She has been selected several times to design and construct a magnificent one-of-a-kind wearable art garment for the prestigious Fairfield Fashion Show which is shown throughout the country. One of her quilts was used as the cover of the Show Program for Quilt Market 1991, the premier event of the quilting industry.

• 1 yd. Sulky Totally Stable Iron-on Tear-Away Stabilizer
• 8" or 10" Plastic or Wooden Machine Embroidery Hoop
• Rotary Cutter, Mat and Ruler
• Fine-line Permanent-Ink Marker
• Fabric: 100% Cotton Recommended
  • Eight right triangles (9-1/2") in dark prints
        (I like to use the Easy Angle II to cut these)
  • Two 1-3/4" x 44" strips of one stripe
  • Two 1-3/4" x 44" strips of 2nd stripe
  • Eight 4" x 16" rectangles in dark prints for border
        (These can be the same fabric as triangles)
  • One 32" square for quilt back
  • Four 2-1/2" x 44" strips of dark print cut on straight of grain for binding
• Zig-zag sewing machine on which feed dogs can be lowered or covered
• Needles & Thread
  • For Piecing
        #12 Jeans/denim needles (these needles are sharper than universal)
        black cotton thread in top and bobbin
  • For decorative Stitching
        #14 Top-stitching needles
        Sulky Bobbin Thread
        Sulky Polyester Invisible Thread
        Sulky Metallic and Rayon Threads
• For Quilting - One 32" square of batting
      (I like to use Cotton Classic by Fairfield)
• 20-30 size #1 Safety Pins for basting
• General Sewing Supplies (scissors, pins, etc.)

1. Sew 2 right triangles onto a striped strip. With right slides together place hypotenuse of triangle on strip, allowing at least 2" of stripe on each end and 4" in between triangles. Repeat with rest of triangles.
   
2. Press seams towards triangles.
   
3. Trim triangles. Ue the Easy Angle II or a plexiglass ruler and the rotary cutter.
   
4. Sew triangles together along striped edge to make squares. Press seams to one side.
   
5. Sew squares together to make the quilt top. Press seams to one side.
   

1. Sew two - 4" x 16" rectangles together along smaller edges. Repeat for other rectangles to form 4 long strips.
2. Match center seam of border strip with center seam of quilt top, right sides together. Pin and stitch first strip. Press toward border.
   
3. From the back side of the quilt top, beginning at the center seams, pin the second border strip to the right hand side of the top. Start stitching at the intersection of the first seam and 1/4" from edge. Sew to the end of the top.
4. Repeat for third side.
5. On the last side, pin and stitch as before, but end seam at the intersection with the first strip.

1. Fold edge of one border back until its edges match the border edges beneath it.
   
2. Open fabric, pin, and sew along this diagonal line. Be sure not to sew past the corner formed by earlier seams. Trim seam.
   
3. Your pieced top should look like this.
   

• Fill bobbin with a Sulky bobbin Thread. Cotton thread tends to "grab" the metallic thread, sometimes causing it to break.
• Use a 14/90 top-stitching needle. This is a sharp needle with a larger eye and scarf area to accommodate metallic thread.
• All stitching is done with the feed dogs lowered or covered and a very loose top tension. I reduce the tension on my machine from normal [5] to very loose [1-1/2 to 2].
• Use a darning foot.

1. With a fine-line permanent ink marker, trace design, including center marks, onto the non-fusible side of Sulky Totally Stable iron-on tear-away stabilizer. Include nunbers if you wish to follow the suggested thread scheme.
   
2. Fuse stabilizer onto quilt top, matching the center marks with the center of the quilt. Do NOT use steam.
3. Thread machine with Sulky Original Metallic Thread (I used Multi-color #7024 Gold, Lt. Blue and Lavender). Fill the bobbin with Sulky Bobbin Thread. Use a 14/90 top-stitching needle. Lower feed dogs and top machine tension. Install darning foot.
   
4. Take one stitch and pull up the bobbin thread. Hold top and bobbin thread to one side while you take a few tiny straight stitches to anchor threads. Clip thread tails.
   
5. Stitch along pattern lines with a fairly small straight stitch. Since these stitches essentially perforate the stabilizer, the smaller the stitches, the easier it will be to tear stabilizer away. Don't worry if your stitching is not real even --- this line will be covered up, and it is good practice for control.
   
6. Except for the numbered sections, tear away the stabilizer.

• Use a screw-type hoop. Spring hoops are not adjustable and do not hold the fabric tight enough. I use a plastic hoop. The inner ring has a slight lip on it. I wrap the outer, adjustable ring with strips of hem tape. This helps to hold the fabric taut. Or you could use a German-made wooden machine embroidery hoop that doesn't need to be wrapped.
• For machine work, place the outer, larger ring down first. Place the quilt top over this hoop ring, then the inner ring. If you have done hand embroidery, this is exactly the opposite setup. Place the inner ring with the lip side down. Push the inner ring through the outer ring until the lip is below the outer ring. This will ensure that the fabric is flush against the bed of your machine. Tighten the screw until fabric is taut. Be sure fabric is straight in the hoop, not crooked.

1. Place fabric in the hoop so that Section 1 is in the center. Remove stabilizer from Section 1. Set up machine with a darning foot. Even though you technically do not need a presser foot when stitching fabric stretched in an embroidery hoop, it helps to tell when the presser foot is lowered and to prevent stitching through your fingers!
   
