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  1. #1
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    Making DIY quilts easier

    Hi friends,

    I recently embarked on doing my own DIY/MYOG top quilt, an EE design with a footbox (I'm not done yet).

    So far I invested:
    a) $55 in material (excluding down stuffing), Ion fabric from Dutchware
    b) 6 hours of research on materials, down types, designs, sewing techniques, things needed etc
    c) 7 hours on pattern making, taping pattern to the fabric and cutting
    d) 8 hours sewing baffles to the bottom sheet (first time sewing)

    Some things I've learned:
    a) Took a lot of time getting the pattern to the fabric and taping baffles before sewing
    b) Getting the stitch right:
    i) I had researched and tried #3 stitch length, #4 thread, 70/40 Gutermann thread, #60/8 sewing needle
    ii) I think this might work better: lower weight thread (maybe Tex-30 thread), and #9 or #10 needle
    c) making sure the material doesn't bunch up below as you are feeding the fabric into the machine, this happened a few times, accidentally sewing the fabric to itself in unwanted places. It's hard when managing a large piece of fabric.
    d) masking tape messing up the needle, this happened a few times causing the thread to bunch up. I would have to cut and restart with a sew over.

    It would be great to get resources together from what others have learned. On future projects, I would like to figure out a way to digitally printing the pattern to the fabric, then using 1/4 inch double sided fabric tape to tape down baffles before sewing (instead of using needles). I think you can print autocad blueprints for like $4 for a 80x60 inch paper, maybe then trace it with transfer iron ink, then iron the pattern onto the fabric?

    Also I found there isn't a lot of detailed step by step instructions on how to property sew and attached foot boxes and sew the footbox seam nicely. The best one I found was here: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=56730

    Winston
    IMG_4530.jpg
    Last edited by winstwu; 09-03-2017 at 21:04.

  2. #2
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    I've only made two quilts but I didn't use tape or pins. I just lined up the baffles on the pattern and started sewing. On the foot box, I just sewed up the bottom of the foot box and measured the opening at the end for the math to sew up a "plug" for the end.

    2017-08-04 00.24.07.jpg

  3. #3
    Senior Member boulderv7's Avatar
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    Instead of using needles, I make little marks every 12 inches on my baffle lines. My baffle material gets marked with corresponding marks every 12" as well. Then I just make sure these line up as I'm sewing. No need for needles.

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
    My head is an animal

  4. #4
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by boulderv7 View Post
    Instead of using needles, I make little marks every 12 inches on my baffle lines. My baffle material gets marked with corresponding marks every 12" as well. Then I just make sure these line up as I'm sewing. No need for needles.

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
    I've used this trick many times. Not only with baffles, but when sewing larger pieces of nylon together, such as tarps.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  5. #5
    Senior Member boulderv7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MAD777 View Post
    I've used this trick many times. Not only with baffles, but when sewing larger pieces of nylon together, such as tarps.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
    Oh yeah, pretty much anything I sew that has any distance in it gets these marks on it. So easy. I try not to pin. 😏

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
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  6. #6
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    Congratulations xwinstwu on your effort. I've been sewing for years and I just finished making my first TQ and I've started on a second (for warmer weather).

    My recommendation for laying out baffles is to mark the baffle lines on your fabric (top and bottom) using sewing chalk (I like to use the Clover chalk wheels). It takes a bit of time to draw the lines and they disappear if you are too rough handling the fabric but it's much easier than tape. It takes me about 15 minutes to draw all the baffle lines for a side and about 45 minutes to sew the baffles. Speed comes with practice.

    Don't worry about the time but consider it a learning experience. Also, it's the fun of the journey and learning so who cares if it takes a lot of time when you are starting out.

    The one thing that surprised me is that normally I set the thread tension about 4 but with the ultra thin fabric I'm using I needed to set it around 2. Don't forget you need to match the bobbin tension to match.

    I spent days researching and thinking about TQ designs before I decided on mine. I find that's actually one of the most fun parts of a project. The design of the footbox was the most difficult because I couldn't decide how to do it. I'm 90% happy with the way I did my first TQ and I'm 95% happy with my second one. (I'm doing a sewn footbox).

    My design of the footbox was using a circular design. Originally I was going to go rectangular because it seemed to make more sense but I thought a circular one would be easier. My solution was to figure out the diameter of the quilt when the sides are attached, say 16", and then add half the lofting, e.g., for a 3" loft, I'd add 1-1/2" which, when both sides are attached, make a 3" depth (more or less).

    I felt it easier to sew both bottoms together (with 3 baffles making 4 compartments) and then stuff them before sewing the bottom to the rest of the quilt. Originally I sewed the bottom and then stuff it while attached but it was a pain to move the entire quilt. I turned the quilt inside out and then just sewed the bottom to the quilt. Flipping it right-side-out, it looks perfect and you never see the attachment that's hidden. I thought about covering it with grosgrain but didn't want to chance feeling it on my feet and nobody but me will ever know about the inside.

    It sounds like you are doing a good job so don't get discouraged. Hope to see pictures (it always looks better in pictures).

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