Good Morning, Quilters!
I am back from Spring Market in St. Louis — energized and exhausted all at once!
I have lots of news to share–but we will reserve it for later this week because we have work to do!
We are free motion quilting our Spring Quilt-a-Long.
This quilt-a-long was designed as a half-square and border sampler. By the time we are finished, YOU will have four ways to quilt the HST in YOUR quilts and several motifs for quilting borders.
In addition, we will be reviewing how a quilt top becomes a quilt: step-by-step. This little quilt is adorable, but it’s really a quilting textbook!
Follow along and you will learn how to quilt YOUR quilts!
Today we will choose thread and stitch one of the HST borders. On Thursday we will quilt another HST border.
PREVIOUS LESSONS:
Borders and Layering the Quilt Sandwich HERE
WHERE, OH WHERE DO WE BEGIN???
Our quilt is fully stabilized so we can quilt the rest of the quilt in any order.
When I begin quilting, I usually don’t have all the quilting planned, but I have some ideas.
I start quilting where I have an idea or plan--hoping the rest will come to me as I go!
If there’s any area of the quilting that is calling your name, quilt it!
The act of beginning has “pull-power” and will help you develop momentum to keep going.
THE THREAD DILEMMA
The first two decisions to make are:
What motif are you going to use?
What thread will work best?
Start with the colors in your quilt. Usually HST consist of a light and a dark triangle. Either one of these colors will work–however, the quilting will be very visible on the contrasting fabric and will disappear on the matching fabric.
You could also split the difference–find a thread color and value that is between the dark and light fabrics.
A medium colored thread will be equally visible on both triangles.
Choose the weight of the thread after choosing the color.
The heavier the weight (lower number) the more it will show up on the quilt.
I choose a medium value color-Sulky 40wt Rayon.
In the bobbin, 80wt Aurifil cotton.
MACHINE QUILTING HST-ROW ONE.
Start quilting the far right row of HSTs.
Arrange the quilt so that the bulk of the quilt is to the left side–leaving less bulk underneath the harp of the sewing machine.
Begin stitching in the left lower corner of the HST.
Stitch a shallow arc to the right lower corner.
Stitch a shallow arc to the right upper corner.
Stitch along the diagonal back to the left lower corner.
Stitch on the dark fabric–a shallow arc back to the right upper corner.
Stitch a shallow arc to the left upper corner.
NOTE-From here we will begin stitching the next HST in the row. Once all the HSTs are complete, we will finish the left side of all of the HSTs.
Begin the next HST in the row.
You may find it is easier to rotate the quilt 90–so the right border is facing you…
Stop at the top border…adding a final smooth arc.
Stitch the left side (or top of the block if you re-oriented your quilt) of each block all the way down the row.
PERFECTION!!!
That’s it! Easy as 1-2-3!
Enjoy your success–you’ve completed the first row of quilting!
Celebrate like you do when you complete the first block in a quilt!!!
If you were stitching a row of HST in a King Size quilt–this would be a major achievement.
Machine quilting is faster than hand quilting, but it’s not fast. Don’t rush yourself–
ENJOY THE PROCESS!
More quilting all week—
and reports from Spring Market: trends, colors, people, places, things….
and a little news!
Slow and Steady wins the Race,
Your Turtle Tutor,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!!
24 comments
Janet Licari
Turtley love this learning project and amazed at this design for the HST. So pretty!
bbquiltmaker
This looks fun, I’m going to try it. Sure was great to meet you at Quilt Market at the Bernina Q20–you made me do a sailboat and it turned out OK!
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Great to meet you and thanks for writing!! It was fun to play on the Q20 together!!
dioneags
Can’t wait to see the next three ideas. Hoping they might translate to flying geese triangles too? This one is pretty similar to one I already use on flying geese, so I’ve got my fingers crossed.
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I hope to do a similar quilt with flying geese.
Mary
Thanks for this. That quilt is beautiful! I’m in love with those colors.
Cheri
I’m loving your blog, so much good information I can use with my mid arm machine too!
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Woo hoo!!
Susan
I am curious how the back of the quilt looks since you used a heavier weight thread in the bobbin. I am also wondering if there is a reason you chose rayon thread for the top and cotton thread for the bottom.
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I will post a picture. The 80 wt cotton Aurifil is lighter weight than the 40 wt Rayon. (Larger number is finer weight).
Sue H
That is absolutely my favorite way to quilt HSTs. Looking forward to seeing what else you have up your sleeve! Haha!
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3 more ways–coming soon!
Marta
Lori does have the most interesting and educational sleeves !
Lisa Laughlin
Just back from the Fiber Arts Show in ABQ, NM. Quilt is racked up on my LA as a table runner, so I’m ready to stabilize and quilt the HST today. Will send pics later this week! Thank you so much for your tutelage!
Marta
This design on the triangles is so cute ! Leaving town in few minutes to celebrate his 9th birthday with grandson, but will return ! Again, I do so appreciate your simple steps and encouragement not to hurry. (Where do the years go?)
Shari
OK, you win- but it’s not a quilting win. I’m sitting here surrounded by my containers of summer clothes that I’m supposed to be sorting and swapping with my winter clothes. It is so easy to do the dance of avoidance as I call it by focusing on the always informative Inbox Jaunt
You wrote this line, “The act of beginning has “pull-power” and will help you develop momentum to keep going.” Well, if that didn’t give me the case of the guilts. So, I’m not even going to finish the article now. I told myself no more reading until the clothes swapping is done. Don’t you worry, Lori- I shall return!
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LOLOL!!! Just did that job myself! You will feel so virtuous that your quilting brain will be clear and creative when you get back to quilting! I am so much happier and more creative when my house (especially my closet) is clean!!!
Lynn
Hmmm. I wonder why you didn’t start at the top and work down? Just a preference?
dawk2012
Not sure why Lori didn’t, but someone told me that if I start at the bottom, right corner and move up I can see where I’m going better as my view of what’s next is in clearer view, and where I’ve been is also visible. It helps me avoid crossing threads that are out of my view now, although I will also quilt sideways like she turned hers. Depends for me on the motif.
I can’t wait to get started!
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Thank you!
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Hmmm. Habit?! Easier to photograph? Teaching makes you re-think everything!
Becky Shaffer
It looks like fun, Lori. I am off to my yoga class this morning and then I’m ready to start. I can’t wait!
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Yoga first!! I hope to go at least once this week!
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