I have offered technical support to many, many quilters over the years.  This support has been simple, complex and perplexing. As any good Geek, I like perplexing.  I enjoy the process of taking something a part (both literally and figuratively) to discover the why, who and what of systems around me.  Here’s an example of one such aspect of computerized quilting that can pass  by you with little (if any) notice, or become a huge conundrum and stumbling block.  I call this the “Quilting Uncertainty Principle”.


Creative Studio is a giant leap forward to Screen-To-Quilt accuracy. It is very helpful to see the patterns before we stitch them out.  That gives the ability to modify, line up, trim out, and otherwise make the pattern all that we want it to be.  There is a catch.  As the pattern is quilted, this Screen-To-Quilt accuracy is broken.  This is because the process of quilting distorts and shrinks the fabric.  In most cases the relation is only 1/32 to 1/8 off, but this difference is noticeable in a few cases.

I was burned on one quilt  when working with my good friend Laurie Thomas.  We were working on an Amish Quilt outline for classes.  The pattern file was perfect, but some of quilting overlapped or left 1/16th inch gaps.  We had to redraw the pattern with intentional overlapps to reduce the gaps.

A customer I met here at MQX realized this issue and had questions.  She had loaded a square pattern and then quilted it. Then she used P-to-P to place arcs, clicking on each corner of the newly quilted square.  She was very accurate with clicking but the on screen instance of the square and arcs showed a 1/16th inch gap and overlap.

This “Uncertainty Principle” is an attribute of the medium – fabric and batting.  These materials are not stable and therefore you need you allow for a 1/4″ margin of movement, shrinkage or distortion.  This can really be an issue when you get into using the Trim function in tight areas.  So be careful!