The Elegance of Silk - 6 hour Workshop

Skill level: Intermediate Machine Quilter
Kit Fee: $7.00 for stencils and sheer interfacing for binding

Supply List

  • ⅝ yard (includes fabric for binding) of 44" wide Dupioni silk in ecru, tan, or other light pastel colours; do not purchase “iridescent” Dupioni

  • 200 yds of YLI 100-weight silk thread to match fabric or other similar fine thread

  • 16" x 16" piece of low loft batting

  • Blue washable marker

  • 25-1" (one inch) safety pins

  • Straight pins

  • Masking tape

  • Thread snips

  • 60/8 or 70/10 Microtex Sharp sewing machine needles

  • 18" ruler (Optional 12" x 12" square ruler)

Tips

  • If the fabric shade is difficult to mark you can use a light color of silk such as white or ecru for the backing. The design can be marked on the lighter colored backing and stitched from the back. You would use the same color thread bobbin and top and the one requirement is to have a perfectly balanced stitch tension. 

  • Dupioni is very nubby and coarse and I have not had great success with markers other than the Collins Washable Wonder Marker. Finished quilts need to have the marker removed with cold water and then laundered with quilt soap to remove all traces of this pen. If you are totally aghast at using a "blue marker" try using a smooth silk for the backing and test various markers such as Roxanne's Quilters Choice, Clover Chalk pencils, etc. and stitch your wholecloth from the back as suggested above. 

  • And option #3. If the above suggestions are not an option, you may trace your stencil design on GOLDEN THREADS QUILTING PAPER and quilt through the paper. I will bring some paper, just in case. This is a reasonably successful method for a small project but has not been accurate enough for me when working on larger quilts. I have tried this paper and it is slippery to sew on and has greatly decreased the accuracy of my stitch quality. 

  • Thread Choices - While I love the results using #100 YLI silk, it can be a difficult thread to work with. An easier thread to work with is #40  rayon. With so many new threads on the market feel free to try something different. Superior has a great selection of fine cottons and polyesters. Mettler 60 wt cotton and Aurifil 50/2 ply cotton are also very good. If you have a favorite thread that you have had great success with please bring it for this project. 

© 2007 Elizabeth Spannring
www.elizabethspannring.com

email: 
espannring
@gmail.com