2. Thread top of machine with Sulky Metallic #7022. With the machine set on straight stitch, take a stitch to draw up bobbin thread. Take a few tiny stitches to anchor threads. Clip thread tails close to stitching.
   
3. Change setting to zig-zag stitch with a medium width (stitch length does not apply when the feed dogs are lowered). Place both hands on hoop. Move fabric by moving the hoop slowly and evenly while running the machine fast.
   
4. Fill in Section 1 with stitching. Be sure to stitch over your original transfer stitching. Density can be as thick or thin as you desire (mine is fairly thick). Be sure to keep machine running at an even pace and move hoop randomly to achieve overall coverage. When Section 1 is filled in, stitch down to the end of Section 1 that points to Section 2. Set machine on straight stitch and take a few stitches to lock thread. Clip top thread only.
   
5. Place Section 2 in the center of the hoop. Remove stabilizer. Change top thread to the Sulky Metallic color recommended for Section 2 (see Thread Chart). Since you did not cut the bobbin thread, you don't have to pull it up each time; anchor threads by holding the top thread as you take a few tiny straight stitches. Finish filling in Section 2 following preceding directions.
   
6. Fill in remaining sections with the Sulky Metallic Thread recommended. If the quilt top is "wavy" at this point, try steam ironing to smooth it out.
7. Return Section 1 to the center of your hoop. Thread machine with Sulky Rayon Thread recommended for Section 1.
8. Position needle at the point of Section 1 that is next to Section 16. Anchor threads.
9. Set machine on zig-zag. Select a smaller stitch width than the one used for the Sulky Metallic zig-zag stitching (for example, I used 3 for the Metallic and 2 for the Rayon shading).
   
10. Stitch along the outer edge of Section 1.
    
11. If using a variegated or multi-colored thread, concentrate the lighter color along the outer edge. When thread begins to darken, move out towards the center. (Note: Do not cover entire section with Rayon Thread. Stitch only along the outer half of the Section to achieve shaded effect).
    
12. If using solid Rayon Thread, take more stitches along the outer edge. If needed, add a third, lighter thread just along the edge. Place Section 2 in the center of the hoop, change top thread to recommended color, anchor thread, and shade this section following preceding directions.
    
13. Shade all remaining Sections with Sulky Rayon Thread colors recommended. Carefully press with steam iron.
    

• Use a 14/90 top-stitching or jeans/denim needle.
• Use a darning foot or one of the new Quilting Feet designed for free-form quilting (not the even feed qilting foot). Practice running your machine at a fairly fast speed while moving your quilt top slowly and evenly. This will make your quilting stitcheds smaller and more uniform. Don't get discouraged --- you will get better!

1. Pin or tape the 32" square quilt back to a flat surface, wrong side up. Spread cotton batting over quilt back. Spread quilt top over the batting, right side up. Pin baste these three layers together using #1 safety pins about every 4" tp 6".
   
2. Thread top of machine with Sulky Polyester Invisible Thread and the bobbin with polyester thread that matches your quilt back. With the feed dogs lowered or covered, stitch around the ribbons of Sulky Thread.
3. Stitch along all other seam lines. This keeps these lines straight. Remove basting pins.
4. Thread machine with Sulky Metallic #7022 and begin somewhere in the center. Take a stitch to draw the bobbin thread to the top side. Take a few tiny stitches to anchor the thread. Clip thread tails.
   
5. Stitch using a free-form "loop-de-loop" design. This is a quick and easy way to quilt. If you are not following a marked line, you can't make a mistake! Just keep moving the quilt top in an even, circular pattern.
6. Quilt all of the center using the same Sulky Metallic thread.
   
7. Quilt borders as shown using contrasting threads and the same free-form design. I alternated between Sulky Metallic #7056, Pine Green and Sulky Metallic #7055, Cranberry.
8. To end stitching, take a few tiny stitches almost in place. Clip top thread. Turn the quilt over and pull bobbin thread until the top thread comes to the back side. Clip bobbin thread. If desired, put a dot of Fray Check at the end of your stitching to "glue" thread in place.
9. Press quilt with a steam iron.
   
10. Use a rotary cutter to square up your quilt so that all the edges are straight.

• Use a 12/80 top-stitching or jeans/denim needle.
• Use a straight stitch with the feed dogs up. Stitch length is normal.
• Use a straight stitch foot.
• Use a 1/4" seam allowance.
• To make the binding, cut 4 strips 2-1/2" wide on the straight of grain, not bias. Sew together on short sides to make one long strip. Fold strip in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and press with a steam iron.

1. Lay binding (raw edges together) on top of the quilt somewhere along the bottom edge of the quilt. Begin stitching about 1" from short end of the binding. Stitch until you are 1/4" from the corner of the quilt.
   
2. With the needle down, pivot quilt until the corner is pointing directly at you, forming a 45° angle. Stitch past the corner point (stitching will extend beyond the quilt).
   
3. Turn quilt. Fold binding back along the seam you have just sewn.
   
4. Fold binding down until its raw edges line up with raw edges of the quilt.
   
5. Beginning at the top edge, stitch seam until you are 1/4" from the next corner. Repeat until all corners are sewn.
   
6. When you reach the bottom edge again, end stitching 2" from where you started. Cut binding so that there is about a 1" overlap. Fold one edge back 1/2". Wrap this folded edge around the other end. Pin in place and stitch to finish seam.
   
7. Turn binding edge to back of quilt and hand sew in place.
8. Be sure to sign your quilt with your name and date. This can be done on the front or on a label attached to the back.