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Hello First name / friend,
 
Happy Thursday!  I hope your week is going well!  These weeks are flying by and I don't like it.  Each school year seems to go by faster than the last.  
 
I'm kind of in between projects right now and it's a spot I like to be.  Log Cabin Stars has been released and we are just starting the QAL for that.  I'm sewing together a scrap stash version so it's been very relaxing digging through my scrap bins for it.  
 
I might try to release one more pattern this year but we will see how it goes.  I actually wrote up a pattern yesterday that is for something coming up later this year.  
 
And if you have been here for a while then you might remember a few years back when I was using this Tula Pink De La Luna Halloween fabric.  This is a quilt sample for a fully written and ready to go pattern.  
 
So maybe this fall it will finally get released.  I haven't shared this quilt or anything about the pattern yet.  Since I made a Halloween version I've been waiting for fall but then have forgotten about it the past couple of years. 
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WHAT I'M WORKING ON
 
This week I'm about to cut into a new quilt!  I'm super excited about this one because it will be my next hand quilting project.  And it will be another loose weave wovens quilt!  I absolutely LOVE hand quilting this super soft fabric and have been thinking about which one to do next.
 
It's going to be a Double the Plus quilt!  You can scroll on down below to find out more about this one because it's the weekly featured quilt.  
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Fabrics are Fableism Sprout Wovens in Sugar and Pepper.
PRE-WASHING LOOSE WEAVE FABRICS
 
I rarely pre-wash fabrics but I am starting to make an exception for these loose weave wovens.  They shrink quite a bit and a few quilters have reached out that they have had issues after washing their quilts.  That is such a sad situation so I'm now team pre-wash for these types of fabrics.
 
Specifically I'm talking about Ruby Star Society yarn dyed Wovens, Fableism Wovens and even Essex Linen.  Some companies call them wovens, some call them cross weaves and some call them yard dyed wovens.  This all applies to flannel fabrics too since they are prone to the same shrinking and fraying. 
 
You probably won't see me pre-washing regular quilting cottons anytime soon but these yarn dyed wovens are worth the pre-wash.  They shrink significantly more than your regular quilting cottons.
 
We had a discussion over on Instagram about pre-washing these loose weaves because they fray and tangle like crazy in the wash.  Some really great suggestions came up!
 
Here are the main tips that were suggested:
  • Surge or zig zag stitch the edges of the fabrics before washing.
  • Wash them in a bunch of laundry bags.  I tried this yesterday and it was SO MUCH BETTER!  I ordered this pack of bags.
  • Soak or hand wash in the sink and then throw them in the dryer.  It's mostly the washer that turns them into a tangled mess and for me it's most important to get them to shrink in the dryer.
Do keep in mind that these fabrics shrink quite a bit so plan accordingly with the quilt pattern you will be using. 
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Thanks to all the tips on Instagram, we can avoid this big tangled mess now!  Also, I washed all of these Fableism Sprout Wovens together without a color catcher and there was ZERO bleeding!!  That was impressive.
QUILTING WITH LOOSE WEAVE FABRICS
 
I also shared some of my tips for sewing with these looser weave fabrics over on Instagram.  You might ask, why go through all the trouble with these fabrics.  Are they worth it?
 
For me, that's an easy YES!  I absolutely adore the extra texture they add to a quilt.  Plus they end up being really soft and pliable quilts.  
 
If you make a few quilts here and there and want it to last generations then maybe stick with regular quilting cottons.  But if you enjoy working with different substrates and adding texture in then these are so good. 
 
Loose weave wovens are more prone to shrinking, fraying and even snagging.  Here's my tips when working with them.
  • Pre-wash before use.  Better to shrink now than when it's a quilt.
  • Starch them up.  I personally don't use starch and have gotten used to sewing with these fabrics but they can curl up and be a little stretchier than regular quilting cottons.  Starch might help with that.
  • Use a smaller stitch length.  I like to sew these up at a stitch length of around 1.7 - 1.8ish.
  • Press your seams to the side on these fabrics.  Avoid pressing seams open since a side seam is much stronger especially for these types of fabric.  And since these are thinner fabrics, seam bulk shouldn't be much of an issue.
  • Do a denser quilting design.  And then lastly, give yourself a little extra insurance by quilting these loose weaves up nice and dense.  The more quilting to hold the seams in the place the better.
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This one might be my favorite one yet.  It's a Triangle Pop quilt sewn up using Fabliesm Sprout Wovens + Arcade Plaid Wovens + a Monarch Grove backing.  I'll have kits of this quilt just as soon as those plaids are back in stock!  It will most likely be in January. 
I will say, I have not always followed all of those tips and personally haven't had any issues yet.  I immediately washed all of my loose weave wovens quilts after hearing from another quilter about issues and they all came through the wash just fine.  But I'll definitely be taking more pre-cautions with these in the future and want to help you do the same. 
 
Here's what else I've been sewing up!  I finished up this Duval + Solids Geo Gems quilt and it's off to the quilter. 
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Fabrics are Duval by Suzy Quilts + her solids line with Art Gallery Fabrics. 
 
I also finished up this Log Cabin Stars stash quilt!  I kind of love how this one turned out and maybe because it reminds of the Mariner's which reminds me of Seattle :)
 
I think I'll quilt this one up myself this weekend.  I enjoy weekend quilting because I use the kitchen table and it allows me to be out where the family is while doing something I love.  
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Fabrics are assorted Ruby Star Society fabrics from my stash.
 
IN THE SHOP
 
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FEATURED QUILT PATTERN
DOUBLE THE PLUS

The featured pattern this week is Double the Plus!  This is a Quilty Love oldie!  Double the Plus is the second quilt pattern I released so many years ago.  
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I've sewn up maybe three Double The Plus quilts but I only seem to have these original photos. I like this one classic and should really branch out and try something else but it's so simple and modern in white and black.  
 
What makes this simple plus quilt unique is the two sided feature.  So no backing needed on this one, just two quilt tops in opposite color.  
 
I'm about to sew up a new one using Sprout wovens and am already thinking about how to line up the two quilt tops for hand quilting.  I'll share that step in a future newsletter when I get to it. 
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DOUBLE THE PLUS
  • Fun two sided quilt.
  • 4 sizes included - Baby, throw, queen and king.
  • Confident beginner friendly.  This is a pretty simple construction.
  • Make it two sided or just one with a fun backing.  See the fabric requirements below for a one sided quilt. 
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I quilted this original Double the Plus quilt on my original Janome!  The throw size of this one is HUGE!  It's a nice big throw.  This one is made using Essex Linen in white and Black.   My love of textured wovens goes way back :)
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I did a few mock ups of this one because it would be really fun in prints too!
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Fabrics are Duval by Suzy Quilts.
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More Duval fabrics.
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Ruby Star Society Lil fabrics.
 
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Fableism Arcade Wovens.
 
DOUBLE THE PLUS ON THE BLOG
There is just one blog post for Double the Plus.
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PATTERNS IN THE SHOP
 
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Thank you so much for being here!
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Emily 
 

 
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