I Just wanted to let everyone know B.D.E.I.G Seminar 2008, was GREAT!!! Glenda and I had an amazing time, (well after missing our plane by 4 min on the way to Portland, and being on standby for the next plane), we finally made it there. Portland was beautiful, green and wet. We had the amazing opportunity to meet so many designers and fellow Brazilian embroiderers, and to also learn from them. I have a few new tricks up my sleeve now, that I cant wait to pass them on.
Friday, July 11 @ 5-8 PM
Make this great wall hanging to hang year round as a great Americana decoration. A quick and easy beginner rag quilt project this project can be done in no time! Sew cute!!
Materials: Fabric, sewing machine, thread, rotary cutter, rotary mat, scissors
Fee: $15 (fabric must be purchased from the store)
What is the difference between cotton or polyester batting? This is a question that gets asked a lot here at Sew Swanky. So here is my best explanation:
100% Cotton Batting
When I quilt through 100% cotton batting, whether it be on my Bernina, my longarm, or by hand, I feel as though I am quilting through butter. Cotton batting usually shrinks when washed, creating the antique "crinkled" effect to a quilt. You can preshrink your batting or purchase batting that will not shrink, but personally, I love the antique look the shrunken batting produces. Be careful when purchasing your cotton batting and read the packaging very carefully! You have to quilt most cotton batting up to 6 inches apart, any farther and you can risk getting batting bunches in your quilt. Cotton batting also has a great drape and feel. It may not be as "thick" as polyester but chances are it will produce a warmer effect in the winter and cooler effect in the summer.
Here at Sew Swanky we use more 100% cotton batting than any other!
Cotton/Polyester Blend
Blended battings are another great batting option. Again blended batting gives your quilt a traditional look and feel without worrying as much about your stitch distance. Blended battings can shrink as the cotton does, but usually not as much. Some blends don't shrink at all! The best thing about this option is that you can still get an antique look to your quilts but you can have larger stitching intervals because the polyester helps keep the cotton fibers in place during use and wash. As always, refer to your packaging for care and quilting instructions.
We prefer Quilters Dream blended battings, they are a dream to stitch!
Polyester
Polyester batting does not shrink and is available in high-loft batting (the thick batting). Polyester is the only batting available in such high-lofts. High-loft batting can be harder to quilt on a machine or by hand but is great for tied quilts. Polyester can also be stitched at greater intervals so you can get your quilting done quicker. Make sure you are purchasing a nice polyester batting because the batting can come through your quilt top easily. It also can separate and tear apart in areas.
We prefer to use Hobbs.
Wool
If you want a quilt with extra warmth, and I mean EXTRA warmth, use wool batting. Wool batting is very easy to quilt, but requires closely spaced quilting, like cotton. Wool batting will also beard, or lose fibers, through your quilt top more so than other battings (kind of like wool yarn). If you use wool batting be prepared to hand wash or dry clean your quilt. If you put this baby in the dryer your quilt be ready to swaddle a newborm
Bamboo
Bamboo has become my personal favorite fiber! It is now being made into fabric, yarn, flooring, wall tiles (our pink ones are bamboo!) and now batting! Not only is bamboo naturally antibacterial but it is great for the environment! We carry a 50% bamboo/50% cotton batting by Fairfield, and so far it is a dream to use! It behaves like your cotton batting but is almost silky to the touch. The thin scrim makes it so easy to stitch through. Come in and feel it, you will be amazed!
Try them out and see which you prefer! Hope you learned something new, ask us a question for next week for our next Ask the Stitchers installment!
Happy Quilting!
We are starting a new feature on our blog. It will be a quilting/knitting/crochet/embroidery/cross stitch question of the week. We will try our best to answer your question in our blog each week.
Send your questions to: sewswanky@gmail.com
Don't forget to check the blog weekly to learn some great information. It will be a great learning experience for all of us!
Stay tuned for the first question and answer!
Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery International Guild is having there 2008 Seminar, June 9th-15th, @ Concordia University, Portland, Oregon. I am very excited to go to this, I am going to have the chance to meet the Big Wigs: Debbie Kelly, the Elegant Roses & Monogram Mania designer you are all familiar with. Rosalie M. Wakefield, Loretta Holzberger, Anna Grist & Gayl Ratigan. I also get to have the great opportunity to take a few classes from Anna Grist and Gayl Ratigan. I think the funnest part is that I get to drag Glenda VanBuskirk along with me (like I really have to drag her).
We will let you know all about it when we get home and all the new stuff we find out.
