Penny Halgren asked:


If you have ever considered starting a quilting business but don’t feel good about America’s tough economy, I challenge you to think again. There are plenty of reasons to start your own quilting business now!

Money spent on quilting supplies in 2006 increased 45.4 percent. That year, quilters spent $3.3 billion in the United States alone. Statistics further show that the average quilter spent just over $2,300 for supplies in 2006.

Some will argue that times have changed since 2006. It’s true. Times have changed and those changes make this a great time to start a quilting business of your own.

For instance, many large businesses and corporations are downsizing. Quilters can turn their hobby into money if they find themselves without a “regular” job. Maybe you could use your quilting skills or knowledge to earn extra money on a part time basis. In times like these, every little bit of money you can earn helps!

But in addition to all those great reasons, there’s still a bigger reason that this is a great time to start a quilting business.

Statistics show that quilters would prefer to buy supplies from retail stores and quilt shows, but the number of quilters who shop for supplies and services online has grown. In 2003, only 17 percent of quilters said they bought more than half their supplies online or through mail order. Just three years later, that percentage had jumped to 20 percent.

The 2006 survey shows statistics for quilters who bought more than half their supplies online. The survey doesn’t even address how many quilters bought LESS than half their supplies online. I’m sure that number is huge!

More quilters report having high speed internet access. In 2006, 73 percent of quilters surveyed had access to high speed internet – which makes shopping online safer. That percentage was 12 percent higher than in 2003.

Here’s another good reason to start a quilting business online. As more and more quilters reach retirement age, spending more time at home and often moving to rural communities where there are no quilting shops, online opportunities will continue to grow.

Quilting is not solely an American hobby. Quilting is spreading world-wide. Not too many years ago, Japan and Australia hosted their first quilting shows. Those shows have grown and we are now seeing quilt shows in many Scandinavian, European and Asian countries.

To sum it up: quilting supplies and services offered online reach much farther than the United State’s slumping economy affects. There’s no need to let a nation’s economic slump create a slump for you or your dream business.

Whether you want to offer a hand or machine quilting service, sell supplies or start a remnant shop on your favorite online auction site, there’s no time like the present to start your own quilting business.

Internet businesses give quilters the opportunity to be business owners without the often expensive overhead of renting office or retail space. An internet business is just as real and viable as a brick and mortar location – each setting has its own benefits. An internet business will allow the quilter time to grow his or her business without feeling the pressure to “sink or swim” in a storefront location.

If your dream is to start a quilting business, don’t wait another day. That doesn’t mean you should march in and tell your boss you’re through tomorrow, but you should start investigating your quilting business options. The online market is not saturated, and the sooner you get in and find your niche, the sooner your own quilting business will be profitable!



Jamie

niteskies1977 asked:


I am interested in starting quilting. However, I am not quite sure what I should have to start the process.

Joyce

Jennifer Walter asked:


Chenille is a tufted velvety yarn is known as soft or Imitation chenille. Unlike some of the other quilting textile which you can find on the market, chenille is not very old textile. It’s popularity only arises only in the recent times. Ten odd years ago its existence was not common.

Not many quilters actually had the chance to use them in their quilting projects. It existence is not as famously known as that of silk or cotton. The corporeal is smooth, mild & synthetic. In semblance also it is soft feathery.

At present, chenille has its own brightness with numerous qualities. These are the qualities which make chenille quilt unique as compared with other quilting fabrics. Its distinctiveness had made chenille one of the much sought after quilting fabrics of all time.

As chenille quilt is a kind of soft cloth with perfect look that’s why is excellent to prepare gift quilt, bedspreads & lap quilts. In 1996 designer Christine Bramhall also designed chenille jacket which later on became the talking point of the fashion industry.

LIST OF MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES NEEDED WHEN DEALING WITH CHENILLE FABRIC:

* Iron

* International type sewing machine

* Rotary cutter

* Cutting Board

* Sewing needles – International size 12

* Rotary ruler

* Needles

* Stitching machine

* Chenille – colors of your preference

* Cutting Board

* Fabric to make blocks, silk shall be most attractive.

