More quilting fun with ColorWorks Concepts fabric

Let’s have some more quilting fun with the new ColorWorks Concepts fabric from Northcott! At the beginning of February, I showed you how to make placemats, a table topper and a table runner using the Soho Panel and coordinating fabric from this new, modern collection from Northcott. You can have a look at all the fabrics here. You can also find out which quilt shops in the USA and Canada have these fabrics by using the Product Finder link at the top of the page on the Northcott web site.

Table topper, table runner and placemats using the Northcott "Soho" panel

I started with one Soho panel and some coordinating solids. After finishing my table set, I still had fabric left over. The panel had sections cut out of it, but I knew I could figure out a way to use the leftovers to make a small quilt.

This was left over from the original "Soho" panel.

I designed this little quilt using the Electric Quilt program. Over the next few days, I’ll show you how to make your own version of the quilt.

Wonky Squares quilt

Here’s how I started. I cut the remaining panel pieces into squares and rectangles. You need 12 of these pieces for the quilt. The squares will be about 4½" and the rectangles will be about 3½" x 4½". The measurements don’t have to be exact as long as they are approximately this size.

Leftover Panels from the New York Beauty Panel

To complete the blocks, I decided to use these 7 solids from theColorWorks collection by Northcott, but you may choose other colors if you wish. You need 20" of each of the 7 colors. From each fabric, cut 3 – 3" strips on the lengthwise grain. Cut the strips into 7½" lengths. You'll have 6 strips 3" x 7½" of each color.

20" of each of 7 different solids

Cut 6 - 3" x 7½" strips from each solid color fabric

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see how to make the blocks. I hope you are continuing to have fun with the new ColorWorks Concepts fabric!

Add charm to fabric with the Basic Shape Creator

Today I'm going to share one more of the embroidery features in the PFAFF Creative 4.5. The quilter in me thoroughly enjoyed playing with the Basic Shape Creator to design my own charm square.

Designed 5" charm square

The machine and embroidery stitches manuals

If you've followed along with my posts this week, then you've heard me refer to the manual more than once! This machine comes with two - one is the owner's manual and the second features beautiful photos of the available embroidery stitches with stitch numbers and color thread details.

Using the Basic Shape Creator is explained with step by step instructions in the owner's manual. I followed the directions once, then changed out the stitch and shape to create my own.

Select a stitch

In embroidery mode, select a stitch to design the shape with Basic Shape Creator - the button to touch to get into the Shape Creator is the one with butterflies in a curve in the right side menu.

Select a shape

Next select the shape you want to create with your stitch. The arrow on the image shows which direction the needle will go around the shape as it embroiders.

See the calculator icon?

calculator popup

The calculator popup lets you touch the number of times you want the stitch repeated in the shape. Don't worry if you get it wrong the first time - there's a plus and minus sign for you to change the number and see the results to make sure you like it before you stitch it out.

Basic shape created

This is how the shape that I created looked on the Color Touch Screen. The design needed to be in the space between the black square guides. The machine will let you know if your design won't fit. ;)

Now it's time to stitch it out!

Stitching out the design

Embroidery trimmed to 5" square

When the design was finished I cut the joining threads between the stitches and trimmed the fabric to a 5" charm.

Embroidered charm in placemat

Then I decided to use the charm and make a placemat!

I used my free Charmed placemat pattern and cut stash pieces to the sizes I need. Notice I used up the rest of the selvage fabric I created earlier this week? I love projects that let me try out new techniques and use up my stash!

Designing my own charms with the embroidery stitches available with the PFAFF Creative 4.5 has opened my mind to the creative possibilities of combining quilting and embroidery.

I hope you have been inspired to create new things this week!

Embroidering a quilt label with the PFAFF Creative 4.5

The PFAFF Creative 4.5 is ultimately an embroidery machine. While it does all of the little things this quilter wants it to do amazingly well, it also led me to experiment with embroidery for the first time!

Quick. As a quilter what's the first thing you think of to make with an embroidery machine?!

A *quilt label* of course!

Embroidery Unit on PFAFF Creative 4.5

Creating Stitches with Sewing Programs

A tapered, repeated stitch

There are several sewing programs in the PFAFF Creative 4.5 to help you create unique stitches. You use these programs in the sewing mode. I used the tapering program and the single stitch program to create the design for the border of my quilt label.

