How To Machine Quilt A Three Person Tent Into Submission!

Now come on, you all know what I'm talking about even if you don't want to admit it! We have all had a "Quilter's Oops Moment", one of the most common I see when machine quilting is were we sewed a block together not quit right but it was "close enough" to the right size that we just KNEW we could make it fit in with the rest of the other perfectly pieced blocks. But when we forced that one odd sized block in with the rest of them it created what I like to call a "Three Person Tent Block". Just think of it as a quilt block that when you pick it up from the center it would be a large enough tent to home three quilters on a retreat, all the projects, machines, tools, food, and wine that they also brought along with them! Maybe this photo will help explain it a bit better:

Now that is one roomy tent! 

I find that this happens on quilt blocks that are set on point more than any other. Also sometimes fabric is just a pain in the old butt and stretched out of shape when you were sipping that second third glass of wine at the retreat. Another reason could be that there was a misprint in the directions for cutting the fabric. I also see this a lot on quilts made by groups of quilters. Instructions may be the same but that doesn't mean the quilters are the same. We all sew with a 1/4" seam (hopefully!) but that 1/4" may be slightly larger on Marilyn's machine and slightly smaller on Colette's machine than it is on my machine. Don't think you are alone, we have all done it at least once if not a million times. Even big time award winning quilters will tell you that its just one of many things we goof up from time to time. Its also one of the things we Machine Quilters have to work with and still do our best to make your quilts look as perfect as we possibly can. Three person Tent syndrome is actually one of the easiest things to fix, we just don't like to admit it.

Before I get started on how I fixed the problem block in the photo a little info:

#1 Just because this is how I fix the problem doesn't mean all machine quilters do it this way. There are many ways to work in the extra fabric this is just one of them.

#2 I have only ever done this fix on cotton fabrics. I would never ever, EVER try it on it on anything other than cotton or cotton poly blends.

#3 It works best (at least for me) on 100% cotton fabrics.

#4 I did not come up with this method, its not mine, I don't own it. I do not know who came up with it but I can tell you I learned it a few years ago from a amazing machine quilter by the name of Jamie Wallen. If you haven't see Jamie's work look him up! He is not only a great guy but he is a amazing teacher. He also has tons of great videos on YouTube, Just search for Quilters Apothecary and you will find them!

OK first up, for some reason I almost never notice these problem blocks until I have already started quilting the quilt so that is why you will notice the quilt in question is already loaded on my Longarm and there is some quilting already happening. This quilt, lucky for me, has easy quilting designs that also just happened to help ease in the extra fabric and hide it. Here you can see the extra fabric all ripply and not so pretty. Also, see that spray bottle? Remember it for a bit as it will come in to play very soon.

Step One: Spray It!

Step number one: When you find that not so perfect block grab your spray starch. Yes Spray Starch, any kind will work from good old Niagara to Best Press, you just need starch and you will need lots of it. When I first started doing this method I was a stickler for using Niagara Starch but In the past few months I have started using Mary Ellen's Best Press. Why the switch? Well I can get Best Press in a gallon jug and it is available in Unscented. I just picked up a cheap Spray bottle at the local big Box store and refill it when needed. Ok back on the subject of step one, spray the heck out of that block! Yes really, you want that block to be almost (but not quit) dripping. 

Step 2: WALK AWAY. Put your starch down and walk away for at least ten minutes, let the starch soak into the fabric. Don't watch, it will only make you wonder if I'm crazier than you already know I am. It can be longer than ten minutes so don't worry if your sister happens to call and your stuck listening to her cry about her best friend not doing what she is supposed to be doing or that her husband refuses to listen to whatever it was she said he should listen to.

Step 3: Has it been at least ten minutes? Good, now go back and take a look. Is the fabric laying flater? Yes, good! you can move on to the next step! was your answer No? Well that's OK you just might need to "tickle" it a bit with your fingers. I know that's sounds wrong but its the best way I could discribe it right now so lets just go with it! Run the tips of your fingers lightly over the fabric and evenly distribute any of the extra bulk. Basically you don't want to push all the extra fabric to one side or to the center you want it to be as even looking as you can get it to look.

