Thursday, April 1, 2010

Spiderweb Quilt Tutorial (for selvages)



I've had so many requests for how I made the selvage spiderweb quilt, I thought I'd do a quick tutorial of how I adapted Bonnie's Quiltville spiderweb tutorial to make my quilt. I'm not going to repeat Bonnie's instructions for how to make the template. You can find her instructions on the Quiltville site.

So let's get started. Using Bonnie's instructions you will make your kite templates and cut your paper foundations. You will need just a touch of glue. I use Elmer's washable glue stick. I recycle paper from my printer to use as foundations.
Here's how I trace my templates. I cut a 6" wide strip of fabric and trace the template alternated facing up and down butted against each other. I can get 13 kites from one width of fabric strip.
Next, you'll need selvages...lots of them.
Not all selvages are created equal. You will need at least 1/4" of fabric above the actual selvage for this quilt. You can make smaller ones work, but that 1/4" of fabric will make your life easier as you make this quilt. I also like to include peeks of the fabric when I use selvages so for me it's more like a 1/2" to an inch of fabric above the selvage.
For the outer ring on my spiderweb blocks I decided to include a significant amount of fabric in addition to the selvage. I wanted the quilt to be colorful and I wanted to showcase some of my favorite fabrics that I've used in quilts. The outer ring selvages ranged in size from about 2 1/2" to as small as an inch. You will need to trim your selvages so the top edge is straight and even.
Place your kite on your foundation triangle with a tish of glue as in the picture below. Now it's time to start placing selvages.
I lay the selvage face down lining up the raw edge with the edge of the kite to trim my selvage to right length. I let it extend past the foundation on each side just a bit.
Sew the first selvage with a 1/4" seam allowance. Be sure to set a small stitch length so that you'll be able to easily remove the paper later on. I set mine at 1.25 on my machine.
Flip the selvage and press. Here's where I adapt Bonnie's method. With normal fabric you would continue the stitch and flip method of the first strip. With selvages it's a little bit different.
The second selvage will be placed 1/4" UNDER the first selvage as in the picture below.
With the second selvage slipped under the first, you'll sew on top of the first selvage just a tish from the finished edge. This will secure the second selvage. I run the inside edge of my 1/4" foot along the edge of the selvage when I sew.
Continue this process all the way down the paper foundation until you have about an inch or so of paper still showing.
On this piece I added one more narrow selvage. Try to keep the last pieced added to be at least one inch wide. This will help to reduce bulk as you join the wedges together to form the spiderweb.
The last piece should extend just to the tip of the paper with 1/4" slipped under the selvage above.
Repeat the entire process on the opposite side of the paper foundation and it should look something like this.
Flip over the section and get ready to trim.
Use the edge of the foundation to line up your ruler and use your rotary cutter to trim off the selvage ends that extend past the foundation.
You can remove the paper now or wait until you have a bunch completed. The paper should tear away easily if you use a nice small stitch length. Be careful not to stretch or distort the block as you remove the paper.
A completed section looks like this.
I join the sections together differently than in Bonnie's tutorial. If you join sections like Bonnie does you will create a straight setting. Your webs will line up across your quilt. If you join them like I do here, your webs will be offset. Place two sections right sides together and sew along the long edge. I line up the kite points and pin there. You may want to pin more.
I highly recommend that you press your seams open. This will greatly reduce bulk and make your assembly much easier and your quilt will lay nice and flat. Pressing seams with selvages open can be a challenge, but I learned to start in the center (where the points of the kite come together) and work to the edge when you're pressing. Open the center with your fingers, use the tip of your iron and open the seam as you float just above the fabric moving to the outer edge. Just touch the fabric enough to open the seam. Then press. Repeat for the other half, starting at the center and working to the other edge. If you try to go from one end to the other you'll be working against the selvages. Be sure to press again from the right side. Don't forget to trim those little triangles that extend on the corners. Again, it will help reduce bulk if you get rid of them.
It will take 4 of these blocks or 8 sections to form your first full spiderweb. It's time consuming, but you'll find a rhythm and you'll have a quilt in no time. Have a great weekend and don't forget to check out Quilting Month on Sew Mama Sew...some really cute quilts are being showcased!

47 comments:

Live a Colorful Life said...

I love this quilt so much. I'm obsessed with selvages. Thanks for the tutorial!

Julie said...

Thank you so much for posting this tutorial! When you first posted your selvage quilt, I was drooling over it, but figured it was WAY out of my league as a quilter... but now it seems like it would be a fun quilting adventure.

Carla said...

Thanks for sharing about the off set look like your quilt. I like that. This winter I made the spider web block using Bonnie's tutorial to make blocks for a virtual bee I am in. I'd love to do a whole quilt. My collection of selvedges is growing!

ktquilts said...

Thanks so much. I have been saving selvages for sometime, and now all that is left is to decide what kind of quilt I want!! Thanks for the tips!

Blessings,

KT

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

This is wonderful information - I will be trying this one day....

Trisha said...

Great tutorial! I like how you have made it so your webs are offset.

Abby and Stephanie said...

Now you've started another beauty! Thank you for the tutorial.

Rossie said...

ah, thanks for sharing! I had my guesses about how you'd done it...but I was wrong!

Anina said...

Thanks for sharing Jacquie. A spiderweb quilt is definitely on my list.

WHATUPDUCK said...

Great tutorial! Will add this to my list of to do's!

Audrie said...

What is it about selvages that make me happy? :) I'm saving my selvages for a project down the line... can't wait till I have enough!

Anna said...

wow, this is an amazing amount of work you put into both the quilt and also the tutorial.

