03-21-2019

Let’s talk about…Needles

I’ve been doing a “Let’s talk about… Quilting” series about all the different parts and pieces of quilting. You can find my two previous posts here about Batting and Starch.

I hope you are enjoying them… they are a little on the educational side. Sometimes its good to dig deep and really get to know about our quilting tools and supplies!

Let’s talk about Sewing Machine Needles…

First things first, what are the parts of a needle?

Image result for sewing needle

Parts of a Needle

Did you know a needle had a scarf???

The scarf of the needle is a small trough that helps the hook(in the bobbin case) pick up the thread. The eye of the needle is actually bigger on one side, so if you are having a hard time threading your needle… try the other side. The side where the groove is also helps to guide the thread through the eye.

Needle Sizes

Needles come in all sizes and there are several types of needles you can use.

The most common universal sizes are:

70/10- used for lighter wt. fabrics like polyester or silk
80/12-most used for medium wt. fabrics like cotton and linen
90/14- used for heavier fabrics
Microtex(Sharp)-slimmer needle with fine point. Excellent for piecing and using with batiks

Other types of specialty needles are:

Ballpoint-used for knits
Denim and Leather-for heavy fabrics like denim or leather
Curved-for hemming

closeup photography of presser foot of sewing machine

Photo by Alex Andrews on Pexels.com

How often do you change your needle?

Sewing machine needles are good for about 4-8hrs of sewing. That being said… Needles are inexpensive and I recommend changing with each project and especially when machine quilting.

You can tell when a needle is getting dull by a “punching” sound it makes when trying to pierce the fabric. Another clue is thread breaking, skipping stitches or tension issues.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Leave a comment if there is anything you would like to know more about:)

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Needles, Quilt Basics, Quilt Tools, quilting, Quilting Tips, Uncategorized Tagged With: needles, sewing machine needles

03-13-2019

Ask Sassy! Quilting Questions…

Ask Sassy!

Today’s quilty question:

What do I try if my thread keeps breaking???

Well, first things first… Completely re-thread your machine and bobbin.

Photo by Jonas Kakaroto on Pexels.com

If that doesn’t do the trick… Let’s look at your thread and needle!

When quilting we are generally using a 40 or 50wt cotton thread. If using a special type of thread, you may need a special needle. Otherwise, a universal needle should be fine.

Secondly…. When did you last change your needle??? This is one of the biggest things we as quilters forget to do! Every 4 to 8 hrs of sewing needs a new needle. They cost cents… so just change it for every new project. When machine quilting a quilt I always start with a fresh needle.

What else do we always forget to do???

Clean our machines. So if you’re still having trouble… give your machine a quick de-fuzzing!

These are just a few quick things to try! Hope these tips helps you guys.

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Ask Sassy, quilting, Quilting Tips, Thread Tagged With: quilitng, quilting questions, quilting tips, thread, thread breaking

03-11-2019

Log Cabins and a Giveaway!

Log Cabins!

Aren’t they so fun? I live in one so I am a little biased:)

I bought this quilt kit from Fat Quarter Shop HERE and am slowly working my way through these blocks.

The fabric line used is Smitten by Bonnie and Camille for MODA Fabrics.

Sweet Escape is a Thimble Blossoms pattern by Camille Roskelley.

Log Cabin blocks are not super quick, but do look awesome when your done.

I just love these sweet fabrics.

This will be the first entire quilt I have made with just log cabin blocks.

It finishes at 80 x 80. Wowza, its a big one!

Leave me a comment if you have ever made a Log Cabin Quilt!

A winner will be chosen to receive this super cute box that the kit came in!

Each comment is an entry.

Good Luck guys!

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Log Cabin, Log Cabins, Patterns, Projects, quilting, Quilting Projects Tagged With: bonnie and camille, camille roskelley, log cabins, smitten, sweet escape pattern, thimble blossoms

01-19-2019

Ask Sassy! Asking Sassy Quilting Questions…

Hey guys! Do you have lots of quilting questions you are dying to know the answers to? But…. are afraid to ask? or don’t know who to ask!

Well Ask Sassy!

You can feel free to ask in the comments or email me if you prefer to be anonymous:)

Todays Question:

Dear Sassy,

“I had fabric of whites, reds and some other colors. Well the starch spilled and now some of the red color is now on my white fabric, it bled together. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the red stain on my white fabric?”

Why yes there is something you can do!

Fill your tub with hot hot water, add about a half a cup of Dawn dish detergent.

Image result for dawn detergent ultra pure

Using the original Dawn is best, no additives or fragrances.