* Pins – Glass Beheaded or plastic make.

* Batting

* Design for chenille quilt

Please follow these instructions carefully when you are working on your quilting projects:

1. Pre-wash the textile separately. Please do ensure the colors don’t fade and the textile doesn’t shorten. Then well dry the textile & Iron it later including the sprinkle starch. Try to be attentive that the textile be completely dry & dense with out wrinkles. Dry clean would be a better option if you can avoid washing.

2. More the layers and varied designs give chenille quilt a royal appearance. It can be used in different ways such as an appliqué pattern or block pattern. Place the base textile on the bottom & layer textile on top. Flat a textile & pin the layers together.

3. On every side stitch 5 or 6 layers of textile together keep away the pins. Later on the stitches are to be detached therefore stitches should be done loosely. While using block quilt patterns cut the textile as stated and make simple blocks as directed. Don’t let to slip from the mind to use the combination of textile while through it with chenille.

4. As the pieces joins do lining, batting and quilting as you would for any other quilting fabrics. Better to ensure do not quilt above chenille pieces as it looses it’s feather with the stitches on it.

5. Put attaching next to the edges using 2.5 inches attaching folded lengthwise. Be careful that never attach chenille. Always use silk as it is permanent and stronger cloth you can also feather the chenille by moderate wash drying with air blow.

Chenille is extent to use, as appearence can be swollen and warmer than normal quilt. They also require additional care like any of your precious things might require. These quilt do not ask for a wash regularly.



Tonya

snovak49849 asked:


I am a beginner when it comes to quilting. I would like to try hand quilting, but the frames i have found so far are really expensive….. I would like to find a frame or plans for a frame. Is there anyone out there that can help?

Roger

Penny Halgren asked:


have to quilt to start a quilting business. There are plenty of ideas to find your niche in the world of quilting businesses.

Making and selling quilting kits is one niche market. Beginner quilters would purchase quilting kits. They are your target market. As you plan your quilting kits, keep in mind some of the obstacles a beginning quilter would face and strive to overcome them.

For instance, a beginning quilter might be daunted by all the patterns out there from which to choose. If a beginner selects a difficult pattern, chances are that the project will never be finished and the beginner might never try quilting again! To avoid that, select simple quilt patterns for your quilting kits.

Another obstacle beginning quilters face is fabric selection. Your quilting kit will have the fabric pieces with it, taking the guess work out of color coordinating and fabric selection.

Go ahead and cut the pattern pieces for your quilting kits, too. Beginners will especially love this! You could offer intermediate level quilters with another option. For the slightly more advanced quilter, you could print (or trace) the patterns onto fabric and allow the quilter to cut them out. Take into consideration how much time this might take, however.

Don’t forget to include threads and even a needle for hand stitching!

There are many different levels at which you could offer quilting kits. You could make kits for quilt block pillows, wall hangings, lap quilts or full size quilts. You could also compile kits for quilted toys and dolls.

Another niche market for quilting kits could revolve around holiday themes. Offer kits that will make ornaments and other decorations.

How will you sell your quilting kits? Many have dreams of mass market production, but you can sell your quilting kits without a contract from a large chain store! Consider selling the kits from your own website or Internet store. You could even sell them from an online auction site/store.

Small, classified line ads are an inexpensive way to advertise if you choose to advertise in craft magazines. Don’t overlook all the free publications in your particular area, either. A lot of newspapers or local tabloid sized magazines offer free classifieds.

Writing an effective classified line ad is not hard. Keep the information short and sweet, and don’t forget to include your contact information. A good classified ad might read: “Quilting kits. Perfect for beginners! See designs online at www.mywebsitename.com.”

You will also need to consider how to package your kits. The first way that comes to mind (and probably the easiest) is to include the fabric pieces, threads, needle and good instructions in a resealable plastic bag. The idea is to keep the kit simple for your buyer but to make money for your business. So, the less paper you include for directions, the more profitable your kit. But, make sure you include all necessary directions!

