Saving up my questions

Well, the only one I can address is the mixing of hand and machine piecing. I think (but could be totally wrong) that it is recommended that you use the same method (all hand or all machine) on your top, and even use the same machine throughout if you are one that has more than one machine. That being said, I don't see anything wrong with mixing them. My grandmother does this all the time. She loves to hand sew and often does this on portions of her quilts, while she machine pieces others portions. I have one such quilt where she has used both methods and it turned out great. She is not one, however, that will ever enter a quilt in a show or anything. Her quilts are just for those she loves because she loves to make them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is it may not be the 'proper' way, but they are your quilts, so make them they way you enjoy making them.

Since I seem to be getting to the questions first, I'm going to take the easy one. Louise asked ' And where in a rainbow do I put a print with lots of colours in it?' I keep a separate 2 gallon zip bag for the odd fellows - gators, Tootsie Rolls, Jacobean, that sort of fabric that really can not be called one color. Of course there's an exception to anything. A new piece here is polka dots of every pastel; I filed it with the pinks. Probably it will be used with the pinks and that seemed logical. Great questions, Louise. Looking forward to the answers, Polly

Hi Louise, Periodically, someone will ask the best way to sort your stash. I think it's sort of a personal preference, so what works for some, may not work for others. For me, I have 2 cabinets, with glass doors. Anything 1/2 yard or larger goes in here. I have them sorted by colors basically, but I also have a section for what I consider to be "brights". I have a section for all floral prints. I have woven's by themselves, as well as batiks & 30's prints. I have novelties separated as well as anything that would fall into a Valentine "heart" category.

The lower part of the cabinet has solid doors on it. I have pieces of fabric that are large enough to be used as quilt backs, then I have all my flannels on the other side, PIGS on one side & then miscellaneous stuff on the other.

I tend not to buy fat quarters, but sometimes can't resist, so I have those stored by color in cardboard photo boxes. All my little scraps of fabric, I have sorted by color & they are in zip lock bags in a wicker chest.

I like to be very organized, but whenever I am pulling fabrics for a project, my "order" gets a little messed up. My "order" is that all my greens go from dark to light, blues, dark to light, etc. They don't always get back in their exact slot when I'm looking for colors.

Can't help you with your other questions Louise.

I sort by color - but little scraps just get tossed together in one area. There are those fabrics that just don't fit into a particular color theme, so I have some special categories: Christmas fabric, 30s reproductions, and "everything else."

I haven't mixed hand piecing with machine quilting, but I don't know why it couldn't be done. If the quilting is being done on a domestic sewing machine, that would probably be best, but it could also be done on a longarm. I'd probably take some extra precautions not to get it too taut, but other than that, it should be fine.

I've used both hand and machine piecing in the same project. Generally, though, I hand piece or appliqué the blocks but use the machine for the sashing and borders.

I haven't used templates for quite a while. Generally, if you're hand piecing, you would mark only the sewing line and if you're machine piecing, you would mark only the cutting line. My first quilt was a Trip Around The World, and I used a 2" square cardboard template for that. I marked the sewing line (because I was hand piecing), then moved the template about 1/2 inch away from the previous line and marked again. I then cut between the lines. I found I had to create a new template a couple of times during the process, as the edges of the cardboard started to get worn from the friction of the pencil against them, and the template got smaller as I went along. To cut them, it might be worth using your rotary cutter and then saving that blade for future template cutting. It's a lot easier to get a straight line using the cutter and ruler!

What project are you working on? I love diamonds, so I'll be waiting for pictures!

I bought some plastic boxes on special offer, and got 6 about 11" x 18" at a guess. I sorted the fabrics (fat 1/4s by colour and then by shade - some boxes have 2 colours. If I have any larger pieces they sit on top of the fqs and can easily be lifted out. Christmas and fabric with metallic on it has its own box, and multi colours are stored together in another box, but sorted roughly into dominent colours. As I have little room 3 boxes line the rear of my sewing table, and three are stacked under it at one side. The boxes aren't labelled, but have clear lids so I can see in.

