A Quilting Calculator

I use a Smartphone and wanted to share a very helpful ap I found to determine fabric yardage. I often  create my own quilts without even a pattern and am often left to geuss how much backing or binding I will need to finish it. Robert Kaufman Fabrics and Quilters Paradise teamed up to create: QuiltingCalc. 

There are a variety of subject areas to choose from as you can see below:

I have only used this to determine my backing, batting and binding but can 

tell you it has taken the guess work on determining how much fabric I need to finish a quilt.

You simple input your width of fabric being used, then unput width and length of your quilt top: 

Finally, press "calculate" and you'll be told how much yardage you will need.

I love it and just wanted to share a helpful ap with anyone of you who might have a Smartphone and might find yourself always guessing at how much backing, batting and binding you will need.

Create a post to join/rejoin us for this year's 

 Piggy Bank Challenge!

Note: This Linky is open until  August 1st. 
Please feel welcome to grab our "button" to help spread the work to all your readers.

You know what they say:  a penny saved is a penny earned.

Click HERE to join us.

Fuse Your Batting Pieces!

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say, I have a pile of batting remnants. 

All different sizes. All taking up space. All unused.

Last week I was piecing the backing for a crib size quilt when I realized I didn't have the white batting I needed, yet I had numerous remnants of such. I then remembered some Heat Press Batting Together I had won during one of our many blog events, yet had absentmindedly tucked away.  

So I dug it out and set out to use it to "piece" five remnants of white batting together.  It was exceptionally easy as I just had to lay the batting edges together. Lay the tape of Heat Press Tape over the two edges and iron. This literally took me half the time it would if I sewed the batting together.

I used the 1.5 inch Heat Press Batting Together for this project.

I ended up creating a whole piece of batting that was flat and sturdy when I moved it.

Even better....there were no "bumpy" seams to quilt over. I loved that!

It was also invisible once I was finished quilting.

I so appreciate the wonderful sponsors of all our of blog events and appreciate having the opportunity to try out a new products like this one.  Here's a quick link: HEAT PRESS BATTING TOGETHER. I just wanted to share my success with it and give a shout out of gratitude to all our blog event sponsors. What do ya think? I mean just think: no more sewing batting remnants together! 

Tuesday Archives #156:Tools

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: TOOLS

My favorite tool is....

My Beam N Read!

It's little strap goes right around your neck. It's ran by four AA batteries and has two light settings.       (I think it even came with a magnifying glass??) Love it!

Lighting for Hand Stitching

Kathy who hosts our Slow Stitching Sunday Linky is right, those of us who moved our clocks back an hour last night are going to be stitching in the dark much earlier at the end of days.

(Personally, I slept in till 8:00 and woke up at 7:00 this morning and that felt wonderful!!)

Kathy asked us to share our lighting tips. I have two.

First, Jackson is showing you my evening stitching spot. 

I use a floor lamp with a must have Ott Light Bulb.

But next, for evenings when we are watching a good movie and for when I travel I use this:

(Check out that lighting!)

My Beam N Read!

It's little strap goes right around your neck. It's ran by four AA batteries and has two light settings.

  (I think it even came with a magnifying glass??)

It's amazing!! A fellow stitcher had one and once seeing it, I immediately ordered myself one!

I've had mine for a few years now and it is my "go to" lighting for hand stitching.

Whether I'm traveling, sitting at the kitchen table, by the fire or even outside, it's perfect lighting.

(Okay, I just sounded like a info commercial, but seriously, if I were Oprah, I'd send everyone one!)

Let me know if you decide to check out the little light. I'd like to know what ya think of it. 

For now, I'm off to my stitching spot to watch a morning movie and to enjoy some wool stitching.

Happy Sunday Stitching everyone. 

Coming up this week at T.A.: Lone Star quilts and projects.

How did I NOT know about this tool?!

Seriously!!! 

I have been doing applique for years and never knew what a 1/4" Clover Bias Maker tool was, let alone that I could use it to create stems for my applique projects...in seconds!!

So easy peasy....I made a whole spool full! I'm hooked!

A Sew Along full of new learning already!

What do you enjoy most about a sew along?
I'm participating in Lori Holt's Bloom Sew Along and have already learned so much. First, okay, there's that amazing little tool mentioned above that is going to save me a ton of time in the future. (I'm definitely getting all the other sizes!)

Secondly, I'm also learning a new way to applique using Pellon interfacing in a lightweight non-fusible.(Click HERE to read Lori's tutorial.) I'm finding this method to be quick and easy with a neatly finished edge. I plan to machine applique my blocks using a blanket stitch for this sew along. 

 I prepared the applique pieces the evening before and was able to have my block sewn together in a half hour after work.  Bam! NOw that's what I'm talking about! Here's my first block:

Our finished blocks measure 12 1/2" x 12 1/2".

Guess what! I'm even stash busting my 30's tub of fabric for this one!

Don't ya love that feeling?!?!

(I know, I know, a lot of exclamation points in this post...the littlest things really do make me happy!)