Taper angle choices popup

"Tapering increases or decreases the width of the stitch during sewing to create symmetrical or asymmetrical tapers." (from the awesome included manual.)

You could spend a lot of time exploring the options in this machine!

Personal Stitches File

Once you've created stitches you like, you can save them into personal files to use again. You can add any stitch to these files which makes it conveniently quick to continue work on a project without spending a lot of time recreating stitches.

Stitch conversion popup

When you select one of your designed stitches in embroidery mode it gets converted to a single embroidery stitch. Now you can move it around the screen and duplicate it too.

PFAFF stylus

I found using the included stylus made moving the design around on the Color Touch Screen easier than trying to use my finger. The stylus came in handy when selecting letters too.

Adding Words

Embroidery fonts

In the embroidery mode you can see all of the fonts available on the Creative 4.5. The first three in the left column and the first two in the right are available as stitches in the sewing mode too.

You can design a variety of quilt labels with all of these different fonts!

Design to Stitch Out

This photo shows the progress of the machine on the embroidery. I'm a little ahead of myself here but I wanted to show you the detailed screen information. The large cross shows where the needle is in the design. The numbers in the highlighted green box let you know the position and color of thread being used. Yes, you can program the thread colors for each section - each letter even! The little green half circle is the speed control for the embroidery. Let's just say that full speed intimidated this quilter! I had to slow down the machine a bit so I could watch it in action :)

Okay. So that's making the design. A few more photos to show getting the machine and fabric ready!

Embroidery Unit

The embroidery unit bag

The embroidery unit came in its own box which included this travel bag. I store the unit in it when not in use - you can see how big it is!

Hoops stored in bottom of bag

Some of the packing material from the box gets transferred into the bag to store the hoops as well. This unit comes with three sizes of embroidery hoops.

Dynamic Spring Foot

Dynamic Spring Foot

Select the embroidery stitch out option in the task bar menu and the machine will tell you to attach the embroidery unit. It will also tell you to put on the Dynamic Spring  Foot. Again, the trusty manual is your best friend here!

Hooping the Fabric

Fabric and stabilizer in hoop

It's easy to click open the hoop and put in the fabric with stabilizer underneath. One more click to clip in the top part of the hoop. The Color Touch Screen shows to use the 120 x 120 hoop for my design. Of course I couldn't use ordinary white fabric to play - I chose pink instead!

Hoop attached to embroidery unit

Design being stitched out

Now it's time to use the Start Stitch button - the one beside the presser feet buttons on the front panel. I will divulge that it took me longer than necessary to figure this out - what a newbie! Remember, manual = bff!

The machine creates the design in the order it was created. Threads are automatically snipped on the long stitches.

Design finished

The design is finished! You can see that the threads weren't snipped between the letters so I'll carefully cut them with some small scissors. Then I'll cut the label to my desired size.

My first embroidered quilt label is a success! Not too bad for my first time using the PFAFF Creative 4.5 embroidery machine. I already started planning to use different designs to make labels that coordinate with my quilts - Halloween, Christmas, hearts, tulips! The options are limitless, too bad my quilting time isn't!

Perfect presser feet to make a zippered case

It's easier to keep your creativity flowing with all of the possibilities provided by the variety of presser feet included with the PFAFF Creative 4.5. Today I'm going to turn my stitched selvage piece of fabric into a finished project using several of the feet.

Presser feet included with PFAFF Creative 4.5. There's one for almost every purpose!

Quick zippered case project

Assemble Project Pieces

Fabrics and zipper ready for assembly

I kept adding selvages to my made fabric until it measured least 8" long. Then I cut two pieces 8" long x 7" wide. I have a piece of stitched selvage fabric left over for another project too  ;)

Then I found a zipper in my stash that coordinates with my selvages and cut it to the same width.

Now it's time to click the zipper foot onto the Creative 4.5.

Zipper Foot

Zipper foot attached to the left of the needle

The PFAFF zipper foot can be attached to the left or the right of the needle to help you sew zippers on a variety of projects. Here I have it attached to the left. The photo shows my project pivoted out from under the needle so I could close the zipper pull before continuing down the seam. The extra pivot lift provided by the presser foot button came in handy here too!

Fancy Stitch Foot 

Presser Foot 1A - Fancy Stitch Foot with IDT System

The IDT System engages with many of the presser feet provided with the PFAFF Creative 4.5 to ensure even feeding of fabrics and smooth stitching. After unzipping the zipper about half way I used presser foot 1A to sew the side seams, then the bottom one closed.

