Karen Lincoln asked:


Quilting has been an age old tradition. In days gone by, women used to gather around and do quilting work together. This was quite exciting for them, as they would get to meet one another, as well as do things that they enjoy together. Quilting has also passed down to generations, and is still carried out by many. Quilters love to spend their time, sewing and patching different pieces of fabrics together and seeing their designs taking shape.

In the olden days, quilts were made by hand, as no machines were available then, and this was quite a time consuming process. If the quilt was small, then it would not take much time. However for larger quilts, time taken to complete was much longer, and these were quite tough to handle. Can you picture, a group of women, all sitting together, making a large quilt, and constantly having to get up and move, in order to cover each part of the quilt. Sounds tiresome doesn’t it?

Thanks to technology, all this has changed. Though there are many, who still prefer to make hand made quilts. Nowadays, you have machines to help you with your quilting. These days, women don’t have the patience, nor the time to sit and hand make quilts, more so if its a large quilt. In today’s age, you’ll find mostly machine made quilts, as hand made quilts have become extremely rare. Machines make the quilting process much quicker, and a lot easier. You can either use a regular sewing machine, which has quilting capabilities or you can use a long arm quilting machine, which is exclusively meant for quilting.

The long arm quilting machine is extremely popular. These machines are specifically meant for quilting larger quilts. Its arm is around 18 inches. These machines are electronic, and make the process of quilting rather quick, as it covers a wider area in a short span of time. Moreover, its much more comfortable as you don’t have to keep getting up and changing your position or the quilt’s position. This long arm machine makes the quilting process much more efficient, and is time saving as well. You can now make a quilt with a long arm quilting machine in a short period of time, and with not too much of effort.

A regular sewing machine can also be used for your quilting purpose. However the main draw back with a regular machine is that, its arm is just seven inches in length. And so the person who’s making the quilt, can focus only on a portion of the quilt, at a time. Moreover, you have to keep shifting your position, along with the quilt, so that it fits into the sewing machine. This lands up being as uncomfortable and uneasy as making your quilts with hand, where you have to keep moving.

You can purchase a long arm quilting machine at various prices. The difference in prices is mainly due to the quality of the machine. Machines of well known brands, are naturally much more higher than the lesser known brands. It all depends on you, your budget and how much your going to be using your long arm quilting machine. You rather spend a little more than compromise on quality. Alternatively you can wait for sales or discounts.



Jerry

Penny Halgren asked:


In Iowa, quilt blocks on barns create community cooperation and tourism dollars.

These aren’t your common quilt blocks. The Iowa quilt blocks on barns are created with paint instead of fabric scraps, but they replicate many traditional quilt patterns – something all quilting enthusiasts can appreciate as true works of art.

Iowa quilt blocks on barns range in size, but are generally 8×8-foot wooden squares painted in quilt block motifs. The colorful quilt blocks are hard to miss and they’re addictive – once you spot your first, you’ll want to keep searching for more of them!

The project began in Grundy County Iowa and spread to other communities. One very popular area is Sac County, Iowa. There are 55 barn quilts and 19 community quilts across Sac County, located in west-central Iowa. The museum honoring the birthplace of crooner Andy Williams hosts one of Sac County’s community quilts. The quilt block there, “Mother’s Choice,” was painted by Jackson’s 4-H club.

That’s what makes the Iowa quilt blocks on barns and at community locations so great. It became a project for the entire community. Kevin Peyton started the Sac County, Iowa quilt blocks on barns project in 2005 for a 4H project. He knew he needed to get a lot of people involved if it was going to be successful. With the help of his family, Peyton started asking for community involvement.