Step Three: Tickle That Fabric! 

Step 4: Now if your are a patient quilter you will walk away again, and let it dry on its own after all that really will give you the best results. But if your like me and are always in a rush because the quilt needs to be ready to hand back to its owner then next morning you can break out your steam iron. Doesn't need to be a fancy iron, it just need to be able to steam without dripping water drops all over the place. Fill your iron with water, plug it in, and set it on its highest setting. When the iron is all hot and steamy take it to your quilt and hold it just right above the fabric, touch is OK but really right above works best. Now quickly move the steam iron over the top of the block. you should notice the fabrics "pulling in" just a bit. By the time your block is nearly dry it should be laying nice and flatish.  I know what your thinking, "How in the world is a steam iron going to dry all that starch?" and your right it wont, but it will get it pretty darn dry. But before you move on to the next step you want to be sure it is completely dry so not to harm your machine in any way! 

Step Four, Hold the iron right above. but not quite touching the fabric

After Steaming: Nice and flat and pretty! 

Step 5: Quilt away! This method works great for any type of batting, this quit happened to have Quilters Dream Puff which "Puffed" up and help to hide any extra fabric that night have been left after starching and steaming. 

And its done!

Well that's it, I hope it helps at least one other quilter out there. And remember, Quilters Oops Moments can strike anyone at any time, even the most experienced of quilters!

Did the photos above not show the steps clearly? Then take a look at these photos of another block from the same quilt that had some bulky issues that needed taming:

Step One: Spray It!

Step Three: Tickle That Fabric! 

After Steaming: Nice and flat and pretty! 

See that crease? Don't worry, it will go away when quilted is added!

And its done!

What happens to your quilt, part 1

**This is the first of three posts about what exactly happens to your quilt once I take it home for quilting. Part One will cover taking in your quilt, as well as how I keep track of everything to keep it from getting messed up or worse yet lost! Some of you might think all my steps are overkill, and they might be, but there is a reason why I do what I do but we will get to that a bit later.**

If you have ever had me quilt for you before you already probably know I meet 90% of my customers at the local quilt shop The Wooden Spool, in Effingham IL on Saturday mornings from 10:00 - 11:00ish. on these days I can take as few as zero to as many as 30+ quilts home with me for quilting. No honestly, one time I brought over thirty quilts home for quilting in just one day. Granted it was Christmas cutoff weekend and at that time I only did pantograph quilting, but still it was a bit tricky to keep track of everything!

First up if I haven't seen it already, I take a look at your quilt and we talk about what you would like, what you wouldn't like, discus batting choices if needed, binding options, as well as thread color options and when I hope to be able to get the finished quilt back to you. I also make sure to get your contact info. I then load everything up and head back to my home studio. By the way, you are welcome at my home studio, just be sure to call and make a appointment first. other wise I might not be home, or worse yet you will get to see me dressed in my old PJ's or coated in dirt from working in the garden or mowing the lawn, and trust me when i say NO ONE wants to see that!

When I get the quilts home I take them directly into my quilting studio area. This area of the home is pet free, its blocked off by a door and I wear a apron over my clothes when quilting. However there is still the chance that some pet hair and dander can be transferred to your quit so if you have allergies to pets of any kind it might be wise for you to take your quilt else were for quilting.

Once in the quilting studio the quilts are, one at a time, removed from any bags that they were delivered in. I find the contact info and record it in a notebook along with details about your quilt such as pattern name, backing fabric colors, as well as batting brand, type and size if it was included.

Then I take a photo of the quilt. Each quilt top & backing are measured to make sure the backings are large enough (backing need to be at least 8" larger than the quilt top!) The quilt top and batting are then folded and placed on a heavy hanger, then placed into one of two closet areas in the studio room. Each hanger has a number that corresponds to the same number that is in my notebook. Each quilt gets a different number. If you sent batting along, then your batting will also be tagged with that same number. When I save the photos to my computer I add the same number as well as your contact info to the saved photo's information.

Closet #1

Closet #2

I follow this same list for each and every quilt that came in that day. Once I have them all recorded in my notebook I take the notebook to the computer and record the info there as well. Lets also not forget that original paper with your info on it, I keep them all in a box and add the number of the quilt to the back of it as well.

