Did you ever go to a quilt exhibition, peruse an online quilt gallery or sit through Show and Tell at your favorite quilt guild? If you have  – you know that the one constant among quilt makers through the ages has been their overwhelming inability to produce squared and flat laying quilts.

 

A perfectionist at heart, I want my finished quilts to be as perfect as the thought, design and love that I put into into creating them. Yet as a quilt maker, I know how hard one can try to make a perfectly squared quilt and still miss by miles.

 

In order to make squared, flat quilts I understood that you must begin with squared and flat blocks.

Sadly, me, my sewing machine, my iron and all of the quilt paraphernalia that I have amassed over the years – could not consistently make squared or flat blocks – no matter how hard I tried.

 

Queen of Stitching blocks are my solution to this timeless problem.  They are always precisely pieced, have perfect points and are fully quilted when I remove them from my embroidery hoop.

 

We Love Queen of Stitching Blocks … BECAUSE THEY WORK!

Although I love the block I purchased from Queen of Stitching I am not crazy about
the layout suggestions you have provided. What are my options for designing my own quilt layout?

We saw this question coming and have provided some really great options to help you design perfect quilts.

 

Every block you purchase includes a collection of files. Some of the files contain the sewing instructions your embroidery unit needs to create perfect blocks.

 

Other files contain instructions for using the sewing machine files.

Additional BONUS files have been placed in a folder called “Resources”. These files include a block that is ready to be used with Electric Quilt.


In other words …

  • Use your favorite quilt design software to create the layout of your dreams
  • Count on Queen of Stitching to make the construction of your quilt blocks a cinch
  • Join your blocks with either the sashed or un-sashed “Quilt As You Go (QAYGO) technique (included in the "Joining" instructions that accompany our quilt block designs)
  • Add binding and a label to complete your quilt.

Short Cut Quilt Blocks define the most innovative quilting tool introduced since the rotary cutter in 1979.  The tool provides a simple method for making complete and complex quilt block sections in minutes.

You will create and stitch simple "Master Blocks" using only rectangular fabric pieces.

Once completed, you will separate the  "Master Blocks" into quilt block sections by are cutting along defined cutting lines to release multiple complex quilt block sections.

Sections include the seam allowance necessary to join the sections together perfectly and without ever clipping points as they are joined together. 

Sections are characterized by the number of triangles 

 

I have noticed that you do not use the correct file type for Singer embroidery machines. Why is that?

 

The answer for your question really belongs in a "Gee Whiz" file - so be prepared for a chuckle.

Our website, like all websites that enjoy any traffic, is constantly being crawled by website search engines. When the Search engines see the correct Singer file type on each of our product pages, we become X rated.

 

Hard to believe? … You Betcha!

 

Nevertheless, we have changed the way we enter the Singer file format to avoid being tagged as a "Porn" site.

Can I bring Queen of Stitching Blocks into Electric Quilt to design my own quilt?

Absolutely! In fact each Queen of Stitching block you purchase will include a BONUS  EQ file.  For additional information please read the FAQ for "What Are My Layout Options".

Where Did the Idea for Queen of Stitching Come From?

 

Did you ever visit a quilt exhibition, peruse an online quilt gallery or sit through Show and Tell at your favorite quilt guild? If you have  - you know that the one constant among quilts through the ages is that most quilts are not “squared” when completed.

A perfectionist at heart, I want my finished quilts to be as perfect as the thought, design and love that I put into into creating them. Yet as a quilt maker, I know how hard one can try to make a perfectly squared quilt and still miss by miles.

In order to make squared, flat quilts I understood that you must begin with squared and flat blocks.

 

Sadly, my sewing machine, my iron and all of the quilt paraphernalia that I have amassed over the years - could not consistently make squared or flat blocks - no matter how hard I tried.

 

Queen of Stitching blocks are my solution to this timeless problem.  They are always precisely pieced, have perfect points and are fully quilted when I remove them from my embroidery hoop. I can't stretch my fabric because I ironed instead of pressed so all blocks finish square and lie flat. And the newest innovations for joining quilt blocks in the hoop is unequaled in the quilting world! 

 

We Love Queen of Stitching In the Hoop Blocks … BECAUSE THEY WORK!

A perfectionist at heart, I want my finished quilts to be as perfect as the thought, design and love that I put into into creating them. Yet as a quilt maker, I know how hard one can try to make a perfectly squared quilt and still miss by miles.