For instance, your detailed directions could fit on one side of paper or card stock. On the other side, take a photo of a completed quilt block from your kit. Make sure to include your business name and contact information on that side as well.

Home computers and inexpensive color laser printers make professional printing very affordable. Consider investing in a laser printer if you will be printing your own directions. Copy printed by inkjet method smears and runs if it gets wet.

When you assemble your kit, make sure the sheet or cardstock is inserted in the bag so that the photo of the completed quilt or block faces outside. This gives your customer a chance to see what they are purchasing and an example of how it should look upon completion.



Debbie

Janette O asked:


I am a beginner to sewing and quilting.I have no previous knowledge of quilting.

Alice

Penny Halgren asked:


It’s not unusual to have a collection of antique quilts. But doll quilts?

Yes, doll quilts. While charming in their own right, they are difficult to find because during the period they were made, they were considered unimportant and insignificant.

Many were made from leftovers and got hard use from the little girls who owned them. Quilts made by young girls are likely to reflect their lack of refined skills in hand stitching.

Girls in the early nineteenth century were trained from the time they were very young in what was thought to be their life’s work. Before sewing machines were common in homes, hand sewing was important for girls to learn since they would likely be stitching all of the clothing, linens and bedding for her home.

It seemed natural, then, that doll quilts would be the perfect practice piece. Not only were they small, but a girl could start with something simple, like strips, and then work up to making a nine patch, and even sewing curves.

Beyond that, if she chose, a young girl could piece a more complex design, using triangles as well as squares in her doll quilt.

Both girls and boys were taught to sew by their mothers, often before they learned how to read. A very small child might begin sewing using an unknotted thread, and then gain even more practice by counting threads on a scrap of fabric.

It was not uncommon for girls to be expected to complete a nine-patch by the time she was nine years old. Amazingly, some mid-nineteenth century diaries record quilt tops being finished by girls as young as five.

One quilter, Edith Bell Sims, says she began a quilt at age three, with her mother cutting the fabric, marked the sewing lines, and pinning the pieces together. Edith then stitched the patches – initially by hand and later on her new treadle sewing machine. Edith finished her quilt top by the time she was six.

Sewing was (and probably still should be) believed to inspire virtues deemed necessary for every child: neatness, attentiveness, patience, perseverance, and acceptance of routine and repetition.

Girls in upper class families also learned to do needlework, although they used finer materials and more intricate designs. It’s not unusual to find crazy quilts using velvets, wools and silks that were made by children in upper class families.

Unlike children today, children in the 1800s had little other than their imagination to play with. Only the upper class could afford to purchase dolls imported from Europe, so children created dolls from sticks, hankies, corncobs, or whatever else they could find.

It wasn’t surprising that girls would want to create something just like they had for their dolls. Often, the girls would take pieces left from worn out quilts and make them into quilts for their dolls.

Sometimes, they would replicate a bed size quilt using smaller pieces, to be sure to re-create the pattern of the bed size quilt top. Other times, they would use patches left over from bed size quilts to make their doll quilts, even though the quilt top design would be lost.

Most of these quilts are pieced, not appliqu?and some have been made from children’s handkerchiefs printed with holiday or religious themes.

Due to labor saving devices, and smaller families, twentieth century mothers had more time to include creative components in their doll quilts – nursery rhymes, animals, and even pastel colors.

Quilts today are made in all different sizes, each for a different purpose. Some large quilts have never seen the top of a bed, even though they are the size of a king size bed quilt.

Likewise, some small quilts were made to fill a spot on a wall, and were never intended even for a doll bed. I wonder if maybe some of those tiny quilts from the nineteenth century hung on a wall, and were never placed on a doll bed.



Helen

Penny Halgren asked:


ou’re not a quilter, you can still have your own quilting business. Create your own niche in the quilting business by giving old quilts new life.

Chances are that you have several old quilts in your house. You never use them because they are old and lumpy. Don’t discard them! There is still a lot of charm in those old quilts!

Try recycling those quilts into other items. The older the quilt, the more money you can charge for the item!

Do you like to sew purses? It’s been a hot trend over the past few years. Add something new by making the purse from old quilts. Add additional embellishments like beads or sequins for a truly unique look.

