall color is to be red but prints are allowed lights to darks
• Pink – Overall color is to be pink but prints are allowed lights to darks
• Gray – Overall color is to be gray but prints are allowed tone on tone allowed
• Pastel – Overall color is to be pastel but prints are allowed lights only
• Country colors – All colors allowed, prints allowed medium to darks
• Bright colors – All colors allowed, prints allowed, must be bright
• Floral – Use a small or medium print, fussy cut if needed
• Novelty – All colors allowed, small to medium print, fussy cut if needed
• Black – ALL color is to be black NO OTHER COLORS, tone on tone allowed and encouraged
• White/beige – ALL color is to be white or beige, no muslin, tone on tone allowed and encouraged

You may want to limit the list of possible fabric color, depending upon how many quilters are participating, eg. fewer colors for fewer quilters. Everyone then receives a mixture of 7 charms from what was collected. If you sent in blue, you will receive 7 blue charms back.  Remember, you kept one of your blue charms, so the total is 8.  It’s best if one person selects the mixture of charms and returns them to each quilter.  Give yourselves one month to make 8 blocks from the 8 charms (that’s 2 a week, easy!).  Then get together and discuss how to design a quilt around the blocks.  Sharyn Craig has several books on this topic, if you need design suggestions.  This is great fun for guilds to do!  If your sewing circle is interested, and the group has only 8 members, be more restrictive in fabric choice.  Pick one color and fabric type, eg.  red and novelty fabric etc.

You will be amazed at all the different blocks and designs your friends come up with!  Most importantly, have fun and enjoy each other’s fabric choices!

In its simplest form, a signature quilt is one that is constructed using a single pattern block with signatures of family or friends inked or embroidered on each block. They became popular as gifts because they could be made easily from scraps and did not require a great deal of investment in materials. The signature area is often a solid light color so that the signature stands out.  Today, these quilts are often made as wedding shower gifts, where the women in the bride’s family each make a block, sign it, and one person assembles the quilt. Signature quilts are also nice for graduation, birthdays, retirement, anniversaries, and birth of babies.

Modern adaptations of the Victorian signature quilts include “awareness” quilts that are made to build awareness of a cause or to raise funds for charities, e.g. cancer or other serious illnesses.  Signature blocks can be also combined with photos or t-shirts to make memory quilts.  Another popular form of signature quilt is the celebrity quilt, where quilters send letters and blank pieces of fabric to prominent members of a community, politicians, film stars, or other celebrities, and ask that the block be signed and mailed back. Again, one person gathers the blocks and assembles the quilt.

So, if you need an idea for a special someone in your life, consider a signature quilt!  Special Note:  if you are using ink to sign the signature, please be certain to use permanent ink pens designed for fabric, so the signature is permanent and the ink does not run. A fine tipped pen is best. Your local quilt shop will carry these pens!