Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on October 6, 2015 by debbiewendt

I was looking back through a stack of magazines and found one I forgot to tell you about….Modern Quilts Unlimited.  I want to share page 10 of the Summer edition.

image

image

YES, that is my pattern!  iPad Pyramid Pillow.

“Great for relaxing on the sofa or for viewing from a table top, the iPad Pyramid Pillow from Wendt Quilting will keep your tablet secure in the right position for viewing. …”

Thank you Carol Zentgraf, Editor!

You can purchase the pattern on my website (wendtquilting.com ).

While I was in Kansas City a couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a bed turning of quilts some dating back 150 years!  I absolutely LOVE old quilts; the look, the feel, the yummy variety of older fabrics!  There is nothing quite like them.

imageimageimage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the points of the talk was how to care for old quilts.  Did you know a cedar chest is NOT recommended.

#1 – The best way to store old quilts is in a plain cotton pillow case.

#2 – Keep fabrics away from stained wood, especially if it is not sealed.

#3 – Use buttermilk in the water bath to help remove stains.

I’ve also heard to use lemon juice.  The acidity helps to “bleach” dingy fabrics.  ALWAYS, test first as you do not want to further damage the fabric.

The bindings showed much love and wear.  But, one binding stood out to me.  Look at those small stitches and nice curved corner!  image image

And the join….yep, you can see where they joined the ends.  As you know, one of my passions is bindings.   Even though it is “jumpy”, the amazing detail makes me smile!

in quilting,

debbie

Posted in Antique quilt, Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on September 29, 2015 by debbiewendt

Another city…another show!  I finished setting up my booth today for the AQS Quilt Week in Des Moines, IA.  The show opens tomorrow and you can find me in booth #825.  I’ll be doing the Learning Center Demo on Thursday at 2pm!  Come by the booth for continued demos on Brilliant Bindings and using the tool!  Hope to see you there!

I did some piecing tonight and realized I left most of my pins at home.  So, I needed a way to mark my centers without pins.  I have done this technique before over my many years of sewing….

Mark with a finger pressed crease!

image

Finger press a crease in the center of two pieces you want to join.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Align the creased centers and no extra pins needed!

image

#1 – Finger press a crease into the centers of pieces to join when no pins are handy or to save time.

And to save electricity and time running to the ironing board…

#2 – Finger press the seams to save time!

Three blocks pieced tonight and only the sewing machine was plugged in.

 

 

in quilting,

Debbie

Posted in Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on September 22, 2015 by debbiewendt

Happy Tuesday on my Honey’s Birthday.  I’m a bit sad as I am traveling between two shows and not home to spoil him.  I did leave homemade Chicken Pot Pies in the freezer, enjoy Honey!

Speaking of happy, I am so pleased with the feed back on my Snuggle Tails!  I saw loads of pointing, smiles and got giggles and laughs for the tails!  As one lady said… “I always wanted to be a Mermaid”!!

Snuggle Tails-DW

Snuggle Tails-DW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One young girl was thrilled she could try one on!  Thanks to her Mom for allowing me to snap her picture.

Snuggle Tails fan!

Snuggle Tails fan!

She kept repeating, “It is so soft on my toes!”.  I’m thrilled!

The patterns are on my website. () or request them at your local quilt shop.

With the winter holidays fast approaching, these will make awesome presents.

#1- Make homemade gifts/snuggle tails/quilts.  The gift that keeps on giving love and hugs!

#2- Make Snuggle Tails a bit bigger…it gives the “kids” room to grow and move in them.

Notice I said “kids”!  Both young and “old” love these!

I hope to see some of you next week at AQS Quiltweek DesMoines.  I’m in booth #825.  I sure enjoyed meeting many blog followers in Chattanooga last week!

in quilting,

Debbie

 

 

 

 

Posted in Patterns, Quilt shows, Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on September 15, 2015 by debbiewendt

Last week I showed a nine patch quilt with sashing.  My question…how do you color a nine patch?

Do you color the corners and center with the darks?

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or do you prefer the corners as the lights?

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These little gems, when pieced side by side, create a checkerboard!  The photo below is a W.IP. Work In Progress.  The nine patches are tiny at 1 1/2″ finished.

image

One of the things when sewing miniature blocks…accuracy!

#1- Consistent and accurate seams are a must when piecing miniatures.

I love how a simple nine patch can look so different, just by changing up the color placement.

 

 

 

The shoo fly block is another simple block that can have a very different look just by changing the darks and lights.

image

 

 

#2- Try a variation and color blocks differently.

LOVE the possibilities!