Julie @ Jaybird Quilts said...

love it even more now!! i've been saving selvages for over a year now.. i may be time to finally jump in and make something with them!

f said...

Wow, Thank you so much for this tutorial! Can't wait to try it out:)

wishes, true and kind said...

Very, very interesting! I'm hundreds of selvages short, but if I ever try this, I will definitely use your method of slipping the next piece under the one before. Nice!

dutchcomfort said...

Thanks for the wonderful tutorial Jacquie!

Happy Easter!

Kerri said...

LOVE your spiderweb selvedges!! I had done a table topper in a spiderweb block out of selvedges that was completely inspired by you!! :)

Angela Nash said...

Thanks for the tutorial! That 'under' thing is just what I needed to know. I always wondered how one could show so much of the cute writing and dots when the 1/4" eats up so much space!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting that. Your email help really did the trick, but seeing it done, made it all the better!

Claire said...

I love this idea....for about the last year now I've been throwing the selvage away.

I will diffidently be keeping them for now on!

Thanks for the great tutorial!

Calamity Jane's Cottage, Bonnie said...

Thank you so much Jacquie, love your tutorial and I hope to make one soon. I've been saving my selvages for awhile. Great instructions.
Have a great weekend and Happy Easter,
Bonnie

Marit said...

Thank you for sharing this great tutorial, Jacquie, I look forward to try this out!

Happy Easter!

carol said...

Oh poop! Another one I HAVE to do someday! Honey, my list is beyond words because of you!! I hope you know you're killing me here! Too bad I've never even saved one selvage. :(

Unknown said...

Thank you for the tutorial! I have always been interested in making this quilt. A couple of questions though. What are the dimensions on the kite and the triangle templates? For whatever reason, I can not access Bonnie's site.

KateKwiltz said...

Great tutorial! I may just have to hang onto my selvages from now on!

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

Love it! Thank you!
QUESTION: once you sew the two triangles together, the resulting block should be square???? The picture makes it look elongated, but that may just be camera angle.

glen: did I say I love it????

Poppyprint said...

Perfect, thanks for sharing Jacquie! I've a long wait until there are enough selvages in my basket(but hey, I could always take my stash down, trim all of the selvages and refold the yardage, nice and neat. Hmmm, maybe a plan...). See ya at SMS!

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Fantastic tutorial Jacquie...

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

OOPS! Wrong day....hmmm.

LOL. I thought so. thanks for replying! And you are a great photographer, I just wanted to make sure before I tried for a really skewed block.......LOL......which mine are anyway, but hey, this one would have been on purpose!

glen: who has no idea why it won't link back to an email.....hmmm

Nanette Merrill said...

Fabulous tutorial. I think this is a great way to anchor and use the selvages.

Lauree said...

wow... this is fantastic. thanks for all the inspiration. i am trying my hand at making a pieced quilt for the husband. it is our tenth anniversary and i would really REALLY like to try your shattered glass quilting method, any advice? the quilt will be about 70x60. any pointers would be so fabulous and helpful. i used your little house tute to make the block of our dwellings. thanks so much for sharing your creativity, you are simply amazing.

--cheers

JariJari said...

i love this tut...thanks so much!!

Michele said...

Thank you! I tried your tutorial this afternoon. It worked for even silly me!

Q @ JAQS said...

OOO - a great reason to save selvages - hahaha my husband would LOVE that I'm saving even MORE stuff around the house ;)

Selvage Quilter said...

What a great tutorial. I'll link to it on the Selvage Blog. You make the best stuff!
Karen

Mitali Ruths said...

Thank you for this tutorial! You're such an inspiration!

Emily said...

Ahhh!!! I adore it! What a great idea. I've always wanted to save the selvages of my pretty fabrics, and this is so perfect. Fabulous job, and I can't wait to try this gorgeous design.
Thank you for posting!

Leave a Legacy said...

Great tutorial. I've been curious about quilting with selvages and this helped me. Lots of cute ideas and creations are coming to me now. I just need to collect more selvages.
Thank you.

angelina said...

since i saw your selvedge quilt featured on (another blog i cant remember)...i cant stop thinking of it. thank you for this tute! i 'm not sure if i can do it..but i'll surely give it a go. ps. your quilting on the other parts of the finished quilt> what is that? have you featured the finished quilt anywhere. i love your work.xx

diane said...

i'm the same as julie (4.2.10)...i thought: 'no way -- this is soooo out of your league'. :(
but thanks to your tutorial (and i am VERY visual), I CAN DO THIS!!!!
thank you so much!
diane in texas

Khris said...

Thanks for sharing your tutorial. I have linked to you on my Freebies for Crafters blog too.
Hugs Khris

Deb said...

FINALLY! You have answered my questions about "how the heck do people sew selvages together?" Thank you!!

Deb from clutteredquilter.blogspot.com

Wiktoria said...

Świetny tutek.Bardzo się przydał.Dzięki.

Viki said...

i have used your tutorial and i am in the process of making a selvedge spiderweb quilt.
i have added a link to your post on my blog
http://sundays-quilts.blogspot.com/2011/08/selvedges-aka-my-current-project.html
thanks for a great tutorial!!

travlr99 said...

LOVE the selvage spider web and thanks for the tute. What color thread do you use - do you use all one color or match up the color of the selvage? Will bookmark this site and come back to make in near future!

Threader said...

Thanks for the great tutorial. I've been saving my selvages for just such
a project. Can't wait to get started.

Joanie said...

Thank you so much for this awesome tutorial! I love that you have figured a way to offset the spiderwebs! Well done and thank you again.