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Archive for the ‘Quilting’ Category

After the quilt top had been finished, remove all the pins and other basting devices and iron out all the seams. It is now time for batting, one of the more important phases in quilting.

Batting materials

It is called by other names depending on the place where one comes from ? batting, padding, or wadding. Batting is the bulk or the heft of the entire quilt project. It is the middle section of the quilt sandwich.

Depending on the style and region, batting comes in different thicknesses, compositions and textures. There are also a great number of choices of batting materials from natural fibers (cotton and wool) to synthetics and man-made fabrics (polyester, rayon, etc).

Cotton

For small projects, cotton is the ideal batting material. It is also good for beginners because it is easy to work with and is natural. Cotton can achieve a more even look in your finished quilt.

Polyester

This is a lightweight and an inexpensive material to use. It adds puffiness in your quilt and packs well enough.

However, polyester fabrics tends to ?beard? (unraveling of the fabric’s thread and weave) more than the other natural fibers.

Wool

This is one of the most ideal materials for batting. Wool is quite warm, absorbs moisture, and is perfect for use in cool and damp climates. It is flat compared to other man-made or synthetic fibers, but feels good when used in quilts.

When washing and caring for your wool-filled quilt, be sure to read and follow instructions well. (Ask some expert if you do not know how.) Wool can easily warp and change the form of your quilt in ways you will not like.

I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

Batting thickness

Ideally, a thin light batting is very good in quilts. The advantage is that it is easier to sew compared to heavier or thicker batting.

It is important to make small and even stitches in quilts. If the batting is thinner, it is much easier for the needle and the thread to go through.

If you intend your quilt for use in your bed, and consequently, needs it for the warmth, then choose a thicker batting. Experts suggest, however, that it would probably be much easier to tie it, rather than quilt it.

Batting size

One thing to remember is to have the quilt batting bigger than the quilt top, but smaller than the backing. This allows for any pull or in cases when the quilt had already been sewn up and edges had moved and do not measure up anymore. An overlap is your insurance for any mishaps.

Never worry about left-over batting materials from previous quilts. These can be combined with the others to make a mixed piece, especially for very large quilts.

Left-over strips can be laid out side by side and carefully tacked together employing some loose stitches.

These left-over strips of fabric should at least be a fourth in terms of size to the actual quilt it will be used for. Anything smaller would be too much work in terms of piecing them together to come up with the correct size.

It is not advisable, either, to overlap the batting because it can produce a double thickness more than you intend. Plus, it will be difficult to quilt.

Quilting should be a breeze to do.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

When you think about Quilting, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Quilting are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Anyone who starts to take interest in quilting is commonly overwhelmed by the thought of collecting all the patterns he sets his eyes on. While this is okay, the first task of a beginning quilter is actually to gather all the necessary quilting tools.

Here is a list of the most basic quilting tools. Although some tools need to be purchased, others are just sitting in the house, or more appropriately in the sewing box.

Pins
These are necessary to keep fabrics together while quilting. There are many different kinds of pins. Some have glass heads, while others are ball-headed. The latter are more preferred by most quilters because they are more visible and are easier to hold. Pins that are sharp, fine, and long are recommended for quilting purposes.

Pin Cushion
It is used to hold and keep pins when not in use. Other quilters also use magnetic pin strips to pick up stray pins and collect pins that have been left lying on top of the quilt.

Most of this information comes straight from the Quilting pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

Needles
There are two types of quilting needles: hand quilting and machine quilting needles. Both kinds are stronger and sharper than the ordinary sewing needles since they need to pass through multiple layers of fabrics without the tendency of bending and breaking. Hand quilting needles, also called betweens, come in four sizes: 9, 10, 11, 12, with 9 as the biggest and 12 as the smallest. They also have smaller eyes and are thicker than other needles. Machine needles, meanwhile, need to be replaced every so often to keep making fine stitches and to prevent the needles from breaking.

Thimble
Worn when hand quilting, thimble cushions the finger that pushes the needle and works to prevent finger sore and needle pricks. It can be a little uncomfortable when first worn, but proves to be helpful in protecting the finger and controlling the needle. Thimbles are usually made of metal, although leather thimbles have become more popular nowadays. In fact, leather thimbles are recommended for novice quilters because they have a better grip on the needle.