Quilting enthusiasts advised to use primary and secondary colors for the Iowa quilt blocks on barns and to use simple lines. They selected quilt block patterns that depicted aspects of their community’s heritage – agriculture, horticulture and family. Some of the quilt patterns you’ll see on your Iowa barn quilt tour include classics like “Turkey in the Straw” and “Hovering Hawks”.” To see photos of the Iowa quilt blocks on barns, take a look at http://www.barnquilts.com/2359.html. You can see actual photos of the proudly displayed barn quilts. A map of participating barns and community buildings is also provided in case you are planning a trip to the area.

Volunteers painted the blocks and the community’s rural electric co-operative volunteered its boom trucks to help hang the large Iowa quilt blocks on barns.

Volunteers also helped Peyton’s Iowa quilt blocks on barns project by suggesting barn criteria. The volunteers recommended that the barns or corncribs be at least 50 years old and sit on farms that were active and attractive to passers-by. The barns were also required to be on hard surface roads and visible from both directions, making the tour easy and enjoyable for tourists.

Barns play an important role in Iowan heritage. The Iowa Barn Foundation (http://www.iowabarnfoundation.org/) makes grant money available to restore barns to help preserve the state’s agricultural heritage. Quilting is another part of Iowan heritage, so in Iowa, quilt blocks on barns go hand in hand.

Peyton says his idea was not an original one. He was inspired to start the barn quilt project in his own community after reading a newspaper article about a barn quilt project in Grundy County, Iowa. The Grundy, Iowa quilt blocks on barns project started with an idea that an extension agent brought back from a conference. She’d heard about a similar project in Ohio.

If you are planning a trip to Iowa and want to drive through barn quilt country, U.S. Highway 20 is a good road to drive. Sac County starts the big barn quilt display from the west and Grundy County kicks off the display from the east.

The idea has spread to quilters and tourism leaders in other states. In addition to Iowa and Ohio, parts of Kentucky and Tennessee have also jumped on the barn quilt wagon. On your tour of Iowa barn quilt country, make sure to take time to stop at the quilting and souvenier shops to explore more local treasures. By making a little time to stop, you’ll get to meet the people who made the barn quilts a reality – and those people are as priceless as the community art they created.



Dustin

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

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

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

Karen Lincoln asked:


Quilting, like painting is a wonderful art. It is similar to painting in the sense that paints and brushes are replaced by threads and needles. Paper is replaced by fabrics. Quilts were traditionally made by hand, but not with the advent of sewing quilting machines, many prefer to use machines. This is because, machines make quilting work easier, faster and not to mention a lot neater. You have the option of using an ordinary sewing machine which has quilting capabilities or you can use a machine that is specifically designed for quilting.

Small patches of different fabrics are used to make quilts, though you can use the same fabric as well. It’s really interesting and can be likened to working on a jig saw puzzle. Only difference is, in a quilt you need to stitch up the entire thing. Quilting as a craft has been around since many years. Some quilts are passed down to generations, and there are many happy memories associated with these quilts.

If you’re a beginner and your interested in quilting, you can start off by using two or more different fabrics. Basically, you should start collecting left over fabrics or materials that has remained from previous stitching. Once you’ve collected these, you can then start by sewing all of these together. You should be able to use the sewing machine quite adeptly. It’s advisable that you practice using the sewing machine, as much as you can, as handling the machine while quilting is no easy task. You could also create designs of the quilt. Start with simple, basic designs, and then once you have enough experience, you can move to more complex designs. The Internet has a number of sites where you’ll be able to get some free quilting designs. If these seem too complicated, you can just get some ideas and create your own unique designs.

Quilt designs need creativity, so make sure you gear up all your creativity while your quilting. You can create various designs on a quilt, it could be floral designs, geometrical patterns, landscapes, plaids etc. Basically, the choice is so much, you can choose whatever design you think you could work with. If you’re new to quilting or quilting designs, you can try out mini or miniature quilts with easy designs. There’s no hard and fast rule that it has to be a large quilt. Once you gain experience, you can move to larger quilts. It’s basically up to you, and what your comfortable with.

