Tag Archives: Quilters Dream Batting

A Few of My Favorite Things

World Wide Quilting Day is March 21, 2020. I will be participating in a Blog Hop to celebrate. The theme is “Making Us Laugh”.

My assigned day is Friday March 20th. I was working on my secret project for the blog hop and using my Reliable iron and started thinking about some of the tools I love while making quilts (besides my all time favorite Studio 180 design tools)! Is it too much to say I’m in love with this iron? I love a substantial iron that produces great steam!

The Velocity 260IR’s patented built-in steam generator produces up to 55% more steam than traditional steam irons for perfect ironing in less time. While traditional irons are prone to leaking and spitting, the Velocity irons use a patented 2-heating element and micro-pump technology that pre-heats the water and turns it into steam before it reaches the soleplate. The Velocity 260IR iron will give you perfect constant steam at even the lowest temperatures, yet are 100% safe for all fabrics.

Beside using my Reliable iron every day, I use my Original Big Board. I love this sturdy Ironing board. It is so well made it will last forever!

Get all the space you need while pressing and cutting with this board. The generous work surface of The Original Big Board™ now has its own fold away legs and can be set up as quickly as an ironing board. Plus, it folds flat to less than 2-1/2″ in height for easy storage under a bed or in a closet.

While working on my secret project I used my Strip Stick. As someone who has made 73 One Block Wonders I can truly appreciate how easy the Strip Stick makes it to press every seam open without disturbing the seams that have already been pressed!

The Strip Stick, so-named for pressing seams when strip quilting, makes ironing seams a snap without distorting previously pressed seams. Other uses include the ability to press intricate piecing, such as one-block wonders and other blocks with intersecting seams. Quilters are excited to have a tool that not only keeps the seams very straight, but also cuts pressing time to a minimum!

My favorite way to finish my quilts is with Quilter’s Dream Batting.

Quilter Dream has 12 different battings for you to choose from (Sold at your favorite local quilt shop). My favorite Quilters Dream Cotton Select, it is 100% Pure Cotton Batting. They start with the finest USA natural and environmentally friendly cotton and specially processed Dream Cotton so that you can quilt up to 8″ apart. No prewashing necessary! Available in Natural and White in four lofts: request, select, deluxe and supreme.

I use the Quilters Dream Poly Request & Select for my class samples because Poly doesn’t have the memory cotton has. Quilters Dream Poly uses an exclusive blend of the new fine microfibers. Dream Poly has exceptional drape, breathability and comfort surpassing all other polyester battings. Quilts beautifully! Available in three lofts in pure white: request, select and deluxe.

Join us in the Quilt Qwazy Queens blog hop celebrating Worldwide Quilting Day March 21, 2020.

#reliableirons #quiltersdreambatting #thestripstick #theoriginalbigboard #studio180design

Refraction

2 Replies

As I was preparing for an upcoming Tucker University Diamond Rects Class I though I would make Deb Tucker’s Refraction. It is a companion pattern for the Diamond Rects tool.

This is a great pattern to make to expand your skill at using your Diamond Rects Tool. Using six 2 1/2″ strips & background fabric this table runner is fun and quick to make.

I chose six 2 1/2″ strips from Island Batik’s “Spoolin Around” Island Strips pack & Cotton Egg-White for the background.

Cutting the Diamond

I opened my strips and positioned 3 strips right sides up ( you can stack more if you are comfortable), aligning the raw edges. I am right handed, so the selvedges are to the left. Align the guidelines of the ruler with the raw edge of the strip. Cut along the angled edge and across the top.

Rotate the first piece around to make the second diagonal cut near the selvedge edge.

Continue to make cuts until you have 7 diamonds from each strip.

Layer 3 more strip and continue to cut as before.

Cut 6 squares 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ from the remainder of each of the 2 1/2″ strips.

Cutting the Side Triangles

Cut your rectangles from the background fabric per pattern instructions.

Position the Side triangle Cutting Section of the ruler against the raw edges of the stacked rectangles and cut along the slanted edge of the ruler.

Stitch, Press, & Trim

Always lay out all the pieces right sides up as they are going to be stitched. Stitch two opposite side triangles to opposite edges of the center diamond. I align the raw edges, but instead of centering the diamond over the side triangle, I personally nudge my side triangle toward the thicker point of the center diamond. This gives me extra when it comes to the trim down process. Press toward the side triangle and away from the center diamond.

Align and stitch the remaining two side triangles to the raw edges of the center diamond as before. Press away from the center diamond.