Fabric Marker
An essential quilting tool, fabric marker is used to line out the fabric. Depending on the fabric, you can use any of these three markers: pencil, chalk, or fabric marker pen. Soft lead pencil is the most commonly used fabric marker as it is easily washed off and fades over time. Chalk is also a good alternative and is fairly easy to remove. However, it does not work well when making detailed markings and drawings. For this purpose, a fabric marker pen is best used. Like the other two, it can be easily washed out and fades after some time. Before using a fabric marker, it is best to first test it on a sample fabric. Mark a small piece from the fabric you are using and wash. See how the fabric reacts to the marker.

Rotary Cutter
A circular blade, rotary cutter is used to cut and trim fabrics with precision and accuracy, which makes it very useful in cutting identical strips. Because of its strength and sharpness, it can work with fabrics of different texture and thickness and can glide through fabrics in multiple layers. A rotary cutter is often used with other quilting tools such as rotary board or mat and transparent plastic ruler. For other cutting purposes, scissors are used in place of rotary cutter.

Now you can be a confident expert on Quilting. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on Quilting.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Embroidery is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, much the same as quilting and knitting and other hand crafts. Many crafters who enjoy quilting also end up enjoying embroidery and might feel as if they have torn loyalties-which craft to pursue in the small amount of time available for hobbies? The good news is that quilting and embroidery make excellent companions. Crafters who love quilting but are attracted to the depth and color that embroidery stitches offer can follow both their loves by combining the two crafts.

A quilt embellished with embroidered stitches is one of the most beautiful hand-crafted creations imaginable. Take a look at some of the “crazy quilts” from the Victorian era. These quilts are most often made of silk, often from leftover men’s ties or other bits of fabric, and were pieced together in a random manner (hence the name) and then heavily embellished with embroidery. Even if your interest in quilting slants more toward traditional quilts, it’s worth taking a look at these crazy quilts to get ideas for using embroidery to embellish your quilts. Crazy quilts use embroidery extensively, in many cases covering nearly every bit of the quilt’s surface, but you can use touches of embroidery here and there on your quilts or quilted clothing to give it depth and texture.

Embroidery stitches are easy to learn, and you may even know some already. Browse through sites on the internet, and you’ll find many with clear photos or pictures of embroidery stitches. Some common embroidery stitches you might want to use include blanket and chain stitch for outlining, and feather, herringbone, lazy daisy, straight and cross stitches for decorative touches.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

Many quilters enjoy doing appliqué as part of their quilting techniques, and embroidery is a natural partner to appliqué. The process of appliqué involves layering one fabric atop another, as opposed to sewing pieces of fabric together, and embroidery stitches such as the blanket stitch can be used to decorate the edges of the appliquéd piece. Or perhaps you may want to use embroidery on the background fabric, to emphasize the appliquéd pieces. The manufacturers of embroidery floss have kept pace with developments in the world of crafting, and now offer floss in an array of fibers, including perle cotton, rayon, silk and even linen and hemp. They also feature brilliant colors, with some even offering hand-dyed and variegated flosses.

Many quilters prefer to do their quilting by machine, instead of hand, and these same quilters may also prefer to do their embroidery by machine. With the huge variety of incredibly powerful sewing machines on the market, this is a snap. Many sewing machines have embroidery functions with extensive lists of stitches, which are as easy to accomplish as flipping a switch on the machine. As with embroidery floss, there are many specialty threads available for machine embroidery.

Look into adding embroidery to your quilting and open up a whole new world of quilting and crafting pleasure to your life.

That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

This article explains a few things about Quilting, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

Quilting fabrics decide the aesthetic appeal of the quilt, so choosing which to use is perhaps one of the most crucial decisions you have to make when quilting. If you fail to form a quilt with a cohesive color palette, all your stitching skills are laid to waste. It is a good thing that different kinds of fabrics today provide many options, but how do you exactly know which fabric is best for your quilting project? Here are the things to look out for:

1. Fabric type. There are many different fabrics you can use for your quilt: velvet, wool, leather, denim, silk, among many others. But although you can use nearly any kind of fabric, 100% cotton fabric is still the most preferred material for quilt. One, it is easy to press and quilt. Second, it is less likely to fray. And third, it maintains its color. Of course, the type of fabric to use still depends on the pattern you have in mind, so don’t feel limited with your fabric choices.