Can be other way round. Also particularly in a sampler quilt, some blocks may be machined quilted and some hand.

I tend to choose a specific project to do by hand - either applique,the quilting, or paper piecing using Stitch n' Tear which goes nice and soft. This is actually my favourite way to do paper piecing. Takes longer but more relaxing, and you can do it on a tray on your knee while watching TV. I have a small board and cutter specially for this.

I use my strong kitchen scissors for this, or an old pair of dressmaking scissors that have been demoted. I like long bladed scisors for cutting templates so the cuts can be long. I also have two pairs of Fiskars embroidery scissors that DS ruined in his early days building rc gliders! Now he is in his thirties he has to buy his own to ruin and mine are safe!They are good for small pieces. They all cut the plastic stuff ok, though you can sand down any glitches. I also use cereal packets. I keep old rotary cutter blades and use them for cutting card and paper. I mark them accordingly so they don't get used for fabric.

I have a little gizmo for drawing 1.4" seam allowances. Its a little fat metal disc with a hole in the middle. you put a pencil point through the hole and drag the disc along the side of the template. Its good for curves.

Hope this helps a bit.

Thread snips are not meant for cutting fabric. They're for snipping thread. The blades in a rotary cutter are replaceable. Use it. Most long blade scissors are meant for cutting fabric. If you get a top quality pair of scissors like Ginghers they'll last years and years cutting miles and miles of fabric before they ever need sharpened. The top brands of scissors are meant to be sharpened.

It would also help if you buy real left hand scissors. In most rotary cutters you can switch the side the blade is on for left handed use.

Ms P

I can tell you how I organize my fabrics and you can take or leave what you want ;-) I have mine by colors in big plastic tubs, red, greens, blues. If it is predominately one color, into that tub it goes. I also have one for multicolors, bright florals, paisleys that refuse to commit to a single color family, that sort of thing. Then my smaller pieces (currently about 8" or less) I have in plastic shoeboxes according to size, starting with 2 inches wide (as narrow as I'm likely to use) about every half -inch up to 8 inches. So if they're squares or strips, they go in. If something is, say 3

1/4 inches, it goes in the 3 inch tub. That way, if I need something a little narrower, it's fine, I can just cut it to the correct size. But you can't add it back! All this mess resides in what was probably a linen closet in my den/sewing room. Gotta love old houses... my refrigerator is in the same room. The kitchen is too small.

Here is my stash organizing:

I sort by colors. Where there are multiple colors, I sort by what occurs the most in a fabric.

I only do hand piecing and machine quilting. I have a lot of waiting time while my kids are in therapy (Pillbug is autistic and Rocky is speech delayed) so that's the only time I have to piece.

I have not done so, but I think I would not like the results. My hand-pieced tops look different from my machine-pieced tops.

Oh my. I use ordinary scissors to cut the vinyl templates. Thread snips are too small to do anything but cut thread, for me, plus I don't want to dull them.

I've only marked fabric a couple of times and decided it was too much work... so I have no useful suggestions.

-- Anita --

I have metal shelves that kind of snap together and I bought small plastic see through containers with snap on lids. The lids have a handle (stackable.) I have sorted all my fabrics by color theme and put each color theme in their own container and I place three containers on each shelf. I'm afraid of mice making nest...although my meows are really good hunters and I seldom see a mouse. I also seperated the children themed fabric and specialty fabrics into their own container. I have my fat quarters in a large plastic container with a snap on lid and I keep this under my cutting table. I place the multi colored fabric in the container when I feel their is a color more dominant than the others. Like if there is black/dark background and tons of bright flowers...I'd put it in the dark/black container unless majority of the flowers were red...then I'd put it in the red container. Do I have you all confused?! lol Well, anyway it works for me! lol

I haven't used templates in a long while, but when I did I had my husband cut plexi glass templates from my drawing them with a permanent marker.

