Quilting and binding a mini quilt with PFAFF creative expect 350

I started the week working on the PFAFF creative expect 350 as if I were a beginner quilter working her way through designing a quilt in mySewnet Quilting software, then cutting it all out on the SINGER MOMENTO 24 using the mySewnet Crafting software. Then I moved on to the mySewnet Silver Embroidery software and created my embroidery designs, my applique dinosaur and the center block with Dean’s name and birthdate, and finally a label using the fonts within the program.

Finished embroidered quilt label

After all the embroidery, I thought I was content to start piecing the quilt together. However, I found the label boring, so I went into the mySewnet library of designs and searched for a frame with a maximum size of 100 X 100 mm, and I found the Balloon Frame. It has a rope-like outline edge and 3 balloons. I took it into the software and inserted the Saved .vp4 label file, where I adjusted the size, position and color of the fonts, frame and balloons to suit my project and sent it to my machine. When I hooped the fabric, I hooped white fabric with a cutaway stabilizer and stitched it out. I marked the back of the stabilizer with a pencil ⅜” away from the border and trimmed the stabilizer at the line and the fabric ½” out further. I folded the top and left side fabrics in around the stabilizer to form a hand stitching edge; the right and bottom will be stitched in under the binding (less hand stitching!)

PFAFF creative expect 350 set up for sewing

Finally, moving on, I set up the PFAFF creative expect for sewing, with cotton sewing thread on the top and bottom. I installed the ¼” piecing foot that came with the machine. I pieced each corner block together first, then the center block, checking to see if they were all the same size. Then, I worked on piecing the dinosaur diamond blocks.

TIP Don’t precut the diamond shape from the dinosaur block until you’re ready to sew it together. And double-check measurements to be sure that the block will be the same size; you don’t want to cut your embroidered block wrong (yup, like I did!) and then must go to plan B. In my case, I recut the blue corners bigger so that all the blocks matched. Finally, add the borders. Be sure to measure across the center of the quilt (N-S) and then cut both side borders to this measurement (ease the edges of the quilt in if need be). Then, measure (W-E) across the center of the quilt with the borders to cut the top and bottom borders.

Finished quilt top ready for quilting

Now on to sandwich and quilt the quilt. I used a lightweight cotton batting and the flannelette backing focus fabric. The bat and backing are 4” bigger than the quilt top. I used safety pins to baste together.

To quilt it, I have several suggestions. As a beginner, I used to send my quilt tops to a longarmer to do. And when they are done, they will often trim and square up a quilt, which is awesome if you don’t have a big cutting table! And some will even bind for a fee, which helps if you don’t have an extension table and walking foot.

OR you could use a walking foot and an extension table and “organically quilt”. This is simple: set a longer stitch length 3.0-4.0mm, start at one side and stitch to the other a softly curving line. Continue to do so until the whole quilt is covered with them approximately 2-6” apart. You can cross, touch lines; in other words, there are no rules. If you want to “crosshatch,” then do some lines N-S and then turn the quilt and do some W-E. This is the easiest form. You could also choose a soft, curvy stitch elongate (test) and just stitch from one side to the other. I started with curvy lines 6” apart, then came back to the opposite side. I didn’t feel it was enough, so I went back in and did more lines in between the others, so I have curvy crosshatch 3”, or so, squares. I stopped and “fixed” at each dinosaur applique, lifted my foot, and went to the other side of the dinosaur “fixed” and started stitching again. Later, I trimmed the “jump” stitch on the front and back. I quilted in white thread on the top and bottom. I did not want to fuss with tension by trying to match the blue top and white back.

OR you could put the extension table on and the darning foot (lower the feed dogs) and free motion, lines, loops, and hearts all over the quilt, keeping the lines 3” – 4” apart, and use quilting gloves to help.

I choose to organically quilt in a crosshatch. After this, I moved on to trim the edges of the sandwich. And squared up my quilt. A trick I learned from a fellow quilter is to choose a Three-step zigzag, like stitch #13 on the PFAFF creative expect 350, set at length of 4 and a width of 4 and “zig” onto the quilt and “zag” just off the trimmed edge. This makes any kind of binding a breeze.

White printed back of the finished quilt showing the curvy crosshatch quilting lines and the label in the bottom right corner.

The final step is binding the quilt; I prefer a double-fold binding on a bed quilt and a single-fold binding for a craft project, a table runner, placemat, etc.

I will refer you to the instructions on binding in the mySewnet Studio for step-by-step instructions. Note: I sewed it on the back and flipped it to topstitch on the front. I used blue thread on top and white to match the backing in the bobbin when I topstitched mine down.

Finished baby quilt

And so ends my journey back to basics, creating my project in mySewnet Quilting software, cutting the pieces using the mySewnet Crafting Software and the SINGER MOMENTO 24, embroidering, and piecing my quilt on the PFAFF creative expect 350. And finally quilting and binding. I am happy with my journey and my finished quilt hope my Grandson likes his “blankie”.

Note: I just heard my wish is coming soon. Once we create our project design in mySewnet Quilting Software, we can now send the cutting instructions to the mySewnet Crafting Software and thus to the SINGER MOMENTO 24 as of this week in an update. It’s too late for me to use this in the current project, but I am already onto my next one.

Happy Sewing!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: Mini quilt making with mySewnet + PFAFF creative expect 350

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