Image result for tub

Submerge your entire quilt in the water, keep quilt entirely under water. Let soak for about 12 hours, rinse and repeat as often as necessary!

Image result for bam

Bam! There you go. This is a proven technique and works 99.9% of the time.

HERE is a link to the process if you would like to read more.

So there you go! I hope these quilting questions will help beginners and the pros alike. So ask away!

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Ask Sassy, quilting, Quilting Tips Tagged With: ask sassy, bleeding, dawn, quiliting tips, quilitng questions, quilting

01-06-2019

Churn Dash

Churn Dash Quilt Block

These Churndash blocks are one of my latest projects that I have started. I love this traditional pattern and it has been on my to do list for a long time!

The Churn Dash block is also known by several other names:

Monkey Wrench
Hens and Chickens
Lincoln’s Platform
Shoo Fly
Hole in the Barn Door
Fisherman’s Reel
Broken Plate
Love Knot
Ludlow’s Favorite
Quail’s Nest

My original plan was to make all the blocks the same, that seemed a little boring so I decided to do a reverse block and still keep it a two color quilt.

This is actually a very easy pattern, just some half square triangles and some strips.

I loved this fabric design! It is Add it Up by Cotton and Steel.

I pressed most of the seams to the side, but the two larger seams when finishing the block I pressed open just to reduce some of the bulk. This will help when you get to quilting this quilt. The needle doesn’t love super bulky seams.

CLICK HERE is a link to a FREE Churn Dash pattern.

Keep it Sassy Guys!

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Projects, quilting, Quilting Projects, Uncategorized Tagged With: churndash, quilting

12-19-2018

Ask Sassy! Asking Sassy quilting questions…

Ask Sassy!

Hey guys! Do you have lots of quilty questions you are dying to know the answers to? But…. are afraid to ask? or don’t know who to ask! Feel free to ask Sassy(me,lol) anything you want to know and if I don’t know, then I will do the research to find out!

Leave your question in the comments or email me if you prefer to be anonymous:)

This weeks Quilting Question….

Question Mark Clipart google 11 - 5910 X 3272

Why when I’m piecing my blocks why does it never line up right? Everything seems off a little.

This is a great question! There are lots of reasons why things get a little off when doing our piecing. Here are 3 of the big ones:

Image result for scissor clip art Image result for sewing clip art Image result for iron clip art

•Cutting– you really do have to take your time and make sure you are cutting accurately

•Seams– The infamous 1/4″ seam, Really practice getting this right, do some test pieces on your machine because each one is a little different. You can also buy a 1/4″ foot for your machine that helps a bunch. Check those out HERE. WHY??? If each seam is 1/8″ off… by the time you finish a row you can be a couple inches off! They add up quick.

•Pressing– pressing correctly and not stretching your blocks out helps a lot too.

SO………………

We all want to be perfect quilters, but their actually is no such thing! The truth is it takes some time and efforts to be a great quilter. I’ve been quilting for 12 years and to this day I still get things “off a little”. It is said that the Amish leave at least one mistake in their quilts to prove that only God is perfect. That makes me chuckle because if I only had one mistake left it would be pretty awesome! Some mistakes I see and choose to fix if I can and some I don’t even see till I’m done, lol…..

But did you have fun????

YES!!!

I base my quilting on a precision to fun ratio! If my attempts at precision are bringing my fun level down too low …. its no bueno! For me, I need to be enjoying what I’m doing and if I’m stressing myself out, then I have lost my enjoyment. Now don’t get me wrong… there are lots of quilters out there that are obsessed with precision and it IS their kind of fun, so let them go get it:) There is no need to compare ourselves, in life or in quilting. So just have fun and what you don’t get right in this quilt, you can try harder in the next one!

So just pick one thing at a time to focus on upping your precision.

And remember, Keep your fun ratio in check!!!

Happy Quilting Sassites!

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Ask Sassy, quilting, Quilting Tips Tagged With: cutting, precision, pressing, quilitng questions, quilting, quilting tips, seams

12-10-2018

10 FREE and EASY Handmade Christmas Ornament Tutorials

Don’t you just love Christmas!

I love decorating the tree and all the handmade Christmas ornaments are extra special to me. Giving handmade Christmas ornaments is always fun too….. but why do I wait to the last minute to make those handmade Christmas ornaments!!!! I know I’m not the only one so here are a few suggestions so you can get some super cute handmade Christmas ornaments knocked out ASAP!

Here are 10 FREE and EASY Handmade Christmas Ornament Tutorials!

The first few on my list(1-5) are by Mr. Domestic. I like his approach to these ornaments. There are many versions of some of these ornaments.