 

 

 

The booth is set up and ready for the opening day in Chattanooga tomorrow!  AQS Quilt Week!  Come see me in booth #207.  I’m also on the Learning Center stage at 3pm tomorrow.  Brilliant Bindings – Perfect Binding Every Time!

in quilting,

Debbie

Posted in Brilliant Bindings, Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on September 8, 2015 by debbiewendt

How many school supplies did you buy?  I only added paper this week.  I had to show some restraint since I looked in my pen and pencil drawer…see photo below! :). “I think you have enough.”   Is what my honey said!

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did find focus this past week!  I finished up my Beginner Quilt Making class sample and got it delivered to the shop I will be teaching at.  Check out the classroom at Sturbridge Quilting and Sewing (or the photo below) for my class that will run this fall.  With my busy show season schedule, the classes will run all fall skipping weeks.  Plenty of time for getting all the sewing homework done!  You will make and finish this cute nine patch!

Nine Patch -D.W.

Nine Patch -D.W.

Do you take classes?  It is a great way to meet quilters in your area, make new friends and learn a new technique or two, or three.  So, now is the time to checkout what your local quilt shop or show has to offer!

#1 – Take a quilt class!

The first class will be about choosing fabrics.  How do you choose?  Not to give away any secrets of the class, but below is one way to choose.  “READ” the selvage!  The selvages can give a great starting point for finding what might go together.  Those dots…they are the colors that were used in printing the fabric.  A good resource right there in plain sight.

 

#2- Check the selvage color dots for choosing fabrics that play well together!

This first one below is from the nine patch blocks.  The other is for a new one I’m getting ready to start.

image

 

image

 

 

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come see me!  In a class or at an upcoming show…

Sept.16-19. AQS Quilt Week – Chattanooga (booth #207)

Sept. 30 – Oct. 3. AQS Quilt Week – Des Moines  (booth#825)

-in quilting,

Debbie – Wendt Quilting

Posted in Tips, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on September 1, 2015 by debbiewendt

My Midwest family and friends have been back to school for a while now but here in New England, things are now in high gear for starting school.  Know what that means?  SCHOOL SUPPLIES!!!  I love school supplies!  As a former middle/high school teacher, there was/is excitement for me in buying new supplies.  I still LOVE perusing (I love the word, like browsing but better!) all the supplies.  My mind goes in overdrive trying to think of a reason that I just HAVE to buy the stuff!  So, if you need an excuse…see below.  My tips today are on how some of those school supplies can be used as your quilt treasures.  (I also love kitchen wares and fishing finds…one of which I showed early on in tips.)

for your rotary cutters…

image

#1- Pencil case is a good way to travel with a rotary cutter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the best composition books have the graph paper pages!  Great for designing blocks, quilts and figuring yardage.  Also very useful in griding quilting designs.

#2- Use graph paper composition books for designing.

Design notes. DW

Design notes. DW

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend, Becky, covered mine in this awesome paper.  And look, she even included a handy chart for bed and batting sizes!  I am never without graph paper for those design inspiration moments.

How about school glue?  Great for “basting” bindings and is washable!  Glue sticks?  For appliqué.

Or white chalk?  For drawing quilting designs (always test first).

Post it notes?  For labeling blocks and rows.

And those mechanical pencils?  Can never have enough of those!

 

 

image

image

image

And some other great storage containers.

Longaberger basket with relish tray insert.  (Could also use silverware tray).

Food storage containers for pens, pencils and small projects.

Small fishing tackle box for my mini hexies.

 

Have FUN shopping while you can get some great deals on school supplies!

in quilting,

Debbie

 

 

 

Posted in Tips, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on August 25, 2015 by debbiewendt

I’m looking at being on time today!  My mind is swirling ahead to my next shows and new patterns for Fall Market.  I’ll be vending at the last two shows of the year for AQS, Chattanooga, TN and Des Moines, IA.  Be sure to check out the free demos in the Learning Center.  I’ll be giving a demo at each show.  There was standing room only last year!  So take a break (and a seat!) during the show and catch me on stage!  Bindings will be the topic!  Of course, I’ll continue to have my Brilliant Bindings demo in my booth (#207 in Chattanooga -new location from last year and #825 in Des Moines).  Then the final two shows are in Houston.  Quilt Market, open only to credentialed attendees and International Quilt Festival, open to all!

I want to continue the discussion today on bindings.  One of the questions I get asked is keeping the binding width the same on the front and back of the quilt.  Does it have to be?  My answer is NO, but you DO want each side to be even with itself.  You want your binding to be FULL with the seam allowance “filling up the binding”.  No gaps of empty space!

#1- Fill up your binding!

A “full” binding will wear better over years of use.  The binding on the left below is not full.  It shows more wear then a binding of the same age (and washings)….second photo on right below.

Wear "line" on binding from not being full.

Wear “line” on binding from not being full.

Full binding

Full binding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So,

#2 – even if your binding is a different width on the front, than the back, keep it consistent on each side!

The quilt below shows a skinnier width on the front than on the back.

