QuiltPro Quilt Software

April 28, 2013April 28, 2013 Elizabeth E.8 Comments

I’ve used QuiltPro software for about a decade now, choosing it first because it worked on a Mac as well as a PC (I’m a Mac user, and Electric Quilt has ignored people like me). I’ve been reading about another quilt software program that you rent monthly, and thought I ought to talk about an alternative to that, especially since QuiltPro is having a sale right now of 30% off.

What I like about this program is its simplicity. It didn’t take me long to figure it out–click on the square icon and draw a square, click on the triangle (there are two kinds) and draw a triangle. Click on the paint can and color in your shapes. It does have a fabric library, but after a few times, I’ve skipped over that and just use the solids, coloring in what I want to show value and placement. (And sometimes I wonder if that’s not why we’ve had such a surge of popularity in using solids–we see them in our quilt software and then want to make those quilts? Who knows, but I’ve thought about it.)

And if I want to, I can change the colors by double-clicking on one of the little squares.

There’s a block library if you want it, but I use QuiltPro mostly to work up a design that’s in my head, like this one:

Which became this:

and this

Or this design, to make use of some lovely bits and pieces from a cherished set of fabrics, which became this:

A quilt for a friend who needed some quilty hugs. And I’m now thinking about how to make this one, dreamed up recently:

Sometimes when I read quilty blogs, I get the feeling that whatever is being shown, or pitched, becomes an extension of that quilter. That is to say, that if you buy this, or shop here, then that’s like a ‘vote’ for that quilter, and you say you like her better. I don’t really care if you use QuiltPro or not. I do use it and I’ve had great success with it as a tool to help me get done what I really do love: quilting, so I thought you might want to know about it. I used to draft blocks using graph paper, pencils, rulers, drawing out the templates by hand. This program does all that for me (yes, it prints the templates too, so I can measure them to use with my rotary cutter and rulers). It’s my tool. I’ve used this tool in my little quilt group, Good Heart Quilters, when we do our block swaps, or someone needs me to draft up how their chevron quilt will look. It’s been very helpful in a lot of ways.

Here’s a photo of Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs in combat. She was recently profiled in the New York Times–go read the article; it’s short and sweet and makes you want to cheer. But I liked what she said here:

“Q: When you wake up do you feel a sense of loss when you realize what happened to your legs?
A: Of course. But I have a different perspective for what my legs are now. Now they’re just tools, you know? If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead I’m flying a desk.”

I want to fly my version of a desk–my sewing machine–making quilts and sewing and playing with cloth and squares and triangles and designs. I love quilting and am happy to have my rotary cutters and rulers and yes, my QuiltPro software. It’s just a tool, you know, to get the quilting done.

Housekeeping · Tutorial

Hot Mitts

March 18, 2013October 6, 2014 Elizabeth E.13 Comments

No, this isn’t a reference to our past election and Governor Romney.

Old Hot Mitt

This is in rereference to my hideously stained and abused and damaged kitchen hot mitts. I went to buy some new ones and didn’t care for the ones at a famous cooking store and at Macy’s–where Martha has taken over everything in the domestic world–there were only hot mitts with ruffles. Ruffles? I knew they’d be disgusting looking in short order. (Ruffles? I’m still shaking my head.)

So one day, I turned the ones I liked inside-out to see how they were made.

Then I traced it with a sharpie onto what was laying around on the counter–an ad from the car dealer. Actually this ended up being a good idea because it was thicker than regular paper and pretty sturdy.

And after I cut it out, I had a pattern. But I decided I should allow for shrinkage, because I wash and dry these over and over, so I enlarged it by 10% which yielded the pattern at the end of this post. Print it out, match up the car writing and making sure your 1-inch guide on the side is really one-inch (every printer is a little bit different), tape it together and you’ve got a good pattern. I’d actually purchased a pattern but took it back when I realized how easy this was going to be.

Go the Big Box fabric store and buy some utility fabric that looks like this: a metallic cotton on the outside, cotton batting on the inside, already quilted together. Use your coupon. I bought one yard and I’ll get four mitts out of it. Get yourself some 80% cotton/20% wool batting or some 100% cotton batting, if you don’t have scraps laying around.

And throw a bias tape maker into your cart, too. I chose the 1″ version and it worked great. I picked up the Dritz (on the left) and on the right, I show the full complement of Clover Bias Tape Makers. Either work fine. They have decent directions on the back of the Dritz.

Layer in the following order: (1) Utility fabric, metallic side down – then – (2) your cotton batting – then – (3) your chosen fabric. I’m using some of Malka Dubrawsky’s first line. I love it, but I have never figured out how to use it. This will be perfect as it will brighten up my kitchen every day. Using pins, secure it in a few places. Cut out what you need by placing your hot mitt pattern down and guesttimating: I think mine ended up about 14″ by 18.” Roughly. Quilt all layers together. Don’t get too precious about it!

Now lay out your pattern and cut out one mitt.