2. Thread count. It refers to the number of threads per square inch and is used to indicate how fine a fabric is. A thread count that is anywhere between 68 to 78 is a good indication that a fabric can last and is less likely to shrink. To know if a fabric has an ideal thread count, check the threads. If the threads look intact and don’t easily pull apart, you are holding a good choice.

The more authentic information about Quilting you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Quilting expert. Read on for even more Quilting facts that you can share.

3. Print. There are three things you need to remember when choosing prints. One, you should have a variety of small, medium, and large prints in your fabrics to lend texture and dimension to your quilt. Fabrics with almost the same size of prints tend to look boring and flat if pieced together. On the contrary, a range of sizes gives depth and movement to the quilt. Second, check that the print is on the grain. A print that is not aligned with the grain has the possibility of creating a distorted and crooked design. Finally, examine pattern consistency and make sure that the entire fabric is printed. If there seems to be empty spaces where prints should have been, you may not be able to use some parts of the fabric.

4. Color. The most important component of a quilting fabric is the color. A coherent and dynamic color scheme gives the quilt an interesting visual appeal, so it is very important to be careful with the color combination. To come up with a coherent color combination, you have to choose a main fabric that has many different colors. Then, select fabrics with colors pulled out from the main fabric. To avoid dullness, pick the quilting fabrics within the range of light, medium, and dark hues.

These are the color values and are important in balancing the overall color of the quilt. Two tips when buying a fabric: make sure the color doesn’t fade in some parts; choose the fabric whose color doesn’t come off on the hands when rubbed.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you’ll be glad you took the time to learn more about Quilting.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Quilting has enjoyed an incredible upsurge in popularity over the last couple of decades. This is a boon for the quilting enthusiast, because it has resulted in a huge number of patterns that are now available. Even a brief look around the internet or your local bookstore will prove to you that it’s a confusing world when it comes to buying a quilting pattern. The new quilter may well be wondering what kind of quilting pattern is best suited for her needs.

It’s interesting to ponder that, historically, our ancestors probably didn’t have as much use for the quilting pattern as we do. In Colonial and pioneer days, when quilting originated, quilts had a utilitarian function. Women pieced together quilt blocks from whatever scraps of clothing they could find, arranging the bits and pieces of cloth into a pleasing pattern. They shared ideas for their various patterns at quilting bees and other social gatherings. As so often happens, the pattern that started as a necessity is now a tradition. Blocks like Log Cabin and Lone Star and Bridal Wreath have been handed down for generations. At first, simple directions would have been scrawled on a scrap of paper, if at all-our ancestors might even have scoffed at the idea of following a pattern. Quilting fell out of favor for awhile, and any patterns that did exist would have been relegated to the attic.

But once quilting came into vogue again, a new generation discovered it and the new quilters were hungry for patterns. While many art and adventurous quilters take off on their own and refuse to follow a pattern, the contemporary quilter is more likely to want some directions. Thus many quilters search endlessly for the proper pattern.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Quilting now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

The good news is that there are options aplenty. Free patterns abound on the internet, as do patterns for purchase. Individual patterns are available for various quilt blocks. If you know what quilt you want to make, it can be a good idea to purchase one of these, as it will have detailed directions on every aspect of the specific block. You’ll find step-by-step directions that cover every aspect of the pattern for your quilt. The pattern may also give you tips and techniques you wouldn’t otherwise know.

Another excellent source for patterns is to visit your library or the bookstore and peruse the quilting section, where you’ll see pattern book after pattern book. These books can be especially valuable if you haven’t yet decided on a certain quilt pattern. But be forewarned-browsing quilting books and viewing all the beautiful patterns can be quite addictive! These books will often also feature general directions for each pattern, with more instruction on quilting. If you already know the basics of quilting, spending the lesser amount of money for an individual pattern might be your best bet.

Don’t let the world of quilt patterns overwhelm you-with a little research, its easy to find the perfect pattern for your quilting needs, and you’ll have a lot of fun along the way.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, owner of this site as well: Wealth Upgrade Club (click to claim your FREE membership)!

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Quilting is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Quilting.