1. Woven Hexie

2. Quilted Balls

Image result for mister domestic ornament patterns

3. Scandanavian Folded Fabric Star

4. Fabric Swedish Star

5. Fabric Pinecone

6. Folded Christmas Tree

7. Fabric Styrafoam Ball

8. Primitive Scrap Fabric Tree

9. Scrappy Quilt As You Go Ornaments

10. Button Wreath

Happy Ornamenting!

Would love to see some pics if you make some of these:)

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Christmas, Free Tutorials, quilting, Tutorials, Uncategorized Tagged With: christmas, free tutorials, handmade ornaments, ornaments, quilting

12-03-2018

I wanna be where the Quilts are…

Mermaid Quilts

I want to be where the Quilts are…

Related image

Well that’s not quite how the line goes… but we all know that is definitely what she was thinking:)

I have a couple of mermaid finishes for you guys today!

Mermaid Quilts!!!

I so enjoyed making this set of twin mermaid quilts…. well they are not exactly twins, but close.

They are for two sisters that I love dearly and have yet to make them a quilt.

Their names are Zoe and Khloe and they also go by the “Think So Twins”…check out their you tube channel!

One reason I picked this fabric for these little girls is that they are African American and I wanted them to see a beautiful mermaid that looks just like them.

I absolutely loved this fabric line…. The castle blueprints!!!

Mermaids, Unicorns, Norwals, Castles…. the cutest!

This fabric line in Magic by Sarah Jane for Michael Miller Fabrics.

I uses one layer cake to make both of these quilts. I just divided the pinks and blues and addes some of my own for borders.

My piecing was simple because I really wanted the fabrics to show.

I just loved the sayings tossed in there.

So grab those Layer Cakes and just start cutting them up!

You might just make something extra special:

Quilt on my friends!

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Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Finished Quilts, Layer Cake Patterns, quilting, quilts, Uncategorized Tagged With: layer cake, layer cake patterns, layer cake quilts, mermaids, narwhals, quilting, quilts, twins, unicorns

11-23-2018

Layer Cake Pop- Layer Cake Quilts

Layer Cake Quilt Pattern

This beautiful quilt has finally been quilted!

This was a wonderful layer cake quilt pattern from Fat Quarter Shop that I did way back(omg it was Jan 2017) using their famous series they do called Short Cut Quilts...

And guess what?

It only takes a half a layer cake and a jelly roll for the background…

and it is a FREE PATTERN!

Boom! So easy.

I used a layer cake from Cotton and Steel, Mesa by Alexia Abegg, to make this quilt.

The cream fabric was a nice match up.

I just love how this quilt turned out. The fabrics really pop!

I quilted it using a loop de loop pattern around all the center squares. I think this also helped the fabrics take center stage.

Here is the Fat Quarter Shop’s Short Cut Quilt video you need to make this quilt:

Be sure to watch and give them a like on YouTube.

Here is a link to my previous post…HERE.

I seriously hope you guys give this quilt a try and add it to your list of layer cake quilts!

Happy Quilting Sassites:)

You can find and follow TheSassyQuilter on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, Instagram, Twitter or by email(form on right sidebar)!

Keep it Sassy♥

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Filed Under: Fat Quarter Shop, Finished Quilts, Free Quilt Patterns, Layer Cake Patterns, quilting, Uncategorized Tagged With: Alexia Abegg, beginner quilt patern, easy quilt pattern, fat quarter shop, finished quilts, layer cake, layer cake patterns, layer cake pop, layer cake quilts, Mesa, quilting, quilts, short cut quilts

11-10-2018

Layer Cake Quilts- Origami Squares

I have a fabulous finish for you guys today!

This quilt is from a book dedicated to all things layer cake!

A Piece of Cake

Sweet and Simple Quilts from Layer Cake Squares

by Peta Peace

We all know we have at least 10 layer cakes piled up waiting for some inspiration….

pattern: “Origami Squares”

I just loved this pattern because it only required one layer cake.

Now… I made this layer cake myself because I wanted these specific colors.

I’m dying to try it again!

I used an all over stipple pattern for quilting and a zig zag stitch to finish off my binding.

And it wouldn’t be finished unless it has a label!

So I added my pre-made labels from ikaprint.com. Love these!

So if you have some layer cakes you wanna dive into… check out this book:

A Piece of Cake

Sweet and Simple Quilts from Layer Cake Squares

by Peta Peace

Leave a comment telling me how many layer cakes you have stored up in your sewing room:)

(I have 20 something! Yikes)

Keep it Sassy♥

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