I use Google Drive so everything automatically syncs with the app on my iPad and my iPhone!  

Then, if you requested it or I suggest it, I take the photo I took of your quilt and sketch up a few different types of quilting designs for you to take a look at. I use a app on my iPad called Concepts to sketch directly on the photo. I will then email the sketches to you to pick quilting designs from.

Is it overkill? Yes it probably is but there is a reason why I keep multiple copies of your contact info as well as details on your quilt in more than one place.

Back when I first started quilting for others and my business was really taking off I lost my notebook and with that notebook I lost all the contact information for the customers as well as whose quilt was whose. Luckily at that time I only had a few quilts on hand so I was bale to work it out without to much of a problem except for one quilt. I could not remember whom it belonged to so I had to hold it until the owner contacted me. I really began to worry after a couple of months but finally the owner called and I was able to explain what happened. Luckily the quilt maker laughed and told me not to worry after all she had also forgot who she had given her quilt to!

Well that's it for today, be sure to check back in a couple of days for part two, "What I do to get your quilt ready for longarm machine quilting!"

The importance of triming your threads

Trimming your threads when you piece your quilt top is a big deal, a VERY big deal. I have heard it all "of its ok, a few threads are  not going to cause a problem." "what's the big deal its just a thread its inside the quilt its not going to get in your way."  Well no its not going to get in my way but they can shadow through the fabric causing it to look like a pencil mark on your quilt.  Even more important it annoys the heck out of judges at quilt shows! Take the time to trim your threads before you bring it to your quilt for quilting.  and why your trimming your threads make sure you don't have any "short seams" that are going to pull apart at the slightest tug.!

Sometimes, even for the ever persistent thread trimming quilting, sometimes a stray thread sneaks into your quilt without anyone seeing it until its "Too Late". Yap, from time to time even i don't see a thread that needs trimming until i have already quilted over it and it is now shadowing through the light color fabric standing out like a sore thumb.  But never fear, it can be fixed!

Take a look at this photo, do you see that dark brown thread shadowing a line in the creamy fabric? Go ahead, look closer, you'll see it...



Now take a look at the tools i am going to use to "fix" that stray thread. My handy dandy thread snips, and a teeny tiny size 13 crochet hook. Word to the wise, that crochet hook is easily broken if you drop it and it lands hook first on a concrete floor. Don't ask me how i know, lets just trust me on that one k?



First thing you need to do is to decide if the thread is actually attached to the quilt top and its not just a stray tread you picked up off your clothes or the floor.  If it is attached to the quilt at a seam or to some machine applique stitching here is what you need to do. #1, take the crochet hook and as close to the seam (or applique stitching line) as possible stick the hook into the fabric. I know, i know, in the photo the hook isn't that close to the seam line. I couldn't get a good photo if i got the hook right on the seam so lets just pretend that its much closer than it really is ok?



#2 CAREFULLY wiggle the hook around until you catch the thread



#3 SLOWLY pull the thread back out of the same spot that you inserted the crochet hook being VERY careful to not grab any of the woven threads of the fabrics itself. If there is quilting stitches OVER the thread it can be a bit more difficult to remove. (see the end of this post for more info it the thread has quilting over it!)



#4 give the thread a very slight tug and then cut it as close to the fabric as possible



#5 run the blunt (non hook end) of the crochet hook over the spot and any small amount of thread (& any batting that just happened to pop up!) will pop back into the fabric and disappear!



See all gone!



If the thread is lose and not attached to a seam then you don't have to worry about bring it out near a seam, just use the hook to grab it near the middle if possible.

If there is quilting stitches OVER the thread i can be a bit trickier to remove. You might have to take it out in small sections instead of one long thread. Do the same steps as above EXCEPT insert the crochet hook into the fabric of the quilt top near the row of quilting stitches and pull the thread out a bit at a time, cutting it when needed and moving towards the seam were the thread is attached. If you have lots of quilting over the thread it may, and will take a lot of work to make this work so try to do it before you do any tiny background fillers like pebbles or McTavishing!