Fibermania

Fusing the quilt top

The finished quilt top is very uneven at the edges and I hung up some yardsticks to try and find a straight edge to start this process. Any straight line will do, and from there I will be able to square off the rest of the top with my quilter's rule. I use a soap sliver (see below) to mark the first line, and then I carefully roll and pin the top together ...

so I can slide it onto the floor. It is delicate at this point because the pieces are still just lightly fused together. Some open up and will have to be refused when it is all flat on the floor. I slip a pressing sheet under the area that needs refusing and iron it again.

My studio floor is black and white 12" tiles, and after a careful sweep I am confident about laying the top on the floor and taping it down for the big squaring off. I have pictured the Quilter's Rule and my hand sliver of soap marking tool. Both totally necessary items for this process.

The batting is spread out and pressed and steamed and pressed again, trying to remove those puffy areas, and semi-permanent creases. This is Hobbs Heirloom Bleached Cotton, 80/20 which is a recent bargain purchase. I usually use natural colored Hobbs, but this quilt has some light fabrics which may benefit from the whiteness. Or not.

Once all four edges are marked for the squaring off, I gently place the top on the flattened batting. I haven't cut it square on the floor, as my knees can only stand kneeling so long. I can cut it on the table more easily and can just tug at the batting to aline the next area to be cut. At this point it is only placed on the batting, and after it is trimmed, I will then cover it with a press sheet and steam and press with a hot hot iron until I feel the thing is entirely fused to the batting .

Then I will trim the excess batting away.

Nice posing of the scissors, eh? I have them trained.

Now Cruciform Series #4: Ellipses is ready to be pillowcased, and the quilting can begin.