In order to make squared, flat quilts I understood that you must begin with squared and flat blocks.

Sadly, me, my sewing machine, my iron and all of the quilt paraphernalia that I have amassed over the years - could not consistently make squared or flat blocks - no matter how hard I tried.

 

Queen of Stitching blocks are my solution to this timeless problem.  They are always precisely pieced, have perfect points and are fully quilted when I remove them from my embroidery hoop. I can't stretch my fabric because I ironed instead of pressed. All blocks finish square and lie flat. And the newest innovations for joining quilt blocks in the hoop is unequaled in the quilting world!

We Love Queen of Stitching Blocks … BECAUSE THEY WORK!

I have read through this website - and I don't get it. Can you explain the concept for me?

Our designs are totally pieced and quilted in your embroidery hoop. All edges become part of 1/4 inch seams so there is no embroidery necessary to hide unfinished seams.

The magic is in the hoop means that all of the math and fabric placement requirements are part of the design. This ensures that your points are always spot on and your alignment is perfect whether you make one block or 40 blocks.

This is how the design files work -

  • You start by sending a design to your machine.
  • Then you hoop a piece of stabilizer and attach your embroidery hoop to your machine.
  • The first color break that you will stitch out includes the stitching lines and cutting guides for the finished block or block section that you are working on.
  • Next step will be to to stitch out a placement guide. You will use this guide to align your fabric.
  • Next you will stitch out the seam line for the piece(s) of fabric you have added.
  • Flip and press the pieces you just added and you are ready to stitch out the next placement line.
  • This process continues until your entire block has been pieced. Batting and backing are added followed by quilting stitches to complete the block.
  • All steps take place inside your hoop*.

Each completed design provides a completely pieced, batted, backed and quilted block.

Each design includes an instructional user guide with a photo of every step. The blocks also include separate instruction files that show you how to put the blocks together.

 

*With the introduction of Short Cut Quilt Blocks in 2022 our offerings expanded to include a Paper Pieced library. While Paper Pieced blocks are stitched on a foundation (the paper) they are never stitched in the hoop making all “hoop” references irrelevant for the Paper Pieced genre. 

I have never heard the term Next Generation Quilting before. What does it mean?

Short Answer:

Next Generation Quilting means complex quilting tasks are Quick &  Easy!

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Long Answer:

Computers have been infiltrating the home sewing world for nearly two decades and most avid sewers are familiar with the dramatic changes that have taken place in the embroidery category.

 

But What About Quilting?

Evolutionary changes have quietly been taking place in the quilting world as well. Queen of Stitching developers have built on these advancements to create a new technology that makes real quilt blocks in your embroidery hoop. With Queen of Stitching you will never find an unturned edge that needs to be covered with additional stitching.

 

Every block you make is guided towards perfection by the computerized design you send to your sewing machine.

Block after block after block 

 … precisely pieced in the hoop and totally quilted in the hoop means:

  • Quilt blocks that are ALWAYS the same size
  • Points that are ALWAYS sharp
  • Precise piecing that is ALWAYS perfectly matched
  • Stitched cutting lines ensure your final trims are ALWAYS square
  • Quilt blocks don’t stretch out of shape when you press them
  • Fabric cuts are all small strips so you can use up the littlest treasures in your stash

I am surprised by the amount of thread that is wadded up on the back side of my blocks. How can I make the backside of my blocks look neater?

 

We have seen several brands of machines do this. As best as we can figure out, the “Nesting” problem is a result of how your machine starts, stops and cuts thread. Although these little nests of thread will not hurt your quilt - there is an easy way to minimize them. All you need to do is turn off your machine’s option to “Cut Jump Stitches”.

 

On another note, if you do not like the looks of how your machine starts and stops - use a busier patterned fabric for the back side of your quilt blocks. Busier prints seem to make tie-ins and endings less noticeable.

 

Another helpful idea  - bring the bobbin thread to the front before beginning to stitch and hold on to both threads as you begin stitching to prevent them from becoming entangled with the stitching.

How Can I combine Queen of Stitching quilt blocks and blank (un-pieced) blocks in the same quilt layout.

 

I have been really impressed by how quickly and precisely my Queen of Stitching blocks sew out. My newest quilt layout uses both Queen of Stitching pieced in the hoop blocks and blank (un-pieced) blocks. I am afraid that if I quilt the blank blocks by hand or machine they will take too long to finish and will not match the Queen of Stitching blocks. Is there a way that I can make a quilt sandwich and use my embroidery unit to complete the quilting process "in the hoop"?

