karen asked:


Does anyone know of a place to purchase zippered leaders for the LittleGracie II quilting frame? The Grace company does not know of any place to buy them. I would rather purchase than try to make them, since my sewing skills are being learned as I go, and these should be precise. Thank you.

Lydia

ashleyg asked:


Why is it sop important to wash the fabric for quilting before you cut it?

Pedro

Kirsten Stone asked:


Are you a hobbyist quilter or a part-time quilter looking to make money from your quilting passion? Are you having a difficult time selling your work? If the answer is yes, then check this out.

Study the market before you begin

If you are serious about turning your quilts into money, it’s very important that you research the market before you begin trying to sell. Studying the market helps you find what types of quilts are currently in high demand in your area. Once you know this, you may think about making those quilts which are in high demand in your area. This makes it easy to sell your quilts while getting a good enough price for your quilts.

Those who take quilting only as their hobby don’t need to spend much time researching the market as the results from the research might end up in a conclusion that the demand for their favorite type of quilts is very low. If your choices are flexible or if you are ready to produce any quilt that the customers might want then there shouldn’t be any problems for you to generate a good amount of money from your hobby.

Setting the price for quilts

Determining a price for a quilt consists of a few steps, the first one being market research which you should have already done prior to sewing quilts.

Keeping track of the time spent

The second step in pricing should be performed during the creation of the quilt, which is “keeping track of your time”. You should write down or keep a record of the time spent on the quilt; this includes the total time you spent on the quilt (from choosing a design to finishing the quilt).

First, find out the total time you spent on different steps in quilting (preparing the paper pattern, piecing, basting, quilting, binding, putting your studio back in order after the quilt is completed etc.), then estimate the total time it takes on all these steps and divide it by the size (in sq.ft) of your quilt. Now you have calculated the time it takes to produce one square foot of a quilt in that particular style.

Determine how much your time is worth to you

The next step in pricing is finding out the price of your time, or deciding how much the time you sped on making a quilt is worth.

If you are a beginner or if you are doing an unskilled job then the minimum wage can be between $6.00 and $7.00 per hour. If you are a seasoned quilter or doing difficult tasks, your time is worth more than that. Something on the range of $10-$15 per hour should be reasonable rate in this scenario. Nevertheless, it’s up to you to decide how much your time is worth. The market research you should have done can help you in making a decision about that. You may also contact other quilters in your area and talk with them about this and reach a conclusion.

Quilt appraisal

An appraisal is a formally written document about the price and other attributes of a quilt. Things which should be included in a quilt appraisal are, a description of the quilt, a defined price, system used in determining the price, the reason for the appraisal (sale or resale, insurance purposes, IRS requirements, equitable division of property etc.) and the signature of the appraiser.

Selling quilts

After your quilt is done, you would likely want to sell or market it so that you can generate money for the time and effort you had put in crafting your quilt. Small scale quilters, new quilters, part-time quilters, or someone doing quilting as a hobby usually find that the promotion of their quilts is tougher than the stitching part. So let’s list a few quilt promotion methods which will be very helpful for the above mentioned group.

Quilting brokers and shops

It’s difficult for amateur quilters and part-timers to open their on quilt shops and sell their pieces there. For these types of quilters it will be useful to look for other ways of promoting their work. There are quilt brokers and handicraft shops who would be glad to sell your pieces upon paying a cut. It should be easy for you to find such brokers and stores in your area and offer your products through them. Once your quilts become popular and when the demand for your quilts increases you might want to step up to larger scale or full time quilt work and think about directly marketing your products to customers.

Selling your pieces at online auction sites

Another option available for amateur or part-time quilters is to display their work on online auction sites. There are many of them available on the internet. Online auctions make it possible for a quilter to find a way to sell the quilts at maximum price. Some of these websites even give you options to sell your quilts at a fixed price instead of listing them for auctions. It’s up to you to figure out whether you want consumers to bid for you quilt or just buy it at a price you fixed.

Some websites might even allows you to specify a “Minimum Bid” so that you can prevent your work from being purchased at a lower price than you see fit. This is a really efficient way for part-time or hobby quilters to sell their work.

Other quilting related income avenues

There are many other ways to generate cash from quilting related things. Next you’ll find two of such ways which require a certain amount of expertise.

