on the back of the work and even creating loops, the tension is too loose, so tighten it by selecting a higher number.
Machine tools – There are some accessories that make sewing easier, including a walking foot or even-feed foot for machine-guided quilting, a 1⁄4in (6mm) foot for 1⁄4in (6mm) line spacing, a darning foot for free-motion quilting, a dual-feed foot to help ensure even stitching and a quilting guide to stitch parallel rows of stitching. See Machine Quilting Tools for more information.
Choosing a Sewing Machine
Buying a sewing machine or upgrading to a new one can be a little daunting as there are so many makes and models, all at different prices. Decide first what you intend to use the machine for and what you might need it for in the future.
A standard sewing machine is sufficient for most patchwork, appliqué and quilting tasks and there are many makes and models available.
Will it be used mainly for patchwork and quilting or also for dressmaking and decorative sewing?
Will you be doing a lot of quilting? If so, useful features include a large throat area to manoeuvre a bulky quilt through, a walking foot or fabric-feed mechanism and feed dogs that can be lowered for free-motion quilting.
If you are interested in creative machine sewing try out decorative stitches including wing needle stitches.
Take the time to ‘test drive’ several makes and models before you buy. Watch demonstrations at quilt shows and visit dealers with some fabrics to try.
Once you have your machine, take the time to study the manual and practise using the machine.
Marking Fabrics
Designs can be transferred or marked on fabric ready for cutting out or quilting in various ways but there are things to consider. Should the marks be permanent or temporary? Can the marks be ironed, or does this set them? How do markers react with different fabrics? To be safe, always test a marking method on scrap fabric.
Select a marker to suit the fabric and its colour. Here a water-soluble pen has been used on the pale fabric, with a white watercolour pencil on the darker fabric. Both markers are easily washed out. A chalk marker would also have been suitable for the darker fabric.
Pencils – Normal graphite pencils and water-soluble coloured pencils can be used for marking. Marks should wash out with laundering. Quilter’s or dressmaker’s pencils are available in various colours. They have a wax content so may not be as easy to remove but should wash out.
Removable marking pens – These include water-soluble, iron-off and air-fading. The sort you choose depends on your project and preference. Some water-soluble markers can be set by the heat of an iron, so care needs to be taken to avoid this. Water-soluble markers can require more than a dab of moisture to remove them. Air-erasable markers may not stay in place long enough to complete a larger project but would work well with quicker projects. As the long-term effects of markers on fabric are not yet known it might be wise to rinse finished projects.
Chalk – This is easy to remove with a soft toothbrush, though take care with pink and blue coloured chalk on very light fabrics. Chalk is available in various colours and forms, including chalk pencils, blocks and as powder distributed through a wheel (Chaco liner). Chalk lines may need to be re-marked on large projects or those that have been handled a lot.
Hera – This plastic or bone tool is great for scoring temporary lines on fabric.
Masking tape – Low-tack masking tape is ideal for marking straight lines for quilting. Stick the tape in position and quilt along the edge of the tape. Remove the tape promptly to avoid stickiness on the fabric.
Compass – This is useful to mark circles. Circles can also be marked using templates cut from card or plastic or by drawing around plates, cups and even the plastic bases from pizzas. Curves can also be marked using a flexicurve.
Tracing – If tracing a design for quilting you will need to do this before layering the quilt into a sandwich in order to be able to see through the fabric. A light box is useful. (see Tracing.)
Dressmaker’s carbon paper – This can be used for tracing or with templates and stencils. Most marks can be removed with washing. Various colours are available to suit different-coloured fabrics. Place the coloured side face down on top of the right side of the fabric and use a hard pencil to draw the design, checking to see it is transferring. You could use a spoked marking wheel instead, which will leave dots rather than a continuous line.
Embroidery transfer marker – This method is suitable for designs that will be cut out or where stitching will obscure the marked line. Draw the design on paper with a pencil. Turn the paper over and draw the design again, following the pencil line with an embroidery transfer marker. Position the design on the right side of the fabric with the marker line down. Use a warm iron to transfer the marked line on to the fabric.
Needle marking – Also called needle tracking, this method temporarily scores the fabric. Place the quilt top on a padded surface so the needle point can be pressed into it. Use the tip of a blunt tapestry needle to score the design on the fabric.
Perforated paper – Perforated paper and chalk powder are used in a technique called pierce and pounce, where chalk is pushed through holes in the paper. It can be used to mark dark fabrics. Draw the quilting design on paper and follow the lines with an unthreaded sewing machine to pierce holes. Place the paper on the fabric, sprinkle chalk over it and use a pad of cottonwool to push the powder through the holes. Use a chalk marker to go over the dotted lines.
Stencils and templates – These are very popular ways to mark designs and quilting patterns – see Using Templates and Marking Designs.
Using Templates
Templates are invaluable for patchwork, appliqué and quilting and can be made from various materials. Uses for templates are suggested throughout the book but in the main they are used to mark fabric pieces that make up patchwork blocks, to mark shapes for appliqué ready for cutting out, and to mark quilting patterns on a quilt top.
There are many commercial templates available to help make all sorts of blocks, including curved blocks, so it is worth checking quilting shops and online stores for templates that will help make work faster and easier. Check that any templates you plan to use are the correct size and shape and fit together as they should before you cut dozens of fabric pieces. Store templates flat and uncreased. They can be stored according to shape and labelled so you can quickly see what size they are. Marking the centre point and the centre lines of a template shape can also