Blindhem Foot

The blindhem foot

Next I switched to the blindhem foot with IDT System and used it to overlock the seams so they wouldn't unravel with use.

It's the first time I've used this foot and found it interesting - usually I just keep going with a regular foot because it's easier than switching. With the PFAFF Creative 4.5 it's easy to change feet - you simply push down on the foot to release it and push it up to attach it to the machine.

No unwinding a screw and making sure it doesn't roll away!

Stitch 1.2.7 the Closed Overlock Stitch

I used stitch 1.2.7 Closed Overlock and the blindhem foot to overlock the side and bottom seams. You could also do the same to the two zipper seams, but I didn't ;)

Quick to Make Zippered Case

Stitched case with zipper

All that's left to do is turn the case right side out, close the zipper and it's ready! The case is perfect for packing my cutting tools safely to take to a quilting workshop or retreat. The selection of presser feet with the PFAFF Creative 4.5 helped me create this quick project in no time.

Using decorative stitches to make a selvage project

There are so many stitches to explore on the PFAFF Creative 4.5 that it's hard to know where to start! My default *playground* is creating with selvages and then it's pretty much follow my fancy :) This post goes through my play process with the stitches and my selvages.

Stitches created with PFAFF Creative 4.5. With so many stitches to choose from you may want to create selvage fabric with them all day!

Stitch requires stabilizer

Selecting Stitches

I turned on the machine and opened the stitches file. I started selecting different ones to see what I liked. The manual also has all of them listed out with photos and the stitch numbers.

The Color Touch Screen on the PFAFF Creative 4.5 gives icon details for every stitch selected - from what presser foot to use, if you need stabilizer and where the needle will start in the stitch.

The screen showed me that most of them require using a stabilizer underneath - it's the white rectangle icon above the stitch. I figured that the layer of cotton I use as a backing for the selvages could count as a stabilizer.

I used a fat quarter from my stash with the wrong side up as my foundation/stabilizer. I chose selvages that are from fat quarters or longer yardage. I have my selvages sorted in a couple of different ways and chose to use the ones with no white strip, dots, or words for this project.

I wanted to try creating my own selvage designs with the stitches!

Next raw selvage edge tucked under preceding one's finished edge

Stitching Selvages Together

I started with a selvage with the raw edge at the right edge of the stabilizer and tucked the raw edge of the next selvage underneath the other edge. As you can see in the photo, I played with quite a few stitches before a plan started to formulate on how I could use this piece of stitched fabric!

These selvages are close to the end of my piece. After the pink I added one more wide selvage to get to my desired length.

The green plus sign indicates needle start position

Next I picked a stitch- stitch 4.3.19 to be exact! You'll notice that the screen has a green *plus sign* that shows where the needle will start in the stitch. I also made sure I had the correct presser foot ready on the machine, in this case foot 2A.

Stitch start position lined up under needle

Line up the bound edge of the selvage with the middle of the stitch to be sure that the stitching will actually go across both selvages.

The machine will guide the stitch - you should guide the fabric with your hands but the machine may move the fabric back and forth to complete the stitch.

Pink selvage seam stitched

The PFAFF Creative 4.5 makes it easy to play and create with stitches. With so many to choose from, it's easy to add a personal touch to any project. In tomorrow's post you'll see what I created with mine - maybe you'll make one too!

A Quilter's Review of the PFAFF Creative 4.5

This machine is a dream come true for machine embroiderers. No question it has a lot of features to let your creativity run wild. But what about for the intermediate quilter? How could I benefit from the PFAFF Creative 4.5? In today's post I'm going to shine the light on some of the features that make quilting on this machine a joy.

PFAFF Creative 4.5 Sewing Machine

Set up and Sew

Built-in Needle Threader in position

This machine doesn't just stitch for you, it does all the little things to make quilting easier too. Threading the machine is easy and threading the needle is even easier as the built in needle threader actually works well. I haven't manually thread my needle yet which is really saying something. When I got my first machine many years ago I went to the department store for a get to know your machine class. I was shown how to use the automatic needle threader and did it approximately three times at home before I forgot how and gave up. 

Needle threaded by built-in needle threader

This time I taught myself with the excellent manual! 