Place the stitched and pressed unit on the cutting mat. Position the trim down side of the ruler on the unit, aligning the “X’s” and the dashed lines with the seam intersections and the sewn seams. Trim up the side and across the top. Rotate the unit and reposition the ruler, this time align the clean up lines on the previously trimmed sides along with the “X’s” and the dashed lines. Trim up the side and across the top. See tool instructions for left hand cutting.

Complete all your diamonds.

Layout the pattern pieces, stitch into rows and add borders per pattern instructions.

This was quick & fun! Finished project measures 16″ x 51″. Proudly stitched with Aurifil thread and completed with Quilter’s Dream Blend Batting.

#studio180design #debtucker #islandbatik #aurifil #diamondrects #refraction

Wild Flowers in the Dead of Winter!

2 Replies

I just finished my quilt donation to Quilter’s Dream Batting, Hopes & Dreams Challenge for ALS research. It is my hope that every quilter reading this will donate a quilt to help raise awareness and research money for ALS, Lou Gerhigs disease. 100% of money raised goes to ALS research.

All quilts donated are entered to receive fantastic prizes donated by wonderful sponsors.

Categories for prizes are:

Sew Lovely – 3 Quilters will win prizes valued at $500.

Sew Generous Individual – An Individual donating the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Sew Generous Quilt Guild – The quilt guild donating the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Sew Generous Professional – The professional quilter, longarmer or teacher who donates the most quilts will win $1,250 in prizes.

Sew Popular, 3 Winners – Top quilts are posted on the internet and voted on, 1st Place $1,250 in great prizes, 2nd Place $750 in great prizes and 3rd Place $50- in great prizes.

Sew Creative , 3 Winners – Fabric Postcards, wall hangings, handbags, accessories, miniature quilts, mug rugs, paintings, table runners, etc. which will be sold to raise funds for ALS Research. All entries will be entered into a drawing to win prizes valued at $500.

Sew Generous Quilt Shop – The quilt shop that donates the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Donate one or more quilts by July 31st. Quilts postmarked after July 31st will be entered in next year’s Hopes & Dreams Challenge. For complete information go to Quilters Dream Batting and click on Hopes & Dreams Challenge for ALS.

Wild Flowers of Alder Creek

It is winter in Central NY, but there are flowers in my yard today!

I hope you take time to donate to ALS Research!

Green with Envy????

6 Replies

No, just green with batting. Quilters Dream Green that is. I completed “Twister” a Studio 180 Design pattern for a class I was teaching several months ago, but I just now found time to quilt it. I love this pattern, it is a companion pattern for the Tucker Trimmer I. There is nothing like a pieced border to give your quilt eye catching appeal. I used a focus fabric by Alison Glass called Lucky Penney in the border. It was my jumping off point for the colors I chose.

This was my opportunity to try Dream Green earth friendly batting, made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Recycled plastic bottles are cut into chips, washed, melted and extruded into fine polyester fibers. Processed using the close-the-loop recycling chain, it is pro-environment in both its raw material source and its manufacturing process. Each pound of Dream Green Batting keeps 10 plastic bottles out of our landfills.

Dream Green loaded easily and stitched beautifully. There is no scrim or resins, yet you can stitch up to 12″ apart. I machine washed it in warm water and dried it on a medium heat. I thought it behaved very much like cotton batting. There was very little shrinkage. I was pleased with Dream Green and will use it again.

Twister is a great skill building pattern.

I Am No Longer a Wool Virgin

8 Replies

If you have ever wanted to make migrating geese, I am here to tell you they are not difficult. You do not need a special tool. This process is a Precision Technique so be sure to use your best skills when cutting, marking, stitching & pressing. Deb Tucker has a Technique sheet that shows you a quick easy and fun way to make these migrating geese in 7 different sizes.

I decided to try (for the first time) Dream Wool by Quilters Dream Batting. Dream wool is made in the USA, from a blend of fine domestic and Merino wool. Dream Wool contains no scrim or resins, it is carded, crosslapped and thermally boned for uniformity and strength. It was like quilting on air

Quilts made with Dream Wool may be machine washed and dried with little shrinkage using cool water and a cool dryer. Of course I did not follow these instructions because that is how I roll. I did wash it in cold water, but I dried it normally, as I would any quilt. It did shrink, but not dis-similar to a quilt with 100% cotton batting.

I love this process for making Migrating Geese and encourage you to try it.