Binding widths different on front and back.

Binding widths different on front and back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In quilting,

Debbie

Posted in Brilliant Bindings, Quilt shows, Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday on Wednesday

Posted on August 19, 2015 by debbiewendt

Tuesday slipped right past me!  I bring the tips a day late.

Thank you AQS Quilt Week Grand Rapids for a wonderful time last week!  I gave many demos on Brilliant Bindings in the booth and had fun watching the reactions to the new Snuggle Tails!  Laughter and smiles abound.  In my class, “Become a Brilliant Binder”, we explored all the basics on making bindings and putting bindings on straight, curved and scalloped edges.  A huge thanks to Elna sewing machines for providing the machines!

I love talking about bindings and how fabric choices can make a quilt.  One of my favorite quilt bindings is the stripe I put on “Accuracy Does Madder”, my quilt in Barbara Chainey’s book Fast Quilts From Fat Quarters.  I love how the binding framed the quilt without taking away from it.  The stripe worked perfectly.

Accuracy Does Madder ~D. Wendt

Accuracy Does Madder
~D. Wendt

The binding was sewn to the front and turned to the back.  I stitched in the ditch on the front to secure the binding.  Yes, you can see the stitching on the back.  I am perfectly fine with that because in the book photo it looks hand sewn 🙂 !!

Accuracy Does Madder ~D. Wendt

Accuracy Does Madder
~D. Wendt

Accuracy Does Madder ~D. Wendt

Accuracy Does Madder
~D. Wendt

 

 

 

 

 

 

#1- whether you hand sew or machine sew a binding, execute it well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the quilt below, I cut the binding on the bias.  The same fabric was used in the border but it looks different cut on the bias.  By using a fabric in the quilt, it brings the inside out to the edge and helps focus back to the inside.

Bias binding

Bias binding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both of the next two photos have a seam.

Can you see them?

Continuous binding seam

Continuous binding seam

Continuous binding seam

Continuous binding seam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2- make continuous binding seams as invisible as possible!

in quilting,

Debbie

 

Posted in Brilliant Bindings, Tips, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on August 11, 2015 by debbiewendt

Hello Grand Rapids!  AQS Quilt Week opens tomorrow!  I’m looking forward to a great week of demos of Brilliant Bindings in my booth (#321), vending my patterns, presenting at the All-Star Review, and teaching Become a Brilliant Binder on Saturday.  Come by and say hi!

Today’s Tips are from the class I taught in Deleware last week.  With Diamond Tipped Tools, pre-cut strips are used for the pattern.  Unfortunately, strips are not always cut equal.  So. be very careful when using pre-cuts!  Some students came to class with pre-cuts that had pinked edges.  Those strips had extra width.  So, I suggested we trim them, removing the pinked edges so all strip widths were exactly 2 1/2″!  Looking at the photo you can see how the pinked edges are past the edge of Brilliant Bindings and over the 2 1/2″ line.

image#1 – Double check those pre-cut strips!  They might need to be trimmed down OR you may haadjust the seam allowance to accommodate for narrow strips.

When using Brilliant Bindings as a cutting template, I recommend you add “TrueGrips” circles to help grip the fabric so the tool doesn’t slide when cutting.  If you look closely the photo you can see those circles on the tool.  Another alternative to purchasing “TrueGrips” is “Invisi Grip”.  I’ve also used painters tape, but it does not allow you to see through where the tape is placed.

#2 – add “TrueGrips” or similar to rulers to keep them from slipping when cutting.

in quilting,

Debbie  ~ Wendt Quilting

Posted in Brilliant Bindings, Jelly Rolls, Tips, Tools, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Two Tip Tuesday

Posted on August 4, 2015 by debbiewendt

Late, on the road, traveling tips.  I spent the last two days with the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild in Lewes, Delaware.  What a wonderful group!  Thank you ladies and gentleman for a great turnout for my lecture/trunk show!  And the class….super!  I can’t wait to see all the finished Diamond Tipped Tools quilts and table runners!

A peek at a few are below.  I love all the variety in fabrics!!

Diamond Tipped Tools

Diamond Tipped Tools

I ask them for some tips…and I HAD to use them!  Can you say FUN group?!?

#1 – If you drink wine while you quilt, be sure it is white.  Red makes an aweful mess on the fabric.

#2 – If you plan to quilt, don’t have more than ONE glass of wine.

 

 

 

 

Diamond Tipped Tools

Diamond Tipped Tools

Diamond Tipped Tools

Diamond Tipped Tools

 

These ladies made me smile all day!  Thanks to each of them!  Especially to my host, Barbara and program chair, Mary and workshop chair, Ellie!

in quilting,

Debbie  ~ Wendt Quilting

Posted in Brilliant Bindings, Jelly Rolls, Tips, Uncategorized | 2 Comments