Once you decide on a design, the next step is to draw it on a fabric and cut it out. Place these cut out designs on the quilt in the way that you want it to. Mark these designs using pins on the quilt, or you could also run a needle (without a thread) around the designs. This creates an impression of dotted marks, which will then make the quilting process much easier.

You can choose from an extensive range of colors to make your quilt. Generally a single color is not used for a quilt. Multiple colors are used, which make the quilt attractive and unique. Choosing colors may seem simple, but its important that you choose the color after giving it some consideration. Think of the colors of your bedroom and what would blend in. You can also think of cool and soothing color tones. For a guest room, a brighter color will work great, as they can enjoy your handiwork.

People generally design a quilt on a certain theme. Quilting the theme is the toughest part though. The designs have to fit into the main theme that you have chosen. For example, if your making a quilt for a baby, you can use common things that are attractive to babies such as toys, animals, alphabets etc. Also since it’s a baby, choose the color wisely. Don’t choose dark colors, but go for soft baby colors such as light pink, light blue, light yellow etc.



Anita

Jennifer Walter asked:


Given a chance anybody and everybody would love the idea of having a nap in a warm quilt so why not try making one yourself. Colors are many and materials are like inviting, and by the time you have made one for yourself you shall be happier in more than one way.

First and foremost, those who are beginners and have little knowledge of the techniques involved it is highly recommend that few basic principles or instructions be taken into account so that the process of making a quilt is an experience worth remembering.

Several times, technique of quilt was seen in grandmother’s. But why is that so? It is because they wish their young dear ones grand children also to enjoy the luxury and affection of the smooth home made quilts.

Hence the lives stock are complete of factory made quilt and they are also providable as there is no substitute of the attachment that is entwine in each and every stitch grandma’s acquire.

I heartedly love keeping eyes fixed on sweet young ones in gentle, soft cloth and dashing quilt. Baby quilt are not bounded only to grandmother, mother’s, uncles & aunts and but anyone can give quilt to a baby. If you set up your mind and would like to learn baby quilt making these instructions are to be followed -

1. Keep in mind intentionally to use unmixed materials, though synthetic materials are used in pieces, do not neglect lining is to be made of soft cotton, as baby’s skin is delicate and synthetic fabric causes reactions.

2. Exclude use textile of twilled cotton and worn off clothes.

3. Use stubborn textile and fast color, it needs quick wash.

4. Take more batting than ordinary. It benefits in keeping the baby cozy.

Now the problem arises how to prepare a baby quilt. All over it is not a troublesome thing. If you have prior experience then it is just a routine project with varieties of measurements. The person who has not done the quilting I’d suggest

REQUIREMENTS:

* Material for piecing and lining

* Spray starch

* Rotary ruler

* Scissors

* Rotary cutter

* Needles

* Sewing needles

* Sewing machine

* Threads

* Cutting Board

* Iron

* Pins could be plastic make or glass beaded.

* Batting

* Pattern for baby quilt

Techniques For Baby Quilt:

1. Buy 3 yards of cotton, select coordinating colors and designs. Mix solid color properties with eachother, this combination can be done in printed as well as on even color. Nursery prints are remarkable to sew baby quilt. Purchase all the other stock you require.

2. Pre-wash the textile separately. Be convinced that the colors are fast and textile do not shorten. Then well dry the textile & Iron it later including the sprinkle starch. Be attentive that the textile be completely dry & dense with out wrinkles.

3. As the pieces joined do batting, quilting in the common way as you’d desire for other quilts.

4. Join the quilt around to make it attractive; you can also use silk ribbons around the binding.

Baby quilts are important to prepare, as there can be several kinds of quilts for this aspirations. Yoyo’s picture quits, appliqués all seems attractive including baby quilt, attempt making a block quilt with a sequence of yoyo’s all over the border as before the binding fabric.

You will admire it.



Jacqueline

Jennifer Walter asked:


Quilting – this is something you can have fun with and use it too. Fun, well don’t we all like to stay warm in extreme conditions, sit in a warm quilt and watch television.