 

Every block you purchase from Queen of Stitching includes a BONUS file that contains an interchangeable machine quilting matching or coordinated solid block and instructions for using the files. Additionally, our Store has an ever expanding selection of machine quilt designs that are also interchangeable with the entire Queen of Stitching In the Hoop library.

The Short Cut Quilt Block library contains only a small bonus sample of decorative quilting designs. 

 

Our quilt designs were developed for our In the Hoop quilt block family and are completely interchangeable within that genre. Most commonly the designs include a 5” & 8” file. Several of the designs also include 4” files and a small number include 6” or 7” inch files. When making Short Cut Quilt Blocks that finish in sizes that are compatible with the quilt designs, you will  be able to easily adapt our quilt designs to work with them. 

 

Always read product descriptions before purchasing to know what block sizes are included in the files you will be receiving. 

 

Queen of Stitching neither encourages or discourages the resizing of Quilt Design files. As we can not control the process in which the files are resized we do not warrant the resized files. In the event that you chose to either enlarge or reduce the provided size we strongly recommend that you test the stitching before using it on completed quilt blocks.

I am getting ready to make a quilt and I need to decide between purchasing a quilt block from Queen of Stitching or just using a traditional block pattern.  

 

Why should I choose a block from you?
 

Queen of Stitching quilt blocks will be the best blocks you ever make!

 

Choose Queen of Stitching for quilt blocks that are super quick to create and have:

  • POINTS that are ALWAYS SHARP and SPOT on PERFECT
  • SEAMS that ALWAYS MATCH UP
  • MATH that is ALWAYS DONE FOR YOU
  • Blocks that ALWAYS FINISH SQUARE and are ALWAYS the SAME SIZE - even when made on different machines
  • Blocks that ALWAYS come out of your embroidery hoop ready to combine into your quilt layout. In other words - beautifully pieced in the hoop and  fully quilted in the  hoop.
  • Blocks that are pieced, quilted and joined in the hoop!

Every block you purchase includes a collection of files. Some of the files contain the sewing instructions your embroidery unit needs to create perfect blocks.

Additional BONUS files have been placed in a folder called “Resources”. These files include a block that is ready to be used with Electric Quilt.

In other words …

  • Use your favorite quilt design software to create the layout of your dreams
  • Count on Queen of Stitching to make the construction of your quilt blocks a cinch
  • Join your blocks with either the sashed or un-sashed “Quilt As You Go (QAYGO) technique
  • Add binding and a label and your quilt is complete.

Real quilts are designed with 1/4 inch seam allowances. What do Queen of Stitching blocks use?

 

Although many of the techniques we use have been modernized to deliver what we call  “Next Generation” piecing or quilting - Queen of Stitching designers adhere to “Traditional Quilt” values.

As a rule - the distances you will find between our fabric placement guides and our stitching lines are 1/4”. Occasionally, depending on the angle of the placement or the position of the placement, our instructions may call for using a fabric strip that when sewn into position, extends more than 1/4” beyond the adjoining stitching line. The decision to use a bit of extra fabric is intentional as it makes correctly positioning the fabric strip easier. The extra fabric will make no difference in your final result.

If you find the idea of occasionally exceeding the 1/4” directive to be troubling - by all means trim the excess fabric back to 1/4’ after you have stitched the adjoining placement guide.

You seem to be all about the school house Glue - What’s up with that?

glue.jpg


When the idea of using glue on quilts was first introduced to us - we pooh poohed the idea as well. After decades of pinning and basting we really didn't see a reason to change anything.

Then one day, while fighting with binding, I realized that ripping out the seam I was fretting over one more time would make the fabric not worth using. In a frustrated frenzy I thought “why not give the glue a try”?

Off to the store I went. It was the beginning of September and school supplies were on sale. I convinced myself that if I acted like a believer - the process was going to work much better. I bought three bottles of glue because they were just so darn inexpensive.

It took me awhile to figure out how to get my stainless steel, flow reducing tip* attached to the glue bottle, but once I did - I was ready to roll. I will never forget squeezing out that first thin bead of glue right along the top of my beautifully embroidered Asian quilt that was going to be a wedding gift for one my life-long friend’s only child.

Once the glue was applied I skeptically positioned the first section of my binding and then pressed the binding to make sure the glue was set. I turned out the binding to critique my positioning. Wonder of wonders - it was perfect.