Teaching quilt lessons

If you are an expert in quilting and have very little time (just a couple of hours a day or less) to spend on quilting, you might wish to choose this option. You could find some schools offering quilting lessons and contact them offering to teach a quilting class for beginner quilters. If you have a unique quilting technique about which you can give classes, it would be easier for you to get a contract as a quilting instructor. Another option is to offer quilting lessons at your own place. You might use your spare time like this and you should be able to earn good enough money from this.

Designing brand new quilt patterns

If you are good at making new and unique quilt patters, you can easily make lots of money selling them to other quilters as demand for fresh patterns will always be high. For marketing quilt patterns you design, you could use the same methods described above for marketing quilts.

Like in any business, if you use your time and resources in the most effective manner it’s not hard to make a good quilting career or generate good income from quilting.



Timothy

Penny Halgren asked:


Quilters who are not already a machine embroidery enthusiast just may find themselves engrossed in the craft once they realize they could incorporate machine embroidery into their quilting.

Embroidery is a traditional way to add special decorative touches to quilts. Whether by hand or machine, a quilter may accent his or her creation with embroidered flowers or other accents. But today’s machine embroidery – for those willing to try it – can make quilting quite different.

For instance, a quilter may use a simple embroidery design to let the machine “quilt” the project. Simple designs that can be stitched in one color work best, especially for the beginning machine embroidery quilter.

If you want to give this a try, look for an embroidery design that’s simple – one that you can visualize stitched into a quilt. Some redwork inspired designs work well. Other simple designs like flowers, circles, sun/moon, houses, hearts – there are all sorts of designs to choose from – can work well as quilting stitches.

Be sure to keep your quilt top’s theme in mind. We all know and love the traditional beauty of the double wedding ring quilt. While the quilt top is beautiful with its color variety, the quilt back is just as pretty with its simple stitching that follows the design on the top.

What if you used an embroidery machine to quilt hearts into the quilt design? That one unexpected touch would truly make your quilt unique.

Have you ever needed to throw together a quick quilt? Many quilting pros laugh at the notion, but sometimes we need a quick gift to give and want to make it personal. Lap quilts and baby quilts are very easy to create on an embroidery machine.

Simply hoop your top fabric, batting and backing fabric into an embroidery hoop. Pick a design and get to work! Even if you are quilting solid color fabrics, you can complete a quick, beautiful quilt with the embroidery machine in no time!

Some ideas for a baby blanket for a boy would be to use outlines of footballs, airplanes, trucks, trains, etc., for your quilting pattern. The hardest part of your job will be re-hooping fabric and pushing the “start” button!

Ideas for a baby blanket for a girl include outlines of flowers, baskets, dolls, kittens, etc.

The method above uses machine embroidery on relatively small quilts. Larger quilts can be done the same way or may be quilted with machine embroidery by individual quilt blocks. Experiment to decide which method is easiest for you and remember that the machine embroidery quilting method may change with each unique project.

If you can’t find a pattern you like already on embroidery file, ask a digitizer to help you create one. A digitizer is someone who takes art images like line drawings, clip art and fonts and alters them to become a stitch pattern. So if you’d like for your family tree wall hanging to be quilted with a tree pattern, a digitizer can create one for you.

Be sure to let your digitizer know you plan to use the image for quilting. The digitizer will need to plan stitches accordingly.

Quilting is rich in tradition and therefore many true-blue quilters do not like the idea of using machine embroidery to quilt their projects. Isn’t it great to try new ideas and techniques? Remember, not to long ago quilters refused to consider machine quilting at all! Embroidery machines will never take the place of quilters, but it can be a fun and rewarding sewing technique to try from time to time.



Lucille

AirForce Wife [[<3]] asked:


I want to cut squares off some of my old clothing and stuff and make my Mom a quilt but I don’t know how. Do you know any good beginners quilting books?

Glenda

Penny Halgren asked:


two kinds of necktie quilts. In one, fabric is cut to resemble neckties and sewn into the quilt block. The other actually incorporates men’s neckties into the quilt design. Using men’s neckties in quilts is an extremely popular trend.

In addition to being a current trend, the necktie quilts have enjoyed popularity over many decades due to the fact that they can be great memory quilts honoring the men in your life.

