Can you believe we’re finally ready to quilt our Arctic Vortex tree skirts and quilts??
Whether you’re going fancy or keeping it simple, quilting is the most exciting part of the quiltmaking process. It’s the alchemy that turns it from fabric and batting into a quilt!
Arctic Vortex Quilt Along
Dates: October 3 through November 27, 2023
Duration: 8 weeks
Quilt Sizes: Tree skirt or hexagonal quilt:
- Large: 53” x 61”
- Medium: 47” x 56”
- Mini: 23” x 28”
Schedule
Week 1: Pick your fabrics, get your pattern, plan your coloring sheet
Week 2: Cut, label, and organize your pieces
Week 3: Make 3 Vortex Blocks
Week 4: Make 3 Vortex Blocks
Week 5: Make 12 Setting Triangles
Week 6: Assemble quilt top & Prepare to quilt
Week 7: Quilt
Week 8: Bind
Read the FAQs
Step 1: Quilt As Desired
That’s really the only step. Or rather, I can’t break it down for you much more than that, since it really depends on how you’re quilting your quilt. If you’re quilting by hand, I’m of no use to you, since I’ve never hand quilted!
If you’re machine quilting, whether it’s a sit-down machine or a longarm, free motion or walking foot, here are a few tips that will help you have a bit more success, hopefully.
- Give yourself lots of space. If you’re sitting down, you want as much table space to your left and behind the sewing machine as possible. That will help support the weight of the quilt, reducing drag and friction as you go.
- Use a fresh quilting needle. Old needles can cause skipped stitches, thread breaks, and bearding. Save yourself the hassle and change your needle! Also, make sure you use the right needle for the job.
- Wind as many bobbins as you can before you start. Changing bobbins when you’re in the groove is a small annoyance. Having to pause and wind more bobbins — especially if you’re winding from the same spool that’s threaded in your needle — is sure to make anyone grumpy.
- Test your tension on a scrap sandwich before you start. You want the tension to be balanced, so the bobbin thread isn’t showing through to the top, and the top thread isn’t showing through to the bottom. Most of the time, you can leave your tension as is, but occasionally you may need to loosen your top tension slightly.
- Don’t rush! Pause as often as you need to. Adjust the weight of the quilt and smooth out any fullness around your needle before it becomes a problem. If that’s every 10 stitches, that’s totally ok.
Step 2: Share!
Share your quilting progress on Instagram using #ArcticVortexQAL
Giveaway is closed
This week’s prize is a $25 gift card to Pasadena Quilt Studio!
My name is Jennyth Green and I am the owner of a new fabric store, Pasadena Quilt Studio. I started my store in hopes that quilters would embrace themselves as artists. I carry Art Gallery Fabrics and will soon be carrying Kona and Essex Wovens from Robert Kauffman. I am absolutely loving my new job as a store owner and would love to help you curate your dream bundle or quilt kit!
This prize is for 25 dollars worth of products for Pasadena Quilt Studio. Nothing is off limits and there will be amazing sales all through November!
Head over to the Instagram post for details on the giveaway! Best of luck!
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