Category: How To (Page 3 of 6)

Image of Karla on YouTube

Learn how to use both beautiful sides of fabric…and MORE!

Firstly, learn how to use both beautiful sides of fabric, discover the nuances of value, choose focus and background fabrics!

It’s all about value.

From blog posts to YouTube videos, you can learn about more than 50 quilt patterns that use both beautiful sides of fabric.  Discover the nuances of value and what to look for when auditioning and choosing fabrics for Karla’s patterns AND all your future quilt projects.

When you learn how to use both beautiful sides of fabric, it’s almost like doubling your stash!

In addition, find fun quilting tips and how-to techniques to help you complete your quilting projects quickly and easily. Also, Karla shares her favorite quilting tools, rulers and more. You’ll learn about some unusual ones, too!

A variety of topics.

As well as learning how to use both beautiful sides of fabric, you can learn how to choose color themes for quilts, how to do broderie perse, or how to chain-piece a block. Also find guides to purchasing fabric on Spoonflower, merchandise on RedBubble,  and quilt patterns on Etsy.

Guild programs and classes.

Finally, you can learn about Karla’s classes and programs that teach quilters how to use both beautiful sides of fabric. Moreover, you’ll “meet” some quilt guilds along the way. When you see quilters’ progress on class projects, you get a good look at how different focus fabrics can create completely different quilts, even when the quilters use identical quilt patterns.

Start your journey of learning here!

Inspired Quilters Inspire

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to share my quilting journey with a group of women whose enthusiasm for quilting was truly inspiring to me.

Image of Inspired Quilters Guild
Inspired Quilters of Warrensburg, Missouri

The Inspired Quilters of Warrensburg, Missouri invited me to speak during their guild meeting. It was a cold, wet, and somewhat icy night. I expected a lower turnout of members due to the weather. That was my first surprise.

One of the interesting things I see when speaking to quilt guilds is the uniqueness of each group.

Image of Guild Presentation

As quilters notably are, everyone was welcoming and helpful – helping my friend and me carry in 50 quilts, bins of patterns and fabric, and set up the power point.

After the presentation, Nancy and were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic quilters who lined up, waiting to purchase patterns and kits. It’s so fun to see people excited about something you’ve designed – and it is quite humbling.

Image of Presentation with Something's Brewing quilt.

What I noticed next, while Nancy and I spent the next hour repacking quilts and patterns, was how excited and involved the quilters were in their guild meeting. I was wishing I could sit and watch, especially when it came time for Show and Tell. It seemed like each quilter did more than showed her quilt, she told the story behind her project – who or what it was for, how it came about…the details that make a quilt more than just a quilt.

These quilters truly inspire me – to tell the details, to let people know the stories behind the quilts.

Isn’t that what it’s all about? Whether the quilts we make are for special people in our lives, for hurting people we don’t even know, for veterans and service members to be honored, or even for learning something new alongside friends – it’s the people in the story that make quilting worthwhile.

A heartfelt thanks to the quilters in Warrensburg for sharing their quilting journey with me!

Two Purple Tools for Quilting

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Two simple quilting tools make a big difference in my stitching experience.

While both of these quilting tools are “Barney” purple, their uses are anything but child’s play!

The Cutting Gizmo has it’s place in my studio AND my retreat bag.

First, let’s look at The Cutting Gizmo. If you chain piece, this guy is a must-have! The Cutting Gizmo (click here) is by no means new longevity is in it’s favor. This tool by Gypsy Quilter is the best stationary snipper I have found.

Specifically, The Cutting Gizmo is a weighted cutter with a rubber, non-slip bottom. It is especially wonderful to use when you are making lots of chain-pieced segments for a pieced quilt. Just grab the two fabric pieces and draw them down either side of the gizmo to cut the connecting thread.

This gizmo saves and repetitive movements.

Seriously, think about the time it takes to grab your scissors, re-positioning your hands, snip a thread and put down your scissors.

Instead, you just pop up from your machine, snip, snip, snip and press, press, press! I keep this tool on the end of my ironing board, always.

