Tamarinis

Back to School Blog Hop: Working with Heavier Threads

 

Do you love embellishment?  Ok - how about machine embellishment? Right?! Me too! I especially love the heavier threads, because I feel they give you more bang for your buck. More immediate, direct impact!  And what's my heavy thread of choice? Aurifil – the ultimate embellishment choice!

And a bit of full disclosure here - while I was SUPPOSED to focus on heavy thread in your machine, I'm going to ACTUALLY cover using an assortment of weights - by hand and by machine - to give you a fuller picture.  Ok?  Great - let's dig in!

I’m just going to admit it up front – I LOVE fusible projects.  They are quick, easy, and versatile.  AND fusible projects offer unlimited opportunities for embellishment with the best thread out there – Aurifil. 

 

Do I have a favorite weight or type?  Ummm…..no.  I do like to mix it up.  And each weight has its own unique qualities.  As you’ll see, I prefer a simple, straight edge stitch for my fusible machine applique pieces.  But no matter what your stitch style is, the heavier Aurifil threads work beautifully to enhance your appliques.

 

 

Floss

The Aurifil floss works like most floss.  It has six strands that can be used together, or separated to vary the appearance.  Don’t let the spool confuse you – this is a HAND thread.  I get that question from my students.  Since it is on a spool, some think they can pop it on their machine.  Please don’t! But the spool does make the floss easy to work with.  No nasty tangles when pulling off a length.

Fun stitch idea – mix your weights.  In “Lotta Love”, I embellished this little wall hanging with floss, on wool fused to burlap.  Using a mix of 6 strand, three strand and single strand, along with a variety of simple stitches (stem stitch, back stitch, straight stitch and French knots) add additional texture and interest. 

 

 

In my Primitive Stitch Sampler (pattern coming soon!), I adore how six strands look on white wool, fused to colorful pink batiks.  Be sure to find a large-eyed SHARP needle when stitching through tighter thread count fabrics.  This is a bit harder than cross stitch, but well worth the effort!

 

Wool

Why, yes, you CAN use wool thread in your machine!  As with the 12 weight, just loosen your thread tension (you may need to play around with this just a bit to get the right tension).  It is IMPORTANT to loosen the top tension so that you don’t shred this looser twist thread.  And yes, you’ll again need a larger eye needle, again to reduce stress on the thread.  I also skip the last guide when threading my machine (you know that little guide right before threading the needle? – that one.  Skip it – let your thread go directly from the take up hook into the needle.  Really.)  As with other heavier threads, use a matching 40wt cotton thread in your bobbin.

 

 

Wool thread may not look like you expect it to.  If you go slow and even with your stitches, it will provide a lovely, smooth stitch that has a bit more texture than your cotton threads.  You might think, based on its fuzzy texture on the spool, that you would have a line of fuzzy stitches, but that’s not the case.  Personally, I find it shines best with longer, larger stitches.

 

12 Weight

I love the heavy look of 12 weight, done as a simple straight stitch, along the edge of fused applique motifs.  It looks stunning on all fabrics, and is heavy enough to hold its own, whether in a contrasting color or in a coordinating color.

 

For Geraniums (another upcoming pattern), just two colors of thread (a springy green and a deep pink) add just the right amount of definition to the raw edge, fused applique.

 

 

In this table runner, coordinating 12 wt thread provide texture without any additional color to keep the lines clean and simple.

 

When working with 12 weight, there are a few things you’ll want to do for best results:

• Loosen your top thread tension to reduce drag on your thread
• Use a heavier needle with a larger eye opening (I like 100/16 sharp)
• Use a matching 50 wt thread in the bobbin
• GO SLOW. Not kidding.  If you stitch at your regular speed, you may encounter skipped stitches. Yuck!

 

28 wt

For me, 28 weight is the perfect balance between a heavy statement (12 wt) and a whisper (50wt).  Again, you’ll want to loosen your top tension, use a heavier needle, and use a matching 50wt in the bobbin. 

 

 

Don’t be afraid to mix cotton thread with wool applique.  The look is AMAZING!  And I adore how the Aurifil colors are PEFECTION on a stick when matching to the wool.  The simple edge stitching in 28 wt adds definition to the shapes within the appliques on the coasters from Olive You, providing a crisp clean look.

