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5 Things I Learned When Stitching Out The Butterfly Quilt

We Carry
by Sara Snuggerud in Sewing Tips

The Butterfly Quilt has been on my bucket list since the day it was released. This quilt was designed by Sarah Vedeler and works with the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter Feather Dies

 

The Butterfly Quilt is completely pre-cut using the AccuQuilt GO! Heather Feather die collection. By pre-fusing the butterfly wing fabric before running it through the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter, every piece cut perfectly and ready to place. Keep reading to learn about Sara’s favorite fusible web product for this project. 

 

5 Things I Learned When Stitching Out The Butterfly Quilt

 

1. Test. Test. Test.

Before starting I took the time to test our a series of color combinations to find the one that helped pop all the butterfly’s beautiful stitched details. At the end I choose to use only three colors to bring this design to life.

 

2. Embroidery Hoop Size DOES Matter

Thank goodness for extra large embroidery hoops! With embroidery machines getting bigger and bigger every year, hooping over-sized embroidery designs can cut down the total amount of hooping times. 

Take for example The Butterfly quilt by Sarah Vedeler. With the 10” x 16” standard hoop on the Viking Designer EPIC and the PFAFF creative ICON, this project only took 8 hoopings to complete. Eight hoopings you say? Yes, ONLY eight hoopings instead of 12-16!

 

3. It is OK to Turn Off the Thread Cutter

There are times I like to have the embroidery machine cut in-between every color area and than there are times that I don’t. This was one project I preferred to have the embroidery machine NOT cut. It kept the back from looking messy and it actually made the machine stitch FASTER because it was not pausing to cut every single time.

 

4. Trim Jump Stitches Between Every Color

With no thread cutter on from the previous tip, it is crucial to TRIM all jump stitches between each color.

 

5. I Love Steam-A-Seam 2

Steam-A-Seam 2 is a paper backed iron on fusible web. The bonus feature with Steam-A-Seam 2 is that it is slightly tacky when the paper is removed. With a light press it will stick in place until it can be fully ironed for a more permanent hold. I highly recommend just purchasing a BOX of Steam-A-Seam 2. This way it stays safe and unwrinkled plus it is a ton cheaper than buying it by the yard. 

NOTE – You can buy Steam-A-Seam roll either 12” wide or 24” wide. I would recommend the WIDER 24″ option.

 

BUY A BOX STEAM-A-SEAM 2 NOW

BONUS TIP – Make a “Sewing Bucket List”

What is the difference between a “Sewing Bucket List” and a “UFO List”? A Sewing Bucket List is a must-do list of projects – something you want to make sure you accomplish before you die. This can be learning a new sewing technique or making a quilt/project you just can not get out of your head from the minute you laid eyes on it. A UFO List is just a list of all your projects you have bought fabric for and have started but have not finished.

For me, the Butterfly Quilt was a Bucket List project. I feel complete satisfaction now that it is done and I have learned the complete process.

 

JOIN US FOR A CLASS!

If you are interested in making the the Butterfly quilt or the Feathered Christmas Tree, please sign up to attend an Heirloom Creations FREE “Embroidery Social” class. Visit the class calendar to see a list of upcoming Embroidery Social dates and times.