To Pre-Wash, or Not to Pre-Wash?

Pam Buda A Prairie Gathering Quilt - PreWash

Do you generally wash your fabrics before you begin a quilting project?

Every once in a while the question comes up, and now seems to be a good time to address it again, especially with so many rich, vibrant colors found in today’s fabric collections.  Concerns about dye loss  or possible color migration can increase when you’re blending deep reds with light ground coordinates, similar to those found in found in A PRAIRIE GATHERING by Pam Buda.

We chatted with Pam about her preferences and best practices for pre-treating quilt fabrics.  She routinely tells her students & quilting friends:

“I never wash my fabric.  I actually add a lot of sizing to my yardage to make it stiffer before I cut anything out, so washing would remove the sizing already in the fabric from the manufacturing process, and I add more.”  (Pam firmly believe that sizing and adding the extra body/stiffness aids tremendously with everything from cutting, piecing, and pressing, making your piecing more accurate!)  “That said, when my reds are wet with the sizing (and I really saturate the fabric with sizing!) I have not had any issues with the red, or any other color, running.  In all the years I have been quilting with quilt shop quality fabrics, I have never once had an issue with dye running,” she explains.

The decision to pre-wash fabric or not is largely a personal preference that could depend in part on what you’re making with the fabric.  A quilt that will be used and washed often should probably be made with pre-washed fabrics, while a decorative wall hanging can be made with non-washed fabric.

Thankfully, there are so many fabrications and production methods available to quilters today, including batiks and hand-dyed fabrics!  So, like Pam, we always advise taking the time to do a wash test whenever you are in doubt.  Marcus’ standard for overall quality speaks for itself over the years, including colorfastness, as Pam can attest to since she began designing with us. There are products like Retayne and Dye Catcher if you’re concerned about running.  Check out Pam’s impressive wash-test results – no dyes were released in the wash, as shown by the completely clean color catcher sheet after laundering.  As you probably know, deep reds like these are notorious for at least some color loss in laundering.

Pre-wash fabrics for quilts, Marcus Fabrics, Pam Buda

Pam Buda’s A PRAIRIE GATHERING quilt, before washing

with a dye magnet sheet such as Shout Color Catcher

Pam washes the quilt with a dye magnet sheet such as Shout Color Catcher

Pam Buda - pre-wash quilt dye magnet

Pam’s quilt and the dye magnet sheet, completely free of any dyes!

What are your tricks and tips for pre-treating your quilting fabrics?  Do you, or don’t you?  Like Pam, I’m not inclined to pre-wash.  But I might for a baby quilt, to remove any lingering chemicals or finishes on the fabric before it comes into contact with the baby (of course, I don’t sew many baby quilts…).  So again, the circumstances will help to dictate your pre-washing decisions.

Thanks for the photos, Pam!   ——  lisa s

 

 

More from Fall ’14 Quilt Market!

Back from another successful and busy Market in Houston, we’ve got some images to show off!  Thanks to our designers for sharing them with us.  Stay tuned for more…

Marcus Booth #1802 -Fall '14 Quilt Market

Marcus Fabrics Booth #1802…another beautiful display! Fabric collections shown left to right: Mill Girls; Molly B’s 1800’s – Victoria’s Violets; Aunt Grace Simpler Sampler; Judie’s Album Quilt mixed with Paula Barnes Companions; A Prairie Gathering; Judie’s Album Quilt.

Quilted Crow Girls Wool and Cotton

The Quilted Crow Girls combine some of the season’s best trends (wool with cotton and miniature projects) in their new Pantry Club program.

A Prairie Gathering - Pam Buda

A Prairie Gathering – A beautiful new fabric collection and quarterly quilt program by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts feature rich reds in a medallion design.

Red Crinoline Quilts, Marcus Fabrics

Just across the aisle from Marcus was Red Crinoline Quilts, featuring Paula Barnes’ fabric collections. Photo by Mary Ellen Robison of Red Crinoline Quilts.

The Marcus Sew-Along Quilt, Revealed!

SALButtonHORZ14Here it is!

SALRevealedDo you love it as much as we do? We’d like to thank everyone who has participated for the past nine weeks, block by block, and, as I promised, the end result is beautiful. Congratulations to everyone who kept up, and if you were not able to, we’re sure that this image of the finished quilt will inspire you to catch up in the completion phase.

And thanks to all of our talented and generous designers for taking time to participate, including the gorgeous finishing design by Paula Barnes and piecing by Mary Ellen Robison of Red Crinoline Quilts with quilting and binding by Gloria Parsons of Olde Green Cupboard Designs.  