That Purple Thang is a useful quilting tool, too.

Secondly, that long thin stick is one of the first quilting tools I ever purchased. So, at about twenty years old, it must be a good “thang”. It’s actually called, That Purple Thang from the Little Foot Quilt Shoppe.

That Purple Thang is more than just a pointy tool.

One end is softly pointed with a slight curve. It’s perfect to send nearer your moving needle than you want to send your fingers. You can control your fabric with the thin tip. The softly squared end is useful, too. One use is for turning a getting neat edges when turning a project right side out. I’ve had other tools made for this purpose, but this is the one I always go back to. I’m not sure why, but unlike other similar tools I’ve owned, I don’t misplace this one! I think it’s the cute name…

Both tools are shown on the Phoebee 2.0 quilt made from both beautiful sides of Hoffman California Fabrics.

This line of fabric, called Electric Garden, is bold and soft at the same time. Learn more about using both beautiful sides of fabric HERE.

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Floating Flower Garden

A floating flower garden is a queen’s palace for sure!

The Floating Flower Garden quilt is a modern take on a classic quilt.

What’s a better spot for a creative queen bee than this lovely palace quilt?

Floating Flower Garden

Image of queen's palace quilt
Floating Flower Garden Quilt by Karla Kiefner

First, this quilt began with fat quarter bundles from one fabric line. It was one of those fabric purchases without any planning or direction.

In addition, I was certain I wanted to use both beautiful sides of this fabric line.

How to use both sides for a classic quilt design?

Next, I found a tool for making half-hexagons. Using the Hex and More ruler and lots of 2.5 ” strips, I made lots of half-hexagon pieces.

Image of Karla holding quilt

Add to that, a non-traditional method for making this floating flower garden.

Yet, I still wasn’t sure where this quilt was headed – or if it would work! For months, I arranged and re-arranged the hexagons. In addition to changing the placement of color, I also played with the values by turning some fabrics to their REVERSE side. Read The Tricky Traits of Value.

Design wall to the rescue.

Using a design wall helped me figure this baby out in a number of ways. Most importantly it allowed me to take good photos of this large quilt.

Image of Floating Flower Garden indoors.
Perfect place for the turn table.

Black and white photos galore!

Just as I instruct students in classes and workshops, always take black and white photos to check your values. Color can fool you – and it tried to fool me with this quilt!

My goal was to create a blended quilt version (see Blended Quilts book) of the classic Grandmother’s Flower Garden. I tried many combinations, but the look really came together when I started to use the reverse side of the fabrics for the outer flower rings.

Image of Karla with Floating Flower Garden

Each black center and first ring are the front of the fabric. I could have excluded the lightest fabric to make the changes in value more apparent, but again, I was aiming for a more subtle approach.

Using both sides of fabric provides a soft difference to the values and makes a quilt sparkle!

I’m happy to say that this quilt one a coveted ribbon in my guild’s quilt show!

Shop more than 50 patterns that use BOTH beautiful sides!

Enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

Quilt Retreat Take-Alongs

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Start your packing for quilt retreat!

It’s quilt retreat and time to take your sewing on the road!

First, for quilters to go through all the trouble of taking down one work station to pack to all up, travel, and set it up somewhere else means it MUST be a lot of fun! Whether you go for the social time, productivity, shopping or a combination, making the launch from home sewing to retreat sewing can be easy!

Keep it all in one spot.

I have a friend who keep duplicates of all sewing supplies. Of course, that is the ultimate way to pack and travel. But if space and budget don’t allow for duplicates, try using a central command center.

Image of Tool Holder

Find a organizer that works at home and away.

The one I use, pictured above holds just about all the little tools and gadgets I need for retreat. I can even store my mini iron in the center section.

I tend to take a lot of items on quilt retreat because I want to pack (no pun intended) everything I can into those lovely few days. Overall, I like to enjoy all the aspects of a good retreat which include laughter, fabric shopping, relaxation time, yummy food, reading, movies, music, and walks, I’m still a high production type of quilter.

