The Alliance for American Quilts

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Elizabeth

Quilts are an important part of the heritage of the United States. Throughout our history, quilters have told their personal stories and the nation’s story in quilts. Quilters were especially prolific during the American Civil War and many quilts which commemorate fallen soldiers survive.

Frequently these historical quilts have wound up hidden away in attics, often under poor conditions which could lead to their deterioration. The Alliance for American Quilts is an organization dedicated to preserving America’s quilting heritage. The Alliance strives to preserve not only the quilts themselves, but the stories behind the quilts.

It does so through several projects: Boxes under the Bed, Quilt Treasures, Quilter’s Save Our Stories, and the Quilt Index

The University of Texas at Austin and Michigan State University partner with the Alliance in some of these efforts.

Framed Quilt Art

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Elizabeth

A stunningly simple art quilt with embroidered leaves.

I love quilt art and I know many of you also do. But did you know that quilt art doesn’t need to be restricted to wall hangings. Quilt wall hangings are generally relatively large and they are hung without frames; however, small quilts can look very attractive with a picture frame.

Many quilt artists, such as Lenore Crawford, have experimented with framing some of their pieces. Crawford says that she is not always pleased with the results, but many quilt artists love to frame their pieces.

Using the Appropriate Pattern Layout for Your Fabric

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Elizabeth

Many luxury and novelty fabrics require a with the nap layout. If you are new to sewing, you may be puzzled by the directions on commercial patterns which tell you to use a with-the-nape layout for certain fabrics. You may even think that this is a bothersome detail that really doesn’t matter, but don’t be fooled. The right layout may sound like a small detail, but it makes all the difference in how the garment looks.

Velvet, velveteen, and panné fabrics must be laid out according to the with the nape layout. So must corduroy and any other fabric with a noticeable pile.

The with the nape pattern layout is designed so that the fabric pile will run in one direction when sewn to make a garment. This means that the fabric will appear as all one color; when fabric pieces with the nap running in two different directions are sewn together the garment will appear to be two different shades. For more information see my post “What is a Napped Layout?”

Caring for Down Pillows

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Elizabeth

Did you know that with proper care down pillows can last for years longer than their synthetic cousins?

To last a long time, down pillows should be washed a few times a year. Take the pillow from its cover or case ( a down pillow for the bed should really have a hypoallergenic removable cover underneath the pillowcase). Examine the pillow lining for any holes that could let the down out and repair them if necessary.

Then wash the pillow by hand with a low-sudsing detergent or in a front loading washing machine. Do not put the pillow in a washing machine with an agitator as this could tear it. Dry the pillow on low heat in a load with several clean dry towels to absorb the moisture. A few tennis balls placed in clean cotton socks should be added to the dryer as well; this little trick will keep the down distributed evenly. Be careful not to overheat the pillow. Check the dryer every half-hour and remove the pillows as soon as they are dry.

Using Upholstery Batting

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Elizabeth

Upholstery foam makes great cushions, but used by itself it tends to give the finished cushion a very sharp, angular look and some upholstery fabric also tends to creep and wrinkle when used directly over foam. To prevent these problems, professional upholsters use upholstery batting on top of upholstery foam to give the piece a softer look and to prevent the fabric from shifting.

Upholstery batting is available in both cotton and polyester. Either material provides good comfort and looks for upholstered furniture. Because batting also tends to shift, the entire cushion foam with the batting in place should be wrapped with Dacron wrap or sewn into a muslin cover.

Basic Upholstery Tools–For Stapling

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Elizabeth

Upholstery fabric is frequently attached with staples. A heavy duty hand operated stapler from the local hardware or home improvement store is great if you will not be doing several pieces.

If you plan to upholster many pieces or large pieces which need staples you may want an air stapler and compressor, but most do-it-yourself upholsters find that the less expensive handheld stapler is effective.

Basic Upholstery Tools–For Hammering Tacks

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Elizabeth

Upholstery fabric is often fastened to the piece with tacks, nails, or brads. The right hammer can help you do this job more effectively.

A magnetic upholstery hammer has a narrow head to hammer tacks without smashing them. The opposite end of the head is magnetic to pick up nails and tacks. The side of the head is flat and can be used to flatten old nails which can’t be removed

A nail holder is a nice extra which can help you hammer tacks and nails accurately and safely. Some nail holders have up to five evenly spaced slots to help you accurately place the nails. Other nail holders are magnetic.

Basic Upholstery Tools— For Replacing Webbing

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Elizabeth

Webbing is a common staple of older furniture construction. It was used as the base for many types of seating: dining room chairs, arm chairs, and sofas. Webbing must be stretched tight in order to remain in place for years without sagging.

Web stretchers are an absolute must for this job. They allow you to stretch the webbing straps as tight as a drum, literally. If you lightly tap properly stretched webbing, it will sound like a drum.

Web stretchers are available in two styles: standard and gooseneck. In addition to being purchased separately, they are also available in do-it-yourself and starter upholstery kits. Instruction booklets are included in both kits.

Decorative Nails Add Style to Your Upholstery Projects

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Elizabeth

As Diane reminded us yesterday, decorative nails continue to be a trend in furniture.

Adding decorative nails to your upholstery project can give it style and sophistication. Nails are easy to put in place especially if you use an upholstery hammer.

OnlineFabricStore.net has a great selection of decorative upholstery nails.

Basic upholstery tools— For Removing Old Fabric

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Elizabeth

With the holidays just over it is difficult to start new household projects, but perhaps you’re considering re-covering some furniture as part of your renovations for the coming year. Re-covering furniture can range from simply re-covering a chair seat to a major upholstery job of a chair or sofa.

Some simple upholstery tools will help you get the job done right. First, you generally will need tools to remove the existing fabric, although in some cases new fabric can be smoothly put in place right over the old fabric.

A heavy duty staple remover and a pair of pliers or diagonal nippers will help you remove the existing material. Pull off the fabric if possible and remove protruding staples with the pliers or cut them with the nippers. If it is not possible to simply pull the fabric off, then begin removing each staple. Frequently, you will find that you don’t have remove every staple to remove the fabric. Either cut off protruding staples or hammer them flat so that they do not interfere with anything.

Older pieces may have tacks instead of staples. These can be chiseled out with a ripping chisel and hammer. Don a pair of safety goggles first, because the tacks will fly out and can hit your eyes. Push the chisel head against a tack and hit the end of the chisel handle with the tack hammer’s side. Cut off or hammer in any tacks that remain after the fabric is removed.

In my next post, I’ll discuss the tools needed to replace jute webbing.

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