Complete instructions for the finishing are available on the Red Crinoline Quilts blog, but if you still need to catch up on the nine blocks first, here are the links to the blog posts:

Remember to leave a comment on the Red Crinoline Quilts blog for your chance to win the Grand Prize package:

SAL-GrandPrizeGiftPack

Pam’s Prairie Pocket Inspiration

Take a look at what Pam Buda’s been up to (aside from the Marcus SAL!)  Here she talks about one of her latest projects…

“I’m fascinated by creativity. It’s so unique to each person. For some it’s easy and others not so much. And…you never know when or where you might be inspired.  When it comes to fabric designing, it’s good to have a vivid imagination…to see possibilities in vintage fabrics and give them new life.Pam-Aug1

I found this antique “prairie pocket” while shopping an antique show last year. I think it’s a wonderful example of a functional, wearable relic of nineteenth century living. Back then, clothes didn’t have set- in pockets in the seams as they do now. Women would wear the prairie pocket(s) underneath their skirts. There would be a slit opening in the side seam of their skirts allowing access to the pocket underneath, where they would keep necessities of daily life, such as a flint and fuzz for making a fire, eyeglasses, and quite often needle, thread and patchwork Pam-Aug2scraps.

Closer inspection of the pocket patchwork reveals quite a few wonderful fabric prints. One print made its way into my newest fabric collection, PRAIRIE GATHERING. I changed a few elements from the original piece, which is really cute just the way it is. (It became Style # 5534-0111 in Pam-Aug3PamAug4red.)

Mosey over to my blog to read about two more prints I chose for the Prairie Gathering collection that came from a dirty, nasty piece of patchwork that I’m pretty sure was used to wipe a car engine!”

 Thanks, Pam… We love to explore the many places where inspiration can be found! 

Quilters, where do YOU find the best inspiration for your projects?

And We’re Off! The Sew-Along Begins…

Well, it looks like we’re off to a very enthusiastic start with our new “Friends & Companions” Designer Sew-Along, judging from our first installment by Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts.  Her block is gorgeous, isn’t it?  Check out her opening blog post and join in the excitement!  You can even win prizes from your favorite Marcus designers, or a Grand Prize at the end of the sew-along.  For the next nine weeks, we’ll post one block with instructions on each designer’s blog, resulting in the Big Reveal on October 3…stay tuned!

Coming Soon…Pam Buda’s A PRAIRIE GATHERING!

prairieGatheringheaderPrairieGatheringWomenDebuting online July 1 is Pam Buda’s latest collection for Marcus, A PRAIRIE GATHERING.  Pam’s ongoing passion for Prairie brings us a wonderful blend of traditional deep red and beige prints that she incorporates into a gorgeous medallion quilt design.  Together the fabrics and quilt pay a year-long tribute to the women who used needle & thread to affect change.

PrairieGatheringQuilt

Pam’s new Quarterly Quilt Series is built around 4 Quarters, with (3) Chapters in each. The quilt grows gradually from the center medallion section, as compared to standard BOM’s where blocks are sewn separately then joined together.  The 12-month program begins in January, with fabrics available in your favorite quilt shops beginning  November.  Read more on Pam’s blog now, and check out Marcus Fabrics on July 1 to view the fabrics and more!

Marcus Fabrics “Friends & Companions” SEW-ALONG

SALButtonHORZ14

(Links Corrected)  Looking for a fun summer quilt project?  We’ve gathered Marcus designers to help create an exciting new Sew-Along, using selected prints from the PAULA BARNES COMPANIONS collection!  Each Friday for ten weeks, you’ll visit a designer’s blog for the block info and instructions, followed by the finished quilt reveal in Week 10.  AND, you’ll have a chance to win a great prize each week, in addition to a Grand Prize at the end of the Sew-Along! Be sure to order your fabric kit from one of the participating designers now (see below), so you’ll be ready to begin with us on August 1.

MB Friends & Companions Kit Fabrics 2Sew-Along tip: Visit each designer’s blog before August 1 and enter your email address in the “Follow by Email” icon or “Subscribe” box on each designer’s blog shown below.  That way, you won’t miss any of the good things we have in store for you, and you’ll be able to print all of the block directions to take to your cutting table and sewing machine!

8/1  Pam Buda ~ * Heartspun Quilts
8/8  Paula Barnes ~ * Red Crinoline Quilts
8/15  Sarah Maxwell ~ * Homestead Hearth
8/22  Pati Violick ~ Marcus Fabrics
8/29  Gloria Parsons ~ Olde Green Cupboard Designs
9/5  Nancy Rink ~ Nancy Rink Designs
9/12  Mary Ellen Robison ~ Red Crinoline Quilts
9/19  Dolores Smith ~ Homestead Hearth
9/26  Lisa Shepard Stewart ~ Marcus Fabrics
10/3  Red Crinoline Quilts ~ Quilt Revealed!

