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The front of Winter Solstice, showing the gold window fabrics, which glow brightly when teamed with the folded background squares.
The front view of Fronds, showing the different shaped windows in various shades of silk, which flow across the background folded layer.
Different textures and fabrics like cottons, silks and linen weaves can all be used in Cathedral Window designs, either in the folded background areas or for the overlying windows.
Equipment and Techniques
This section describes some of the basic equipment you will need for successful Cathedral Window patchwork. Much of this is equipment used for most patchwork techniques, but some may be new to you and one should never assume that everybody knows everything. There may well be a piece of equipment described here that will become your favourite tool in all your future projects – you just never knew about it before.
Cutting fabric accurately is important, for Cathedral Window blocks as well as other patchwork blocks, so cutting techniques are also described in some detail. In particular I deal with cutting squares rather than strips or small pieces as this seems to be an area that quilters are a little shaky on. They come up to me in workshops or at shows and say, ‘I bought this square ruler because I know it’s really useful but I can’t remember why’…Hopefully these instructions will help guide you through, because those rulers really are useful.
Equipment
The following guidance on the equipment you will need to create the wonderful effects possible with Cathedral Window quilting should be useful, especially for those new to the technique.
Marking Pencils
A marking pencil is needed to draw round templates for odd shapes and windows. I use a fine wind-up lead pencil or a sharp watercolour pencil in white or blue if it shows better on the fabric. I also use watercolour pencils to mark any quilting that I might do in a border. These are also known as aquarelle pencils and are available from art shops in dozens of shades. For quilting I choose a shade similar to the fabric but dark enough to be seen clearly. The line wears off the fabric as it is stitched and can be lightly sponged to remove final traces.
Needles and Threads
Cathedral Window is one technique where I like to use a thread that matches as closely as possible the fabric, even for the initial machine stitching of the folded shapes. If you do have to ease the shapes to fit with the steam iron, there is nothing worse than seeing a line of tiny stitches showing up as if in neon along a seam. Using matching thread will prevent this from happening. A shade darker is better than lighter – the best test is to lay a thread across the fabric to see if it virtually disappears. I use cotton thread wherever possible, although if the shade that I need is only available in a polyester thread, then I will use that.
For the hand-stitched windows I sometimes use the very fine silk thread much favoured by appliqué enthusiasts, provided the colour of the thread suits my fabric. It is the near invisibility of the stitches that I am most concerned about.
I use ‘sharps’ or milliner’s needles for the hand stitching in a size 10. The needle has to be strong enough to get through four layers of fabric, or even more at times, which means that the finer needles bend too easily. Sadly, I have to resort now to a needle threader at all times, which means the small eye is not a problem. Try the table-top needle threader – it’s wonderful!
Pins
I could probably write a book on choosing the right pin for the right job. For all general pinning I use silk pins, which are fine and longer than the usual pins but still strong enough to stand up to pinning through several layers and even machining over them. For pinning the windows I use the shorter, fine appliqué pins so that the pins don’t extend beyond the centre area. I find that thicker pins cannot get through the layers without distorting the fabric, and glass-headed pins drive me mad as I keep getting the thread wound round the heads as I stitch. However, these may be your absolute favourite, so do use whatever you find most comfortable and efficient.
Cutting Techniques
When I first started making Cathedral Window designs there was no rotary cutting equipment or even decent rulers – yes, I am that old… I used cardboard squares as templates, drew around them, then cut out the shapes with sharp scissors. Now we are all so used to short-cutting the tedious processes with easy-to-use, high-tech equipment that it would be very hard to go back to these early methods.
Cutting Out
I use rotary cutting cutters and rulers to cut all the squares I need for the background folded shapes. Odd shapes like the rectangles are not so easy and generally templates must be used, but this is only when there is no alternative. For the most frequently used rectangle size (folded rectangle 4in × 6in/10.2cm × 15.2cm see page 66), I’ve designed a specialist ruler that can be used with a rotary cutter to cut the starting shape more efficiently (see Creative Grids, page 136).
TIP
A sharp blade in your rotary cutter will help preserve your board as well as cutting layers of fabric more effficiently. You will be amazed at how much difference it makes!
This Cathedral Window ruler will help you to cut out the odd shape speedily and accurately with a rotary cutter and board. Details of the size of squares that link with the rectangle are printed on the ruler so all information is at hand.
Cutting Squares
If you are an ace with all rotary cutting equipment you can give a sigh of quiet pride and ignore this section. If, however, you possess one of those square rulers that you bought because it’s really useful but now you can’t remember how or why, this may be helpful. If you want to buy just one square ruler for all general uses I would recommend the 121⁄2in (31.8cm) square as it covers most projects.
Cutting Squares in Bulk
1 To cut a number of squares all the same size e.g., 8in × 8in (20.3cm × 20.3cm), cut a strip from the fabric as long as possible and in a width to match the chosen measurement of the squares (e.g., 8in/20.3cm). Straighten one end of the cut strip.
2 Place the strip horizontally on a cutting board so that the straightened end is on the left (Fig 1). Left-handers should place the cut end to the right and work from that end of the fabric. Stack several layers of fabric