Quilters looking for the best in quilting fabrics need look no further than RJR Fabrics, which is a leader in the fabric manufacturing market, with a niche specialty of the craft of quilting. “Creating Fabrics That Reflect Your Lifestyle” is the company’s motto, and most quilters would agree that RJR is extremely successful in fulfilling this pledge. RJR makes high quality cotton fabrics with a 100 percent money back guarantee.

It is difficult to find companies who stand firm in their belief systems in today’s world, but RJR Fabrics does this. One of the unique things about RJR is the fact that they refuse to sell their products to the large chains stores. RJR believes that the quilting enthusiast is best served through small, local quilting and fabric shops. The company maintains that these small shops hire employees who understand the craft of quilting and the passion that quilters have for it. Many quilting shops are grateful to the support RJR has shown to small businesses.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Quilting? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Another reason for the success of RJR Fabrics is the quality of their designers. Among them is Lynette Jensen, who designs six collections a year for RJR. Lynette Jensen is the owner of Thimbleberries, a Minnesota-based business, which is the highest grossing quilt pattern company in the nation. RJR is also proud to manufacture the designs of renowned quilt designer and authority Jinny Beyer. She was the first to design a line of fabrics solely for quilting and currently designs three collections a year for RJR, as well as a line of solids. Many consider Jinny Beyer to have revolutionized the quilting industry with her amazing, stylish fabric designs and her ability to connect with the needs of quilters.

Other RJR designers include Susan Branch, who presents the Martha’s Vineyard Watercolor Collection, based on her popular series of books called The Heart of the Home. Laura Heine is an award-winning quilt artist who has been working in the industry for twenty years and is the owner of a quilt shop in Billings, Montana. She is also the author of several pattern collections and books. RJR recently announced that their design team has gone international with the addition of Canadian designers Cori and Myra of Blue Meadow Designs. The duo has published several top-selling books.

These designers and their successful lines are indicative of the care RJR fabrics takes in every aspect of their business. RJR connects with its quilt shops with special events like a challenge to selected quilt shops to use one of their new fabric lines to design a special quilt. RJR emphasizes customer service in every aspect of its business, striving to stay connected to quilt shops, designers, and quilters alike. Because they limit their sales to the small shops, RJR truly understands their customer. Combining top-notch customer service with leading-edge design has enabled RJR Fabrics to maintain an enviable reputation for quality in the quilting industry. Contemporary quilters know to look to RJR Fabrics for the best in quality and design.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still offering the $1 trial to GVO Hosting

Whether you are a beginning quilter, or an advanced practitioner of the craft, you will find many books on quilting that will help advance your knowledge. Quilting books fall roughly into several categories, and numerous titles abound in each. The categories of books are how-to, pattern encyclopedias, historical, books about the joy of quilting, and art books.

How-to books are probably the most popular, and the first stop for the beginning quilter. They range from books which discuss the overall craft of quilting and give step-by-step instructions, to books which will take one aspect of quilting and explain how to do it. The instructional books start with such basics as fabric selection and which tools you’ll need and proceed through instructions for assembling the blocks of the quilt top and the quilt itself, down to explanations of quilting, both hand and machine. Every quilter needs at least one of these books in her library, and usually will manage to collect a number of them. It’s amazing how many times you need a ready reference when you are in the middle of a quilting project.

Another type of book that every quilter will want to have on hand is an encyclopedia of patterns. These books collect many different quilt block patterns and show the basics of their assemblies. Because their aim is to cover a lot of ground, these books are valuable starting points but won’t go into intimate detail. For that you need to turn to books which feature instruction on a specific pattern. With the wide variety of quilting block patterns and techniques, you can imagine that this category of quilting books is quite extensive and stocked with titles. Books in this category may devote an entire volume to explaining the nuances of, for instance, the Log Cabin pattern.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Quilting? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Because quilting has its roots in American history, quilts and the craft of quilting have been studied extensively, and many historical quilting books exist. Looking at these books and seeing what our ancestors did with a fraction of the materials and supplies available today can be a great source of inspiration to modern quilters. Along the same lines are books which discuss the pleasures to be derived from quilting, both in its social form (such as quilting bees) or as a solitary pursuit. Finally, there is a whole segment of quilters who have advanced the craft into art. These quilters regularly show their work in galleries and museums, and publish books not only about their quilts, but the thoughts and processes that went into making them. Sometimes collectors of quilts will publish books, too. These art quilt books are as inspiring in their way as the historical quilting books.

