Little House Creations Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 One year after taking Judy Niemeyer's class, I'm finally ready to put my Prairie Star on my Freedom - I'm a bit nervous as I've never done a JN before. I've decided on my design elements, and thread colours, but I have a few questions about how to tackle this - should I just start at the top and work my way through the quilt? Do I need to SID or secure it in any way? This may sound dumb, but I'm just not sure what to do! Thanks in advance for any advice - I'll post pictures once I'm done - Bev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 I start at the top and work down. Some quilters do all the SID to stabilize the entire quilt and then quilt it. I usually do whatever SID needed as I quilt each section, incorporating the SID as the last element in the section ( or first element, depending on any fullness in the piecing). That way I don't have to change thread colors as often. I pin excessively any areas I will leave unquilted as I work down the top. After quilting a multitude of JN quilts over the last two years, I'd start quilting in the "second border"--usually either flying geese or spikes--leaving the outside border to be quilted last. I'd quilt that second border and then choose the next area to quilt by whatever is the largest area. Once that is nailed down,you can leave various matching sections unquilted and advance to the next field. This will stabilize the previous area, but make sure to pin everything in place. This sounds backwards, but I leave the center to be quilted close to the last. As I advance I pin the center really well. You want that section to be the best--it's usually where there is some light fabric so the quilting will show, and it's where the eye naturally goes first. So to simplify, quilt select sections as you advance--maybe pick four sections that you can tell will stabilize the top well. Pin the center well and save it for later. After you reach the bottom, pin the bottom edge well so you can roll back and catch all unquilted areas--I quilt and roll back to catch all the same sections/thread colors and then start at the top with the next thread color and quilt all the way to the bottom again. Quilt the center and lastly, the outer border. Can't wait to see some photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudithWashburnQuiltStudo Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 Linda, Great informaton, I have something simular, and was wondering how best to quilt the multiple colors without having to change the tread each field. This is great information. Bev, Post a picture, I am sure int is goreous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little House Creations Posted July 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 Linda - you are such a wealth of information, and so willing to share! Thank you so much - I know everyone on the forum appreciates it. Do you ever (or have you thought of) offering classes on "how to tackle custom quilting" - start to finish? I'd sign up for sure - I believe a while back I read you were working on a book - is that finished? and if so, how can I get one! Bev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 27, 2013 Report Share Posted July 27, 2013 I have my own JN Summer Solstice on my Millennium right now. I've done a LOT of JN quilts because I quilt for a certified JN teacher. Then she shows her quilts in classes, and I get some of the student's quilts to do. They are always a new challenge. I differ from the way Linda does it. I firmly believe in stabilizing these quilts first, primarily because there are SO many bias seams. I HATE pins and they hate me, and poke me every chance they get, so there is NO pinning happening in my studio. I swear they will move a foot just to get in a good poke! I usually start SID work in the center and work out from there, so I'm not trapping any fullness. I don't do ALL the SID in one section because that would cause too much draw-in and make it more difficult as I work my way down the quilt. I will SID larger areas, making sure all is smooth on the back, then going in and ditching the smaller areas within those areas. These quilts take a lot of thought as you work through them. It's very easy to distort, cause fullness, and get pleats on the back if you're not very diligent. I use Superior Bottom Line thread top and bottom for the ditch work. i can usually find a couple of colors that will "travel" across the quilt top without being obvious. I'm using a light gold on my own for the ditch work, but changed to a dark burgundy for those areas that needed it. THEN I start filling in, doing all of one design first. On my own, I've done ruler work, crosshatching and feathers that I digitized in the outer border. I've just completed the large inner corner borders and the triangles. I'm now working on designing the pattern for the small "Arc & Spikes" sections. Because everything is so well stabilized, I can pretty much go where my creative brain leads me next. I do a LOT of rolling back and forth and don't mind that at all. It's just a press on the foot pedal to get where I want to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little House Creations Posted July 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Darlene - pins are not my friend either! In fact, today, embarrassingly, I quilted one right into the quilt - how nice is that! I'll work with the suggestions from both you and Linda- and see what will work best for me. This JN is mine, so all the piecing "faults" are my own - and I know exactly where they are! I tried, but they Y seams are not perfect, and I agree with you about all the bias seams - I know it's not perfect, but I hope I'll be able to quilt it without too many problems . . . I'm getting stressed, but it is scheduled to be on the frame tomorrow ..... I've done all my July quilts so have til after the long weekend before I need to look at customer quilts again . . . thanks again! Bev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 I'd not thought of using two designs in a single border, such as you did with the feathers and slanted rows. Also in the last pict., if you look at the small triagle from the point to the widest, I see an angelfly. LOL, that is the first thing that hit my brain when I saw it. So cute, and love the points you used to elongate the feather to fill the corners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Szymaszek Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 Darlene, I too love those feathers. The points add so much. So pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 28, 2013 Report Share Posted July 28, 2013 I'm glad you like them. I have a new collection on my site called Feather Butterfly based on that triangle. $27.50 for the whole set! http://trilliumhousedesigns.danemcoweb.com/shop/product/feather-butterfly-collection/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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