Pieced Batting

I read two interesting articles on pieced batting by Marje Rhine, technical pattern editor for American Quilter Magazine.  She shares two methods - by hand and by machine. 


Large pieces of batting can be pieced together by hand to use in bed-size quilts. A little preparation ensures that the pieced batting will stand up to normal wear and tear on a quilt. First lay the batting pieces on a rotary cutting mat, overlapping by about 4”, and rotary cut a gentle wavy line through both pieces. 

Remove the small excess pieces, line up the pieces along the curve, and hand stitch cut edges together with large stitches. To make sure the stitching will hold, run a thread in each direction.  

Here's a method for joining the pieces by Machine:

I needed a quick method for joining the pieces so they would lie flat without a bump, instantly giving away the secret that they had been pieced. 
I tried butting straight edges of the pieces together then stitching together with a zigzag that catches both pieces. This worked OK but the batting tended to stretch as I sewed.  (It also has that telltale little bump where the seam is.)

I’ve come up with what I think is a better method.  
1,  Layer the batting, right-sides together (or same-sides together) along the straight edge.

2.  Using a short and narrow blind hemstitch, sew the pieces together. The straight lines of the blind hemstitch should run just along the raw edges of the batting with the occasionally right-left stitches catching both pieces.
3.  Open up the batting and pull slightly. The stitching should hold the length of the seam and almost disappear both visually and to the touch.


Here is a link to the articles:
http://www.quiltviews.com/?s=Pieced+Batting

I've used the zig-zag method and it does have a small bump.  I'm going to give the blind hemstitch a try next time I need to piece batting!  

College Quilt

Linda C. made this great crazy quilt for her daughter who graduated from the University of Notre Dame.  Shamrocks are quilted in the border.

French Braid

This king size quilt was pieced twice!  The quilt maker, Barb W. pieced it according to the pattern directions and when she had to cut the sides of the braid, it left a bias edge.  She didn't like that, so she took it apart and re-pieced it using the flip and sew method!  A lot of work, but it is perfectly straight!

 You can see the lines from the flip and sew on the back.

Here's Barb the quilt maker!

 

Star Quilt

This quilt top was made by Janet K's mother, who passed away.  She found several pieced tops in her mother's sewing room.  Now they are getting quilted and bound.  They are a great memory of her mom and cherished by the family!

Star Sampler

 

David Taylor Workshop

David Taylor, quilter extraordinaire, was at our quilt guild this month and I had the opportunity to take a 1-day applique workshop.  WOW, he's a really good teacher:  He can explain things in a simple way.  He knows what he is talking about.  He makes it fun.  He is not only produces award winning applique, but his thread-play quilting is jaw-dropping.  I love it.

If you don't know who David Taylor is - you've probably seen his quilts.  He's won awards in all the major quilt shows including Houston.  Here are some of his quilts. 

Tinker

Menard

Marmalade's First Snow

Close Up Detail

Since the workshop was only one day, we worked on a pattern designed by David, just to learn the technique.  He also has 3 and 5 day workshops to learn how to create a pattern from a photo and turn it into a quilt.  The pattern I chose was Chickadee.

Here's what I got done so far...

I know, it's not much, but I did learn the stitch and his applique concepts.  He likes to do a lot of layering to avoid concave curves and points.  He uses freezer paper and diluted starch to prepare his applique pieces before sewing.  The key is layering the pieces in the right sequence.  His quilts are absolutely FLAT, he irons the applique.

This is his large quilt, Chickadee, which won first place ribbons at Houston and Lancaster.  The 409 pine needles are appliqued.  Oh my.
Take a moment to go to his website and, if you get an opportunity, don't miss his lecture or workshops. 
www.davidtaylorquilts.com/index.html    OR Click on title of this blog and it will take you to his website.

Here is a cute Trip Around the World.  Pieced by Becky W.   I quilted a separate feather border and a cute flower motif in the center of the quilt.  You can see the quilting on the back of the quilt - a tone on tone white fabric.

Here is a log cabin quilt.  Pieced by Beth H. for a guild challenge.  It is a small throw. 

Guild Night

Our quilting guild met last night and I took some pictures.  This first bunch is Show-N-Tell from the ladies at Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild.  We meet in Naperville, IL. 

Just Ducky pattern is in Dec 2009 in American Patchwork and Quilting.

This was a panel and she cut out the teddys and made a cute setting for them.

This is only half of it.  I love the setting.

A little blurry.  The sashing is pieced.  SO cute.

 Our guest lecturer was Sue Pawlowski and she brought a trunk show.  She likes to work with small pieces!   Nothing goes to waste.  She's very thrifty and save EVERY SCRAP.   She saves 1 x 1 inch pieces and makes little 4-patches or 9-patches and then she makes a miniature with the left overs.  Here are some examples. 

Her "Thread Ball".  20 years in the making.

Half-Inch Squares!

More half-inch squares.

Hexagon Quilt

Close Up Hexagon Quilt.  I wouldn't want to piece that!

 

Pieces cut with Accu Cutter

I really like this one.

More Hexagons

Jack's Chain.  So bright and cheerful!  She has a pattern for this one.

Larger Jack's Chain

A mini.

This one was so cute.  A large Churn Dash.

Spools of Thread

Made with left over triangles cut from making binding.

Close Up

Another "left over" quilt.

 You can buy her patterns here:  
http://www.jacksquaresstudio.com/page04.html