Tag: Tuesday thread how to quilt

Self-Binding Tutorial of a Quilt

Tuesday Thread How to Quilt

Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial
Self Binding means: 
Bring the quilt backing to the front and using it as your binding, I am bring this over from The Quilt Ladies, this post is used and asked for all the time, Thank you for that.
Just a few days ago I received this comment on my original post:
from Helen:

After reading the tutorial 3 times I committed to try it.
It worked perfectly. I just followed the instructions and it worked
on a table runner. This method stops so much waste of material.

See all MY Books in PRINT HERE
Step by Step How to do Self Binding on a Quilt Make your quilt block, add batting heat resistant, and quilt. Trim the batting even with your quilt top
How to do Self Binding on a QuiltCut one backing 1″ from the quilt edge

How to do Self Binding on a QuiltFold the backing to the edge of the quilt, 1/2″, I like to press it down

How to do Self Binding on a Quilt
Again, fold the backing over onto the quilt top, make sure you are on the quilt top with the edge, this is your sewing edge, pin it down
How to do Self Binding on a QuiltFold the corner over as shown
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Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt LadiesAnd then do the steps as before, 
fold over half way and
then fold over half way again. 
Pin well.
Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt LadiesSometimes at the corner you will have to move it around a bit
to make the corner perfect, go slow and pin well. 
Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt LadiesWhen I get it like, I like,  pin and I press a bit, between pins and at the corner
it holds it just a bit better. 
Remember, pressing is up and down with an iron. 
Doing it up and down your fabric will not stretch or move.

Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt Ladies
With your machine sew along the backing edge, do a few back stitches to hold ends

Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt LadiesI like doing 2 rows of stitching, just my personal like.

Self-Binding Quilt Tutorial from The Quilt Ladies

Beth Ann of The Quilt Ladies

How to Survive Retirement my new book

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

How to Make Bias Tape

Tuesday Thread – The Quilt Ladies

 Bias Tape is NOT hard to make and you don’t need to purchase anything you will need 
Beth Ann of The Quilt Ladies
See all The Quilt Ladies Do
2 Straight Pins
1 Piece of fabric cut 1″ x 3″  – (dark green) Holding Strip
 
The strip (light color) you will make into bias tape, I cut mine large to show, normal cut will be 3/4″ to 1 1/4″ wide. 
 
Bias Tape the OLD Fashion Way

How to make Bias Tape Iron over your edges, 1/8″ to 1/4″ and Press in, do about 2-3 inches, enough to hold and pull through

How to make Bias Tape the OLD Fashion WayDo both sides/edges
How to make Bias TapeLay your started binding down, pressed side up.
Take your Holding Strip and lay on top, Pin into your ironing board cover next to the bias tape.
How to make Bias Tape the OLD Fashion WayPull the bias tape
How to make Bias Tape And, with a hot, dry iron press, at first do a bit, and lift iron, pull and iron.
How to make Bias Tape the OLD Fashion Way
As the tape becomes longer you can leave the iron and pull slowly.
(Other side view)
How to make Bias Tape the OLD Fashion WayPull tape slowly
How to make Bias TapeGood side of bias tape.
How to make Bias TapeI like to roll mine  to keep it until I’m ready to use it.
I learned this years ago from a Home Eco. teacher in the 70’s
No need to buy a machine to do this for you !  But, you can if you like !

 

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#tuesdaythread, #biastape, #howtoquilt

How to Make Center Squares and Triangle Corner Square Quilt Blocks

Tuesday Thread – Quilt How to

Beth Ann of The Quilt Ladies
The Center triangle quilt block is all about sewing your triangles on to opposite sides, turn and sew opposite sides.

FYI: I am a little generous with my cutting of the triangles, you can always cut them, sew and trim, to the 1/4″ seam allowance.

Center Square
how to make a center square quilt block
Cut your Squares and then triangles as stated in the pattern.
Sew on the top triangle, Trim the ends even.
Sew on the bottom Triangle, Trim the ends.
Note:
sewing the pieces across make the square lay flat, as does trimming the ends.
Sew on the side triangles.
Trim the quilt block making sure to leave the 1/4” seam allowance. 
Press
 
how to make a center square quilt block
center square quilt block cutting chart
Center Square Cutting Guide

 

how to make a quilt block with triangle cornersTriangle Corners  Adding Triangle to corner unit
 