Add some really true blue colors to that quilt and fabric that makes you feel extra comfy. With heart felt trueness – there’s no better feeling than to be able to utilize one’s own self created product.

Today machines have overpowered our lives beyond imagination and yet if you were able to have something that you can claim to be handmade wouldn’t express be an achievement of sort.

Quilters like us can have that distinction, yeah almost handmade, as we would require a sewing machine. If the craft of quilt making is to be kept alive then the responsibility will have to be shouldered by some of us thus a start to finish education in very essential for that.

Quilts can be either the simple ones or the more elaborative designed ones, the latter being for the more experienced quilters. Starters always have a query as to what’s the simplest form of quilt making and it is – a basic block quilt.

But what they forget to inquire “How to make block quilt for starters?” Sorry if you are looking for an as easy answer, there can be a whole think fat book written on this matter and I can talk about it for ages. Right now though no lengthy explanations, here is a primary guidance for those looking to start and finish a hassle free project.

List of tolls and supplies required :

* Customary sewing machine

* Spray starch

* Rotary cuter

* Embroidery needles – general size 12

* Iron

* Needles

* Cutting mat

* Quilt batting

* Fabric in 4 colors or 4 shades.

* Pins- beaded head

* Design for block quilt

* Rotary ruler

ASSEMBLING A BLOCK QUILT:

Block quilt is nothing but a quilt that is simply designed. In simple terms, one design on a selected block in sewed on after the other in similar fashion till the desired size is accomplished.

A block can be called as the unit for the quilt. Here below are some steps that could make your block quilt making experience much easier.

1) Get the fabric ready: washing the fabric separately is a prerequisite. That is if you want to ensure that there is no color loss or shrinking fabric dilemmas later. Let it dry dey and then proceed to iron the material once you have sprayed starch to it. Make sure that the material is entirely dry and hard sans wrinkle.

2) Cutting of fabric: Take the fabric and put over a place mat in the form of a heap one over the other. Then take a measurement scale and slash 2 inches X 2 inches pieces using a rotary cutter. Create as many pieces of out the fabric depending on the dimension of the quilt that you’d like o make.

3) Assembling a Block: Once you have the pieces stitch them all to make a bid square or a simple block. Carry on sewing to make multiples of identical blocks.

4) Piecing: This process will see you create the wanted dimension of the quilt once all the blocks have been stitched together.

5) Batting: The batting material should be placed above on the piecing. The upper side of your piecing should face the mat while the sewed portion along the batting. Take the lining material above it.

6) Quilting: take the help of a sewing machine to stitch all 3 layers with one another. For first time learners its recommended that stitching take place on and around a primary block while those who have prior knowledge may select extravagant patterns.

7) Binding: All sides of your fabric should be binded.



Nicholas

Jennifer Walter asked:


Memories are never ending tales of the warmth and happiness that we have shared over a period of time with friends, family and relatives. This experience only gets better day after day and therefore there are many more memories that we will want to preserve over a period of time.

Here in a picture quilt shall be a great way to do that. A picture quilt serves the purpose of keeping memories for us intact and later narrates them as if it were just yesterday.

Another name which picture quilts are known by is photo quilt, while the name – memory quilt is there because of the purpose and the making procedures. Kindly don’t get confused when the terms photo quilt, picture quilt and memory quilt come up as they are all the same.

If I were to be asked then picture quilt of all the different types would be the one I shall like to have. Let me share a personal tale with you here, once I sat for 5 days to build a picture quilt for my granny and those 5 days were very trying.

Reason was not pain in making that design I choose but because I couldn’t stop my hands while making it for her and then when I finally presented it to my grandmother she cried endlessly. These are precious things that you should make and be proud off as well.