Some final tips when working with these awesome heavier threads and fusible applique:

 

• Lengthen your stitch length

A note on this – make a sample piece to practice on. Try different stitch lengths (and widths if doing an overcast/wide stitch) to see what will look best with your particular project. 

Remember that stitch length will be “sucked up” by the thickness of the added layers of fabric, wool, or flannel. In the examples below (the pink detail on the butterfly wing and the additional layers on the flower and leaves in the border applique), I had to INCREASE my stitch length with each subsequent layer to keep the stitch length appearance the same. 

 

• Use simple stitches

I have found that simpler stitches work best with this thread. And when I’m working with layered pieces, I find that I have to continue to lengthen my stitch as I add layers in order to achieve the same stitch length. 

 

• Larger eye needle

Heavier threads are - well - heavier, and you'll want a larger eye needle, which in machine terms will mean a heavier needle usually.  This will allow the thread to pass through the eye of the needle more easily reducing the drag on the thread, and lessening the likelihood of the thread fraying.

 

• Matching bobbin thread

And by matching, I mean color, not weight.  With most of the heavier threads, they are NOT going to spool off the bobbin as easily. Instead, find a matching (or close to it) color thread in a lighter weight (40wt or 50wt).  Why matching? Well, you've adjusted your tension.  And while I'm sure you got it absolutely perfect <grin>, you may NOT have.  A matching bobbin thread will help disguise any tension issues and minimize the bobbin  thread showing on the top. 

 

•  Reduce top tension

Your practice piece will really come in handy with this part - reduce the top tension to decrease drag on the thread, allow for smoother stitches, and reduce breakage rate.  

 

• Practice piece

A practice piece will save you every time.  Try out stitch lengths AND the needle placement on the practice piece and write it down (I keep a post it note on my machine when working with applique pieces so I can be consistent throughout the entire construction of the project).  For example, I like a fairly “close to the edge” stitch, and depending up on the project, usually find that a needle placement of 6.0 to 6.5 works best, along with a stitch length of 3.0 to 4.5.  Thank goodness for post it notes!

 

Create your own signature looks in your projects by using different weight threads, or even mixing different weight threads, to give your work of art more color and texture.  Remember that there isn’t really a wrong choice – it is YOUR project and YOUR creation.  Have fun with it.

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  And did you know?  I travel and teach!  Contact me to schedule a trunk show and/or workshop!

 

In case you missed any of the earlier posts - or are looking for the last few - here's a listing of all posts and links:

 

Day 1 – September 1 – Sam Hunter: Sewing Long Seams Without Stretching – huntersdesignstudio.com

Day 2 – September 2 – Susan Arnold – Joining Binding the Easy Way – quiltfabrication.com

Day 3 – September 3 – Angie Wilson – Fussy cutting tips and techniques – www.gnomeangel.com

Day 4 – September 4 – Andi Stanfield – No-Mark HST: Let your machine be your guide – truebluequilts.com/blog/

Day 5 – September 5 – Bobbie Gentili – Say YES to Y-seams – geekybobbin.com

Day 6 – September 6 – Mel Beach – 5 Reasons to Say Woo Hoo! to School Glue – pieceloveandhappiness.blogspot.com

Day 7 – September 7 – Laura Piland – 7 Ways to Use a Laser on Your Sewing Machine – www.sliceofpiquilts.com

Day 8 – September 8 – Suzy Webster – How to solve loops in free motion quilting – www.websterquilt.com

Day 9 – September 9 – Tara Miller – Accurate Stitch-and-Flip Corners – quiltdistrict.com

Day 10 – September 10 – Latifah Saafir – Accurate Seams Using Masking Tape! – latifahsaafirstudios.com

Day 11 – September 11 – Sarah Ruiz – The Magic of Glue Basting – saroy.net

Day 12 – September 12 – Jen Shaffer – Ways to stop your ruler from slipping while cutting – patternsbyjen.blogspot.com

Day 13 – September 13 – Cheryl Sleboda – Basics of ruching (a vintage fabric manipulation technique) – muppin.com

Day 14 – September 14 – Raylee Bielenberg – Choosing quilting designs for your quilt – www.sunflowerstitcheries.com

Day 15 – September 15 – Jen Strauser – Accurate and Attractive Machine binding – dizzyquilter.com

Day 16 – September 16 – Jane Davidson – Matching points for all types of intersections – quiltjane.com