Cut your Squares into triangles as stated in the pattern.
Sew triangles (finished size plus 7/8″) to square or triangle block,
trim and press.
Cut your Squares (finished size plus 7/8″)and then into triangles as
stated in the pattern
Place the good-side of fabric to good-side of
fabric, sew from corner to corner.
Using a 1/4” seam allowance, trim, press to larger triangle. 
corner triangle added to quilt block
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Hand Sewing a Quilt Block – Tuesday Thread

Hand Sew a Quilt Block

Let’s do some hand piecing of a quilt block 

I hand piece or hand quilt EVERY Monday at my small group quilting group. Really…I’m just to lazy to get my sewing machine carried in and set up, plus then I couldn’t walk over. A new member arrived last Monday and she asked LOTS of questions about hand piecing.
So, I’m re-posting my basic hand piecing class

I feel all quilter’s should at some time do hand piecing, I know you think I’m nuts, but it brings me back to the tradition of what quilters are all about. I try to do one every year or so. Your piece need not be a huge project, but please, try it.

This is my travel quilt box, would you believe it’s an old Ethel M Chocolate box from Las Vegas about 35 years ago. It has everything but scissors, you just can’t travel with them anymore. I have gotten into the habit of keeping it all together. This box has been on many vacations, fishing trips and even at baseball/football games in many towns, when the boys still lived with us.

hand piece a quiltCut an assortment of fabric, 
For one block you will need
8 – 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
and
4 – 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
I just cut a pile of each and put the colors together as I piece.
marking lines to hand make a quilt
 
Mark a 1/4″ seam line on fabric back, I use a ruler and pencil.
 
hand stitch a quilt
 
Knot your thread and do a rocking stitch. After a bit you will not need the line, notice my thumb,
 I use it as my measurement guide, some add a mark on their nail, but I don’t like messing up my nails, aka manicure !
 
how to hand piece a quilt block
 
I use a thread about 18-20 inches long and string piece, knotting at the beginning and end of each block. Finger piece them open.
 
sewing a quilt by hand
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.
how to hand piece a quilt
Open and finger press. Add 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2′ to side.
how to piece a quilt
Draw sewing line, Pin and sew on line,
hand piece a quilt
Finger press to the outside.
 
how to hand piece a quilt block
 Take 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ and draw sewing line on each end, sew to 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ Do 2 times.
how to hand piece a quilt block
Draw seam line if needed. Place good fabric to good, pin and sew.  
how to hand piece a quilt block
 This is the back of my hand pieced block. 
how to hand piece a quilt
 
Two finished blocks, each block has a finished size of 4″
 
Take some time, don’t take it all too serious, pick a comfy chair, good light and just have some HAND piecing fun.
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SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy
 

How to Quilt – Basic Need to Knows

Tuesday Thread – Quilt Information

Here is a bit of info that will make starting to quilt a little easier.  Quilt sizes, fabric sizes and if you missed it how to sew a basic square and triangle quilt block. 

Beth Ann of The Quilt Ladies
Standard Cut Sizes of Fabric
Fat Quarter – 18” x 22”
Fat Eighth – 9” x 22”
Fat Sixteenth – 4 ½” x 22”
1 Yards is 36” x 44-45 ”(width may be different per
fabric company)
Standard Mattress Sizes
Crib – 23’ x 46’ or 28” x 52”
Twin Single – 39” x 75”
Double/Full – 54” x 75”
Queen – 60” x 80”
King – 76” x 80” or 78” x 80”
Standard Batting Sizes
Crib Size – 45’ x 60”
Twin – 72” x 90”
Double/Full – 81” x 96”
Queen – 90” x 108”
King 120” x 120”

IF you missed it here are the TWO basic Quilt blocks again ! 

There are MANY ways to piece quilt blocks,
I’m sharing the way I like to do it.
Squares 
Cut 2 – 2 ½” x 2 ½” squares the same size (finished size of square plus 1/2 inch)
Good to good Fabric
ÂĽ inch seam allowance, sew
Trim threads
Open and Press to the dark  – My How to do this
how to quilt with The Quilt Ladies
Triangles
Cut 2- 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” Squares
(finished size
plus 7/8”)
Good to good fabric, with a pencil draw a line corner to
corner, this is
The line you measure your ¼” seam allowance from
Sew from edge to edge use a ¼” seam
Cut in half on the pencil line, trim threads
Open and press to the dark fabric,
There will be 2 blocks – My How to do this
Cutting Chart for Half-Square Triangles
Learn how to quilt with The Quilt Ladies

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How to Make a Triangle Quilt Block

Triangle Tutorial

How to Make a Quilt Triangle

Just like the square if you are not ready to purchase a rotary cutter and mat. You will need to make a freezer paper pattern.  How to do Square’s HERE

Take the FINISHED size of the square you want and add 7/8 of an inch.
example:
for a finished size 2 inch square you will cut your fabric 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″
for a finished size 3 inch square you will cut your fabric 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″
for a finished size 4 inch square you will cut your fabric 4 7/8″ x 4 7/8″

And so on, either make you freezer paper pattern or up with a rotary cutter and ruler.

