Quilt-y Q&A: seam ripping & favorite quilt show

Welcome to a new blog series called Ask Julie: Quilt-y Q&A. Each month, I’ll pick a few questions to answer and feature them in a blog post. We’ve all got questions about our favorite hobby, and here’s a way to answer them for everyone to see.

If you have a burning question you’d like to have answered, email me (see the form at the end of this post) or leave a comment. I’ll add it to my list. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I’ll do the research when needed. And, I’m open to your comments. If you know something I don’t, please let everyone know in the comments (another good reason to read them). This may become more of a community forum and I welcome it!

Quilt-y Q&A’s for June

I have two great questions this month about seam ripping and my favorite quilt show.

Is it best to seam rip every 4-5 stitches from the top or bobbin thread?

I love this question from Kitty L. because we all need to seam rip from time to time. Sometimes, more often than we’d like! There are several ways to “unsew” a seam. The best practice is to break the thread every 4-5 stitches with a seam ripper. This is a gentler method than most, and it’s well-suited for quilting cottons and more delicate fabrics.

To answer Kitty’s question, it really does not matter whether you cut the top thread or the bobbin thread. If the tension is uneven, it may be easier (not better) to cut the looser side. Whichever thread is NOT cut will leave a long thread tail. The other thread will leave little bits scattered on both the front and back.

In the images below, I used black thread on top and taupe thread in the bobbin (which is hard to see in the photos). The last photo (bottom right) shows the long bobbin thread.

Other seam ripping techniques

We quilters are always in a hurry and don’t have time to fiddle with slow seam ripping. What I often end up doing is cutting the first few stitches of a seam; just enough to create an opening. Then I cut the thread from the middle of the fabric layer and pull the fabric layers apart until I feel resistance. Repeat this process until you get to the end of the seam. This is usually quicker because some of the work is being done from the tension of pulling the fabric apart.

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The absolute quickest way to un-sew a seam is by sliding a seam ripper through the stitches as you hold the layers taught. This is also the most dangerous technique because it’s easy to tear the fabric if you’re not careful. This method requires a SHARP seam ripper and a little practice!

You can read more about this technique and see a short video I made here.

Seam ripping tips and favorites

My best tip for seam ripping is to use a sharp seam ripper. If you haven’t replaced yours in a while, it’s worth buying a new one. My favorite seam ripper currently is the Clover Seam Ripper. It’s simple, effective and inexpensive. I also like the Dritz Seam-fix Seam Ripper.

Favorite quilt show I’ve attended

This was a fun question submitted by Margaret. She asked, “I’m interested in knowing your favorite quilt show that you’ve ever attended. Where was it and why did you love it?”

I will admit that I haven’t traveled far to attend many quilt shows. If they happen to be in my hometown, I’ll be there! However, I do have a personal favorite based on my limited experience.

In 2015, I went to the second ever Quilt Con in Austin, Texas. This quilt show is presented by the Modern Quilt Guild (MQG) and I was thrilled to be there. I loved the energy, the classes, the speakers, the vendors, the fabric and the quilts. It was very different from other shows. It felt more interactive, it was well-organized and it was just more fun. There are lots of free presentations that you can attend and plenty of classes to choose from. You can read Quilt Con from my perspective for more insights and photos of some of my personal favorite quilts from the show.

I’ve since been to two other Quilt Con shows and they’ve both been equally exciting and fun. I love that they alternate between the East and West coast, and occasionally somewhere in between.

I don’t consider myself a true modern quilter. I know that I’m drawn to the use of color in modern quilting. I love the solids, the low volume and the rainbow colors. I also find that I like the combination of vintage and modern together. I think Quilt Con has something for everybody, and I can’t wait to go again.

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That wraps up my first Quilt-y Q&A. Thanks for the great questions! These make great conversation starters. If you want to chime in, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Each month, I’ll pick two questions to answer. I keep a list of submitted questions, so let me know if you’ve got a question you’d like to add. You can email me using the form below.

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Thanks for reading and happy quilting!