Welcome to this month’s edition of Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd where we share our favorite quilting or sewing tips and tutes! Its been a busy month on my blog…thank you for following along. The next month we are closing an apartment outside of Boston, so my presence may be scarce here, but I do have 3 tops and 2 benefit quilts to quilt, so I could potentially have some posts! Let’s look at last month’s linkups and then take a look at a fun way to audition quilt patterns without a program like Prostitcher Designer!
Last Month’s Link Ups
Here are February’s links:
- Allison shared her wavy grid walking foot quilting.
- Gail shared her how to make a diagonal back.
- Andree shared her tips on free motion quilting from the back.
Auditioning Quilting Patterns
You have seen a pattern you like – a pantograph – but can’t quite envision it on your quilt. Here is a simple way to do it.
- Photograph your quilt.
- Find a pantograph you like.
- I am going to use this one called “a footprint in the sand“.
- Sometimes you can right click and download a copy but I use a screen shot in this case.
- Take a screen shot of the pantograph
- MAC: Press Shift + Command +4 and crosshairs come on my screen. That will save a screenshot on my Desktop Folder
- PC: Windows logo key + Shift + S. The desktop will darken while you select an area for your screenshot. In windows 11, these are usually saved in Pictures-Screenshot.
- 4Then open your browser and go to https://www.remove.bg/.
- Then download the file. This will give you a line drawing with no background that you can place over a picture.
- Open a new document, I use either Pages or Word.
- Insert your quilt picture in the document. You may want to make it as big as the page, that is up to you.
- Then bring in this line drawing you saved.
- I duplicated a copy and put a second one one the quilt.
- You can adjust the size of the images a little but I want you to feel like you can get an idea of how a pantograph may look.
Pretty cool isn’t it? It may not be full size or accurate for thread color but you get the idea. I would probably use a more curvy pantograph on this one, but I do like the way it looks.
Join the Linky Party!
Now it’s your turn to post, and the rules are simple – write up a tip or group of tips or a tutorial that is quilting or sewing-related and link that post below. The linky party is open from 12:01 am on the 21st (only this month), through midnight on 31st. The post does not have to be new but should be one that hasn’t been linked to Tips and Tutorials in the past. If you don’t have a blog, please send it to me (kathleen@kathleenmcmusing.com) and I will post your tip or tutorial for you!
Past Tips and Tutorials
In case you didn’t know, if you have missed some past #TTot22, you can check them out in the tab at the top of my page or on my Pinterest board.
Coming Up on My Blog
Nothing specific is planned before next month’s Tips and Tutes. We will see how rearranging/moving goes.
Purple Passion
Diatom
Sea Glass Joy
Tips and Tutorials 4/22/24
Stash
Fabric in this month: 6 yards (added 2 for backing for a quilt)
Fabric in this year: 6 yards
Fabric out this month: 12 yards (3 quilts)
Fabric out this year: 40.75 yards
NET Fabric: -34.75 yards
I used remove background sites years ago and bet they have really improved since I used them. I’ve actually never thought about using them quilt-wise, so thank you for the tip!
Oh, now that is cool! How did you discover that? I’m going to send this to a friend who might find this really helpful! Thanks!
I love being able to audition quilting motifs, so great tip this month. I hope that closing on the apartment goes smoothly for you.
Those footprints are so cute. I don’t FMQ but I am so tempted to use that motif in a different way.
Oh wow, that is cool! I am definitely going to give that a try! Thanks for sharing and hosting! xx
Very cool tip, Kathleen! Thanks so much for sharing this! :)
This is brilliant Kathleen! Who knew about removing the background too! Although I don’t use pantographs (STILL have yet to make myself try the one that I got with my HQ) I do use them as basis/ideas for FMQ.
Hi Kathleen, thanks so much for a new website tool to use. I really appreciate your sharing because I’m not as adventurous as I used to be for finding things like this. I used to do it for work but happy, I can now just read your recommendations! Thanks for the party.