Tutorial to make a quilt triangle



 

I’ve used a 3 inch FINISHED Square cut 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″A light and a dark.

How to make a quilt triangle
On the Wrong side of the light fabric draw a line from corner to corner.

This is the cutting line NOT sewing line

How to make a quilt triangle

On your sewing machine sew a straight seam, 1/4″ from the line. Pencil is on if you need, my sewing machine foot is 1/4″
How to make a quilt triangleTurn and do the same thing on the other side.(when I have many to sew, I do chain piecing, one right after another, not stopping the machine until all finished and then turn and do the other side)
If NEW do them one at a time.
Tutorial to make a quilt triangle
Cut on the drawn Cutting line.





You have 2 triangles







Open them up and 2 triangles
How to make a quilt triangle
Press your seam to the dark fabric and trim the end tail off.


How to make a quilt triangle
This is your finished triangle




GIVE IT A TRY…. IT’S NOT HARD.
I recently posted a quilt block on Facebook and there was a lot of take about points.
Here’s how I do it.
how to not cut off triangle points in quilting
Pieced together a triangle to a block
how to not cut off triangle points in quilting
Added this as a strip to another piece.  Pin as much as you need, check as you pin to make sure
you have the 1/4 seam allowance. how to not cut off triangle points in quilting
On this seam I had to move the needle in just 2 threads to make the point perfect.
Press the fabric 
how to not cut off triangle points in quiltingThe point. 
I can ONLY do this because you purchase my books and quilt pattern book, Thank you, Beth Ann
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A Few Things about Learning to Quilt – How to Quilt

Tuesday Thread, Let’s start to Sew that Quilt Block

Always remember that quilting has been done for hundreds of years and all the new gadgets are great. You can still do things very simply and fill your sewing closet with new innovations as your talent grows. 
 No need to purchase a rotary cutter and mat your first time out. Take your time and enjoy the sewing process.
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Things needed to start a quilt project:
A sewing machine that sews a straight line, borrow one or purchase one at a large chain store. No need to spend hundreds/thousands on a machine to straight stitch. OR Hand piecing can be done too. Everything is the same as a machine, but you hand stitch using the same ¼” seam allowance. I will share how to soon. 

freezer paper to make quilt block patterns
1)Graph Paper
2)Freezer Paper – Plastic coated paper, like the butcher’s wrap meat in. You can purchase it at your local store or if you ask they may give you some at your butcher counter
3)Glue stick
4)Iron
5)Gray thread
6)Ruler
7)Pencil
8)Basic sewing supplies, Scissors, thimble, sew riper, etc.
9)Needles – for hand piecing Sharps size 7-12, for quilting Between needles size 10-12
10)Sewing Pins
11) Fabric and Batting
Cutting – Rotary cutter, mat and ruler can be used if you have them. If you are new to quilting and are not sure you want to buy all these supplies try Freezer paper. It may be purchased at any grocery store. You will notice that one side is shiny, one not.
Draw the pattern pieces on to graph paper, the finished
size, Add a ¼ inch seam allowance around the entire outside edge –the cutting line, the – – – line. The – – – – will be the sewing line


How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies

(example – 2 inch finished size cut square 2 ½” x 2 ½”) Cut pattern out
With a glue stick. Paste the pieces to How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladiesthe NON-shiny side of the freezer paper.
Cut the pattern out.
You can now iron the pattern to your fabric, shiny side down.
This pattern can be used over and over. It will leave no film on your How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladiesfabric.




At this point in quilting classes, it’s time to make a quilt block! Use the method, ruler/cutter or freezer paper.
Here is how to make a quilt square – A 4-patch quilt block

Cut 2 squares the same size (finished size of square plus 1/2 inch) example cut 2 ½ x 2 1/2″ inch seam allowance, sew
Good side of fabric to good side of fabric
Trim threads
Open and Press to the dark


How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies

 

1)sew seam with a 1/4 inch seam allowance,
you may need to mark your machine with this measurement.
2) You can chain piece a few at a time
Cut thread and open
 
make a quilt


How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies





3)sew these together

How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies

Watch your color placement, sew good side to good side.
 