Day 17 – September 17 – Teresa Coates – Starch and starch alternatives – teresacoates.com

Day 18 – September 18 – Jen Frost – Benefits of spray basting – faithandfabricdesign.com

Day 19 – September 19 – Sandra Starley – Getting started with Hand Quilting – utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com

Day 20 – September 20 – Karen Platt – Drunkard’s Path Made Easy – karenplatt.co.uk/blog/

Day 21 – September 21 – Kris Driessen – All Kinds of Square (in a Square) – scrapdash.com

Day 22 – September 22 – Sarah Goer – Planned Improv Piecing – sarahgoerquilts.com

Day 23 – September 23 – Kathy Bruckman – Organizing kits for on-the-go sewing – kathyskwiltsandmore.blogspot.com

Day 24 – September 24 – Cheryl Daines Brown – The Secret to Flat Quilt Tops: Borders – quilterchic.com

Day 25 – September 25 – Cherry Guidry – Pre-assembling fusible applique – cherryblossomsquilting.com

Day 26 – September 26 – Laura Chaney – Getting started with English Paper Piecing – prairiesewnstudios.com

Day 27 – September 27 – Ebony Love – Cutting Bias Strips from a Rectangle – lovebugstudios.com

Day 28 – September 28 – Tammy Silvers – Working with heavier weight threads in your machine – tamarinis.typepad.com

Day 29 – September 29 – Kathy Nutley – Create a perfect facing or frame with 90 degree angles – quiltingsbykathy.com

Day 30 – September 30 – Joanne Harris – Using Leaders and Enders – quiltsbyjoanne.blogspot.com

 

Thanks for joining us!  What topics would you like to see covered in future blog posts and hops?

Exploring the Basics - Anatomy of a Quilt Pattern

You've chosen your project, your pattern, and your fabric.  Awesome!  So now you are ready to start cutting, right? Not so fast, quilting friend.  Let's slow down a bit and look over the pattern itself before we do ANYTHING with our fabric!

Let's look at the basic components of a pattern first.  FYI - I'll be using bits and pieces from my patterns for illustration purposes.  Please note that these images are partial images only, again used to illustrate the points discussed.

Cover: The cover generally has the name of the pattern, pattern size or sizes, fabrics required, and often the skill level.

If any special tools are recommended or required, they are generally listed on the pattern cover as well.  This helps avoid nasty surprises!  FYI - if you see "paper piecing" specified, usually that will mean YOU will need to make copies of the pattern for the project.

Directions: Directions usually begin with fabric precutting and/or preparation.  Most directions follow a format similar to that shown above.  In the example shown, from the fabric listed, you would cut ONE 3 1/2" strip, and then cut the rectangles listed from that 3 1/2" strip.  In the example above, I've also noted in which blocks those strips will be used.

Along with specific cutting directions, you may also find a Notes section.  I try to include a general notes box on the precutting page, or at the beginning of the pattern to make the quilter aware of references or procedures that will apply throughout the pattern.

Since everything cannot be covered on the first page, here is an example of why reading through the pattern before beginning is a terrific, awesome, amazing, frustration-reducing idea.  The example above for paper piecing preparation, occurs on Page 2 of the pattern.  Note that I've listed how many copies you will need to make for each paper piecing pattern AND I've given a few other tips and tricks.

Diagrams are provided for constructing strip sets, units, and blocks.  Some may be in color (as in the example above), while others may be line drawings in black and white.  Some may be labeled within the diagram itself, indicating fabric and size (again, as in the example above), while others are more general in nature, requiring the user to READ the directions (argh....the inhumanity of it - she says with GREAT sarcasm).

Assembly diagrams are generally provided as well, detailing HOW to put all of the components together.  As in the case of the strip, unit and block diagrams, these may be full color or line drawing and may or may not include specific fabrics and sizes.

Finishing instructions generally will include information on piecing the back, as well as sandwiching instructions.  I've seen some patterns from designers known for their machine or hand quilting skills that also include information on quilting suggestions, which is amazing!  If I could just get them to come do the quilting for me, I'd be all set!

Space allowing, most of my patterns now include a coloring page as well.  This is especially helpful if you want to change up the color scheme or fabric placement.  You can make copies and color with colored pencils, crayons or markers to try out different color ways.

