Pine Needle Quilt Shop: May 2014

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Bridges of Portland Now! Information and Quilt Entry

WestSide Modern

Bridges of Portland Now!

You can download your entry form here.

Information

It is free to have your quilt displayed at the Northwest Quilting Expo in September.

Turn in your quilt information sheet to Geri at The Pine Needle or email it to friends@pineneedlequiltshop.com by June 15^th.
(Not your quilt… just the form)

The Bridge Quilt reveal will be in July (date TBA). Please don’t reveal your quilt to anyone until then!

If you would like your quilt to be judged, you need to complete the
Northwest Quilting Expo form and pay $15 by August 15^th.
Entry forms can be found at: nwquiltingexpo.com/enter-your-quilt

Drop off your completed quilt to The Pine Needle beginning August 15^th.

Please feel free to call The Pine Needle if you have additional questions (503) 635-1353.

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WestSide Modern

Bridges of Portland Now!

Quilt Information Form (This form is due June 15^th!)

Your Name: _________________________________________

Your Phone #: _________________________________________

Your Email: _________________________________________

Name of Bridge: _________________________________________

Name of Your Quilt: _________________________________________

Quilt Dimensions: _________________________________________

Inspiration behind your quilt (100 words or less)

________________________________________________________________

Friday, May 16, 2014

Focus on Batiks

April WestSide Modern Meeting - Focus on Batiks

At April 30th's meeting, we focused on batiks.

At first, "Modern Quilters" wouldn't touch batiks, but the modern and traditional worlds are starting to converge and we explored all things batik.

Reba, from "Majestic Batiks" was our guest speaker. She's a local girl and her family owns Majestic Batiks. She recently returned from Indonesia and shared all kinds of information about how batiks are used and made. She even got to be part of the dying process! WE learned that Indonesia is made up of 13,000 islands, has 365 languages, and just as many styles of batiks. Batiks are a tradition in Indonesia. They don't use them for quilts... it's too hot for quilts on the equator. They are used in clothing, sarongs, bags, etc.

The process includes dying the fabric once, putting it out to dry in the sun with soda ash. Wax is apllied and the fabric is stamped with hand made copper tjaps for each color in the design. The fabric is bleached and rinsed after step, put through a "no bleed" process, through a hand cranked machine and placed in the sun to dry. It takes 6 days to make one bolt of fabric!

The Pine Needle carries her color-fast batiks. Look for them here!

Tjaps for new designs

Hanging to dry after first 3-die session (day 3)

Hand waxing process (day 4)

Geri gave some tips on how to use batiks in modern quilting.

Mix them with solids or blacks and whites.

Use them in a modern pattern.

More tips on working with batiks:

Needles: Use 80/12 Schmetz Universal needles for going through the heavier cloth. Change your needle every 8 hours.

Thread: use 50 wt. thread

Mary Ellen's Best Press - spray 8-12 inches away from fabric. it crisps up pre-washed fabric.

Synthrapol: to pre-wash batiks and set the color. To test for color fastness, spray the fabric with water, iron it or rub it onto muslin to see if it bleeds.

Rotary Cutter - use a sharp blade

Challenge Block - Orchid

We shared challenge blocks from our February meeting using the Pantone Color of the year - Orchid.