Launie, in Oregon

I've used a pair of paper scissors, I think they are also Fiskars and it comes out fine, I don't know if they sell a left handed version though. But any sharp ordinary scissors should do. Or, use the rotary cutter, you have to change the blade pretty frequently anyway, so if it does dull it faster, it's not such an issue as fabric scissors you'd have to take somewhere to get sharpened.

Anne

I'll say straight out that I am answering this before reading the other replies! Stash sorting: two main divisions - plain and patterned within those two: by colour + one small drawer for fabric that is multi-coloured + one drawer for 'special' fabrics, like silk and upholstery cotton.

I am, funnily enough, just about to start of a miniature which will have to have hand piecing - I will machine quilt it.

No problem switching between hand and machine quilting in one piece, as long as you remember the different treatment of seam intersections and allow for it.

Template drawing helps: when drawing, use as fine a pencil as you can, but use a soft lead to increase visibility. I have a special pair of scissors with *long* blades to cut out. If they get blunt, have them sharpened or buy a new pair - cheaper than ruining loads of fabric. If you are cutting small angles, you may find that card will curl at that point. Sorry, but thread snips will never do it! When transferring the template shape to fabric: place your fabric on a piece of fine sandpaper to reduce to almost nothing any fabric movement; angle your pencil lead into the template, where it is firmly pressed onto the fabric, so that the drawn line is as close as possible to the size of the template. Adding the quarter inch seam allowance is fine to so as you describe, but make sure you have your ruler at right angles to the drawn line (I mean just at the point you are marking the quarter inch).

If you only have a *thick* mark - eg if you are having to use a coloured pencil for drawing, sew to the inside edge of that line. Some pencil lines can be a full sixteenth of an inch wide.

Hope something there helps. . In message , Louise writes

Patti's just explained something that you might not have thought through. If you must make a thick line when drawing around a template, she says to stitch to the inside of that line. Well, sure. Why didn't I realize that? Many's the time I've struggled to have a sharp point on a white or silver pen and dismally failed. It truly doesn't matter. All that is needed is to remember that you want to sew to the inside (the edge that was next to the template) of the thick line. This even holds true with blunt markers. Sometimes I fussy cut squares of I Spy fabric and use a simple piece of blackboard chalk. It is easy to see, handy and so long as you cut 'to the inside' of the marks, 'how wide' the line is doesn't matter. Thank you, Patti. Polly

So many different replies to your post. It made interesting reading. I have been quilting on and off for about 12 years and I know that I am not talented. The quilts I have made have been for family. My grandchildren love to get a quilt from grandma. When I first started out I collected so many books and gadgets that I could never in a million years make that many quilts. I have now started giving these away or selling them. I decided to downsize and buy fabric for whatever project I am working on at the time. I had fabric that was years old and I knew I wouldn't use it. Last year my sister bought a Handi Quilter for me and I have only used it once... I still need to buy a table for it and learn how to use it. It is now in storage as I am trying to get a sewing room large enough for it. One thing I do love to do is hand quilt and I am not that great at that but it does tend to relax me.

Hi Louise, you are probably getting several different answers and some will be repeats. But I am answering before reading other answers. Answers interspersed in your message

Louise wrote:

Yes. Everyone sorts differently and may sort differently at different times. Depends on how you "pull" fabrics and what you have in the way of space and time and so on. Whatever makes sense for you is the best way.

My goodness yes. And machine piecing and hand quilting and ...

I mix whatever whenever. I machine/hand piece and quilt in various combinations. Depends on my mood, the quilt's mood, and the situation.

Invest in a a pair of paper scissors that are left handed. And use older rotary blades to cut template plastic. Using your thread snips will dull them and they won't snip your thread the way they should. That all said. One of the ways to get templates like this is to draw the block on freezer paper. Also draw it on regular paper. Number each separate part. (Number both freezer paper and regular paper the in exact same way. the paper is a master sheet/key.) Then cut the freezer paper apart on the lines. Iron(dry iron, firm/hard surface) to the back of your fabric, then cut out 1/4" from the edge for your seam allowance. Draw lightly around the freezer paper, using a thin ruler (not a rotary cutting ruler) to keep your lines straight against the freezer paper. This gives you the "sewing" line for hand piecing. Be sure to sew just into the seam allowance to allow for the "scant" part of the seam. You can also sew these parts together by machine. Using the edge of the freezer paper as the seam guide. The same freezer paper template can be used several times. BTW, the 36° and 72° angle diamonds are not the easiest to start with. any reason for these specifically?? Don't not do them, just wondering why you are doing them

