By Eileen Roche
Embroidery Products
Magna-Quilter™
Magna-Quilter Design CD
Click To Download the FREE Design
Materials
1 1⁄3 yd. black fabric
1 7⁄8 yd. white fabric
3⁄4 yd. coral fabric for sashing, appliqué and binding
1⁄3 yd. print fabric for sashing on back
Batting
Vellum for printing templates
Target Stickers
Finished size of center blocks: 12”
Finished size of corner blocks: 5”
Finished size of border blocks: 5” x 25”
(Unfinished block size is 1” larger to allow for a 1/2” seam allowance on all sides.)
Finished size of quilt: 37 1/2” x 37 1/2”
Editor’s Note: The Paisley Swirl quilt is a quilt-as-you-go project. The reversible seaming technique allows you to quilt each block and border before piecing the whole quilt. You’ll find this project quite manageable in both time and effort!
With Magna-Quilter, the large blocks will stitch in three hoopings, one hooping on one side of the block (stitching two designs), one hooping on the opposite side of the block and one hooping in the center for the paisley swirl appliqué design. The border will stitch in three hoopings. The small corner blocks were designed to stitch on one large piece of fabric then they are cut to size.
Step 1. Cut the Fabric
Cut the fabric as follows:
Black fabric
Four squares 16” x 16” for blocks and backing
Four strips 10” x 36” for corner blocks
White fabric
Four squares 16” x 16” for blocks and backing
Two strips 16” x 28” for border blocks
Batting
Four squares 16” x 16”
Two strips 16” x 28”
Two strips 10” x 36”
Coral fabric
Nine 2” strips WOF (width of fabric) for sashing and binding
Four 8” squares for appliqués
Print fabric
Five 2” strips WOF for sashing
Step 2. Print Templates
Print four copies of each of the following templates: P3BS and P6BS
Print one copy of AP4. AP4
Reduce the size of P10BS by 10% or to about 4” x 7” and print five copies
Step 3. Prep the Quilt Sandwiches
Blocks
Prepare the quilt top blocks by pressing four 16” squares in half, then in half again. Fold in half again (into eighths) and press. Open the fabric. The crease lines should look like the image below.
Make a quilt sandwich with one unpressed 16” square of the same fabric (right side down), one 16” piece of batting and the pressed fabric (right side up). Repeat for all four quilt blocks. Pin baste, if desired.
Place four templates of the same design on one block using the crease as a guide for squaring the designs. Mark the center of each template with a target sticker, aligning the target sticker’s crosshair with the crosshair on the template. Make sure the target sticker’s arrow is designating the top of each embroidery design. Write the name of the design on the target sticker for easy reference at the machine. Place the AP4 template in the center of the block and mark with a target sticker.
Corner Blocks
Prepare the embroidered corner blocks by pressing one 10” x 36” black strip in half lengthwise to 10” x 18” and press a crease. Fold in half again to 10” x 9” and press a crease. Open the fabric to show four squares. Create a quilt sandwich with the other 10” x 36” piece of fabric and batting.
Use a centering ruler or target ruler to locate the center of each square. Place a target sticker on the mark. Set aside.
Borders
Prepare the quilt top borders by pressing one 16” x 28” strip in half lengthwise to place a crease down the center length of the fabric. Open the fabric and fold in half crosswise and press to mark the center. Open the fabric, then fold and press another crease 2” in from each long side. This line will be used to help place the border templates. Open the fabric and layer this strip with batting and another 16” x 28” white fabric strip. Pin baste, if desired. Repeat.
Each quilt sandwich will create two finished border blocks. Center the first template in the center of one half of the fabric with the bottom of the design aligned with the 2” crease line. Rotate or mirror image the next two templates on either side of the center one, also aligning with the 2” crease line. Place the remaining two templates in the same direction as the center template. Measure the length of the five combined designs. If it is more than 24”, reposition the templates to be closer. When satisfied with the placement, mark all design centers with target stickers. Make sure the arrow is facing the top of the design and note on the target sticker if the design needs to be mirror imaged at the machine.
