the Clambake Quilt-Along!
You know you want to! Here's your chance to tackle these curves amongst friends. We're sewing clamshell quilts in the Clambake Quilt-along. I'll be showing you how to quilt-as-you-go clamshells, but you're welcome to make them any way you like! Let's get started today with some advance planning.
Choose your own adventure...
{Clamshell Size} Go small or go big? Smaller clams are more scrap-friendly, but larger clams are easier and faster to sew. I'll be working with 4" wide finished clamshells since I'm going scrappy. 3" is probably as small as one might consider. Take a peak at 8" and 12" clams on Latifah's blog. Molly Flanders looks to be working with 4" clams here.
{Quilt Size} There are a million ways to sew clamshells. It'll be easier to choose your technique if you know approximately what size work you'd like to make. A mini quilt would be fun to hand sew; whereas, a queen-size quilt is probably better done by machine!
I'll be making a throw quilt finishing 56" x 68". The width of your work should be evenly divisible by the finished width of your clamshells. Since I'm working with 4" clams, 14 of them equals a 56" wide quilt. For the height of your work, each row of clams is approximately half the finished width. With my 4" clams, each row adds about 2" to the height of my quilt. I'm planning to sew 34 rows of clams to yield a 56" x 68" throw quilt.
{Cutting Method} Clamshells are certainly an irregular shape, so cutting them can be a chore. If you'll be cutting by hand from a template, just emotionally prepare yourself for a long cutting phase. It's all part of the process! If you're working with 3-4" clams, consider using a die cutter to speed things up. I'm using the 4" AccuQuilt Clamshell cutting die in my Go! Baby cutting machine. Sizzix also has clam cutting dies, by the way. Two lucky readers can win AccuQuilt clamshell dies from Sew Vac Direct. Keep reading for details!
{Sewing Method} Choices, choices! If you're hankering for some hand piecing, you can join by hand via English paper piecing or via hand applique. These techniques are appropriate for any size clam.
If you'd like to sew by machine, you can do machine applique or machine piecing. Machine applique involves following the curve of the clamshell with your machine, layering row upon row. This requires medium to low curve-sewing skills. Machine piecing involves sewing curves together in a more traditional right-sides-together piecing fashion. This requires medium to high curve-sewing skills. If you are sewing large clams (6" and up), machine piecing may be a good choice. The larger the clam, the less sewing skill required. If you are sewing small clams (5" or less), I believe you'll have more success with machine applique.
I will be teaching a quilt-as-you-go method of machine applique. It is suitable for any size clam, and especially smart for smaller clams.
{Fabrics} Oooh, now is the time to choose your fabrics! Clams often show off well when fabrics are fairly different from each other so that the beautiful curved edges are prominent. If you use few fabrics or fabrics of similar color/value, expect the clams to blend a bit. One way to give a lot of definition to your clamshells is to alternate rows of colorful clams with rows of neutral clams, as in Brigitte Giblin's example. I will be making my throw quilt with alternating neutral rows, inspired by Brigitte.
How much fabric? Expect to cut each clamshell out of a square of fabric cut 1" larger than your clam's finished width. Since my clams finish at 4" wide, I'll cut them from 5" squares. Very charm-square friendly, by the way! This is a fabric-hungry quilt. I'll need about 4 1/2 yards of neutral fabric to make up the 17 neutral rows in my throw quilt.
If you're following along with my throw sized, quilt-as-you-go quilt, you will need batting and backing on hand in order to get started with the sewing phase. For backing, buy 2 yards of 60 wide fabric or 3 1/2 yards of 42/44" wide fabric. Or, of course, you could just piece a backing together! You'll want a 60" x 72" cut of batting.
What's next? Our Clambake has 4 phases: Planning, Cutting, Sewing and Finishing.
We've started Planning today. I'll follow up with 2 techniques posts to aid in your planning. One post will link to tutorials for a wide variety of clamshell sewing methods. The second post will give an overview of my quilt-as-you-go method for your consideration.
For Cutting, I'll link you to some free clamshell templates that can be used for hand cutting clamshells for various sewing methods. I expect to kind of fly through cutting, since I'm using that cutting die, and then to make slow progress during the sewing phase.
Since I have a baby coming, I'm not going to plan out a schedule for my Sewing and Finishing progress. I do plan to host some Clambake link parties where we can all share our progress, and when I may invite readers to share their own clamshell tips! I'll keep the momentum going, but this is not going to be a quickie quilt-along.
Will you be joining our Clambake? How would you like to win a 4" AccuQuilt Clamshell cutting die? Sew Vac Direct has generously sponsored TWO free cutting dies. They stock a full range of AccuQuilt dies as well as the Go! Baby and other Go! cutters. And, pssst, this is the shop with the great customer service on my Juki TL2010Q sewing machine (love!).
To enter to win a 4" AccuQuilt Go! Clamshell cutting die, add a comment letting us know what type of clamshell project you are considering. Giveaway open worldwide! Winners will be selected randomly on Thursday around noon eastern time. Good luck!
p.s. Feel free to comment even if you can't use the AccuQuilt die. I can always pass it onto another commenter if your name is drawn. I'd love to know if you'll be joining the Clambake!
*******************Giveaway Closed**********************
Ok, I've just asked Mr. Random to pull our 2 winners. Congrats to comment #2, Sherron, and to #76, Ginny of Fishcreek Studio. I'll be in touch about mailing your prize!