Machine Quilting Negative Space with Angela Walters

I recently purchased a class from Craftsy - Machine Quilting Negative Space with Angela Walters. It was a really inspiring class with so much information and ideas - all clearly and simply explained. In part of the class Angela shows you how to create a wide range of affects and patterns using swirls, circles & leave patterns. Angela is a born teacher - her emphasis is on simple patterns - that you should have fun with - perfection is not necessary. I was so inspired I grabbed this little quilt I have had lying around for ages and began swirling out a pattern on it.

I have long been pouring over Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project designs. But what I felt Angela showed so much more clearly was how to incorporate simple designs together and/or at different scales and voila you can create endless effects and designs. After I finished this portion of her class it was like 'ah ha' moment had clicked in my head and finally - finally - I seem to have made friends with my BSR foot.

I felt totally inspired and surprisingly confident at putting into practice what I had learnt after taking this Craftsy class online. I would recommend it it anyone who is learning to free motion quilt.

This little quilt was made from scraps I had left over from a fun little apron project in March 2009 and it is now available in my Etsy Store.

Union Jack Recycled Sweater Quilt

I put this quilt together in May - if you remember I used scrap cotton on the back of the felted sweaters to help keep their shape after they were cut and while I was piecing them together  and then you saw me layer it in June with my trusty cardboard roll.

This quilt has been sitting staring at me from our spare room waiting until I felt confident enough to take it on with my improving free motion quilting skills. 

I quilted the quilt from the back. The backing is mostly a light blue paisley pattern with a scrappy strip along one edge. Following the paisley curves gave a very fluid soft quilting pattern on top. My thanks to my quilting teacher Teri who suggested this idea. It is something I will surely use again - using the backing as an outline for quilting patterns. 

The finished quilt measures 86 x 72. I used flannel instead of cotton on the top as I wanted something with a soft/fuller texture to blend in with the felted sweaters. The flannel & felted sweaters give it a heavier cosy feel - perfect for the winter which unfortunately will probably soon be here. 

The Union Jack is placed on the bottom 2/3rds of the quilt so once you put it on your bed the Union Jack isn't covered by comforters or pillows.

It felt good to make a Union Jack. I've lived in New York for nearly 10 years now. I still feel very British at heart.

Technical Info:
Batting: Warm & Natural 100% Cotton Batting
Backing Fabric: Blue Cotton Paisley from stash
Top: A E Nathan 108" Wide Flannel Quilt Backing Navy
Border & Binding: 108" Wide Flannel Quilt Backing Red
Thread: Aurifil Quilting Thread 50 wt Dark Navy & Sulky® Clear Premier Invisible Thread

WIP: Recycled Sweater Union Jack Blanket

I know - you have heard it from me before - but I save everything. Old shirts, sweaters, ties, blankets, curtains, any kind of fabric swatch or scrap - you name it - I have a box with 'stuff' in it waiting for a suitable project. Sometimes I wonder if I have a hoarding problem - but my husband has yet to arrange an intervention!!

This post is about a quilt I am creating out of recycled sweaters. 

For this project so far I have used 3 sweaters (they would be called jumpers in England!) A wool red fair isle sweater, a blue & white striped wool sweater and a small amount from a plain blue wool sweater. I washed the sweaters on the hottest setting possible in my washing machine and then tumble dryed them on hot. After that they were good and ruined for any possible wearing and quite felted!

 

I deconstructed the sweaters carefully and ironed each piece. Then I used 505 spray to stick them on scrap pieces of cotton. I was careful not to stretch out the pieces when laying them on the cotton. (This particular piece of garish green cow emblazoned scrap cotton was from a pillowcase I made my sister some years back - pillowcases make cute gifts and can be made out of all sorts of novelty prints.)

The cotton enabled me to cut perfect squares (2.5" each) and they have stayed in perfect squares while I have been laying out the design. I am going to keep the scrap cotton on the back of the squares when I sew the pieces together.

This is the beginning of my recycled sweater blanket. If you know what the design is going to be I've succeeded so far. Now to sew it all together! 

Ouch - I've spotted a mistake ... do you know what it is? 

Here is my design. Each square is 2.5". (I can e-mail you a larger excel file if you are interested.) It could be used as a patchwork design or base for a knitting design too.

Here we are - mistake all corrected and the first part of the blanket sewn together. 

 

I'm a lover of different textures - and I used every bit of each sweater - ribbing and all. 

The wool hasn't stretched or warped during the sewing due to the cotton on the back.  

 

Of course everyone likes to stand on things when Mummy is trying to photograph them. 

Looking forward to finishing this blanket/quilt. I will post once it is completed.