I received a couple of questions about marking my quilt top. I used the Pam Clarke book and chalk pounce I purchased at Sew Expo. The pattern is a cursive little L pattern similar to the one I did for Sugar + Spice. Carousel didn’t give me convenient piecing lines I could use to regulate the placement of the pattern so I marked it with chalk.
I’ve tried a lot of different methods for marking big quilts and none have come naturally to me. The latest method I tried on this quilt was to use the straight line stencil and a chalk pounce by Hancy. There’s a hole on the other side of the plastic case that you pour the chalk into.
This was the first time using the pounce pad and it took me some time to get the pad saturated enough for the chalk to come through and do its thing. Finally, I placed it inside a plastic bag and really banged it against my hand to get the chalk flowing through the terry cloth like fabric.
I placed the plastic stencil on my quilt top and rubbed the pounce along lines #1 and #4. This created guide lines. The distance between each set of lines on the template is 2″ making my L’s 6 inches tall. As I quilted I tried to hit the top line with the top of the L and the bottom line with the connecting loop.
I ended up with 12 rows of the pattern. I marked the chalk lines after I pin basted the quilt. I started in the center of the quilt and marked a row and quilted it. I continued marking one row at a time and quilting. By the end I marked two rows at a time. I really have no idea of the ‘proper’ way to do this. I tend to change my mind a lot as I go along so I didn’t want to invest time in marking up front for something that might change.
My only critique of the pounce pad is I never got the lines as dark as I wanted them. That is a recurring theme in all my quilt pattern marking adventures so it may just be my expectation. I’m washing the quilt today for the first time but the chalk seems to have disappeared after being in use for a week.
A short comment on the size of the L’s: 6″ is really tall. I roll the sides of the quilt up as tight as I can on either side of the row I’m quilting (see photos). Trying to scoot the entire thing side to side 6″ to make the pattern is a workout. Some more self-education on technique is definitely in order!
I was certain the wonkiness of my work would be glaring. I’m always amazed how forgiving the quilting process is. All those little jumps the thread took seem to disappear into the folds. After washing they won’t even be discernible.
My Mom and Dad arrive today to enjoy the last full week of summer before the girls go back to school. Have a fabulous week if I don’t see you till then!
OH THANK YOU! This information will help TONS!
My former guild in ABQ loved the chalk pounce. I should try it. Good review. Have fun with your fam. ~jen~
I agree about the forgiving nature of quilting. With so much stitching going on, a flub doesn’t show at all. Or even a few flubs. Even if you’re doing very precise stitching–say, feathers and fans and other motifs–the hand-done quality is a good and desirable thing. Perfection is highly overrated IMHO.
Oh, goodness! Silly inexperienced me! When I saw the quilting in your previous post I thought “That looks cute and easy — I should do that on my quilt.” Little did I think about straight lines, etc.
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never tried the pounce method. My biggest gripe with most marking tools is that you can’t see them very well. And each new year makes it harder! Love that stencil. Very clever idea. I’m doing a lot more machine quilting than I like, but it has gotten easier. I really love the borders made easy paper, I mostly use it on borders but I have used it on setting blocks. Sometimes I just mark tracing paper and sew on it, although even sharpie can transfer to thread!!! I wish I was a natural at it.
ah, a reminder – this was the book that’s missing here
now I just need to find the perfect chalk-tab-thingie and the stencils online, as there’s no chance to get them over here.
thanks for sharing the proces! I always was wondering how your quilting turned out so accurate and straight, now I know
Wow, you have been quilting up a storm! Thanks for the photos of you at work and the ups and downs of the process. That’s the real story behind most quilts I suspect. I’ve looked at these chalk applicators before, so I appreciate the review.
LOVE love love the back. I’m sold on pieced backs, esp for throw quilts which end up every which way on the sofa. Might was well keep it all interesting. I think your all-blues back worked out great. I love the subtle tonal variations – keeps the whole thing moving.
I have had a play with a pounce at our shop but never actually used on on a quilt. We also just got in some great stencils with things like stipple and little girls and things – very cute! I was taught to quilt from the centre to the right and then turn your quilt over and do the same again. That way you put the heavy bit on a table to your left and roll the right bit up, unrolling it as you progress to the right. I hope that makes sense! Your quilt is lovely!
Louise: that does make a lot of sense to me. I was thinking the other day that instead of running the quilt through from one side to the other I could have turned my quilt 90 degrees and done the quilting in the way you describe. I’m looking forward to giving that a try!
Oh yeah I meant to say I have just recently tried machine quilting on my regular sewing machine (ie I don’t have a long arm) and it was so easy! Of course I quilted something that was maybe two feet square. LOL So really great idea on rolling the quilt up! I’m going to share that with my Mom and maybe we can do some quilting on our own without having to send them off.
Kathy, I am just in love with the quilting you did on this quilt. I am piecing the top of the Denyse Schmidt ‘single girl’ quilt and just checked into having it professionally quilted. When I had time to sit and read your thoughts on the quilting you did on this one, I started wondering if I might give it a try. I have machine quilted in the past, but only straight lines. Is there a big learning curve with the chalk pounce and template, or is it all pretty straightforward.
Keep up the great work Kathy! Thanks! Blair
Blair: I think the pounce and chalk was very easy to use. My only struggle was to get the pad saturated with the chalk before trying to mark the top. Ultimately I put the whole thing inside a plastic bag and banged it really hard against my hand to get the pad primed. I also did a test swatch where I practiced my quilting on a piece that I marked and then washed and dried it just to make sure the chalk would come out.
As far as machine quilting goes, it’s so forgiving and I seem to get better each time I give it a go. I do have to say the bigger the quilt the more difficult it is because the weight of the quilt sandwich becomes a factor to deal with. Patsy Thompson has a number of useful free downloads about machine quilting:
http://patsythompsondesigns.com/index.php/free-downloads
Can’t wait to see your finished quilt. I’ve always loved the wedding ring pattern and think the DS take on it is unbelievably cool. Would love to make that myself.