I sat down at my machine - no pins to fight with and I found that the dried glue gave the binding additional stability. I stitched directly to the corner, took my quilt out of the machine and positioned the miter. I got that glue bottle out again and ran my second bead - this time for the miter and the second side.

I returned to my machine, stitched directly to to the next corner. My inspection showed that the second side was also perfect.

 

Although I was close, I did not become fully hooked on the glue until I reached the fourth side of the quilt. I approached the part where the beginning and ending of the binding are joined together with confidence. Using the glue to attach the binding to my quilt was going well and this was my make it or break it moment. I glued the the edges to be joined and flawlessly stitched the join on the first try. 

Queen of Stitching blocks have built several stitching guides into each block. Use the guides to make sure your positioning is PERFECT before you stitch. If you find that your alignment is off, pop the glued seam and try it again. You will be surprised by how easily the "glue" process is to master and how much easier quilt construction becomes.

I’m hooked because my results with the glue have been brilliant and I am sure yours will be as well.

Go ahead - break out of your mold and give the school glue a try. Remember, you will never grow if you don’t tackle things that are outside of your comfort zone. Also the glue washes out with water or steam so you can’t ruin anything.

 

Note: Always remember to use glue sparingly (so that it does not soak through your fabric) and press to set. We recommend that you attach a flow reducing tip to your glue bottle. The ones we use are identified in the footnote below. Other tips are available and may be fine. Since we have never worked with them we cannot recommend them.

 

Flow restrictors are available in our  Store. Click Here to be taken to the correct page.

I made a mistake cutting and didn’t notice it until I sewed out the next placement guide. Do I need to remove the strip and start over?

 

There is no substitute for precise cutting when it comes to quilting. However, there is a bit of flexibility built into Queen of Stitching designs. Before any quilt block construction/assembly commences the actual stitching lines for your block are stitched out as guides.

 

If your fabric strip (the one that has been cut to short) covers the stitching line by at least 1/8” - you get a free pass. You are however, required to promise yourself that you will be more careful the next time you cut.

 

If your fabric strip does not cover the stitching line by at least 1/8” … find your seam ripper and have at it. Then cut a new strip of fabric that is the correct size, return to the correct color break and continue. 

Remember, experience is the best teacher. Once you have corrected this kind of an error you will be less likely to repeat it.

 

Note: Sooner or later most of us will make this error.

Your Quilt As You Go (QAYGO)& Join As You Go (JAYGO) instructions rock! I would like to post them on our website - is this permitted?

 

Sorry, while we too think our QAYGO & JAYGO methods are great, our methods are copy written and the instructions cannot be used without our written consent. For web use - we ask you to post a link from your site to our instructions. 

 

By the way, we really do appreciate the accolades :- )

 

For additional information on this issue, please see our Terms and Conditions statement.

Using Queen of Stitching blocks has taken my quilting to a whole new level. My results are so good and I finish so quickly that I would like to sell my quilts for some extra income. Is this OK?

 

Absolutely - there is no limit to the number of quilts you can make for gifts or resale when using Queen of Stitching quilt designs.

 

Queen of Stitching files copyright protection on all quilt designs, blocks and files.

 

You may not sell, trade or give away any of the files that you purchase from Queen of Stitching. Our files are licensed ONLY to the original purchaser and may not be transferred. 

 

All files are considered licensed to the purchaser from the moment the purchase transaction is completed.

 

For additional information on this issue, please see our Terms and Conditions statement.

You always have a reference to “Flip and Press” the seam allowance after a stitching line has been added. My craft iron is to big and I can’t get it to fit around my presser foot. What should I do?

Pressing your seam allowances is an important part of creating perfectly pieced quilt blocks and should never be skipped. If you are having trouble reaching the seam - try one of the following ideas:

  • Remove your hoop from your machine, If you choose this option - you may as well trim your thread ends from the backside before re-attaching your hoop to your embroidery unit.
  • Try using a wooden or plastic roller type seam press for those moments you really don't want to remove your hoop from your machine.
  • Change your hoop position to “Cut” this should move your hoop towards you and away from machine head allowing the room you need for your iron to do it’s job.
  •  
  • Remember to always use a pressing pad to protect your machine when you are pressing a seam while your hoop is attached to your embroidery unit. Remove your pressing pad before continuing.
  • When constructing blocks that have multiple sections, adding a light spray of Mary Ellen's Best Press or a non-aerosol spray starch is very helpful in getting your seams to lie flat.
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