Most patterns also are numbered at the bottom of each page.  This is especially helpful in keeping yourself organized.  It is super frustrating to get the pages out of order and lose your place in the instructions.  The bottom of the page may also include information such as the designer name, date the pattern was originally published, and their website.

As I noted at the beginning, you may find differences in some of the patterns you are working with, and this is perfectly normal.  Designers each have their own unique style, and their pattern instructions will reflect this.  So what should you do to ensure you get the best experience possible when working with a pattern?

Step 1: Read through the ENTIRE pattern.  Yes, I mean it.  Every.Single.Page.

Step 2: Gather any necessary or recommended additional supplies, such as fusible, marking tools, template material, or copies (as in the case of a paper piecing pattern).

Step 3: Make a sample block.  Really!  Use scrap fabrics or another fabric grouping.  

Step 4: Take your time, enjoy the process and be purposeful in your sewing sessions!

We'll be talking more about this in greater detail later, so come back!  Oh - and if you are starting a new project, be sure to check out my blog post from last time, Using Your Stash.  There's a bonus print out fabric chart, which is super helpful in keeping track of your fabrics for a pattern!

Head over to Kate's blog.  She has, as always, great insights for you on the pros and cons of precuts.

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  And did you know?  I travel and teach!  Contact me to schedule a trunk show and/or workshop!

Whistle Stop Tour Blog Hop

 

Welcome to my installment of the Whistle Stop Tour Blog Hop!  I'm thrilled to be included - as a Certified Instructor (otherwise known as a CI), as a quilter, and as a fan of the amazing Deb Tucker and her wonderful Studio 180 tools.  

We are celebrating the launch of Deb Tucker's Signature Collection, Steam Engine, designed by the talented Kathy Engle of Island Batik.

If you are just joining us, check out Deb's post with all of the highlights and details on the beautiful Union Station project, which uses all of the FREE (yes, I said FREE) blocks included in the blog hop.

Isn't it lovely?  You'll want to check out each instructor's post for details on how to make your own blocks, as well as Deb's post with overall yardage, tool and technique sheet requirements.

Let's jump right in to my Stormy Chain block!  You'll need just four fabrics (!!):

•   Purple Print (1) 3 1/4" x 24" strip, subcut into (4) diamonds for the diamond centers
  
•   White Floral Print (4) 2 3/4" x 4" rectangles (diamonds rects)                                                                   
  

                                                  (1) 2 1/4" x 20" strip (4 patches)

•   White Dots Print (4) 2 3/4" x 4" rectangles (diamond rects)
  

                                                (1) 2 1/4" x 10" strip (4 patches)

•   Dark Green Print (2) 3 3/4" squares (block center)
  

                                                 (1) 2 1/4" x 10" strip (4 patches w/ white dots print)

                                                 (1) 2 1/4" x 20" strip (4 patches w/white floral print)

Now, before I dive into the step by step - a bit of a disclaimer.  You will NEED your Studio 180 rulers (Diamonds Rects and 4 Patch Square Up).  Each ruler comes with wonderfully illustrated, step by step instructions for creating the units I'll be picturing in my instructions.  Please note I have NOT included step by step cutting using the tools!

You've cut your diamonds (per the instructions that came with the Diamond Rects tool) AND your side triangles (again, per the instructions that came with the tool).  Please note - you will have (2) white flower print and (2) dot prints.  And look at the placement (yes that's right!) - white flower prints on bottom, dot prints on top.  You'll want to do this with ALL four diamond units.  Yes, it's right!  You'll see.

Stitch all four diamond units, trim and press per the instructions.  Your goal?  (4) 3" x 6" (finished) diamond rects units.

When trimming, pay careful attention to your trim lines.  I LOVE to use a stiletto when trimming.  It allows me to "nudge" the fabric into perfect position so I get a really accurate trim.  And that's the secret, folks, to a really accurate block!

Next, on to the four patch units.  You are going to need two different strip sets - a 10" long strip set made up of the 2 1/4" dot print and 2 1/4" dark green print, and a 20" long strip set made up of 2 1/4" white floral print and 2 1/4" dark green print.  Press each strip set to the dark green print.

       

Hint: Sew INTO the seam when possible for perfectly matched points!

Cut (4) 2 1/4" units from the dot/dark green strip set.  Sew these together into (2) four patch units. Open the center seam intersection for the flattest block when pressing.