Victorious

8 Replies

I just finished quilting and binding my Studio 180 design pattern “Victorious” I’m on my quest to branch out and try other battings. Of course my preference is any batting by Quilters Dream. This time I used the “Blend”, 70% cotton & 30% polyester, needle punched onto an ultra light scrim base. It was created especially for machine quilters.

It was very nice to work with. It didn’t stretch out of shape at all. It stitched beautifully. It held its shape throughout the washing and drying process.

Victorious is a beautiful traditional quilt pattern that uses the Deb Tucker V Block tool and the Squared2 tool for units in four corners of the border. The V Block tool was also used to create the diamond shapes in the border. Although, now Deb has created the Diamond Rects tool that could also be used to create the border units.

Dreaming of the Orient, (Batting that is)

14 Replies

I’m a cotton girl. I’ve always used 100% cotton batting. But, this year this Batt Girl is breaking out of her Batt Cave! Today I quilted my Studio 180 Design quilt “Wish Upon”, but I used Dream Orient by Quilters Dream Batting. This batting is made of bamboo, silk, tencel and cotton. When I opened the package the first I noticed was how luxuriously soft it was. It seemed a little thicker than Dream Cotton Select. It was wonderful to touch.

I have a small house. I was determined to find a way to get a long arm. I bought a queen size “John Watts” quilt frame from Australia. It only weighs 50 pounds, so when I wasn’t using it, it hung on the wall of the garage. I bought a Nolting “Fun Quilter” It weighs 40 pounds. It has a 17″ throat and has a speed and stitch control. After 7 years of lugging the frame in and out of the house, my husband finished the back pork so I could leave it up full time.

For today’s adventure, I have loaded the backing.

I then loaded the Dream Orient. It handled really nicely, didn’t stretch out of shape at all. It feels great.

I have the top loaded. See my tractor seat stool? It is great for rolling back and forth while I pin the backing etc. to the leaders.

I am now ready to quilt. Like butta, I tell ya, smooooth!

Last row done. It looks wonderful. I’m off to trim off the excess batting and sew the binding on. There was so much red in this quilt that when I washed it I put in 10 color catchers (they came out pink, so I’m glad I did). I washed the quilt in cold water and dried it normally. When I pulled it out the dryer, I noticed immediately how soft it was. They say quilts quilted with Dream Orient drape beautifully, and they are right! I am definitely using Dream Orient again.

This pattern is by Deb Tucker. We just had a Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Reunion. Deb gave this to us as a mystery, but she will making the pattern available sometime this summer. It uses the Split Rects Tool and the Wing Clipper I and the Tucker Trimmer I. I love this quilt.

Soho Sunflowers at Houston Quilt Festival 2013

2 Replies

I made this hexagon quilt specifically to donate to Quilters Dream Batting for ALS Research. As of this date I have made 52 OBW’s.

This quilt is made from one piece of fabric (not including the inner border). I bought the fabric from eQuilter.com. The fabric was called Soho Sunflowers so that is what I named it. The quilt measures 64″ by 84″. I had great fun making it!

These ladies are members of the “Piece Corps” for the Festival. They are responsible for unpacking each quilt that will hang at Festival. They wear white gloves and literally write down the condition of each quilt that is hanging in the show. They start by writing down how the quilt is folded, then look at the sleeve, then open up carefully and write down if they see threads hanging, the condition of the binding and they literally look at every square inch to see if there are any seams that might have torn or a stitch loose, etc. They write this down for insurance purposes so that when the quilt is returned the recipient will also know if there needs to be any repairs and what condition the quilt arrived in.

The Quilter’s Dream Batting crew had to leave to catch the plane flight before they could get a really good picture of the entire exhibit set up the way it is showing now. There are three tall café tables in front with flyers about the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for everyone to take and hopefully participate. There is also this sign – as all the quilts hanging are for sale. So far we have gifted 3,000 quilts to “PALS” – patients with ALS, and donated over $80,000 to ALS Research through sales of quilts. 100% of the proceeds of quilt sales goes to ALS Research.

THIS YEAR – they changed the Sew Creative Category. It now says:

“Fabric postcards, handbags and accessories, miniature quilts, mug rugs, paintings, placemats, tablerunners, table toppers, wall quilts, watercolors and more. These items will be sold to raise funds for ALS Research. All entries will be entered into a drawing to win a $250 Gift Card.”

Here is the url link to Hopes & Dreams:

http://www.hopesanddreams.quiltersdreambatting.com/