"Starting Out": How do I begin?

Dear Starting Out,

Thanks for writing in – I’m sure we’ll get loads of answers from happy quilters out there! The first thing I would say is – start small! Don’t try a Double Wedding Ring for your first attempt. What about a lap quilt, a small pillow, or even one of the great purses we are seeing everywhere?

The next thing I would say is – use the best quality fabrics you can afford when you start off, and make sure they’re 100% cotton. You will be putting a great deal of time and effort into your quilts so be sure they are going to withstand the test of time by using good quality fabric. The better fabrics are just more beautiful as well.

The other thing to think about is which pattern you’re going to be using. I started with the Log Cabin, which features strips of fabric placed around a center square. In times gone by, the center square used to be red as a reminder that the hearth is the center of the home. I would recommend Eleanor Burns “Log Cabin in a Day” book. No, you will not make this quilt in a day as the name implies but it is an excellent resource when you first start.

One last suggestion is for you to get acquainted with the gals at your local quilt shop. These ladies will become your best friend and can be a valuable asset when you get in a jam and need some help. They will surely become the support group you need and will offer you encouragement and an eager audience when you finish your projects! Sign up right away for the next beginning quilting class so you will learn the right way to do it from the start. While there are not many rules in quilting, there are a few that need to be followed very closely when you start out. A quilting class will give you the foundation you need in the beginning.

Try to remember that quilting started as a way of recycling fabric, including grain sacks! Our quilting ancestors didn’t color co-ordinate or spend ages deciding on what fabrics went well together – they used what they had. When you think of quilting in this way, it sort of takes the pressure off!

Till we meet again, may your days be pieceful!
Deb

**Do you have a question about quilting? If you do, there are other quilters who have the same question! Simply email it to deb@stitchinheaven.com and she will answer it for you!

Too Blue

Dear Too Blue,

Is it possible that you heat set your work by accident? If you did, your markings are now permanent, unfortunately. But, assuming you did not heat set your markings here is what I suggest:

1). Wash the top in clear warm water. It is likely this will remove the blue residue. Fill up your washing machine with tepid (room temperature) or cold water, toss the quilt in, leave the lid up (so it won't agitate), and let the quilt soak for several hours. Go see a movie. Drain the water and, if you need to wash the quilt, re-fill the washer with clean water and a mild soap. Swish the water if you must, but don't agitate. That's too rough a treatment for a hand-made quilt.

2). Be very careful with the detergent you use when you wash a quilt that has been marked with these pens. The pens are wonderful but if you are not careful you will end up with brown marks where the blue ones used to be. The laundry detergent has sodium carbonate in it, that is the 'fixer' for the color in the dye. This sodium carbonate, otherwise known as soda ash, can be found in its purest form in Arm & Hammer or any other detergent with whiteners and brighteners. Mountain Mist Ensure (not the vitamin supplement) or Orvis (you don't need to buy a horse to go along with it) are nice choices.

3). In the future, be sure and keep a spritz bottle of plain water beside your workspace and dampen your project right away so you don't take the chance of pressing it prematurely! Another good idea is to keep a small bowl of water nearby and use a small, soft watercolor brush to go over the lines as you finish wit them

4). Also, be sure and check the back of the block to be sure the ink has not migrated with the water and shows up on the back!

Scrubbing hard will most likely not impact how much of this ink will come out. Hopefully, a gentle wash in the machine will solve your problems!

Till we meet again, may your days be pieceful!

Deb

**Do you have a question about quilting? If you do, there are other quilters who have the same question! Simply email it to deb@stitchinheaven.com and she will answer it for you!

Wondering About Baltimore

Dear Baltimore,

You’ve hit on one of my own favorites here! Baltimore quilts are thought to have started in an attempt to emulate the autograph albums that were very popular at the beginning of the 19th Century. In about 1840 inks were developed that could be used on fabric without damaging them, so it was a short step from collecting signatures in albums to collecting them on quilts! These simple quilts became known as friendship quilts, each block the same except for the signature or poetry written on it by a friend. Eventually, friendship quilts developed into sampler quilts, with each block being different. They featured beautiful appliqué motifs.

At this time in history, Baltimore was very wealthy and the home of a growing textile industry, and the appliqué sampler quilts became all the rage. Because there was a large German community in Baltimore, German folk art motifs and symbols became a standard part of the designs. Mostly, the fabrics used were crisp and new, which made for marvelous appliqué techniques.

Baltimore are not thick or heavy because only a thin batting was used and, generally, they were used for show rather than to keep folk warm at night! Making a Baltimore quilt is a long-term project because they are heirloom pieces but they are tremendously satisfying to make and you can incorporate loads of memories, or perhaps incorporate symbols that are special to the recipient of the quilt.

Because these quilts are made block by block, in the hand, they make for very portable projects. I have never completed a Baltimore Album quilt although I love to see them and to admire the work that goes into designing and making them. We have a couple of great Baltimore Album style Block of the Month projects that will be starting soon in the shop. One is called "The Shade Garden Sampler" and was a quiltdesigned by Susan McCord and is rich in history. Another more modern designer has a Baltimore Album style quilt named "Not Anywhere Near Baltimore" that features Prairie motifs in the quilt including a covered wagon!

If you are really interested in this type of quilt, look out for books by Elly Sienkiewicz, where you will find instructions for making your own blocks and quilts. One such book is "Baltimore Elegance" and can be found on our website. A from Elly is Fancy Applique which is more of a technique book that includes 2 unique Fancy Sampler Quilts + 50 different blocks + All the techniques you need including: - cutaway and reverse cutaway appliqué - needleturn - non-decorative appliqué stitches - Stumpwork - Scenery blocks - Methods for perfect points, inside corners, and smooth curves ...not to mention that it is just a beautiful book.

Hope that helps – a word of warning though Baltimore Quilts can be addictive!

Until we meet again, may your days be pieceful!

Deb

**Do you have a question about quilting? If you do, there are other quilters who have the same question! Simply email it to deb@stitchinheaven.com and she will answer it for you!