(*Kits are available from the first three designer websites above)

If you’re a Paula Barnes collector and you already have the prints, or you’re choosing your own fabrics, here’s what you’ll need:

* For Blocks:
1⁄4 yard cheddar print
1⁄2 yard light print #1
1/6 yard red print #1
1⁄4 yard black print
1/6 yard blue print
1⁄3 yard olive green print

* For Quilt Setting and Borders:
1-3⁄4 yards red print #2 for outside border
1-1⁄4 yards black print for alternate block, inside border and binding.
1-1⁄8 yards light print #2 for alternate block
1 yard olive green print for setting corners and triangles.
4 yards for backing

*Prizes will be awarded each week from the featured designer
*Quilt size  60 x 60 and block size 8 inches
So join Marcus & our designers for this exciting new Sew-Along!  See you on August 1!

 

 

Quilt/Sew Along with Pam Buda

Have you joined Pam Buda’s latest Quilt/Sew-Along?  It’s called “Market Day” and it features her PRAIRIE STITCHES collection for Marcus.   Get the details now on Pam’s blog… and sew along!
 Pam-SewalongApr14

 

Great Girlfriend Getaways with Pam Buda

Road trip, anyone??  For most of us, the only thing better than quilting, is quilting with girlfriends…away from home…with a great workspace…and prepared meals, etc!  With that image in mind, read on to learn more about Pam Buda’s increasingly popular girlfriend getaways:

“Designing original quilts for my company, Heartspun Quilts, and fabric collections for Marcus are dream jobs for sure, but they require me to spend most of my time at home.  Now, I’m a home-body at heart and love working from home, but sometimes a girl just has to get out and be with girlfriends!!

I also love to teach, and traveling all over the US not only gets me out of the house, but allows me to spend the day with very special people….quilters!!

Most of the time, I visit quilt guilds and quilt shops, but once or twice a year, I partner with my girlfriend, Lynne Hagmeier, and we host our own retreats!  We call them Great Girlfriend Getaways, and so far, we’ve cruised to Alaska, and explored St. Augustine, FL, all while getting to know each other, laughing, sharing tips and tricks, and making lots of new friends!”

Their next Getaway retreat takes participants to Mackinaw City, MI, September 8-12, 2014.  They chose this destination because “it’s just a ferry ride away from historic and charming Mackinaw Island, where life is a bit slower and motorized vehicles are not allowed!”

See the brochure for full details, including the FOUR workshop projects being offered, hotel, food, pricing information, and other goodies. A ticket to ride the ferry to the Island is included!!  Have fun!

Marcus and The Quilt Merchant Celebrate Lisa Even!

The excitement over our Just Judie quilt competition continues, as Marcus Fabrics celebrated the  achievement of our Grand Prize winner, Lisa Even of Barrington, IL, whose entry was sponsored by The Quilt Merchant in Winfield, IL.  Our own Director of Marketing, Pati Violick, brought a trunk show of the three winning quilts, along with some of Judie Rothermel’s creations, as attendees oooh’d and aahh’d the gorgeous fabrics and techniques!  Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts and Marcus sales rep Bill Garrettson also joined in the fun. Check out some of the highlights:QMerchant storeLisa shows offer her fabulous work – it earned her a $2500 cash prize, and a Brother Laura Ashley Innova sewing machine!

QMerchLisaQLisa also treated us to a glimpse of her current project…

QMerchLisaNEwQMerchLisaCU

 

Quilters also enjoyed a close-up of Marcus’ Civil War PEACE & UNITY BOM quilt.  This is the final installment of our Civil war series.

QMerchWomen

Judie Rothermel’s miniatures were a highlight of the day…these minis, from her private collection, made a rare public appearance.  Such small quilts, such huge impact!

QMerchMinis

 

Taking Second Place in the Just Judie competition was Sarah Bond’s creation.  We love her Orange Peel design.  Done in Judie’s fabrics, its’ the perfect marriage of trend and tradition!  It’s shown off here by Quilt Merchant owner Valerie Langue (left) and Pati Violick of Marcus Fabrics.

And our Third Place winning entry, a beautiful hand-appliqued circle designf by Nancy Yando…

For more photos, visit Pam Buda’s blog. Thanks to everyone who came to join us in celebrating Lisa, Judie, and the quilting traditions we all love!  Lisa, enjoy your machine…we can’t wait to see what you come up with next!