QT User Blog

 

Stained glass themed quilts look and appear similar to the beautiful stained glass windows you seen in old historical churches and buildings around the world. What’s great about making a stained-glass quilt is that it can come in many different styles, themes and techniques. You can also use some of your left over scrap fabrics when making a stained-glass quilt because of the many different shapes and sizes each window section of the quilt will be.

There are different ways to make a stained glass quilts. If all of your parts for the quilt are straight-edged then it is easy to just simply piece it all together. However, the common technique to use is applique.

Some techniques include:

• Traditional pieced style that has a black binding that is appliqued after the piecing so that it separates the sections of the window making it appear as light is shinning through the colored pieces.
• The paper piecing technique using foundation piecing patterns is another way to make a stained glass quilt.
• “Crazy piecing” that is done by cutting pieces of fabric and attaching black snipped pieces of fabrics and then attaching it to the cut away section in order to build up the whole look of the stained glass window is yet another way.

Here are just a few different kinds of stained glass quilts you can make:

1.) Two Panels of Stained Glass by Cindy Jo Shellhaas – Feeser

This stained glass quilt is perfect to use as a table runner that will help add some color to your table and lighten up the room while also making it look nice for any occasion throughout the year. To make this kind of stained glass quilt you can try to use some of your left over fabric to make the different colored windows. This quilt is much smaller in size, therefore making it easier to use up some of your left over fabrics.

 

 

 

 

 

2.)Batik Stained Glass Quilt

The use of the black lines in between the batik makes the colors more vibrant and blend well together. Black in general is always a great way to make colors pop out of your quilt by making it your background and as a way to divide up the pattern.  In this quilt below the black fabric is cut with straight edges as 1/4″ sashing  between the colored blocks.

For more information about how to make the specific quilt blocks for this stained glass quilt click here.

 

 

 

3.) Colorful Callas – Stained Glass Quilt

This is another great stained glass quilt that uses thinner black bias strips that are placed in between the colors making this quilt seem brighter than the others. This stained glass quilt gives the illusion of  having natural light shine through the quilt making the image of the calla flowers come alive and look extra vibrant. This type of quilt is more complex to make than the others above due to the curved shapes of the flower petals and stems.

For more information on this type of quilt by Arbee Designs Ldt. click here and to get the pattern click here.

Make sure to share with us your favorite stained glass quilts on our Quilter’s Thread Mobile App or any tips and tricks on how to make one.

Live Well. Quilt Well.

 

 

Fall is a great season for quilters because the change in season inspires us to make more quilts for friends and family. As the weather starts to fall below sixty degrees there is a need to bundle up and stay warm. There so many traditional themed quilts that are perfect for incorporating fall colors and patterns that give your quilts that extra bulk needed for the cold as well as that extra comforting feeling. So for your next quilt project try making a flannel quilt. Here are two great examples of fall flannel quilts to make this season.

 

Maple Leaf Pattern Quilt

This autumn themed quilt is another great way to decorate your home this fall with its earthy tones of red, green, orange and yellow that mimic the change of seasons from summer into fall. Having the background of the quilt be a dark brown helps the colored leaves pop-out of the quilt and catch your attention first. For more information about this quilt click here.

 

 

Pumpkin Rag Quilt

This pumpkin rag quilt is a great autumn themed quilt that you can also use for decoration for halloween. This quilt is made out of flannels and is quilted as you go along leaving the edges exposed and are snipped to encourage ravel (i.e. the “rag” look).  Snipping the seams for the ravel can really tire your hands after a while. Try using scissors with a more comfortable handle with a short blade to cut. By using that kind of scissors you will put less strain on your hands when cutting. The Fiskars Amplified Mixed Media Scissors can help reduce hand fatigue when cutting.

 

Tips to making the perfect flannel quilts:

1. Always prewash your flannel fabrics before turning them into quilts. This is because when washing flannel, it can shrink differently so it’s best to do so before you actually begin quilting so that you know what to expect with the size of material. Make sure to buy a little bit more than the actual size that you want your flannel fabric to be so that if it does shrink you’ll have enough to make your quilt with the exact measurements.
2. Always add a little bit more to the seam allowance because flannel can tend to fall apart more easily than regular fabric quilts. So instead of making the seam 1/4″ try making it bigger about 3/8″ in order to make the seam more durable.
3. Use lots of pins when sewing your flannel together in order to hold everything in place. Flannel can be difficult to keep together when making it into a quilt. Also make sure you have extra needles handy. When sewing with flannel your needles can get dull quickly because the fabric is so much thicker than others.
4. Be gentle with your flannel when ironing it because flannel does tend to stretch out.

Although using flannel as your main fabric in a quilt can be tricky to make, it is also very rewarding and can last you a life time and you can always count your flannel quilt to keep you warm through the cold winters. Share with us on our mobile app your favorite flannel or fall themed quilt on Quilter’s Thread.

Live well. Quilt well.

 

 

We are happy to announce that Quilter’s Thread mobile app is now available on the web. Now you can login to our app from your computer to see all of the daily quilting posts and interaction. You can still login in to Quilter’s Thread mobile app on the iPad and smart phone as well.

If you haven’t already heard, Quilter’s Thread also has a new point system for our app users. This point system will allow you to win monthly prizes based on your level of points per month. So sign in and start using Quilter’s Thread app with whatever electronic device is convenient for you.

Offers and Point System:

Most hand piece quilting is not meant for the sewing machine, it is done by hand and can take a long time to complete. Make sure you take the time to work on it as much as possible in order to keep your project moving along so that it eventually gets done. What’s great about hand piecing is that it is an excellent way to keep practicing your sewing skills. The options are limitless for what designs, patterns and shapes you can hand piece when quilting. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you when hand piecing.

What Kind of Needle to Use 

It’s important to pick out a good needle to use when hand piecing so that you can get a good hold of the fabric while also getting a good view. You want a needle that has a very fine eye and smaller shaft than normal. A good recommended needle for hand piecing quilting is normally a needle no. 9 or 10. Always make sure to use a thread color that matches the darker fabric that you are piecing together so that you don’t see the stitches so easily when it is completed. However, simply choose what needle works best for you above all.

Threading the Needle

Sometimes threading your needle can be troublesome. What helps is to try holding the thread between your fingers and place the needle over the top instead. This is taking the needle to thread instead of taking the thread to the needle. Also try to double your thread to make it strong so that it doesn’t fall apart as you make your stitches.

Piecing the Edges

Always make sure that your pieces on the outside of the edges are cut straight on the grain. For Triangles cut where the straight grain connects a bias edge allowing less stretching of the fabric to occur while hand piecing.

Templates or Paper Piecing

Using a template or paper piecing can also help you when hand piecing in order to keep your measurements exact and precise. Templates are great for measuring and then cutting your fabric to look exactly like the shape of the template and saves you some extra time.

Other Helpful Tips: 

• Organize your pieces before beginning.
• If you can’t stitch in a straight line, pick an easier project.
• You must make your cuts of pieces precisely.
• Good hand piecing stitching means five to six stitches per inch per piece.
• Where your stitching ended on one piece is where you will start when attaching another piece.
• Sometimes the best way to hand piece quilt is develop your own way of doing it.

Hand Piecing Ideas

• Hexagon Flowers

• Pinwheel

• Stars

Share with us on our mobile app your favorite hand pieced quilt designs or any tips you find helpful when hand piecing! Make sure to increase your user interaction and comments in order to earn points and you may receive prizes every month such as a free pattern. Stay tuned next week for a blog post from Quilter’s Thread for more information about this.

Live Well. Quilt Well.