Repeat the placement procedure on the opposite side of the fabric. Repeat the design placement process on the second border block sandwich.
Step 4. Embroider the Quilt
Center Blocks
Note: The black blocks are stitched in white with a white bobbin, and the white ones are stitched in black with a black bobbin.
Hoop one block in Magna-Quilter, capturing two target stickers in the design area. Use the adhesive centering rulers on the hoop to ensure the block is square in the hoop. Place the templates back on the hooped fabric aligning the target stickers with the templates’ crosshairs to make sure both designs fit in the hoop. If not, adjust the fabric to accommodate both templates. Remove the templates.
Attach the Magna-Quilter to the machine, smooth the fabric and center the needle over one of the target stickers. Select the design and make sure it will stitch in the intended direction. Make any necessary adjustments on the editing screen. Position the needle over the target sticker. Trace the design to make sure it will clear the hoop. Remove the sticker and embroider the design.
Once the design is complete, rotate the design so that it will stitch opposite the first design. Position the needle over the second target sticker. Trace the design. Remove the sticker and embroider the design.
Now, lift the black frame of Magna-Quilter and slide the quilt sandwich to capture two more target stickers. Repeat the process above.
Again, lift the frame and this time center the fabric in the hoop. Select the free design #AP4REV and center the needle over the target sticker in the middle of the block. Stitch the first two colors. Position the appliqué fabric square over the center of the design and stitch the third color. Trim the appliqué fabric close to the stitched outline. The design is intended to be a raw edge appliqué design.
Repeat for all four large blocks. Trim the blocks to 13” square.
Border Blocks
Use the same method for fabric placement and hooping the border blocks. Stitch the blocks with black in top and bobbin. Trim the border blocks to 6” x 26”.
Corner Blocks
Using white top and bobbin thread, embroider the corner blocks with designs C1X2, C2X2, C3X2 and C4X2. Trim the corner blocks to 6” square.
Step 5. Cut the Sashing Strips
To avoid piecing the sashing strips, first cut the longest strips from the fabric, then use the remaining lengths for the smaller pieces. Cut the following pieces (in order) from each of the 2” pink and print fabric strips:
Two 37 1/2” x 2” (total of four)
Three 26” x 2” (total of six)
Two 13” x 2” (total of four)
Four 6” x 2” (total of eight)
Step 6. Reversible Sashing Technique
Note: Visit www.dzgns.com and click on Designs University to view a video demonstration of the reversible sashing technique.
Fold and press a 1⁄2” on each long side of all the back sashing strips.
Add the front and back sashing strips to the block at one time. Align all raw edges (not the folded edge of the back sashing), right sides together and pin. Stitch with a 1⁄2” seam allowance.
Align the next block to the raw edge of the front sashing only. Pin if desired and stitch with a 1⁄2” seam allowance. Press seams to the center of the front sashing. The two raw edges of the quilt should meet in the center.
Turn the quilt blocks over and press the folded edge of the back sashing over the seam allowances.
The sashing may be held in place with fusible fabric tape (such as Stitch Witchery or Steam-a-Seam Lite) or blind-stitched with invisible thread. All of the sashing will be top-stitched with matching thread at the end of the assembly process.
Piece the quilt as illustrated (right) and bind using the four remaining pink sashing strips.
1. Sashing
P3BS
P6BS
P7BS
P8BS
AP4
P10BS
Prepare the quilt top blocks by pressing four 16” squares in half, then in half again.
The crease lines should look like the image above.
Fold and press a 1/2” on each long side of all the back sashing strips.
Align all raw edges (not the folded edge of the back sashing), right sides together and pin. Stitch with a 1⁄2” seam allowance.
Press seams to the center of the front sashing.
The two raw edges of the quilt should meet in the center.
Turn the quilt blocks over and press the folded edge
of the back sashing over the seam allowances.
Piece the quilt as illustrated and bind using the four remaining pink sashing strips.