posted Sept 9, 2023, 1:00 PM by Lorna Shapiro
One common message I hear from all of you who come to shop in my studio is just how hard it is to buy coordinating fabrics online unless they are all from the same line... which can be a bit boring. I totally understand the difficulty of knowing what will coordinate well with what when I'm shopping online. That's why, with the help of some creative friends, I've put together curated bundles of fabric that are guaranteed to play nicely together.
On my website you'll find two types of fabric collections:
K&C Fabric Bundles are 7 half-yard collections (they are perfect for making my Basically Bauhaus pattern - just add your own background fabric)
Curated Quilting Fabric Bundles are collections with 2 fabrics of 1 meter each and 5 fabrics or half and meter each (these are enough for a medium sized throw and there are a couple of pattern choices designed specifically for these bundles.)
Those of you who are local are always better to come in person to shop, but for those of you at a distance, consider giving yourself an inspirational treat with one of these lovely bundles.
IS SEWING CURVES AND CIRCLES A CHALLENGE FOR YOU?
When I first started quilting I was lucky enough to be taught how to inset circles, quarter circles, half-circles. Because my preference in quilt design leans towards the geometric, and because I didn't want to be restricted to just squares, triangles and rectangles, learning this technique was a game-changer for me. I find that many quilters have been told that sewing curves is tricky business and they are fearful of taking the plunge into incorporating circles in their designs.
So now that I'm less busy with my business, I'd like to offer a no-charge lesson in how to sew set-in quarter, half and full circles to any of you who can make an appointment and come by. Use the book a visit link on my website and find a time that works for you. Indicate in the messages portion of the booking process that you'd like some help with circles and book a 2-hour visit so we won't be rushed. You'll be able to both see me demonstrate the cutting and sewing process, and to try it yourself. Come with a friend or two if you'd like... that way you'll have someone to practice with afterwards.
You don't need a circle-cutting ruler but it does make things faster than using templates. If you have one you haven't used, bring it along and I'll show you how it works. I'll have ones here you can use if you haven't got one and I'll also talk about using paper templates.
Over the coming months I'll be offering demos in a number of different piecing techniques that I find helpful in creating interesting designs... so stay tuned!
Online Patterns
Here's one great stash-buster pattern that you'll be able to make once you are confident with sewing inset circles. This pattern is Just 'Round the Corner and you'll find it on my website.
In this case, both a kit and the pattern are available in my studio and online.
A Lesson from my Mentor Susan
Susan, who many of you know from your visits to the studio, was helping me recently to make a quilt that I'd designed at the request of my niece Emma. She'd asked me for a design that was based on the Fibonacci series, the mathematical series that appears so often in nature. The first two numbers in the series are 1, 1. After that, the next number is always the sum of the previous two numbers... so, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34,.... Here's the design she chose from the options I gave her:
Making this quilt required I print templates for quarter-circle blocks from 1" radius to 34" radius... smaller than I'd ever made and larger than I'd ever made. Since each template needed to be used several times, Susan suggested ironing a polyester fusible interfacing onto the back of each paper template. The result was that the paper templates were stable when placed on fabric, and more rigid to use and cut around.
So if you are needing to use templates, this trick of backing paper templates with a fusible interfacing is a great one to have in your box of tricks!
I think that is it for now. Wishing you all well. We are enjoying our new heat pump for its cooling effects on these hot summer days!
Lorna
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