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Quilting/Questions Answered by Expert Susan Druding
| Subject | Date Asked |
| A "quilt" I saw | 2/1/2012 |
| Q: Years ago there was an article on Barbra Steisand, and in one of the pictures I saw the most ... A: I'm guessing that it's a Yo-Yo quilt - not really a quilt, but a lot of gathered circles sewn ... | |
| 50 State embroidered Bird & Flower Quilt | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I have been asked to piece this quilt for someone, but I have no pattern. I could send a picture if ... A: Sorry, I do not have a clue about this type of pattern! Wish I could help, but I don't do anything ... | |
| dungaree dan quilt pattern | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: Do you know where I can find the pattern for the dungaree dan quilt pattern? Thanks for your help. ... A: Sorry, I don't know anything about buying quilt patterns - did you do a search online with Google? ... | |
| Removing fabric bleeding | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I finished a quilt for my mother-in-law for Christmas, I then washed it and the maroon fabric bled ... A: Sometimes you cannot do anything about bleeding color, but there is a product that might help. I ... | |
| rag quilt | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: When putting together a 4 patch, does the middle look like a star where it's all sewn together? A: It depends on what kind of 4 patch. If they are square patches, no star. But 4 patch usually just ... | |
| Cutting fabric strips from yardage | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: I need to cut strips from 5 yards of material. Should I cut it into smaller pieces or leave it ... A: It depends what you are going to do with the strips. For strip piecing, I just cut across the 40-42" ... | |
| OLD BLUE JEAN OVERALLS | 9/5/2007 |
| Q: I would like to make something from my grampa's old blue jean bib overalls, one pair striped the ... A: How about making a pillow for each in the raw-edged, seams on the outside jeans quilt technique. ... | |
| looking for a pattern | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for a baby quilt pattern of a Donkey quilt. My Grandma used to make them, but I can not ... A: I've never seen one myself - but I did some searching with Google and found one pattern ... | |
| Cathedral Window Quilt | 7/10/2007 |
| Q: I'm just starting a Cathedral Window Quilt and have sewn together a row of 5 blocks across and 3 ... A: First, I confess I have never made a Cathedral Window quilt. My understanding it that you put the ... | |
| dropping stitches on the back | 5/7/2007 |
| Q: My question is what is being done wrong when you lose stitches on the back of a quilt when hand ... A: Sorry it has taken me awhile to answer - the email from AllExperts went into my spam filter by ... | |
| flannel backing | 3/31/2007 |
| Q: I know cotton sheets cannot be used as a quilt backing due to the thread count. Does the same thing ... A: Flannel sheets would be fine as a backing. Also you can find wide flannel for backing at some quilt ... | |
| sewing triangles | 3/27/2007 |
| Q: I am attempting triangles for the first time. The instructions said to cut 1 square 4 3/4 X 4 3/4 ... A: I have some instructions on my web site - see this link and it might help ... | |
| rag quilts | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: I used a mixture of Walmart flannel and homespun. If I keep washing it will it continue to fry or do ... A: I would think with those fabrics it would fray. Am I right that you have so far only tested one ... | |
| rag quilts | 3/12/2007 |
| Q: I have sewn together a rag quilt. Having a square left over I sent it through the washer to see how ... A: I suspect you got a fairly high quality fabric? They do not ravel as well as coarser weave (on my ... | |
| cloth calendars | 3/11/2007 |
| Q: how would I go about making a quilt top with old cloth calendars? My grandmother gave me a sack full ... A: This sounds like a really fun project! Do you already do a little sewing and have a sewing machine? ... | |
| picture quilting | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: how do I use a photo of my dog and then make a pattern to make a quilt to look like my dogHow do i ... A: I can't give you much help with this - there are some quilt books on making such quilts, but it's a ... | |
| picture quilting | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: How do i go about making a pattern of the picture of my dog i want to make into a quilt A: I'm not clear on what you are asking. Do you mean you want to transfer the photos onto fabric to ... | |
| bearding | 2/20/2007 |
| Q: I got a nice sheepwool batting from a friend, bought some indigo blue flannel and want to do a ... A: My experience with wool batting is that it beards and keeps doing so. It's the nature of the wool ... | |
| quilting stencils | 2/5/2007 |
| Q: I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my first question. What I should have said is that my husband wants me ... A: If this is a full sized quilt - double or queen it's quite a chore to machine quilt with a standard ... | |
| quilting stencils | 2/5/2007 |
| Q: I am using the "Turning Twenty" pattern with a line of Benartex Fabrics called "Christmas ... A: I'm sorry, I'm not at all familiar with this pattern. And, I confess, I have only machine quilted ... | |
| Arts vs. Crafts | 1/25/2007 |
| Q: I have started to piece a sampler quilt. As I discussed my project with my husband (who, by the ... A: Well, I'm in Berkeley so understand about Golden Bear Physics people! (My husband was a physics ... | |
| Old Wooden Quilt Frame | 1/15/2007 |
| Q: I have an old wooden quilt frame that has 2 legs with center slat, 2 wooden rails with wooden cogs ... A: I confess I have never hand quilted a quilt - only machine quilting and thus have never mounted a ... | |
| bleeding of fabric | 12/18/2006 |