If you want to make a necktie quilt using men’s ties, you have several options. First, you need to decide if you will use the tie as is, incorporating the entire tie into your quilt design. Your other option is to use the ties as scrap fabrics, cutting pieces from each to complete a traditional quilt pattern.

Quilters who like to use neckties in traditional patterns often choose to use them as fabrics in Dresden Plate, Double Wedding Ring, and block patchwork among others.

If you opt to use the entire necktie in your quilt, you might start off by arranging them to form a starburst in the center of the quilt. Fill empty spaces with other fabrics, or more neckties if you have them.

You could also choose to use the neckties in your quilt’s border.

In addition to full size quilts, you could use the neckties to make wall hangings, Christmas tree skirts and stockings, or pillows.

If you have the urge to make a necktie quilt, but don’t have enough ties on hand, ask friends and family to save them for your project. Also, visit thrift stores and yard sales to grow your own collection of men’s neckties.

If you have plenty of ties on hand, but are having a tough time finding a starting place, visit your favorite free quilt pattern site to see what it offers. There are many free or low cost quilt patterns available on the Internet. You have a world of options at your fingertips if you are planning to use the old neckties in piecing your quilts.

If your necktie quilt is a memory quilt for a friend or family member, make sure to incorporate other mementos into it. For instance, if your father loved golf, try working a golf tie or golf themed fabric into your design of the quilt you are making for him or in honor of him.

Quilters who are low on neckties or time can create a wonderful memory lap quilt. Smaller in size means it takes less time to complete. While smaller in size, the necktie lap quilt can still be big on memories!

To make a quilt featuring fabric cutouts of men’s neckties, you have a couple of options. You may make the traditional neck tie or you may choose a bow tie pattern. Both are popular and widely available on the internet.

Applique quilters over piecing can use that method in making necktie quilts. If using the entire necktie, it may be appliqu?onto the quilt top wherever the quilter chooses. Using tie shaped pieces of fabric, the quilter may choose to appliqu?hose to a quilt top. The bowtie quilt design may also be appliquedd, but part of its novelty is how the blocks actually piece together to create a bowtie.

Once your necktie quilt project is complete, you can use any remaining neckties you have left over for other projects. Popular ways to recycle neckties include wearing them as belts or headbands or making skirts from them. You can find various instructions and patterns for those projects on the Internet as well.



Daniel

Jennifer Walter asked:


This is the fun part of all quilt-making techniques. You can engrave the entire world on these quilts. Appliqué quilt are the quilts that represent certain time in memory.

These quilts can be easy as well as hard to make, hard because there is no certain pattern that you have to follow so those who are accustomed to copying certain patterns will find it hard to do while those who are creative and let imaginations guide their work will find this pattern fun to do.

Another great advantage of appliqué quilts is that they are inexpensive to make as material required is sourced from scrap like things, and the patterns are not defined or limited any mixture of patterns can result in a appliqué quilt.

Appliqué quilt making in its process teaches you all the other methods of quilt making as well. Be it stuffing batting in for creating 3-D effects , or yoyo quilts, embroidery designs or picture quilts all these methods can be learnt and perfected while learning the art of appliqué quilts. And in all this the fun part will always be there.

These quilts could be used by anyone, for a newborn baby or young kids or something you like to use to comfort your pets. Itching to learn this quilt type, well here is the method.

Normal Stitching Machine

* Sewing needles – Common size 12

* Iron

* Cutting Board

* Rotary ruler

* Spray starch

* Rotary Cutter

* Needles

* fabrics as per preference of color orscraps of fabrics.

* Pattern for appliqué quilt

* Quilt batting

* Pins- beaded head

* Fabric for lining or backpack

* Some decorative material and pictures

Learn The Art Of Applique Quilt Making :

1) Readying the fabric: You must prewash the material. This will ensure that color is not lost or material doesn’t shrink later on. Let the material get dried up fully and then iron it firmly. The material should be sans any wrinkles.

2) Cutting of fabric: Choice of pattern could be customary or your own unique one. My idea at the first experience was a black color background and with a printed flower fabric that I cut to add to the black fabric.

So it won’t be a bad if you would like to replicate my idea to make your appliqué quilt, girls especially would like it. If have some other pattern in mind then start with that pattern.

