Grading a Quilt

Nope, we are not sending the quilt to school for one of the infamous tests.


At yesterday's meeting of Fiber Art Options, grading came up. Some of our members were not familiar with the term or concept. Those with some tailoring background were familiar with it, and why it is used.Grading is a tailors term and technique to soften the edge that is created under the top fabric when sewing multiple fabrics together.


A hard edge is produced by the layers ending at the same place. This hard edge is sometimes seen on the front of the quilt where the edges of the four layers (binding, batting, and top and backing) of the quilt show through.


The top photo shows the hard edge created by the four layers ending on the same line.


The hard edge can be softened by angle cutting the four layers so each ends at a slightly different place.



I have a pair of very special scissors for this job. In fact I have both a pair of Mundail's and Gingher's. They are very sharp, have one long skinny pointed blade and one blade that is rounded. On the Gingher's, the blade is beveled to allow for ease in grading. So I use the Gingher's for grading.


The Mundails are great for cutting out behind an applique as their finger holes fit my fingers better.


In the second photo, you can see the angle to hold the scissors to do the grading. The scissors are almost flat to the edge.


And the final photos show the graded or beveled edge of the four layers to reduce the hard edge. It is a bit raggy because I square up the quilt after quilting it. So the sewn lines are a bit harder to grade.


Do you grade your edges, or have you found another process to reduce the hard edge showing through on the front?

Happy Quilting,

Nancy

Rose Has Got Some Hips II Quilted

Image on the left is what Rose looked like before she was quilted.

Image on the right is after quilting.

I am not sure which orientation I like the best, the hips facing up or facing to the right.

Which way do you like the best?

Thanks your comments.

Nancy

My Husband Brought Me My New Love

For me, the most difficult part of making a quilt is sewing straight lines, and even worst, cutting the puppy square. Small pieces are okay, but larger pieces that are longer than my 36" rotary rulers have always been difficult.


I whined to my DH that I really needed a bigger T-square. He knew exactly what would solve my problem and bought me this dry wall T Square.


Used with a gridded cutting mat and a rotary ruler to check on different sides, it is fantastic.


Best of all, it is 54" long which covers the length of my current work. It is metal so I can use the rotary cutter with it easily.


Using this T-square has cut my time by two thirds what it used to take me. I'm in love!!

Nancy

Treasures from Trash

Just finished quilting 2 new quilts and pulling the basting threads. YAAAA!


Every time I do this, I have a lovely pile of clipped threads where I start and end my stitching and the pulled basting threads.


I used to save them, thinking that I would use them. Humbly I know that that will never happen. So now I just want them to go somewhere they can be used. They are perfect for felters.


If you are interested, let me know and I will send the first person who asks for them where US mail reaches.


Send your name and snail mail address to me by email and make a donation to your favorite non profit -- honor system.

Enjoy
Nancy

Rose Has Got Some Hips II

Rose Has Got Some Hips II - 8" x 8"

Last fall I collected some seed, berry and fruit specimens for new work. One that I especially liked was a group of rose hips. I am doing a series of small pieces that will be for available for sale at up coming exhibitions and thought these charming rose hips would be perfect for one of them. The little undeveloped rose hip was quite appealing and the bugs had found the leaves a real treat.

You can see a lot of different techniques in the leaves to show depth - for example: overlapping images, shadows, cooler colors in the back, warmer greens in the front. You can read more information on these techniques in earlier posts.

Who Does She Think She Is - Terrific Film

Pamela Tanner Boll has produced a great documentary of the lives and issues of 5 women artists. Had the opportunity to screen the film this afternoon with 18 other women, many of whom are artists and who ranged from 17 to 79 years of age.

In highly personal, candid sharing of their lives we learned how these artist struggled to create art while nurturing life. As Heather Cabot, of the Huffington Post said: "Boll's film reveals that mothers in the arts...face the very same imbalance in their lives as mothers slogging through 80 hour work weeks to climb the corporate ladder. Artist or not, mothers will be inspired and empowered by Who Does She Think She Is?"

And our group would add that women, mothers or not, will find issues that they can identify with.

My husband originally viewed the film with me and found that many men would also get a lot from the film, in terms of issues for their own lives. I am recommending that another screening be done at our church for both men and women.

Nancy

Re-Visioning: Fiber Innovations

Regina Benson is curating Re-Visioning: Fiber Innovations for this fall at the Lakewood Arts and Cultural Center in Lakewood, CO. Jason Pollen, Nancy Koenigsberg, Regina Benson and I will be the artists in this invitational exhibition.



I have been working hard to have new and larger work available for the exhibition, and the photo here, Mockingbird's Larder, is of one of those pieces.



The exhibition runs from September 9 - November 6, 2011

Opening reception and artist talks: September 9, 5-7 PM.


Hope you will be able to see this show.



Nancy