Archive for the ‘Quilts’ Category
Quilting is one of America’s favorite pastimes, and can be enjoyed regardless of age, disability, or sewing aptitude. Quilting is simple to learn, and with a little imagination, it’s possible to create some fantastic quilts with just a little knowledge. The best way to learn quilting is from a relative familiar with it, but if this isn’t possible, there are numerous books available that can teach how to quilt. For beginners, it’s best to start with beginner quilt designs and patterns, which often come with simple instructions on how to design and sew a quilt. You might also consider a beginner quilting workshop, which are common in most locations throughout the United States and can help you with making quilt blocks and other basics.
Quilting is a great after school activity for kids, as it is both educational and fun. Parents will find that having their children interested in quilting is a worthwhile endeavor as quilting teaches a host of other sewing skills and fosters creativity. Quilts can be art, in addition to providing warmth. Designer quilts are quite expensive, and as quilting skill advances beginners will be able to create more unique and specialized pieces without much more effort.
Many quilters may be drawn to quilt making because of the wide variety of beautiful fabrics available. The choices of colors and patterns seem to be unlimited. What beautiful quilts can be created!
One of the most important elements for choosing quilting fabrics is color. Beginning quilters may often become confused by this topic. Do not be intimated and discouraged from learning about color. Most people are far more adept at combining colors than they imagine.
Learn to trust your intuition (unless you know that you are color blind.) If you think the colors look great together, others more than likely will too. Besides, this is your quilting project. Choose fabrics that you love and that you will enjoy working on. After all, isn’t that really all that matters?
When it comes to quilt making, the color and design or pattern are entirely up to the creator. To insure a beautiful finished quilt, the project must be planned carefully, and an established pattern should be followed.
Making test patches is a great way to experiment with your design. Colors should be sorted into tones - light, medium, and dark. Using assorted tones helps to create depth and design. Textured fabrics also create different effects in your pattern.
It is absolutely necessary to pre-wash all fabrics in warm water with a mild detergent added before starting any quilting project. Fabrics that have a tendency to run should be washed separately. When dry, the fabrics should be ironed, either with a steam iron, or with a dry iron and a clean damp cloth.
The craft of quilt making can involve making a great variety of styles and designs of quilts. One such style is the patchwork quilt. These days, patchwork quilts are traditionally made from scraps which have been left over from previous sewing projects, although pre-cut pieces are readily available in stores.
Something every quilter is aware of is that not all fabric scraps are suitable for quilting. Loosely woven fabrics (for example, muslin) are weak and prone to easily distort. On the other hand, tightly woven fabrics, such as ticking, are not flexible enough and are difficult to stitch.
Cotton is considered to be the best fabric to use, especially for beginning, inexperienced quilters. After quilters become more experienced, they may add additional fabrics, such as silk or lightweight wool.
Quilt making (quilting) is a craft that has been around for centuries. The Chinese have used quilted cloth for padding their winter clothing for hundreds of years. Quilted shirts offered a lot of warmth and protection. Later the process was adapted by European women for use in creating bedcovers.
It is interesting to note that quilting came to America with the pilgrims. Because of their lack of resources, it became necessary for the settlers to recycle their clothing and other fabrics. They made quilt tops by cutting the fabric into smaller pieces and patching them over and over until they eventually wore out completely.
These first quilts, as we might assume, were more practical than pretty. However, as the settlers prospered, their designs became more colorful and elaborate.
Today quilts are available in many, many designs and colors and are highly treasured by collectors and the public in general.
Express Yourself with a Crazy Quilt
In the world of traditional quilting, a quilt block is a precise and rigidly defined geometric shape that must be repeated. While this sense of structure can be comforting to the creator of the quilt, it doesn’t hurt to try something a bit more spontaneous from time to time. Enter another, less predictable form of quilt making: crazy quilting. As the name suggests, you’re free to be as creative and zany as you see fit while patching together these works of art.
Crafting a visually appealing crazy quilt isn’t as simple as stitching together a few random patches. There should still be a method to your madness. Keep a rough design of the finished product in your mind at all times, focusing on creating a stark contrast between patches. You can use ribbons, lace and even buttons to embellish the quilt along its stitching.
Quilt making has remained a popular pastime over the years. Because there are so many fabrics and designs available to the quilter, we can understand why quilt making and quilt collecting have become a passion with many people. An old, but still popular method of quilt making is the process of making quilt blocks and combining them to form a chosen pattern or design.
The quilt pictured here was made by my mother-in-law when she was over 90 years old. The colors are soft pastels of mainly pinks and a little blue, with various small roses and other flowers. There are 567 quilt squares in this particular quilt, and at the time, she made a total of 9 quilts, one for each of her 4 children, and one each for 5 of her 6 grandchildren. (This quilt is very large. For the photo it was folded in half longways and draped over the clothesline so what you see is only a portion of it.) I have no idea how much time she spent making these as it was quite a surprise when she gave them to all of us. I do know that these are gorgeous and very nicely made. I really love mine.
Quilts are a labor of love. They are very time and labor intensive, and quilt making is a hard-learned skill. The end result, however, is a stunningly beautiful display. And because a quilt is so much hard work, they can serve as a meaningful and personal gift.
For graduations, milestone birthdays, weddings, or other significant events, a quilt can be the perfect, personal gesture.
Because the quilter has so much leeway within the framework, pick quilt fabric and patterns that suit the receiver. Utilize favorite colors, hobbies, or experiences as inspiration, and the recipient is sure to treasure the gift.
And even beyond that, it is the kind of item that is special enough to be passed down through a family line. If the highest quality materials are used, the care and attention of construction are sure to make the blanket last for years to come.