3) Build a Block: Take all the square you have and stitch them into a large square. If you have a guidebook or whatever ensure the instructions are followed as written. These steps indicated here is a general step-by-step procedure for all.

4) Piecing: Take all blocks and sew them till you have in hand the size of your quilt. Here in you can add a few decorative thing like old ornaments or fancy bookmarks that will enhance the beauty of the quilt.

5) Batting: Put your batting material over the piecing. The upper side of piecing should be one on one with the mat while the side stitched should run besides the batting. Then put selected lining material above it. Batting is available in different types and thinkness, select one that suits your fabric the best.

6) Quilting: Once done you have 3 different layers with you, stitch all these 3 layers with one another using a sewing machine. Like said before a lot can be done with pattern variations but sticking to a basic easy pattern is advisable for starters to begin with.

7) Binding: Binding is the last step where in all sides are stitched with material like piping.

Here you have your appliqué quilt ready for use.



Amanda

Penny Halgren asked:


Quilting has changed over the years, thanks mostly to the development of various quilting gadgets. Rotary cutters simplified fabric cutting and make it more accurate than scissors. In addition to ease and accuracy, the rotary cutter eliminated the blisters scissors can create on the thumb and finger! Something so simple has proven to be a revolutionary quilting gadget.

Speaking of revolutionary, today’s quilting has really benefited from computers. Computerized sewing machines are a big change for today’s quilter. The ¼ inch presser foot and a walking foot have become standard quilting gadgets on many sewing machines.

Once upon a time, machine quilting as reserved for use at an industrial level. While it’s a much bigger “quilting gadget,” home quilting machines are another useful and attainable tool for quilters.

The Internet may be the biggest quilting gadget. Today, quilters have a world of threads, fabrics and other supplies at their fingertips. The Internet also is a great search tool, great at helping professionals and hobbyists find unique and helpful quilting gadgets.

Quilters can also find a wide array of free quilting patterns online. The Internet offers quilters the chance to perform a general search for quilt patterns or search for a specific pattern.

The Internet is also helpful because it affords quilters the opportunity to join quilting forums, subscribe to quilting newsletters, and to learn from frequently asked question pages. Quilters may use the Internet to join online chats with other quilters. Quilters may utilize other websites, like YouTube, to view instructional videos about quilting and special problems quilters may encounter.

The Internet is also a great place to shop for fabrics. Many quilters do not live near traditional brick and mortar fabric shops and some larger retail chains are discontinuing their fabric departments. The Internet fills that gap for quilters.

Fabric has come a long way over the years, too. With improvements in fabric manufacturing, today’s cloth could conceivably last hundreds of years. Fabric manufacturers, in addition to giving quilters better quality, are also delivering more variety. Available styles and colors have diversified. If you like Japanese fabric and your local shop doesn’t carry any, look online for sources. You will see how different, yet how similar, fabrics from another culture are to your own.

The Internet is a useful quilting gadget for quilters who want to sell their works. Many quilters sell their quilts or quilting services online through Internet auctions such as eBay or through their own websites and advertising on other quilting websites.

With your favorite quilting gadgets, fabric and a design in mind, you are ready to begin your quilting project. But, if you want to truly customize your design, there are several quilting gadgets that will help. Custom cut acrylic templates can help cut even the most challenging patches. Fabric pencils and colored chalks provide quilters the supplies needed to temporarily mark fabrics.

The ultimate quilting gadget is computer software that helps you custom design your own quilt and quilt blocks. A little computer literacy is all that’s required. Such software will let you take a traditional quilt pattern that is pre-loaded into the program, and alter lines to create your very own creation.

Each quilter has his or her own favorite quilting gadget. Maybe your favorite is a light weight quilt frame, your old rotary cutter, or something as simple and standard as a seam ripper. No matter what your choice, there’s no denying that the world is full of useful and affordable quilting gadgets that make quilting more enjoyable.



Julia

Vhdl B asked:


Please tell me what options the various software packages have, their advantages, and their prices… I’m looking for a Christmas present and will greatly appreciate any feedback. Note: I know nothing about quilting. I’m still learning the difference between a blanket and a quilt.

Thanks!

Eleanor

JetMaio asked:


Last week on America Quilts Creatively they showed a program that uses your own pictures and lays them out to do kaleidoscope quilting . They don’t say what or where the program is located.

Bessie