No sense spending time looking for supplies.

Whether in my studio or on the road I need to see what I’ve got and know where to find it.

Below is a very unofficial list of some of the things I take on retreat. I hope it helps you get ready for your next adventure of quilting on the road.

  • Sewing machine (with cord, pedal, extra light bulb, bobbins, and attachments)
  • Table
  • Extra lighting
  • Projects, preferably pre-cut
  • Felt-backed table cloth for make-shift design wall
  • Other supplies such as seam ripper, rotary cutter, blades, rulers, and cutting mat.
  • Iron and pressing mat or board and pressing spray.
  • Extension cords and electrical strips.
  • Personal items, including clothes, usually get packed last for me! You might consider walking shoes, rice bag for sore shoulders, and pain relief.
  • Charger cords
  • Snacks

The rest of the story.

NOW for the REST of the story! Below I reveal everything that is actually in my spinning work station.

Image of Quilt Retreat Supplies

Without a doubt, I don’t use all of these items daily. But when at quilt retreat, it’s best to not be without! Starting at the top left, you see fusible web, pressing spray, mini iron, chain-piecing cutter, a very cute rice bag (made by my friend, Donna). Next you see various rotary blades, The Purple Thang, a gripper tool, bandages, rotary cutter, and two sizes of Karen K. Buckley scissors.

It is wise to clean out your organizer now and then!

Following that is a pre-cuts guide for fabric purchase emergencies, thumb tacks, pins, cord wrap, thread, Q-tips, battery, thread and button, needles, a plethora of markers and pencils, snipping scissors, and Fabric Fuse. Surprisingly, the next row starts with the back of something which apparently held batteries, a calculator, a guild directory, business cards, note pads, and another gripper tool. Lastly, there are clips for hanging design wall, True Grips (truly a favorite), and last, but not least, Martelli cutters (I am an ambidextrous cutter, so I use both left and right-handed ones).

Read more about retreats here at: One Sweet Retreat and Friendship, Laughter & Quilts, Oh My!  and Seven Projects from Quilt Retreat

Home or away, enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

A Mini-Quilted Christmas

I wanted to make a little Christmas gift out of our dad’s shirts for my sister. I couldn’t come up with ideas, so picking the brains of my Lady of the Lake (LOL) quilting buddies proved quite helpful!

Image of Orville Wichern

Sitting around the table, we ran the gamut of ideas…a bear, a quilted Santa, an apron, a journal cover…whatever I could make from my dad’s old shirts – but it needed to be just right. One friend suggested framing a pieced/ quilted shirt quilt – she was on to something. It often takes a period of mulling…or percolating for me to round out an idea…instead of a frame, make it a shadow box… and add vinyl lettering to the inside of the glass…

I have to say, this little piece came out sweeter than I expected!

It’s not a big, fabulous quilt, but I really like how it turned out- and hope to one day make for myself one day–or maybe the gift to me was the cutting, stitching, and remembering that came with making this for my sister.

I used small amounts three different shirts. Once quilted and trimmed, I glued the quilt to the back of the box. Using Scan N Cut (click HERE for more info.), I added our dad’s name in vinyl to the inside of the glass (remember to reverse the lettering). I penned a short message on the back of the box with a Sharpie.

Do you gift your quilting for Christmas? How do you find ideas?

Please share in the comments below.

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galations 4:4-5

Read The Tie That Binds to meet Willie (Orville, Bill, husband, brother, uncle, son…dad).

Cross-over Quilting Tools

Like many of us quilters, space is at a premium, so when I find a tool or machine that has multiple uses, I get excited about it!

Let’s face it, we can’t make everyone a quilt every time we need a gift! That’s why I like to use my Brother Scan N Cut, which I mostly bought for quilting purposes, to also make unique non-quilted  gifts.

Click HERE for a review of  the monogrammed baby quilt I made using a phone app and the Scan N Cut:

Click HERE to see the old Italian proverb made with Scan N Cut in this Italian Row-by-Row quilt.

