Quilting Made Easy
By Chad Carroll
Have you ever been to a friend's home and admired their quilt and said I wish I could do that? Well now you can. You just need to know the basics and then you can get started.
First, a quilt has three layers of fabric that have been sewn together. If it doesn't have three fabric layers, it would be just a blanket. The top layer, also called the quilt top, is the visually stunning side. It can be made up of hundreds of quilt squares fit together in indicant geometric patterns. There are no limitations to the colors and fabric designs you can use. The easiest way to get started is to purchase pre-cut quilt squares or jelly rolls from online fabric retailers. Purchasing pre-cut quilt squares not only saves you time but also gives you a chance to make a quilt from several different designer fabrics without purchasing multiple yards of each style.
The middle layer or the batting is the inner layer between the quilt top and the backing. The batting gives the quilt its thickness and strength, not to mention it's coziness. You can purchase batting by the yard or precut to fit different bed sizes. It's important to remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions for pre-treating and washing your batting.
The third layer is the side that lays face down on the bed and is called the quilt backing. Even though the backing is not always seen the fabric color should complement the quilt design and be made of a durable cotton fabric that will not tear or fray when machine washed.
Now that you have the 3 layers of your quilt, it is time to add a fabric border to frame your quilt. When choosing the fabric for the border, pick a color that compliments the colors and style of your quilt. Many online fabric retailers that offer pre-cut quilt squares also have complementary Jelly Rolls which are pre-cut fabric strips. These pre-cut fabric strips are perfect to use as your quilt fabric border.
Finally, and the most important step, is putting it all together. There are really only two methods for stitching a quilt: hand and machine. Obviously machine stitching will be faster than by hand but when deciding which method to use you should consider how your quilt will be used. If your quilt is going to be used for everyday use and washed regularly than you should consider machine stitching. If your quilt is going to be an heir-loom than you should consider hand stitching.
Whatever fabric or method of stitching you choose is up to you. Just remember, it's your quilt so have fun with it.
For fabric and quilt squares please visit Imagine Fabric.
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