Quick Summertime Quilting
by Linda Griffith, The Organized Option
Do you find yourself easily distracted by the beautiful summertime weather, so much so that it interferes with your quilting? If you’re like me, you don’t get as much sewing and quilting accomplished during the summer. We’d all rather be out boating on the lake, so don’t fight it, adapt!
Here’s my tip for getting out to enjoy the weather and still dedicate some time to satisfy your desire to quilt. First of all, I set aside my larger projects. Period. I want to be out bicycling, so I’ve adopted these summertime sewing guidelines: 1) It has to be quick, 2) It has to be easy, and 3) It has to use up my stash.
If you’re a long-time quilter like me, I’m sure you have several quilt blocks that never made it into a quilt. You’ve either lost interest in them or the colors are no longer to your liking. But that doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t love them.
Most of my UFO blocks are approximately 12 inches square (depending on if I sewed a straight seam or cut my fabric correctly), so I put three blocks together to make table runners. Then I trim it up, cut the batting and backing to size, and layer it. I don’t want the work of preparing and stitching on binding, so I skip that. I just put wrong sides together, with batting in-between. Then I sew a scant ¼ inch all around the edges, leaving one four inch gap open. My next step is to turn the table runner inside out (like a pillowcase), and hand stitch the opening closed. I’ll then quilt with a simple stitch in the ditch and, ta da! I’ve got one ready-made birthday, graduation, or holiday gift. You can do the same thing with just one block and make it into a centerpiece or a set of placemats. It’s a win-win for everyone—it clears out your stash and the gift makes for a happy recipient.
By the way, if you’re like me and you usually make a fancy quilt label, skip it! Use a black Pigma pen to sign your project—it works just as great!
Well, I’m headed to the bike trail wearing my new padded cycling shorts. Who knew they made such things? I sure didn’t, but I learned a valuable lesson last weekend when I went on a long-distance bike ride in regular shorts. Ouch!
Here’s my tip for getting out to enjoy the weather and still dedicate some time to satisfy your desire to quilt. First of all, I set aside my larger projects. Period. I want to be out bicycling, so I’ve adopted these summertime sewing guidelines: 1) It has to be quick, 2) It has to be easy, and 3) It has to use up my stash.
If you’re a long-time quilter like me, I’m sure you have several quilt blocks that never made it into a quilt. You’ve either lost interest in them or the colors are no longer to your liking. But that doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t love them.
Most of my UFO blocks are approximately 12 inches square (depending on if I sewed a straight seam or cut my fabric correctly), so I put three blocks together to make table runners. Then I trim it up, cut the batting and backing to size, and layer it. I don’t want the work of preparing and stitching on binding, so I skip that. I just put wrong sides together, with batting in-between. Then I sew a scant ¼ inch all around the edges, leaving one four inch gap open. My next step is to turn the table runner inside out (like a pillowcase), and hand stitch the opening closed. I’ll then quilt with a simple stitch in the ditch and, ta da! I’ve got one ready-made birthday, graduation, or holiday gift. You can do the same thing with just one block and make it into a centerpiece or a set of placemats. It’s a win-win for everyone—it clears out your stash and the gift makes for a happy recipient.
By the way, if you’re like me and you usually make a fancy quilt label, skip it! Use a black Pigma pen to sign your project—it works just as great!
Well, I’m headed to the bike trail wearing my new padded cycling shorts. Who knew they made such things? I sure didn’t, but I learned a valuable lesson last weekend when I went on a long-distance bike ride in regular shorts. Ouch!
Linda Griffith, owner of The Organized Option, is a Professional Organizer & Speaker based in Phoenix. She specializes in organizing sewing and craft rooms and also services residential and home-based businesses. A national speaker, Linda's presentations blend practical how-to organizing tips with motivation and humor. She can be reached at 480-755-3991, or through her website, where you can sign up for her free monthly e-newsletter.