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Machine Quilting…with Linda Clark
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When I started machine quilting fabrics for placemats and bags…about 27 years ago…there wasn’t much written on the subject. Actually, there wasn’t much written about quilting of any kind. Rotary cutters weren’t invented yet. People were tracing cardboard templates onto fabric, and cutting on the pencil lines with scissors. We didn’t have our thick, clear plastic rulers with their grids and angles…only those thin ones used in drafting and dressmaking. No stores carried 100% cotton fabrics because no one wanted them…they wrinkled so badly you needed a steamroller to press them. Batting was always polyester…unless you carded your own wool. Quilts took days to cut…weeks to sew…and months to quilt.

We’ve come a long way, girls (…and boys?) There aren’t very many rules in the world of quilting any more…adventurous quilters are constantly exploring new ground, inventing new techniques and tools, daring to be different. But, it’s still not a quilt ‘til it’s quilted. There are the purists who still think the old ways are the best ways…but we all have blow dryers, curling irons, automatic washing machines, dishwashers, electric mixers, microwave ovens, and computers…all to save time. So why shouldn’t we want to use the latest tools to make the best use of our quilting time, too. Actually, we don’t even need the latest, greatest sewing machine to machine quilt…most any model will do. Any machine can succeed at stitch in the ditch, crosshatching, and gentle curves. If you have a darning or quilting foot, your only limit is your imagination…and there are so many books out with machine quilting patterns, you don’t even need much of that. There are, of course, many new sewing machines made specifically with quilters in mind. But there are also hundreds of new, improved parts and tools that can help us save time and get more professional results…even if our machines are 20 years old.

So, what are you waiting for?….Now that you have a quilt top…or two or three…completed, what next? How to get them quilted…machine quilting is certainly faster than quilting by hand, but don’t let anyone tell you it’s easier. It is a skill to master just like cutting with a rotary cutter, sewing perfect ¼” seams, matching points, and hand quilting. The more you practice, the better you get. It’s not that the task becomes easier, but that our abilities become greater. You don’t need a big, fancy machine to do machine quilting…my 20 year old Bernina that does only 3 different stitches works just fine…because I only need to use the basic straight stitch.

We’ll work on a six block sampler to give you a taste of stitch in the ditch, crosshatch grid, free-motion meandering, echo quilting, free-motion following a drawn line, and some free-motion meandering variations. Sound like fun? Read on for preparation details so you can make the most of your sewing time.

Bring these tools and supplies, along with your basted sampler…
(Instructions for how to construct the sampler can be obtained by guild member)

Permanent fabric pen to make notes on your sampler about machine adjustments, etc.
Good quality sewing thread a little darker, or lighter, than your fabric. You might want to try quilting with invisible thread too…bring a small spool of good quality clear or smoked monofilament…it should be fine, with some give, and not strong enough to fish with. (I personally prefer polyester monofilaments available from Superior and Sulky, but nylon monofilaments from YLI and Sew Art Int’l are also an option)
Thread snips and ripper.
Quilting or darning foot to fit your machine. And an open toe foot if you have one.
Sewing machine needles, not larger than size 12…preferably with a sharp point…like quilting or embroidery needles, rather than universal needles.
Extension cord and/or power bar.
Sewing machine in good working order…and don’t forget to bring the manual!