The Scan N Cut project I’d like to share with you today is one I made for Christmas last year – and it requires a short story…

Each year, we gather at my husband’s family farm before Christmas. We all traipse into the fields and watch as the chosen tree is cut down. The (now grown) grand-kids decorate the tree while the older grown-ups visit. Before opening gifts and eating, everyone gathers around the very long dining table while our mother-in-law leads us on the piano in Christmas carols. It’s sounds all cozy and Hallmark-y, right?

Then comes the finale, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”! Except for two assigned parts, we all do the motions for each of the days. The assigned parts? The three brothers are “Lords a Leapin'” for which they do what is supposed to be a leaping type of movement (they take this role very seriously) and any new boyfriend or girlfriend brought to the party is the “goose” for “Geese a Layin'”. This involves squatting, twisting, and flapping movements.

Image of Kiefner Brothers Leaping

Fabulous Photo by Black Kiefner

Now, there is a year-long push for new geese–so each single grandchild has a bit of pressure to find a goose to bring for Christmas! Both of our daughters will say their geese have been somewhat traumatized by Kiefner Christmas!

What does this have to do with Scan N Cut? I came up with this gift idea last year using vinyl and paint on glass in a barn wood frame. The painting was very easy, just dabbing layers of green and white in the general shape of a tree (the only tricky part was that the paint is on the back of the glass so you want to paint the foreground first). Placing the letters was easy once I figured out to use a rotary mat under my glass to line everything up.  I ended up making a few variations for other families and I think they were all well-received. Image of Hanging Picture

If you’ve wondered about using a Scan N Cut for quilting, this would be a great time of year to check them out – dealers are having sales and you need something to put on your wish list, right? (I have no affiliation with Brother or any dealers, I just like to share with you the things I like!)

Check out these Christmas items in my Etsy Shop (Click Here).Image of Poinsettia Quilt

Image of JOY QuiltImage of Blue Christmas Tree Quilt

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

New-Prairie Points for Hanging Quilts

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Use prairie points to easily hang your quilts.

Use simple prairie points instead of a long fabric tube to hang your quilts. The number you need will depend on several things: the size of the quilt and how you will hang it.

First, fold a few squares.

To make prairie points, cut squares. Fold them in half, diagonally and press. Fold them again, diagonally and press. That’s it! You just made them! The size and number you will need depend on your quilt size and how you will hang it.

For best results, run a stitch about 1/8th inch from the raw edges of the prairie points to hold them together.

Next, baste the prairie points onto your quilt.

Align your prairie points across the top edge of the back of the quilt. Distribute them evenly, with the outer points at least an inch from the sides.

Baste the points, using a seam allowance smaller than your binding seam allowance.

Finally, make a few hand stitches.

Lastly, you will stitch the points to your quilt by hand, with a doubled-tread. Take care not to stitch through the front of your quilt. About four stitches in each is enough to secure your points.

When your binding is complete, your quilt is ready to hang!

For sizes and to review the complete method, see Hang Quilts Using Prairie Points  and Prairie Point Hanging Method

Image of quilt with prairie points.
Prairie Point Hanging Method shown on Phoebee.
  • Use an even number of prairie points to hang a quilt from a single point.
  • Generally, consider 8- inch squares. Try larger ones for larger quilts and vice versa.
  • All the Creative Bee Studios patterns provide the size and number of points needed for each pattern.
  • Pressing well helps keep the points orderly.
  • Trim any uneven edges before attaching the points to your quilt.
  • For use with unusually large rods (like in a quilt show), hand stitch your points about an inch higher than they reach when flat. This will allow some added room for the large rod and help the quilt hang flat.

In addition to using scraps for Prairie Points, I like to use the REVERSE side!

Try using the reverse side to tone them down or provide interest on the back of your quilt! #usebothsides

Image of Back of Quilt
See the front of this quilt and new pattern in the next post!

Follow on Facebook and Instagram and pin on Pinterest!

Enjoy your quilting journey!

Quilt Fusible Web in a Pinch

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I first fell in love with light-weight fusible web when I used it with the Leaves Galore rulers.