A good way to choose quilting books that will become a permanent part of your library is to choose a time when you’ll have a couple hours of uninterrupted time. Go to the library, or your local bookstore, or fire up your computer and look at books on the internet. Take your time, browse, and get a feel for the vast number of titles out there. You’ll no doubt end up with a much longer list than you have time or money for at the moment, but you can purchase or check out a few titles and start a wish list for more.

Part of the joy of quilting is finding books on the topic, and luckily for modern quilters, there is a huge array of titles to choose from.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still having the Free Adsense Templates available for instant download

Current info about Quilting is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Quilting info available.

There are many different types of fabric that may be used in patchwork, quilting and appliqué. The following information will help you identify and choose the best fabric for your projects.

Calico is a strong, plain weave fabric. It is available in a variety of weights and is usually white or natural with darker flecks.

Corduroy or fine-wale corduroy is a plain-weave fabric with vertical pile-effect ribbing. It frays easily but is suitable for appliqué and large-scale patch pieces.

Cotton is the choice of most quilters. It is hard-wearing and easy to work with. Cotton comes in a wide range of plain and patterned print colors. It is the best choice for patchwork quilt fabric.

Felt is made from wool. It is non-woven fabric. Instead, the fibers are compressed with moisture and heat. Felt shrinks making it unsuitable for most articles that need frequent washing. It is ideal for appliqué

Gingham is a cotton or cotton blend fabric. Alternating stripes of colored and white threads in the warp and weft produces a checkered pattern.

Lawn is a fine crisp cotton, or cotton blend fabric. It is available in prints and plain.

Linen is fabric that is woven from fiber produced by the flax plant. Linen frays and creases easily but is suitable as a ground fabric.

Muslin is a white or natural open-weave cotton or cotton blend. This fabric is suitable for backing quilts and is also used in shadow quilting and appliqué.

Organdy is a fine cotton fabric that is starched. It is used for shadow work.

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Quilting. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

Organza is a gauzy fabric woven from silk or synthetic fibers. It may also be woven from silk and a synthetic blend. Organza is available in plain colors and with metallic and iridescent effects making it suitable for appliqué and shadow work. It is also sometimes used for delicate patchwork.

PVC is a plastic, cotton-backed cloth. It is difficult to work with because of its lack of flexibility. It is used for patchwork and appliqué.

Sateen is a soft fabric that has a surface sheen. It is a popular quilt fabric.

Satin is a shiny fabric that can be woven from cotton, silk, or synthetics. It is used in appliqué.

Silk is fabric that is woven from natural fibers produced by silk worms. It works well for almost any project and is available in a variety of textures, colors, patterns and weights.

Shantung fabric is woven from yarns of irregular thickness giving it an uneven surface. It is used for quilting and patchwork.

Taffeta is a plain-weave fabric with a two-tone effect. It is suitable for appliqué and small patchwork.

Velvet has a closely woven backing and a dense cut-pile surface. It is used in patchwork, especially crazy patchwork, but the nap should lie in the same direction as the patchwork.

Voile is a fine woven fabric that is used for shadow work

Wool is made from woven fleece. Wool does not launder well and should only be used for inlaid appliqué, unless it is lightweight. Light weight wool may be used in patchwork.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this URL Shortening Service, working exactly like TinyURL.com!

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Quilting to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Quilting experts.

Many crafters do not take the time to learn about the correct batting for their quilting projects, but it can make the difference between a successful quilting project and an unsuccessful one. The right batting can have an enormous effect on the finished appearance of your quilting project. It can also make the difference between enjoying the process of quilting or hating it. You spend hours planning the design and look of the outer layers of your quilting project, why not take the time to learn a bit about the batting that goes inside?

