Quilting Made Easy

Most people have seen a quilt at one point or another in their lifetime. Quilting is an old hobby. While its exact date of origin is unknown, quilting is thought to have been around since the 900s BCE. Many quilts are passed down from generation to generation and contain quite a bit of family heritage within them. These types of quilts were often made from the fabric of old dresses that women had worn out. Instead of throwing out the material and being wasteful, the women used the fabric to keep their families warm.

There are some basic guidelines concerning quilting that must be understood before a person undertakes the task of creating a quilt. They are listed here:

1.Acquire or buy basic quilting tools including a cutting mat, transparent ruler, rotary cutter, a pair of scissors, sturdy safety pins, quilt pins, quilting thread, hand-quilting needles, an iron, and an ironing board. You will also need a sewing machine to make your project easier to complete, but quilting can be done all by hand if you have the patience and time for it.

2.Decide on a pattern. You can either create a pattern or use a pre-made pattern. It is sometimes easier to use your own pattern if you are creative and would like to have simple or basic piecing in your quilt. For example, you can create a block quilt using only squares to make sewing simple. Make sure to write down measurements of fabric you will need.

3.Choose one or more fabrics. It is usually easiest when sewing to have fabrics made of the same types of materials. 100% cotton is the usual preference. Pre-wash all fabric before using it.

4.The final step in quilt preparation would be to buy batting to go between the layers of fabric, however, it is sometimes best to purchase this last, once you have completed both layers of the quilt and have a final approximate size.

Once you have these items, you can begin your quilt. The following are some steps to creating your quilt:

1.Measure and cut the fabric. This is one of the most important parts of quilting. You should make sure all the fabric is the right size. Measure the amount that you need and use the cutting mat, transparent ruler, and rotary cutter to cut the fabric. A diagram will be helpful for this part if it's your first time quilting. You can find pictures either in a book at your public library or online.

2.Once you cut the fabric, you can start piecing it together in the desired pattern. Make sure to sew each two pieces print-side together. Once you're finished sewing those two pieces, open the fabric fully and flip the fabric over so the print side is facing down. Place it on an ironing board and iron the seem open so the seem you sewed can lay flat.

3.After you iron that first piece (two pieces now joined as one), you are ready to add another piece to it and continue in the process of sewing and ironing until you are finished.

Both layers of the quilt can be done in the same fashion. Simply understanding these guidelines will get you on your way to completing your first quilt!