Water Colours was made with Misty Fuse, a nearly weightless fusible web.

Image of Quilt with fusible web
Water Colours

Misty Fuse is a paperless fusible web.

First, Misty Fuse is paperless. Like a thin spiderweb of glue, it is nearly weightless. It is so soft, your machine won’t even know it is there! Neither will the loved ones who snuggle in your quilt.

However, because there is no paper on this fusible, I feared it couldn’t be used for tracing templates. I do a lots of fusible applique which require tracing templates. In fact, about half of the more than 50 quilt patterns I’ve designed use templates.

Soft Fuse is my favorite paper-backed product.

Soft Fuse is a paper-backed fusible web that is also very lightweight. Although any lightweight fusible will work, I recommend Soft Fuse in my classes and workshops. Even with large applique, your quilt feels softs to the touch. In addition, with a light pressing, it is possible to remove and re-position your applique if needed.

Transferring Designs with Mistyfuse Fusible Web

If you’re in a pinch and caught without your trusty paper-backed product, here’s what you can do!

  • First, draw or trace your design with lead pencil on to parchment paper. You need to make your tracing dark. I use a #2 lead pencil.
  • Then cut a piece of Mistyfuse large enough to cover your design.
  • Using a protective sheet (I used a Goddess Sheet), press the Mistyfuse to the wrong side of your fabric. The Goddess Sheet gives the Mistyfuse a sheen so you can see where it is on your fabric.
  • After the fabric cools, place it with the fusible side up on a hard surface. Cover it with your, design side down, on your fabric and trace the design with a hard pointed object like a stylist tool.
  • Cut your design on the lines.
Image of Bee Tracing for Fusible Web
Image of pressing sheet for fusible web
Mistyfuse on Fabric

Tips for use paperless fusible web.

Remember to trace onto the REVERSE side of your fabric (unless you are using BOTH beautiful sides).

The lead markings transfer much easier onto the Mistyfuse than they do directly onto fabric.  The finer your pencil, the finer your lines. A finer lead will give you a more precise drawing.

This is a great fusible alternative for tracing a template!!Image of Fabric Bee

Enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

Quilting with Etsy

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

If you love to quilt and don’t have enough time, maybe this How To is for you!

Firstly, this “how to” is meant to explain some the of mystery of shopping on Etsy. Secondly, I hope it saves you time, to boot!

If you are like me, sometimes you’d like to wear a button: “I’d rather be quilting”.

Obviously, if you are a quilter, you already know that quilting is time-consuming. Personally, I don’t consider myself productive when I’m doing something like laundry, housework, or even computer-work! Obviously, I know that these are necessary things to do and are valuable. But the way my mind works, do things other than creating beautiful quilts is kind of like buying tires. I just don’t want to do it!

Shopping online can be annoying and even scary.

So, I get it when quilters who aren’t familiar or comfortable shopping on-line get frustrated. Not only does it take time, it takes time away from what we’d all rather be doing!

Hopefully, this little How To guide to Etsy can save a quilter some time while introducing some fun quilting options.

To keep things simple, I’ll use my own shop for some how-to examples.

Five things to know about how to use Etsy:

  • Etsy is an online global marketplace for all kinds of unique goods. It features handmade items, supplies,  or vintage goods from little shops from all around the world
  • Etsy is easy to use. Simply type the name of the item or shop you are looking for in the search bar at the top of the website. If you don’t get a result you are looking for, try a “key word”, like “quilt patterns”, “bee” or “seahorse quilt pattern.
  • When you find something you like, click on the heart and it becomes one of your Favorites. All of your favorite items and shops are accessible through the simple “Favorites” button.
  • Also, you can to browse a feed that Etsy provides based on your searches and your favorites.
  • *Purchasing on Etsy is easy and safe. The Etsy company handles the monetary transaction completely, so the shop-owner never gets your payment information. For example, when someone places an order in my shop, I only get that person’s name and shipping address so that I can fill their order. That makes Etsy a place where you can shop online at many different boutiques while only providing your payment information to one company.