Batting is the insulating fabric, which is the part of the quilt that creates warmth. Batting is layered between the quilt top and the backing. This quilting sandwich of three layers of fabric is then pinned at the edges in order to temporarily secure it. Most commonly it is then sewn together, either by hand or machine, but sometimes crafters tie the layers of batting and fabric together. Usually yarn is used to tie a quilting project together, but sometimes several strands of thread are used also. Be certain to tie a tight square knot if you choose this method of securing the batting to the fabric. You want to be sure the quilt will stand up to years of use.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Quilting now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Batting comes in several different fibers, most often polyester, cotton, and wool. Polyester batting has a high loft which will remain through repeated washings. It is generally hypo-allergenic and usable for either hand or machine quilting projects. Cotton batting is a quilter’s dream. It has a much lower loft than the polyester batting, and is often used when quilters want to achieve an antique look. Because cotton is a natural fiber, it “breathes,” meaning it will help you to remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Cotton batting is not as suitable for tying, as it has a tendency to clump. Like cotton, wool batting breathes. It is easy to quilt, and thus a much beloved batting of many quilters. There are two different ways batting is manufactured–needlepunched or bonded. Needlepunched batting is a good utilitarian choice for a quilting project that needs to stand up to hard use. It is made by thousands of needles piercing the batting, interlocking the fibers. The needlepunched batting is firmer and heavier than bonded batting, which is manufactured by using a bonding agent to adhere the layers of the batting together.

Many battings, whatever form you choose, are available either pre-cut or rolled on a tube so that you can cut your own to size. If your quilting project is a standard quilt size (such as twin, full, queen, or king) you will probably be able to find a pre-cut batting quite easily. For other sizes you may need to buy batting on the roll.

Taking the time to learn about your choices in batting can change your quilting for the better, making it easier to complete projects, and increase your chances of being satisfied with the finished project.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson (Click on the link to learn more about me)

If you’re seriously interested in knowing about Quilting, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about Quilting.

Quilting is a craft that has been around for centuries. For hundreds of years, the Chinese have used quilted cloth for their padded winter clothing. The Crusaders found that the quilted shirts worn by Arabs offered a great deal of protection under their chainmail. They even brought the idea back home in the 13th century. The process was adapted by European women for the use in creating bedcovers.

Quilting came to America with the Pilgrims, in the 16th century. Lack of resources made it necessary for the settlers to recycle their clothing and other fabrics, they made quilt tops, cutting the fabric into smaller pieces and patching or clouting it over and over until it wore out completely. These first quilts were more practical than pretty, but as the settlers prospered the designs became more colorful and elaborate. Appliqué also became a popular way of decorating the quilts and the patchwork quilt was officially born.

Around this time quilts became associated with the celebration of important events. Specific designs were created for specific reasons. The Double Wedding Ring design was used to mark a marriage or anniversary. This design was made from interlocking rings, each constructed from tiny patches. It was a very time consuming project, and usually was worked by multiple quilter’s at the same time.

These days’ patchwork quilts are traditionally made from scraps left over from past sewing projects. Not all scraps are suitable for this purpose. Loosely woven fabrics, such as muslin, are weak and prone to distortion, while very tightly woven fabrics, such as ticking, are not flexible enough and hard to stitch. Cotton is the best fabric to use, especially for inexperienced quilters. Once a quilter is more experienced they may add other fabrics like silk, lightweight wool and so on.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Quilting now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

The color of a quilt is up to the creator. Most quilters plan their project carefully, or follow an established pattern. Making test patches is a great way to experiment. Colors are usually sorted into tones, light, medium and dark. Using tone helps to create depth and design. Textured fabric also creates different effects.

Pre-wash all fabrics in mild detergent and warm water before starting a quilt. Any fabrics that may run should be washed separately. When the fabrics are dry they should be ironed, either with a steam iron, or a dry iron and a clean damp cloth.

Quilts are made of three layers. The top piece is the layer that is decorated and most elaborate. The middle piece is a layer of batting, or wadding, that provides warmth. The third piece is the backing. These three layers are held together with lines of stitching. These lines may be worked in a grid, in straight rows or elaborate patterns. Originally they were sewn by hand with a needle. Today some quilters still produce quilts this way, while others prefer machine quilting.

In the pioneer days the only equipment needed to produce a quilt included a needle, thread and material, and hopefully a pair if shears and a thimble. A wooden frame would be constructed to allow the quilter to use both hands, or to enable more than one sewer to work at a time. Quilting bees were popular social gatherings. Today many quilters prefer to use a large wooden hoop to make their projects more portable.

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

About the Author
Have you visited Anders’ latest site yet? This one is great if you need new fresh Free Adsense Sites