Reverse the pattern by flipping it over, and cut your second mitt. Match them up, metallic sides out, then pin in a few places so it doesn’t shift. Sew from under the thumb all the way around the mitt STOPPING 2″ FROM EDGE. Leave that edge flapping, as it will be easier to attach the bias tape.

Close-up of the curve of the thumb. Carefully clip down to the curve, stopping short of the stitching line. This will make it lay better when you turn it inside out.

(You can click to enlarge this picture so you can see the writing better.)

Follow the directions on the back of the tape maker package for cuting a bias strip. Basically you fold the corner down into the fabric, creating a bias edge. Cut the strips 1 3/4″ wide for a one-inch bias strip. Feed it through the bias tape maker tool, using a pin to help out the leading edge if you need to. Then use your iron to set the folds.

I put two pins on the tape, as I drew it out, and then pressed it. It sounds WAY more complicated than it is.

Beginning with one of the loose edges, fold the tape over the lower raw edge, and stitch the tape onto the mitt. I found it easiest to stitch from the “inside” for some odd reason.

Again, don’t get too fanatical about this–just make sure that both folds of the tape are caught in the stitching. I did one, and then decided I wanted to trim out that seam allowance under the thumb edge for about one-quarter inch up from the lower edge, just to get rid of some bulk. The world won’t end if you don’t.

Finish stitching that last two inches, and backstitch to secure.

I also zig-zagged that last two inches to finish it off. Given that it’s BIAS tape, it’s not going to ravel, but hey. Just thought it needed it.

Flip your mitt right-side out, easing out the thumb and smoothing out the curve.

I cut some scraps into squares with rounded edges, and used the leftover bias tape to make a couple of coasters. Don’t examine my stitching, because like I said, it’s pretty obvious I went for sturdy over beauty.

Okay, below are the patterns. Print them out and adjust your printer settings so the inch mark is true, then tape your two halves together. I scanned my pattern so it’s pretty true; I’m hoping you don’t have to do too much monkeying around. My hand size? Medium in rubber gloves, so if yours is smaller or larger, use your copier/printed to enlarge or smallerize your pattern.

Have fun making them!

This is one of the projects on my Finish-A-Long list that I have completed, from Leanne’s Finish-A-Long!

Housekeeping

Zippers

November 25, 2012 Elizabeth E.6 Comments

I had need to buy a passel of zippers (don’t ask questions around Christmastime!) and found a great online source I thought I’d share (and no, they aren’t paying me to write this).

It’s called Zipperstop. I navigated to the photo above (under “closed zippers,” then “lightweight,” then “skirt and dress assortment”), which is an illustration of their 50-pack of zippers. I only needed 25, and I needed them in rainbow colors. I called the company (they’re in New York) and the person that answered the phone said to leave a note at checkout–there will be a box in which I could write them a note. So I asked for an assortment of rainbow colors, which you see in the top photo. I’m very happy with my zipper stash, and now wish I’d bought the full 50, as it’s such a deal (and they are high quality zippers). Price? Very good, but don’t forget that there is shipping. Overall, it’s WAY cheaper than my big box fabric store.

Plus I like talking to people from New York. They make my California accent sound bland. But I do have to say that when I lived there, my neighbor came over that first week, and she was from Brooklyn. We talked and she was lots of fun, so I told her I was trying to figure out where her accent came from. “Accent?” she said. “You’re the one with the accent.”

What else did I do this week?

1. Graded my brains out (example of a guy-staple job on the corner of stack of papers)

2. Took my quilt in to be quilted at Cathy’s

3. Got rid of a sofa, got the carpets cleaned, and went to IKEA four times rounding up furniture (that includes returns and re-purchases of wrong items)

4. Bought fabric. This one’s from IKEA. I think I’m the last to know about their fabric department but I have to say my husband was beyond patient while waiting for me to stop noticing bolts of fabric.

5. Had Autumn. This is it. This one tree. Hope you enjoyed the show as next week it will be summer again (we’ve had temperatures in the upper 70s and 80s this week–83 degrees on Thanksgiving, which is just un-American).

6. Had Thanksgiving. And given the regularity of seeing the leftovers at mealtime, I’d say we’re still having it. But last night we went out for Thai, today for lunch we just about killed the leftovers, so things are looking up in the meal department. But it was a good feast and a lot of family put their feet under our table.

I’m completely in a L-tryptophan high, except for the fact that there are 12 boxes of Christmas sitting in front of the cars, waiting for someone to do something about it.

Housekeeping

Just Painting

November 4, 2011 Elizabeth E.2 Comments

I’ve not been quilting, because we’ve been painting the house. Back soon.

Read more *here,* especially the wearying story of Choosing the Colors. Right now I’m working on the front door color and am leaning toward Million Dollar Red.

I miss the cloth under my fingers, but tonight’s Quilt Night with my buddies, so I hope to work on the Halloween House. Especially since Halloween’s come and gone. But that’s my life lately!