 
 
4) A 4-patch quilt square
How to Start Quilting with The Quilt Ladies

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PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy


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How to Quilt – Choosing Fabric Colors

How to Build Fabric Colors

Fabric colors are always on a Quilter’s mind, And here is the way that I was taught, years and years ago. Last Week I shared how I do color using a photo, post is here for you.

how to quilt with Tuesday Thread and The Quilt Ladies

Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies1) Start with one fabric. Take this one fabric and work from it. Is that one fabric, a dark, medium or light color?

This is a Dark

Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies

 

 

Add the light and medium. Move and change it until you like it.
Lay them out in front of you.

 

How to Pick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies
Then add, a dark medium, a light medium, until you have the mix of what you like.

 

2) Choose colors and patterns you love. An average a twin size quilt will take me about a week to piece together, and if hand quilted another, 3-4 months. If tied or machine quilted 3-4 weeks, you have so much time and cost involved you have to love it.

3) Natural or background colors. These are the corner stone. More often than notPick your Quilt Colors by The Quilt Ladies the background color is your light color. Your background color helps bring the blocks together. It does not always need to be a light either, dark or medium work well to, any color can be used.
4) Color Wheel. I’m not a big fan of the color wheel, I do like when colors pops and on most of my quilts the start fabric is not the most prominent color used it in, it is just a starting point.
5) Make one block. This should always be done, a Quilters practice, cut only fabric for one block and live with it for a few days. Especially, if it’s something you’ve never tried before. Most times you will know right away if you like it or not.
6) Have fun. This is the best way I’ve found to pick colors, enjoy the process, your quilt will be fantastic.

How to Quilt Tuesday Thread – Make a Triangle Block

Triangle Quilt Block

Last week we learned to use freezer paper and made a 4-patch quilt block, today let me share how to make a triangle quilt block.
Tuesday Thread - How to Quilt
Beth Ann is The Quilt Ladies

Many quilt blocks start with squares and triangles and this is the way I learned to do they SO many years ago. Of course there are new methods, do and use what you like, you do YOU!
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How to make Triangles
Take the finished size, add 7/8″ to it and that’s the size you cut your square. You want a FINISHED size Quilt Block of 2 inches, you cut the fabric 2 7/8″ to get it. etc. etc. (if using freezer paper cut it example: 2 7/8″ x 2 7/8″)

triangle quilt block pattern

Place good side of fabric to good side of fabric,
with a pencil draw a line corner to corner, this is
The line you measure your ¼” seam allowance from
Sew from edge to edge use a ¼” seam
Cut in half on the pencil line, trim threads
Open and press to the dark fabric,
There will be 2 blocks

how to make a triangle in quiltingClip off the end triangles

how to make a triangle quilt block square

Make a quilt triangle

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PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

From Photo to Quilt Fabric Colors

Tuesday Thread – How to Quilt

This may seem a bit strange, but I love the colors in this dress, it’s from a Vogue magazine probably 6-8 years ago, (LOVE IT) and it’s how I picked the colors for my quilt B. Annie
This quilt post has been used and shared of years it really does work. 
I do have to say that after all these many years, I don’t over think color anymore.  I have used some real dog of fabrics and when it’s all together…the quilt seems to work on it’s own. 

Choose fabric from a photo

quilt fabrics from a photo in vogue
Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern Shop

Can you see it?

 The purples, the pink/red sleeve, the green top
And a White added for the white Chair ! 
Choose fabric from a photo
B Annie Quilt Pattern eBook by the Quilt LadiesThis is one of the quilt rows, choosing fabrics this way 
The only color that just didn’t work for me was the black belt and I couldn’t find anything I liked, so I just left it off.
(Note: when piecing the blocks the dark green took the place of the black)
Here’s a look at one of the 16 blocks ! 
It worked ! 
B. Annie Quilt PatternSee my B. Annie Quilt Pattern at my Etsy Shop
Meet Beth Ann:
how to quilt on Tuesday Thread
Beth Ann of The Quilt Ladies

Beth Ann is a Quilter and an Author who decided to self-publish her books and quilt pattern books

SEE Beth Ann’s BOOKS on Amazon and
PDF download quilt patterns on Etsy

Beth Ann and as always, Thank you for making my dream a reality ! !
www.bethanndoing.com
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