Dear Jane Row B Complete

I finished up row B of Dear Jane and started on row C. Wow, three blocks in as many days. I think this is a new record for me.

The first is just standard hand applique and the last two are hand pieced. Nothing fancy or too difficult with these. That probably explains why I was able to finish them so quickly.

Christine Friess-Ureel

If you do not know who Christine Friess-Ureel is, you are missing out on viewing the most beautiful and artistic quilts. The truly inspiring thing about Christine's quilts is that when she started she knew nothing about sewing. There is hope for everyone regardless of your quilting level!

Christine is an international award-winning quilter from Vermont. She combines her love of painting and quilting into spectacular pictorial art quilts. She finds inspiration from classical works of art and from the whimsical. The amazing thing about her quilts is the attention to detail. Visit her web site to see images of quilts and close up details. She prefers to use machine applique without leaving raw edges.

She also uses a technique called thread painting, also known as free-motion machine embroidery. Thread painting is the use of different colors and types of thread to create images. Use a free-motion foot on your machine and "paint" with the thread on your material, which is the canvas.

Christine will be teaching a workshop at Keepsake Quilting in April. In the class you will make a smaller version of her "Miranda:The Tempest" quilt and learn how to create the magnificent detail in the woman's hair and in the ocean. See Christine's site for a complete list of her upcoming workshops.

Have you tried quilt painting? I would love to see your work!

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Tips and Tricks for Easier and Better Quilting

Quilters are always looking for new ways to get organized and make quilting easier and more accurate. Here are some of my favorite quilting tips.

1. To fold your fabric like a pro, use a transparent ruler or for larger cuts of fabric use your cutting mat. Place your ruler or mat along the width of the fabric and then wrap the fabric around the ruler or mat. When you are done wrapping, slide the ruler or mat out of the fabric and carefully fold the fabric lengthwise. Depending on the cut of fabric, you may need to fold the fabric lengthwise a few times. Iron the folded fabric so that is lies nice and flat in your stash drawer. This also helps in creating more room for more fabric!



2. I always had trouble using fusible web. No matter how careful I was I would get some of the sticky stuff on my iron and then transfer the sticky stuff to the next piece of fabric I ironed. To remove fusible web from your iron, iron a sheet of fabric softener. The fusible web comes right off, but this also leads to the next tip.



3. Since fabric softener removes fusible web, do not place a sheet of fabric softener in the drier with your quilt if you used fusible web. The fabric softener sheet will loosen the fusible web from the quilt. Also, if you prewash your fabrics, do not use fabric softener if you plan to use fusible web. The fusible web will not adhere as well to prewashed fabrics that were dried with fabric softener.



4. Sealable sandwich bags, like Zip-lock, are great for storing pieced blocks until you are ready to sew them together. The bags help keep the blocks flat so you do not have to re-iron them. It is also a great way to keep the blocks organized because you can write on the bag with a permanent marker with the block name or placement in the quilt top. If you are like me and always have more than one quilt project going, punch holes in the top of the sandwich bags and place them in a three ring binder. This way you will never again loose a block and you can neatly and easily store them.



5. If you do not have a 1/4” foot for your sewing machine, place a transparent ruler under you needle and measure 1/4”. Place several Post-it Notes at the 1/4” mark. The layers of Post-it Notes will help guide your fabric to get a perfect 1/4” seam allowance.



6. Another use for Post-it Notes is on your transparent ruler. Let’s say you need to cut several strips of fabric at 2”. Align several Post-It Notes (approximately the depth of your fabric) on the transparent ruler at 2”. When you measure your 2” strip, the Post-it Notes will bump up against the edge of the fabric, helping you to cut the exact width every time.



7. To remove the paper from paper pieced blocks or applique blocks, lightly spray the block with water from a squirt bottle to make the paper easier to tear. This also helps you avoid pulling the stitches.

Share some of your favorites.