I hope you are dreaming off the emotional talk I have made, I think you are as upbeat as I sound to craft a picture quilt so here’s how

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

* Needles and pins

* Photo scanner

* Threads

* Sewing machine

* Select the fabric or else cut portions from your old worn out clothes

* Photos

* Fabric paper

* Printer.

* Cutting mat, Rotary cutter, and ruler

THE PROCEDURE:

We should try and give more importance to the design pattern and relevance to memories while making the picture quilt. In this summary we shall learn how to craft a printed and scanned picture quilt, but there are other things you can do to make one. Having a predetermined design and theme will help you make one without confusion.

There is no limit to imaginations and if you like to be creative then making one with a marriage, family reunion or graduation theme will be the prefect way to start. The color scheme will help enhance the effect of the final product.

Carefully choose the picture and make sure it has high resolution so that the photo does not get lost in the beautiful shades of the picture quilt. Generally the square should be 6 X 12″. Pick the photos and cut them in the shape you’d like them to be placed on the quilt.

Place the photos in a way as to match your pattern of quilt. Then cut the fabric in the same size (printed or printed). Now place the photo and the fabric on a plain board. Ensure that the photos are of high resolution and fabric material is ironed as well as cut into shape.

Now follow the steps that you would do for a normal quilt making – batting, piecing, quilting and in the end binding. What you have in hand is that ultimate and unforgettable picture quilt ready to hold your find memories.



Nathaniel

Rose King asked:


“The art of quilting integrated the European and African cultures in America during the slave period. The African folk-tradition was considered inferior, and the European superior. In spite of this gap, quilting brought about the unity of these two traditions and cultures.

It brought the values of both the African and European American women together in a way no folk art tradition did before. Both of them deeply rely on the traditions of storytelling and folklore. Uniting women to sew and pass the traditions to new generations are the common characteristics of both traditions.

Not only did both African and European Americans make quilts to provide warm blankets for their families, but also to show their creativity and gain status, record family history, and to represent various themes and beliefs. Women considered it to be the best way to spend time together and display their skills.

Despite the fact that quilting is a process with individual interpretations, it is also a cultural process that came into being from the exchange and merging of both African and European traditions. The emergence of American quilting was one of the products of this process. The quilting styles of both traditions are highly symbolic. Both of them deeply rely on the traditions of storytelling and folklore. Uniting women to sew and pass the traditions to new generations are the common characteristics of both traditions.”

I make no apology for quoting these extracts, if you like, from my e-Book – The Essential Guide to Quilting. The book is basically about learning how to quilt, but firstly I felt that it was important to have a look at the history of quilting – like a lot of you reading this, I had no idea about how important this craft was to our history, indeed for much of the world.

I go into more detail on the History in the e-Book, so, as I said in my Autobiography, when I started Quilting several years ago, there was not that much good information about how to start thus I took a break from quilting to write the e-Book – The Essential Guide to Quilting – to put my readers on the right road without the hit & miss ride that I had, when I might have given up at times.

Most important to start out is to learn the main quilting terms, here are just a few:



Applique – Appliques are pieces of fabric applied to other pieces of fabric, using fusible webbing or stitching. The stitching can be done by hand or with a machine. Buttonhole, satin or blind stitches are the usual methods used.



Basting – Spray basting, thread basting and pin basting are common methods of basting. This process involves holding the quilt top, batting (the middle layer between quilts – usually cotton, wool or polyester) and backing together to finally sew it all together.



Bearding – the process of pulling the batting fibers through the tops and bottoms of the quilt, through the holes created during sewing, to produce a whiskered effect.



Cheater’s Panel/Cloth – They are pieces of fabric printed with quilt block designs. They are made to resemble a pieced or appliqued quilt top.



Here I have selected some of the less obvious terms in quilting with a quick description to draw attention to the need to learn them in order to get the most out of this fascinating craft. There are lots of terms to learn – believe me when I say I am not trying to put you off, merely to help you on your way.

(Article by Rose visit at http://www.aquiltingbee.com)



Glen