Once you have the seam line marked, you don't need to mark the cutting line before cutting. Just lay your ruler with the 1/4" mark on the sewing line, and cut along the edge with your rotary cutter. With "regular" shapes that will be sewn on the machine there is no reason to mark the seam line. Just figure out the size of square/triangle you need, including the seam allowances and cut that. You might want to invest in a basic beginning book. "Your First Quilting Book-- or It should be" by Carol Doak is one, of many, good one that isn't terribly expensive. See if your library has any of the good beginning books. Find one that is relatively recent. things have changed a lot in the last 20 years and some of the older beginning books are, while still good for what they are, not the best to start with in today's quilting world.

Most of all, have fun. Realize that the first project, or two or more, will not be perfect. Accept that from the beginning. You will get better, and it will get easier. Ask questions and keep asking until answers make sense.

Pati, in Phx

OK, here are my answers, but you'll probably get all sorts of opinions! Stash: I have lots of wire baskets, fabrics sorted mainly by color and folded so I can mostly see at a glance what's there. I have a couple of theme baskets to suit me: multi-color flower prints, for example. But you need to sort in whatever way helps you work!

I frequently mix hand and machine work. Hand piece 2.5" bowties, then machine piece those into 6.5" blocks. Assemble and quilt on the machine, just to give you a recent example. You can mix quilting too, if you feel like it. It's Your project!

I have a separate cutter for paper and plastic, uses old blades that don't cut fabric cleanly any more. I have made special templates by cutting several layers of plastic (such as folder covers), then super-glueing the layers together to get something safe for rotary cutting. Not as good as acrylic, but much better than cardboard.

And if you're making a template for rotary cutting, go ahead and make it to include the seam allowance!

Roberta in D

"Louise" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

I'm loving everyone's answers, even though I haven't been responding yet. Thank you all so much!

Because a friend challenged me to do Penrose Tiling in a quilt.

Louise, in eastern Ontario.

If you are interested in Penrose Tiling, Louise, you might be interested in seeing the one I have made. It is on our website. Click on the link that mentions mathematical quilts, and scroll through until you see it - it is turquoise and salmon pink with various other colours around. It is not at all difficult to do. I hand stitched all the diamonds; appliquéd the centre onto a background and then everything else was machine worked.

(is the website address) . In message , Louise writes

You're probably getting more than you wanted!

You have to sort your stash in the way that works for *you*. I sort mine by color, but multicolored fabrics get dumped into the bin for whatever is the predominant color. I also put mine end up so I can see them all at once. :)

I never have, but I've heard of people who do. Nothing wrong with it at all, just as there's nothing wrong with machine piecing and hand quilting, which I *have* done. :)

There are *no* quilt police. You can piece upside down on your bathroom ceiling if you like.

I'm left-handed, too. My Fiskars snips work pretty well for a lot of things, but cutting that plastic is something I'm not sure is easy, no matter which hand (or which scissors) you use. What I'd do is make your template out of paper and then tape it to the bottom of your ruler, lining up one side of the template with the edge of the ruler. Cut. Then turn the template to a different side, line up the cut edge of the fabric with the side of the template you just moved, cut again. I hope that's a bit clearer than mud. Anyway, doing it that way means you don't need templates, since diamonds don't have curved sides. :)

If you're hand piecing, do mark the seam line. Then use your rotary cutter to cut 1/4" away from that -- no need to mark twice. If you're machine piecing, just cut -- you don't need to mark the seam allowance.

Good luck, Louise! :)

No, this is great! It turns out that answers from quilters, like fabric and thread, is something I can't get enough of!

Oh, but of course! Thank you!

Louise