A Bit of Scrap Stuff - Sewing, Quilting, and Fabric Fun: Gingham Plaid Quilt

Monday, August 31, 2020

Gingham Plaid Quilt - Stargazer Glowy Edition

My Gingham Plaid Quilt- Stargazer looks like a typical quilt.... BUT... I used Sulky Glowy Thread for the machine quilting so it glows in the dark! It is so awesome!!!! PS - Photographing glow-in-the-dark is super tricky ;)

Sulky Glowy Thread is just sooooo much fun!!! I chose to use Art Gallery Stargazer Fabric Collection for the Gingham Plaid Quilt, which matches perfectly for Glowy Thread! I love the constellations, bear astronauts, plus the moon prints in the Stargazer Collection!

Guess what ... I also wrote a free pattern for the Gingham Plaid Quilt! I can't stop making Gingham Plaid Quilts so I thought a free pattern would be helpful. Sewing patchwork squares just makes me so happy!

Gingham Plaid Quilt - Stargazer Glowy Edition 50" x 59"

Supplies:

Gingham Plaid Quilt Pattern - FREE
1.5 yards Gray Fabric - Stargazer: To Bearfinity and Beyond
1.25 yards Black Fabric - Stargazer: Connect the Stars
1 yard White Fabric - Stargazer: Lunar Stamps
0.625 yard binding - Stargazer: Connect the Stars
3.5 yards backing (or 3.75 yards if directional fabric) - Stargazer: Spatial Friends
Thread: 2-4 spools of Sulky Glowy – White (quilting), 1 spool 50 wt. Cotton+Steel™ Thread by Sulky (piecing), and 1 spool Sulky 60 wt. Bobbin Thread (bobbin for free motion quilting)
Needles: Organ® size 90/14 Top Stitch needle (quilting), 80/12 Top Stitch needle (piecing)
Warm 80/20 batting from Warm Company

Tips for using Glowy Thread for Free Motion Quilting

I recommend using an Organ Topstitch needle 90/14. The larger needle eye allows the thicker 40wt thread to glide easily when machine quilting on fast speeds! I had ZERO thread breakage and I machine quilt at maximum speed on my Janome M7 sewing machine.
I chose to use Sulky 60wt Bobbin thread for the bobbin. My Janome M7 sewing machine had no difficulty at all with 40wt GLOWY top thread and 60wt BOBBIN thread. The tension was perfect. I didn’t need to do any adjustments at all from my usual free motion setting.
As you are stitching with only 1 thread, I recommend dense quilting for more “glow” factor. Imagine the “glow” factor with dense machine embroidery - definitely trying this soon!
Do not iron the Glowy Thread - but you can machine wash your quilt. Sulky Tests have shown NO loss of luminosity after 50 washings.
Choose the color of Glowy Thread that you want to show on your quilt top as all seven colors will glow the same greenish glow. Example: I used white Glowy thread and the glow was green.

Tip for cutting squares:

For quick and accurate cutting, I recommend using an AccuQuilt GO! 5” unfinished (4.5” finished) square die OR the Creative Grids Stripology ruler.

I mentioned above that I used Sulky Glowy Thread 40wt with Sulky Bobbin Thread 60wt and the tension was perfect....plus this backing fabric is AMAZING!

I can't wait to see your Gingham Plaid Quilts and I hope you give Sulky Glowy Thread a try! Glowy Thread would be perfect for Halloween projects, Outdoor Themed projects, Kid Friendly projects, or just for fun!!!

Gingham Plaid Quilt Pattern - here

Sulky Glowy Thread - here