Learn about the Quilting Process
A quilt is a work of art. It can take many hours to complete, but the joy it brings when you are finished is well worth all the time spent. It can be passed down from generation to generation or given away as a gift in memory of someone special. Making your own quilt is very rewarding, and the process can be lots of fun. You can have a quilt for viewing or you can even take it with you to use on your bed. A quilt is an ultimate project for making your own unique work of art.
The second step is buying the fabric. Make sure you get the right color, because the fabric will be the base of your quilt. Next, choose a matching thread to sew with. Most patterns require you to make something called ‘quilting lines’ that are sewn vertically and horizontally throughout the entire pattern.
The third step is the hardest—you must cut out each individual piece! It takes time, and can usually be done in rows so that your fabric can be used for several different pieces. You have to measure the size of your pattern and draw it onto paper. Having a self healing cutting board and rotary cutter are a must, because it will make the process much faster and easier.
Putting on the borders is the final step in the process before your quilt is quilted. You attach the extra pieces at the top and bottom to create a finished look for your quilt. The price of borders can vary depending on where you buy them from, but they are usually quite cheap—some as low as 40 cents each!
Before the next step you need to make sure your quilt is square. You will want to measure the width and length of your quilt, then find out how many total squares you have in your quilt by multiplying them both together. Now check and see if these numbers are equal—if not, you need to trim off some excess fabric so that it is. Once it is square, straighten all four sides. In addition, you need to iron the quilt to make sure there are no wrinkles.
Putting on the borders is the final step in the process before your quilt is quilted. You attach the extra pieces at the top and bottom to create a finished look for your quilt. The price of borders can vary depending on where you buy them from, but they are usually quite cheap—some as low as 40 cents each!
Before the next step you need to make sure your quilt is square. You will want to measure the width and length of your quilt, then find out how many total squares you have in your quilt by multiplying them both together. Now check and see if these numbers are equal—if not, you need to trim off some excess fabric so that it is. Once it is square, straighten all four sides. In addition, you need to iron the quilt to make sure there are no wrinkles.
Following are some tips to keep in mind when sewing a quilt
- Arrange your fabrics so that they are all facing the same way and not upside down. It’s easy to sew things upside down and then you’ll have to rip out the stitches and it won’t look right when you finish.
- Sew your sewing machine’s border foot to the left side of the quilt because you will always sew from the top down.
- Start sewing on the fabric’s right side which will be turned over to show the front of the quilt.
- Use a walking or blind stitch for slip stitches, not an overlock stitch, as it will look cleaner on both sides and won’t pull at the fabric.
- Use pins for basting when you are piecing together different fabrics or when you need to get an idea of how big something will be when it is finished.
4. Things You’ll Need to Make Your Own Quilt
- A pattern for the quilt. This would include the size and number of blocks to be used. Some quilts have more than 50 pieces! In most cases, the blocks are made of fabric or pieces of material that have borders, or you can purchase quilt blocks at most stores. You can also choose to have a quilt made by hand, or you can use pre-cut squares and pieces of cloth to assemble the blocks.
- Yards of fabric. Pay attention to the colors and patterns of fabrics you like so that you can buy different designs. Your colors should match the quilt pattern you want and ensure that the width of your fabric is enough to cover the size of material you have.
- Batting. This is the padded material in between the layers of fabric. This is important for getting a sturdy quilt. You can use many kinds including wool, cotton, polyester and crushed velvet.
- Backside fabric. You’ll also need fabric for the back side of your quilt. Some people use minky, or a very plush satin. Remember that your quilt back will be seen as well, so make sure it is also nice to look at.
- A sewing machine with an open toe foot. There are many different types of stitches, so be sure to check your machine’s manual for the correct one.
- A pair of scissors. These should not be your normal scissors but something specifically meant for cutting fabric.
- A variety of pins, needles and other items used in sewing
5. Ways to Personalize Your Quilting Experience
- Pick fabric that has meaning, for example, a favorite sports team or teacher.
- Pick fabrics in different colors of your favorite color palette.
- You could even pick two different fabrics-one dark and one light like black and white-and piece them together to create an interesting contrast.
- Sew buttons onto your quilt with contrasting thread so they stand out!
Another idea is to take embroidery hoops and sew the fabric on the top around the hoop. This will create a decorative frame around your work. You can also sew on trims like ric-rac, beads, or ribbon.
6. Resources for Learning More About Making and Buying Quilts
I hope you found this article on how to make a quilt from scratch useful! You can also purchase quilt kits or printable patterns online to save time. If you are interested in learning more about the history of quilting, I recommend checking out websites like www.makersnook.com.
There are many ways to personalize your quilting experience. For example, you can choose fabric with meaning and fabrics of different colors that will create a beautiful contrast together or sew buttons onto the quilt using contrasting thread so they stand out. You could also take embroidery hoops and put the fabric on top around them for decoration or use other trims like beads, ribbon, ric-racs for decorative purposes. There is no wrong way to make a quilt! If all this sounds intimidating, don’t worry, jump in and start, and keep learning; we’re excited to see what you come up with for your next quilt.