A&M University quilt top

Yes!  I just finished the quilt top it is an 84X73

For never doing a quilt like this before,  I think it is exciting the open doors of creativity this has opened for me.  Now keep an eye out on the quilting part..  I really am loving what I do.

Bias tape

   

A pretty good gadget

This is a bias tape tool. This gadget us a 1/2 size bias maker.  You cut your strips and slid it in.  

There a slit on the gadget get a pin to pull it through. 

Pull some fabric through

Flip the gadget and have you iron hot and ready.  Pull the fabric through.  I like ironing on this end better than it on the yellow side. I had better control of the fabric folding over then where you see the two folds.

Pull and iron.  Have your iron real hot.  

I really like this gadget.  There are different sizes and the price for each gadget is $8 at Joann's they have 50% coupons which makes it worth the buy.  The bias is consistent and this tool makes it easy to make even when it crosses over the seam line. 

A&M Quilt (Applique Process)

Applique A&M Quilt

Making bias tape

In this picture you can see that I already have biase tape rolled.  The way I make it I cut a 1/2 of fabric and did several strips and folded it by hand making sure the fabric is fully wet then ironed it and made my strips.  

Now this isn't the best way to make bias tape.  I have only done small strips and doing bias to make this quilt showed me I need to find a better way.  The bias I did wasn't consistent and I want this quilt to be a great representation to the logo. 

 I found out that they make a tool for making consistent bias tape. It cost at Joann's 8$ but its worth the money.  The tool makes it easier to make the bias too.

The reason for the paper copy.  I made the letters out of freezer paper.  I used three layers of freezer paper.  I traced it on the freezer paper and ironed all three papers together.  Then I cut the letters out and now I have a cheap template of the letters that I can use.  

 

I placed my letter template on the fabric that I am going to use to applique and traced it with chalk pencil.  

Tips and tricks.

To make sure the lines stayed consistent I placed them on the fabric together.
My Favorite product is ELMER'S GLUE STICK WASH-AWAY.  I place the glue on the bias and then placed it on the fabric and then ironed it down. 

When appliqueing the bias the glue kept it on the fabric and gave me control as I was hand stitching it down.  It does take time.  To Iron the bias down.  Remember I wanted to keep the integrity of the logo. 

 I also did the same with the star.  I had the lines on the fabric design and made a paper template and used my glue and the nice part is it didn't shift and gave me control.

With the lettering I didn't glue it.  The reason is it was a smaller piece and I had more control.  I did a turn over applique and I think it look nice.  I still need to add the ANTONIO.  I didn't embroider these letter yet because the tip of the A touched the tip of the star and one of the letters was embroidered on the star. 

 

Once I finish the center part of the quilt the rest is the basics.  I just need to add the sashing and then to the quilting.  On the next blog I post I am considering trapuntoing the A&M part of the quilt and then to the fun part Longarm Quilt. 

A&M University of San Antonio (Design Process)

A&M University Quilt 

Design Process

I'm going to college and in one of my course we are doing a survey. To encourage participation, I suggested making a quilt.

 The first part of the process was interesting.  I received consent from the university and their approval to use the university logo.  One of the positives is there was excitement stirring about the quilt through the employees and students.
 

The making of the QUILT.

Part 1 

Make a paper design.

Consider the size of center and the size of  sashing and also give size of the quilt when finished.

I had to take a paper color copy to give to A&M for the beginning process of getting consent.

  

Part 2 I had to choose the colors of fabrics so that they would approve the colors.  The fabric colors had to match as closely to the colors of the university.  

 One of the considerations that I had to really focus on, is the University took a lot of time creating this logo.  The logo has specifics that can't be changed.  The color of the logo, design, and fonts of the lettering are very important to the logo.  I had to keep the integrity of the logo regardless of the differences of converting a paper design into a fabric design.   

Part 3 Projector vs. Copy

A projector is the easiest way to transfer designs.  You can also get a copy enlarged which will cost 12-15 dollars, at least in Texas.  

One of the issues with going to get copies is the logo has copy rights and they will not allow you to make copies without a letter of consent form the University.  Logos have copy right laws that keep people from making a copy of a product they don't have consent to do.  Even though I have permission to reproduce their logo it is a hassle.  Copies are also hard to get into the right size and sometimes don't come out clear and transferring the design from paper to fabric is a pain.  You need a light box or large light source and it can add to you labor.  

So I used a projector.

 I divided the fabric in half.  Length wise and width wise.  It's to establish grid lines.  Taped it on a window place the projector where the design fits the on the paper copy and a fabric copy.  I used sharply to use for paper copy and white chalk pencils to do the copy on the black fabric.  

 I do recommend making paper copy.  You need the paper copy.  To have a pattern design for making the star, the lettering, and the original size of the pattern.   Sometimes when your working with fabric it shifts and moves and having a paper copy helps with unknowns that make come up that you didn't expect.

 

I had to show the University the transferred design on fabric.  I also embroidered the lettering to show them that I also had the exact font they used in the logo.  This created faith in the University in giving me consent to create this quilt for my survey assignment.   It also gave me brownie point with my peers and Professor.