Cut (8) 2 1/4" units from the floral/dark green strip set.  Sew these together into (4) four patch units. Open the center seam intersection for the flattest block when pressing.

Ta-da! Perfect Intersection!

Use the Four Patch Square Up Ruler to trim down your oversized four patch units.  I know - I thought the same thing when I hear about the tool.  I thought - four patches - super easy!  And yes, they are.  But....absolutely perfect blocks make it SOOOO much easier to get a Mary Poppins style project (you know - practically perfect in every way!). So just do it - use the Four Patch Square Up Tool and get perfect four patch blocks! You'll trim them down to an unfinished 3 1/2" square.

 

So now it's time to lay out all of your pieces so you can assemble your block.

FYI - I do this whenever I'm making a block, to ensure I have all pieces positioned correctly.  You'll want to note the orientation of your dot and floral prints on the diamond units.  Please note that all of the floral prints are oriented to the OUTSIDE of the block.

Begin in the center and stitch a 3 1/2" dark green square to a dot/green four patch.  Note the orientation of the dark green squares in each four patch.  This is essential (ESSENTIAL) to achieve the correct overall effect in the final block.  Press to the 3 1/2" dark green squares.  Sew the two units together, and open the center seam as you did with the smaller four patches, again to achieve a flatter block.  You'll be SO very glad you did!

Next, sew the diamond units to the left and right of the block center.  Press toward the block center.

Sew a floral/dark green four patch to each side of the remaining diamond units.  Again, note the placement of the dark green blocks.  Really, not kidding - placement is super important to achieve the correct effect.  Press to the four patch units.

Finally, sew the three rows together, pressing to the top and bottom of the block.  Whew - you are done, and now you have a stunning 12 1/2" (unfinished) Stormy Chain block!

Here's a link to the PDF of the instructions for you as well!

You'll want to check out the rest of the blog posts over the next few days, and make the rest of the blocks so you can put together your own Union Station quilt!  Good luck, and don't forget to share your progress with us!

The Blog Hop Schedule:

Monday September 9^th

•   Karen Overton – The Quilt Rambler 

Tuesday September 10^th

• Michelle Renee Hiatt – Sew on the Go
• Marie McKay – Ribbon Star Studio

Wednesday September 11^th

• Sarah Furrer – Studio 180 Design

Thursday, September 12^th

• Gail Renna – Quilt Haven Threads
• Kathie Beltz- Kathie Beltz Designs

Friday, September 13^th

• Jackie O’Brien – If these Threads Could Talk

Saturday, September 14^th

• Tammy Silvers – Tamarinis
• Carolyn Ratola – CaTs Quilting

Sunday, September 15^th

• Tina Dillard – Quilting Affection Design
• Bonny Peters – Cat Den Mountain Quilts

Monday, September 16^th

• Sarah Furrer – Studio 180 Design

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  And did you know?  I travel and teach!  Contact me to schedule a trunk show and/or workshop!

Exploring the Basics - Using Your Stash

You have your perfect project.  Check!

You have decided why you are making it (for you, for decor, for a gift). Check!

You have a color scheme in mind. Check!

You have considered your options - do I head the fabric store and support my local quilt shop (awesome!), or do I shop my stash??? Screech....everything just ground to a halt. Dilemma! 

Perhaps your budget is tighter than your desire to stitch up something new. Or perhaps your shelves are overflowing - onto the floor, the couch, and every other surface (ahem....I may be projecting just a bit here...sorry). In any event, shopping your stash is always an option.  Besides, if you reduce your stash, now you have an AMAZING reason to go shopping for more new fabric, right?!

So let's chat stash.  

How do you store your stash?  I know, I know - this isn't a post on storage (that's MUCH later).  But let's be honest.  How you store your stash can directly impact your ability to USE your stash!  Do you have a system - an order to how your stash is stored?

Some suggestions for making your stash more "shop-able":

• organize by color
• group by theme (terrific for novelty and themed fabrics)
• store by type (flannel, batik, double wide)

• label closed storage, such as boxes or totes (in the picture above, I've used some adorable labels I found in the scrapbooking aisle of my local craft store)
• easy access to stored fabrics, boxes, bins, baskets
• scrap horder?  Great - me too!  Group scraps by color, type or theme, again for easy access

You are looking at your stash, and considering your options.  You BELIEVE you have all the fabrics in the colors you need.  Great.  So any issues? Perhaps.

