Monday, November 25, 2013

Hemispheres QAL {Quilting}

So before we get started, is anyone interested in a giveaway? Leave a comment on this post and enter to win one of two Kona Bundles from Marmalade Fabrics. I don't know about you, but I have had a rough two weeks, and a giveaway is definitely necessary :)


So quilting. I am going to show you the method of quilting that I used on my original Hemispheres Quilt. This method uses concentric circles echoing out from a single point. I decided to use just some solid white in my tutorial so that the detail of what I was doing would show up better than on a print or than on my wall hanging. I should preface this by saying that this is not a tutorial on Free Motion Quilting. I am sure it can be done with free motion, but that is not a skill I yet possess. Plus, I want people who, like myself, cannot master FMQ to have some options other than straight line quilting. That said, lets do this.

So first, find any round object that is a good size for tracing your center circle. For me, the lid of a mason jar works perfectly. It is still small, but not too small that you have trouble getting a smooth curve with your machine.


Trace your object using a water soluble or heat removable marking pen (test it out first to make sure it diappears!) on your quilt where you want the center of your quilting to be. I generally toss mine off center somewhere.


Now, with your machine, line up on the circle you just drew. Before you make your way around the circle, take a couple stitches forward and a couple stitches backwards to lock your stitch in place. You want to do this at the beginning and end of every circle. Otherwise, your quilting will come out in the wash. 


Now, begin to sew along the circle you drew. Ease through the curve like you did when you were piecing, trying to start/stop as little as possible so that you don't end up with angles. If you are worried about not being able to get a smooth curve, trace something a little bigger. The bigger it is, the easier it will be to guide your machine through that circle. Since this circle will be our center, it will be the smallest and have the tightest curve. All the curves that follow will get easier as you echo out. 


Once you have completed your circle, make sure you backstitch at the end to lock it in place. 


To get exact spacing between your concentric circles, I use this tool that came with my machine. It is a guide bar that you can insert into the arm that holds your presser foot. If your machine didn't come with one, I am sure you can buy one that attaches similar to how they make walking feet that attach. (feet? foot? idk)


So using a ruler, I put my needle down on the spacing that I want. In this instance, I am using 1.5". Normally I use something much smaller like 0.75". This is just so that I can show the technique. With the needle down, I then insert the guide bar, line it up to the edge of my ruler, and screw it in. Now we are ready to sew!


Line up the guide bar on the first circle you sewed. While sewing, you will want to spend more time watching that guide bar and keeping it lined up than you will watching your needle. As long as that guide bar is in the right place, your stitches will follow. Again, backstitch as you begin your next circle. 

 


Once you get to a place where no more complete circles will fit on your quilt, you finish out the corners as arcs. You still line up on your previous circle, but you stitch from one edge of the quilt to the next. 



And here is the finished product! Again, you might want to do your lines much closer together. Mine always fall between 0.5" and 1". This 1.5" could be good on a really huge quilt, but for most, I would suggest keeping it in the same range as straight line quilting. 

  

Happy quilting! Can't wait to see how all of the Hemispheres turn out and how you decide to quilt them!

35 comments:

  1. Thanks for a fabulous giveaway!

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  2. Thank you for the wonderful tutorial and a chance to win such beautifully colored fabric!

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  3. Wow like you tip on the jar lid. And aparently I have been using my gide all wrong lol! I wondered why it was messing up so much! thanks for the giveaway!

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  4. Great idea! I learned something wonderful from this blog post that will help me so much with the project I'm doing right now and for many years to come! I never knew that I could use my quilting bar with anything other then my walking foot.....thank you thank you thank you! You have helped me so so much :-)
    Thanks for the chance at your giveaway!!!
    *Jessica
    juceyj03@gmail.com
    FINGERS CROSSED!!!

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  5. Great giveaway! Nice of you to show how to easily do the circles.

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  6. Love the giveaways - thanks! You've inspired me to try my luck at circles as I love that look on quilts.

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  7. Great tutorial! You make it look so easy! Great giveaway - thanks for the opportunity to win.

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  8. Thanks for the tutorial, it looks great. I love the colors in that bundle-so bright and inspiring

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  9. Nice tute. Thanks for arranging the giveaway.

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  10. oh I would love to win this bunfle! and I always wanted to know how to qsuilt these circles!! no free motion quilting needed!! perfect for me ! thank you!:)

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  11. Thanks for the tutorial - I will be giving this a try! Thanks also for the giveaway - I love Kona bundles and Marmalade Fabrics!

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  12. This is a great tutorial! Im going to use it! Thank you and thanks Tammy for this giveaway! If I win it, she can add it to my shipment! Yay!!!

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  13. Thanks for the chance at the fabric. Love to use my guide bar because I hate marking . . . great idea.

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  14. Definitely a rough couple if weeks here too. Virtually no sewing as I'm studying for an exam but that's over next week then I can sew as much as I like. Yay!
    Thanks for the giveaway. I'm keeping my fingers crossed

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  15. Thanks for the tutorial. Another trick in my toolbox. :)

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  16. I hear ya on rough weeks - someone gave me a nasty cold :-(. Fabric is always cheering, though!

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  17. Thanks for the tutorial and the giveaway. Yea for fabric bundles.

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  18. Thanks for the chance to win! Hope your week this week is better and that you're getting settled into Charleston okay! It's a great town - once you get warmed up to it! :) (this from a Mt. Pleasant girl). :)

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  19. Love bright rainbow solids :-) Thanks for cheering me up. Hope you have a better week xx

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  20. Great idea! I can't wait to try it. :)

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  21. Yum yum pretty solids! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  22. That is a fantastic tutorial! I'm one of those people who just cannot master FMQ (maybe I need to take a class?) & it's so good to be able to try this clever method -
    thanks for sharing. And thanks for the lovely giveaway!

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  23. Awesome giveaway! I use my guide bar all the time for straight line quilting......love it!

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  24. Fabulous fabric giveaway! Thanks for the circle tutorial too. yoyopattycakes@hotmail.com

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  25. I had a rotten 2 weeks also so the chance for the giveaway makes it all end on a happier note!

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  26. I always feel a little down just before the holidays... But this would definitely brighten my spirits! - Kate

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  27. Thanks for the opportunity! And do what I'm trying to do slow down & enjoy my fabrics.

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  28. Thanks for the tutorial. I wasn't sure how that was done. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  29. I quilted concentric circles early this year. I was not clever like you, and I went in the wrong direction meaning the size of the quilt going through the throat of the machine kept getting bigger. Duh! Something to remember next time.

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  30. Great tutorial and yay for giveaways!

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  31. Great tutorial and yay for giveaways!

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  32. I would love to win the Kona bundle. I love all the many colors they have - thanks for the chance to win!! Love your tutorial!

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  33. That bundle is beautiful.thanks for the giveaway

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  34. Wow, kona bundles. Thank you for the quilting tutorial, and the giveaway.

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  35. Look at the all the bright solids. Love the tutorial and the chance to win a fabric bundle.

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