Etsy reviews and ratings are different!

Like many companies, the Etsy review system is based on stars. You can rate one, two, three, four, or five stars. Moreover, most people still consider three stars to be good or average; a four is even better; and five is perfect. However, on Etsy, any star rating below a FIVE hurts that shop. Keep that in mind when you are giving reviews on Etsy!

How to consider the content instead of the stars.

You can also easily read reviews to see how other customers like a shop and the goods they’ve received. This is highly motivating for shop owners since they only want top ratings and reviews. You are sure to get good service! In the same fashion, consider that a 4-star rating (which Etsy considers bad) by I customers who states, “I LOVE IT!” is likely a fantastic review by someone who simply doesn’t ever give 5-star reviews.

What can you find on Etsy?

Quilters can shop for all things quilt related. Besides patterns and fabric, look for notions, fusible web, tools and rulers and even Featherweight machines!

Hope you’ve learned how to have fun on Etsy!

Want to learn more? Click here to learn how to use both beautiful sides of fabric!

SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel HERE!

Enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

Tips for Half-Square Blocks

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Half-square triangle blocks are easy to make.

However, these tips for half-square triangle blocks can really help the beginning quilter to understand how and why you need to square your units or blocks accurately. I know they helped me!

There are lots of techniques for making these blocks. This one describes how to make them individually versus mass-produced, in case you don’t need 200!

Start your half-square triangle block with two squares.

Image of Two Fabric Squares

For example, shown above are two 4-inch squares of fabric. One is a dark gray batik. The other is a soft white.

The block we need will be 3 1/2″ (before sewing to other units). The actual “finished” block size will be 3 inches. Therefore, above you see two 4-inch squares. Draw a diagonal line, corner to corner, on the reverse side of the lightest fabric.

Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the light square.

While it doesn’t really matter which fabric you choose, you’ll follow this line as a guide for stitching. Just make sure you can see your marking well.

Stitch on both sides of the marked line.

Layer your squares with the marked one on top; I’ll say “right sides together”. However, remember that if you are using BOTH beautiful sides of fabric in a half-square triangle block, you’ll want your “intended fronts together”. This means BOTH right sides will either be facing down or facing up.

Next, stitch from corner to corner, 1/4 inch from the drawn line.

Image of Block with Stitching

Make great time by chain-stitching.

If you have lots of these units to make, try chain-stitching them. First, have your squares marked and paired, ready to stitch. Second, stitch on one side of the line on each set, without cutting threads in between. Thirdly, turn the string of them to repeat the stitching on the other side of the line.

Cut on the center line.

Separate the units by snipping the threads. See “Two Purple Tools for Quilting” for a great cutting tool. Press to the darker fabric. The block should be larger than 3 1/2 inches and have threads and tails (or ears) on them as shown below.

Image of Block and Ruler

Use a squaring ruler with a 45 degree line.

Using any ruler with a 45-degree line, place that line along the diagonal seam of your block and so that the over-all size after you trim the first two sides is still slightly larger than 3 1/2″. Notice the extra fabric outside of the 3 1/2″ marks?

Don’t trim the first two sides at the 3 1/2 inch mark.

Trim the first two sides slightly larger than 3 1/2 inches. This will allow you to get the most accurate finished unit with a perfectly aligned diagonal seam.

Image of Last Cut for Block

Next, spin your half-square triangle block around and line up the trimmed sides directly on the 3 1/2″ marks. Trim the last two sides.

I AM from the Show-Me State!

Perhaps most new quilters would figure out on their own not to make the first trim at exactly 3 1/2 inches, but I needed a kind teacher to show me why I shouldn’t so that with the first trimming cuts.

If you are making the River Heritage Block-of-the-Month Mystery Quilt, you are probably figuring out that there are a lot of half-square triangle blocks  in the design.

Here is a the Trail of Tears block, featuring all half-square units.

SHOP more than 50 quilt patterns that use BOTH beautiful sides of fabric!

SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel HERE!

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