Because you are using your stash, and haven't shopped specifically for a certain project, you may discover (yikes!) that you don't have EXACTLY the amounts you need. Awesome (heavy sarcasm here!).  So do you scrap your terrific plan to reduce your stash, grab your keys and head to your local quilt shop?  

Hold on.  Here are some suggestions for making adjustments - either to the pattern or to your approach to what fabrics will work.

Consider some of those lovely vintage quilts many of us drool over.  Most of them have a somewhat scrappy approach, as the quilter had to use what she had, rather than drop into her local quilt shop and purchase all matching fabric.  

Let's look at this example above.  I took a closeup picture of a few blocks in this charming, very very scrappy quilt.  Look at what the quilter did.  While the overall quilt is very scrappy, she stayed fairly consistent with her placement of light and dark value patches.

And just to empower you a BIT more, look at this block from the quilt.  She ran out of the lovely soft blue - so bravely (and charmingly) substituted in what was probably originally a super light blue (but now has faded to almost white).  It works!

And here's one of my absolute favorites (and not JUST because my Great-Aunt, Mama Turner, made it).  Look at the use of two different (but very close) greens and the sprinkling of royal blue and red as backgrounds.  Awesome!

For a more modern approach, let's use this simple NinePatch/Hourglass mock up for discussion.

Here is a simple quilt, using four fabrics (light blue, dark teal, gold and cream).  As is, you would need 1 3/4 yards of the cream, 1 yard of the dark teal, and approximately 3/4 yard of the light blue and of the gold.  Terrific.

But....you view your stash, and you don't have those quantities.  What to do?  Look for SIMILAR fabrics that you can mix in and use in the same places.

Let's look at this version.  Still the same color ways, but with more fabrics mixed in.  I kept the background cream the same (but of course you could substitute in more creams).  Now I have TWO dark teals/greens, FOUR golds, and THREE different light blues.  The overall effect is very similar, but scrappier.  

Here's a practical example for you using some fabrics from my stash (grin!).  The top two fabrics are SUPER close in value and how they "read" BECAUSE the base color is the same (darker teal) AND the print (the grid type print and lines/dashes) are in cream and lighter teal.  The third, bottom fabric, while in the teal family, reads lighter.  If I wanted a completely scrappy approach, I could throw it in the mix as well.

Wait - you don't like scrappy?  The closer the fabrics are to each other in value (hue and intensity), the less scrappy the overall effect will be.  Consider working with blenders - fabrics that have a print, but read as a solid.  Without the addition of other colors in the print, such as varied florals, the more similar the fabrics will appear.

I'm not going to sugar coat it - you may have to break out the calculator to figure out just what you will need when substituting multiple fabrics for a single fabric in a pattern.  Some considerations:  

• How many subcuts or units can I get from a single WOF strip?  
• How wide is my fabric (many patterns assume 40", which means if you have wider fabric - say 42" or 44" - you can get a few more cuts from that strip)?  
• Is ALL of my fabric prewashed or NOT prewashed - you'll want to have all fabrics handled the same to avoid any shrinkable and bleeding issues.
• Do I want to make the full version of the pattern?  Or can I make a smaller size and perhaps get a less scrappy look with the smaller project?

Here's the same project (nine patch/hour glass), but as a table runner.  Since it is MUCH smaller, the yardage requirements are significantly less: 1 yard of cream, 1/2 yard of dark teal, 3/8 yard of light blue, and 5/8 yard of gold.  Much more doable if you are working with limited yardages.

In any event, the choice is yours - which is one of my favorite aspects of quilting.  The ability to make a project uniquely mine and to express my vision for the project.  My last piece of advice:  relax, enjoy the process, play with color options.  You may just discover a new appreciation for a color, for working with scale and value, or for a new color/print combination!

A little bonus for you (for reading all the way to the end AND for being an awesome quilty friend!)  Here's a chart you can print out to keep track of which fabrics YOU are using when making a pattern.  There's room for you to glue or tape a snippet of fabric and help you remember which is YOUR Fabric A, Fabric B, etc.  Enjoy!

Head over to Kate's blog.  She has, as always, great insights for you on the pros and cons of precuts.

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  And did you know?  I travel and teach!  Contact me to schedule a trunk show and/or workshop!