The manual is truly your best friend as you start to explore this machine. The labelled diagrams and explanations make it easy to figure out how to do things on the machine you expect to do - and things you may never have thought of! The manual is also available in the machine - touch "i" in the bottom task bar on the Color Touch Screen and it brings up an information menu. 

Bobbin Winding is a Breeze

Winding bobbin with second spool of thread

There's a bobbin winder built in to the top of the machine - you use it with the top thread you have on the vertical spool holder just like normal, but you can also wind a bobbin with a second spool on a horizontal pin and keep your machine threaded. This is especially handy when you're using two different color threads.

Bobbin winding pop up

Maybe it's just me but prepping bobbins feels like a chore - something you wish would just be done for you so you wouldn't have to think about it. Well this machine comes close! The machine actually winds the bobbin for you - this graphic comes up on the large display screen once you lock the bobbin in place in the winder. You can adjust how fast the machine winds the thread - then just press the go button! It stops when the bobbin's full or you can stop it by touching the stop button.

The pop-up warning to remedy bobbin angst

Of course I had to take a photo when I got the official sound and digital warning that my bobbin was running low. And it wasn't so low that I had to panic! This was one of the features I have heard quilters praise in quilt shops and guild meetings. Again PFAFF has come to the rescue of bobbin angst :)

IDT System

IDT System waiting to be engaged

Another feature I've heard about that sets PFAFF machines apart is the Integrated Dual Feed System - the IDT for short. The manual describes how the system works: "As on industrial machines, the IDT System feeds the fabric from the top and bottom at the same time. The material is fed precisely, eliminating puckering on seams. . . the system prevents layers from shifting while sewing, keeping quilt layers aligned."

I have been very impressed with my own experiences using it.

IDT system engaged for stitching in the ditch

I really noticed the benefits of the IDT system when I was quilting in the ditch. I could feel that the machine had a stronger grip on my quilt than my regular machine and the results are visible too.

Stitches on back of mini quilt

The stitching on the back of my quilt are just as even as on the front.

When I used the IDT System to quilt on a larger quilt I noticed that the *bump* that tends to show up as you near the end of a row of quilting - didn't! What did show would be hard to find and was probably a result of me not pinning close enough.

Button Love

The buttons located front and center

The more I use this machine the harder I fall for the ease these buttons add to my quilting.

The needle down button makes quilting so easy. It's located the farthest to the right. Again, it lets me focus on the quilting and not operating the machine. When it's engaged (it lights up!) the needle goes down and the presser foot lifts just a little off of the quilt so I can maneuver the quilt.

The scissors is the thread snips button. When touched it cuts both the top and bottom threads and brings them to the bottom of the quilt. This one has changed how I machine blanket stitch as I don't have to think about saving thread by moving from one section to another before I cut the thread. This feature has made my quilting more efficient.

The presser foot has two buttons located in the same convenient place. The up one raises the foot the regular distance and touched one more time it lifts even more to put a quilt through the space without worrying about getting pins caught on it. The down one I engage while quilting because it automatically lifts just a little bit - with the needle down button engaged too - letting me keep both hands on the quilt to turn it to change directions. The manual calls this a pivot toggle ;)

The button beside the presser foot buttons is to start/stop embroidery.

Two buttons I haven't used yet are the immediate tie-off - to the left of the snips - and the stitch restart - to the left of the needle down.

Lots of Room for Quilting

The PFAFF Creative 4.5 dwarfs my regular machine. That hard case is protecting a jewel of a machine!

I guess this could have been number 1! There's double the throat space compared to my usual machine - notice the machine itself is almost twice the size!

Twin size quilt in the larger throat space

Quilting is more enjoyable without the anxiety producing rolling and pushing of the quilt through a smaller space. I also don't have sections of stitches that are too tight because I was shoving the quilt through a small space. 

The Creative 4.5 lets you focus on progress and not process which also makes for a happier time quilting. 

LED lights improve quilting process

The bright LED lights combine with the larger space to make it so easy to see and quilt!

It might seem like I'm focusing on a lot of little details, but the result of all the little things is that I'm quilting more and tending to the machine less. Plus the machine does these things really well - which results in quilts that are crafted beautifully.

I've enjoyed shining the light on the PFAFF Creative 4.5 sewing machine for you today.

What features peaked your curiosity about PFAFF?

As an intermediate quilter, I'm embracing the opportunities the PFAFF Creative 4.5 is giving me to create accurately pieced quilts with my personal creative touches - more on these later this week!