Old quilts can be used to decorate photo frames. The look would be very unique and totally marketable to anyone who loves quilts or quilting.

Old quilts can also be used to decorate scrap book and photo album covers. If you are custom making these covers, you can even personalize them with embroidery (machine or hand) before completing construction of your project.

If you like to make dolls, consider using old quilts in your sewing. Make a stunning coat from an old quilt for an old world Santa.

Speaking of Santa, you could make custom Christmas ornaments from old quilts. Use the old quilts to make balls to hang on your tree. Stuff them for added fullness and add buttons or tassels to the top or bottom to completely dress up the old quilt.

Stockings would be another great item to construct from old quilts. Personalize them with machine or hand embroidery, fabric paint, or hot fix rhinestones and sequins for a really unique look.

If you have mroe ideas than old quilts, you can find some more. Start shopping at thrift stores and yard sales to find old quilts. Ask friends and family members if they have any old quilts they’d like to get rid of. One small stain on a quilt may be enough to take it out of circulation, but won’t be a problem to work around as you make various crafts from it!

As you search for old quilts, look for fabrics that are not too worn. Even though the person who buys the purse or decorations that you make may never wash them, you will want to wash them before you use them in your crafts.

Don’t use scented laundry items when washing the old quilts you will use in your crafts. Use only unscented and dye free detergents when you wash your old quilts. When producing items for sale, it is best to stick with hypoallergenic products for washing!

If you are working your quilt recycling business from home, keep in mind that your customers may want items produced in a smoke-free, pet-free environment. That’s something you may choose to note on your products, too.

The crafter who recycles quilts has many options for selling his or her products. You may sell them through ads in magazines or online newsletters, through your own online store or auction, and even at craft shows and sales.

Depending on the products you actually create, you might be able to sell those in retail locations. Arrange to sell your items either wholesale or on consignment. In a wholesale arrangement, the store owner would buy items from you, then mark them up to make a profit. With a consignment arrangement, you would leave products at the store and only be paid when they actually sold. Either way can work to your advantage!



Carlos

momwanda asked:


I have took up quilting and would like to know of any good sites that
have really good deals on fabric and supplies.

Nellie

Penny Halgren asked:


Like many other crafts and hobbies, quilting has survived the test of time. Some quilt historians date the beginning of quilting back to the middle ages, when quilted clothes were made for warriors sent to battle in cold climates. According to history, fabrics were layered and stitched in the same quilting method used today to keep the layers intact and keep the warriors warm.

You might note several differences:

· The quilting was done by hand (as was the construction of the clothes)

· There were no fancy designs of either the quilting pattern or the clothes

· Probably this clothing was made by local tailors (who generally were men)

Quilting today is much more fun and includes both men and women! Because there are more than 20 million quilters in the US, fabric stores have dedicated sections of their shops to quilting fabric. In many communities, it is easy to find a quilting store or two (or three) – a shop that caters just to quilters. And finding quilting fabric online is getting easier by the day.

With a wide selection of resources, the next question is whether you will enjoy quilting. The art of quilting has something for almost everyone.

Traditional patchwork quilts are still very popular. They provide a framework for design while allowing the quilter to use fabric selection to vary the overall look of the quilt. Contemporary quilts, or art quilts, are also popular, and provide a canvas for designing quilts that has no bounds.

Many quiltmakers still rely on hand sewing which makes quilts portable. Your quilt project easily goes into the waiting room of doctors and dance classes, travels with you in the car on long trips, and turns idle time into productive time.

Other quilters complete their entire quilt project on the machine – from piecing blocks to machine quilting and finishing the binding.

Whether your quilt is made by hand or machine, the sense of pride you feel when your quilt is finished is at least equal to the feeling of love, admiration and appreciation that the person who uses or receives the quilt feels.

And you become a thread in the history of time – linking past generations with the future.

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren

www.How-to-Quilt.com

Inspiration and Education for Beginning Quilters

www.Rag-Quilt-Instructions.com

Fast, Fun and Funky Quilts



Lois