| Q: I also used this fabric in a queen sized quilt that has over 100 pictures on it. Also no prewash. I ... A: Maybe a big quilt is going to have to be dry cleaned? Or taken to a oversize washer at a laundromat? ... | |
| bleeding of fabric | 12/18/2006 |
| Q: I am making a table runner and when I wet pressed the applique there was bleed thru onto the ... A: There are a couple things to try - Synthrapol - a type of detergent designed to remove excess dye ... | |
| Quick Binding | 12/10/2006 |
| Q: Help - making 12 lap quilts for women in a domestic abuse shelter for Christmas. Running out of ... A: Definitely you can Zig Zag, but I think I'd use a fun bright color for the zig zag and not use ... | |
| Putting pictures on quilt | 12/7/2006 |
| Q: Help! I made a quilt for my sister for Christmas. I purchased a kit to put the pictures on the ... A: There are some simple ways, but you have to be pretty comfortable with handling digital photographs. ... | |
| re a quilt block size | 12/3/2006 |
| Q: I am making a rag quilt with flannel with 8 inch blocks. I want to sew it together diagnally and ... A: Here's a link to a page on making and sizing the SETTING TRIANGLES that should help you from ... | |
| My first attempt! | 11/15/2006 |
| Q: I plan to make a throw size quilt, hand tie to finish. I purchased 100% cotton fabric for front & ... A: I like Warm and Natural, but I think that perhaps doubling it might make it stiff. If you are using ... | |
| half square triangle | 11/7/2006 |
| Q: Do I add 7/8 inch to my finished measurement or the unfinished measurement. A: You add to the finished size - I usually add an inch to be safe. Here's an article I did on HSTs. ... | |
| Prairie Point instruction... | 10/17/2006 |
| Q: I need some simple, good, clear instructions (and illustrations?) on how to connect already made ... A: there is a set of good instructions on Prairie Points on the website at McCalls Quilting ... | |
| Y seams | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: I am going to attempt to make a table runner requiring "Y" seams for the stars. Can I get some ... A: I confess that the only Y seams I have ever made (making tumbling blocks) I did sew by hand. but ... | |
| color pattern | 10/10/2006 |
| Q: First time making a quilt. I need advice on how to use or arrange color on a standard size quilt. I ... A: Your daughter will LOVE this quilt, no matter how you make it! My choice would be to choose a ... | |
| Sashing | 10/1/2006 |
| Q: I am making a quilt with blocks to finish 10". What size sashing would you recomend. This will be a ... A: Since a 10 inch block is a pretty good size, I'd think you could go with 2 inch or so for sashing. ... | |
| PS -- cathederal window quilts | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: How much muslin does it take to make a cathederal window quilt for a full size bed? A: I put "cathedral window quilt" in Google and found a set of instructions that might help you. ... | |
| Lost instructions - Bill Gordon quilt frame | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: My mother has a quilt frame built by Bill Gordon of Healdsburg, CA. We have helped her put quilts on ... A: OK, I have a confession to make. I don't handquilt - only machine. And I have never put a quilt ... | |
| quilting pattern | 8/3/2006 |
| Q: I have an idea for a quilt pattern. I have made a sample with instructions. Now I don't know what ... A: If you make a pattern and publish it somehow it is considered copyrighted. If you made the design on ... | |
| Block Donation | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: Cleaning up after a move, I came upon a dozen or so quilt blocks that I machine sewed about 25 years ... A: There are many quilters and groups doing charity quilts. Come to the Quilting Forum and ask and I ... | |
| paper piecing pattern | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: Where can I find yoour pattern for a paper pieced sheep? A: Amazingly enough - I actually have designed a sheep block to paper piece in my Grandma Hattie's ... | |
| Reverse copies | 7/6/2006 |
| Q: What software will make a reverse copy of text on transfer paper? A: Almost every image editing program should be able to reverse images to a mirror image. It's usually ... | |
| Acid-free tissue | 7/2/2006 |
| Q: I've got about ten quilts I need to store. Do you know of a good supplier of acid-free tissue to ... A: I have to confess I have never bought acid free tissue! I know one thing that is suggested about ... | |
| what pattern would this be? | 6/15/2005 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out what this pattern might be called so that I can find the instructions on ... A: I'm guessing you mean a quilting pattern, not a pieced pattern? this sounds like one of the curving ... | |
| sandwiching the batting | 12/20/2004 |
| Q: What is the best way to make the front and back of the quilt taught? I am a beginner and dont have ... A: Putting on the binding is the very last thing you do to finish a quilt. You need to quilt it or tie ... | |
Quilting
Answers by Expert:
Susan Druding
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Questions on all aspects of quilting are welcome: both art quilting and traditional. I have been involved with the textile arts for more than 30 years - history, technique, materials. Helping beginners as well as experienced quilters find quilting teachers and finding quilt resources on the Web is a specialty.
Experience
I am a quilter, both art and traditional. I was the Quilting Guide on About.com (previously called The Mining Co.) for more than 8 years.
I now have my own personal quilting information site at www.Equilters.com and have many resources to help quilters, beginning to expert.
Publications
Quilting at About.com
www.equilters.com
Education/Credentials
MA in textile design, U of Calif, Berkeley
Awards and Honors
I have shown quilts in various shows and exhibitions and won a Judge's Choice Ribbon in Houston 2000
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