Getting Organizred in your Studio

Some of you have asked for tips on how to get organized in your sewing room/studio.  So, it's seems to me that we all need help with this.  Let me show you some of my favorite ways that I keep thing in there place and what helps me. 

Hanging the batting from the basement ceiling works very well at my home.  Not all of you have a basement and this is not something you could do.  Here's a thought maybe you have a garage, storage closet or a place that it could be hung.  Hanging from the ceiling doesn't take up floor space.

We used the extra poles for my long arm frames to hang the batting on.  The poles are hung with straps that you can get at the local hardware store. Then I went to my closet and selected a few belts that I no longer can wear (or fit in). These belts became a strap to hold the batting from unrolling it's self which one bold did entirely on the floor.

Four bin hamper for organizing scrapes.  I could not live with out this device in my studo.

Each bin is labeled for what goes in the hamper. Batting, batiks, regular fabric and strips are how I sort each compartment.

 

Serger thread sorted by color on a peg board has been attached to an unfinished wall in the basement.  When you need 4 or more spools of each color it is nice to see what colors you have and the ability to get to them helps also. 

Under the long arm frame is a large amount of dead space.  After taking a few measurements I started researching for drawer units with wheels.  These fit perfect and I purchased four from Ikea. This frame is 12 foot.

Here's the information about the units and a link to help you with more details about the drawers.

ALEX

Drawer unit on casters, white

$119.00

Article Number: 

401.962.41

Drawer stops prevent the drawer from being pulled out too far.

Size

26 3/8x26 "

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40196241/

Under my 10 foot Momentum Frame I have added a shelving unit with fabric drawers.  This works well for scrapes, stabilizers, yarn, project and sew much more!  These units were purchased at Target.  They are made to stand up.  By putting them on their sides they were perfect for this frame and the space that I had. 

Wactch for more ways to help you get organize!

Happy Quilting, 

Denise

Birthing a Quilt

The first time I ever made a quilt I was shown how to birth it.  At that time is was very common to do. 

 

Finishing a project without binding is simplified with inside-out method for making a quilt sandwich, sometimes also called you may have heard it called “Birthing”.  

Cut the backing 2” longer than the top.  Take backing but in half. Place right sides together. Using 2 pins mark a 4” space along the width of the backing. Seam the edge using 2.0 stitch length and ½” seam allowance.  Press to one side (not open).

Next place the top on the backing right sides together.  Place the batting on the wrong side of the top. Stitch around the entire quilt.  Turn the quilt through the hole that was created in the middle of the backing.  Trim corners to remove excess fabric.  Use a corner turner to push the fabric to a point at each corner. Press and quilt as desired. 

The below project is a small wall hanging that works well for a first project to try this technique on. 

Applying Binding by Machine

Click this link to see a video on how to attach binding by machine.

Happy Quilting,
Denise

Bobbin Winding

 Are you someone who gets frustrated when your bobbin runs out?  I once was just like you.  Here is my tip for you...When you purchase a spool of thread be sure to get two spools! One spool will go on the machine and the other spool empty it by winding bobbins.  Its amazing to have all the bobbins you need to go with a spool of thread. 
Happy Winding,
Denise

BIas Cut Binding

Here's a short video to help you custom cut your bias binding.  It works great for striped fabrics.
It view full screen, click on the icon in the lower right hand corner of the film widow. 

Happy Quilting,
Denise

Golden Threads Paper

Many of you have asked how to use Golden Threads Paper so I thought it would be handy to share some of the videos that I followed when learning how to use this wonderful paper.  Cheryl Barnes taught me the tricks of quilting with Golden Threads paper and I am sure that you will learn a lot from her also.

Using the Seam Fix Tool will help when removing the Golden Threads Paper after sewing though it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHXoitox02E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_t5SOmOrng

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jwEPdchHww

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHXoitox02E

Happy Quilting,
Denise

What is birthing a quilt about?

Finishing a project without binding is simplified with inside-out method for making a quilt sandwich, sometimes also called you may have heard it called “Birthing”.  When making my first quilt this process of birthing was used in my class making an Eleanor Burns "Log Cabin in a Day Quilt".  Then the quilt was tied together.  My have thing changed.  The processes have evolved and the technology has evolved to help us to be better at what we love.

 

Backing with cut line across width of fabric

Cut the backing 2” longer than the top allowing for the seam.  Cut backing piece in half along the center on the same side you added the 2". Place right sides together. Using 2 pins mark a 4” space along the width of the backing. Seam the edge using 2.0 stitch length and ½” seam allowance.  Press to one side (not open). 

Next place the top on the backing right sides together.  Place the batting on the wrong side of the top. Stitch around the entire quilt.  Trim excess fabric around quilt and snip corners. 

Turn the quilt through the hole that was created in the middle of the backing.  Trim corners to remove excess fabric.  Use a corner turner to push the fabric to a point at each corner. Press and quilt as desired.  When finishing this way there needs to be no hand sewing since the quilting is done after you birth.  The edges all look wonderful and the students loved it in class.

 

 Many of the small wallhangings are finished with this same process instead of binding.  Ricky Tims taught this finishing technique at one of his retreats I attended.  It has stuck with me for years.  

Happy Quilting, 

Denise