QUILTING TIPS

Whether a beginner or advanced at quilting, it's a wonderful hobby to learn and love. It does take some talent and an immense amount of patience, but the satisfaction of a completed quilt will surely out weigh the cons. Begin slowly and learn slowly. Experience is the best teacher.

Many people think of quilting as something a group of older women did by sitting in a circle and sewing until their fingers bled. Surely this still happens today, yet there are new and improved methods of quilting. It has become easy to find and purchase supplies such as quilting fabrics, patterns, and even quilting machines. And just about anyone with a small amount of talent can turn out a beautiful work of art.

Hand quilting is basically just sewing the three layers of a quilt with a running stitch. Shorter hand quilting stitches are deemed to be better. Not to worry - even though your stitches may start out fairly long, with practice and the right needles, thread and thimble, your stitches will get shorter.

To prepare your quilt, the backing, batting and top must be layered and secured. Securing the layers can be done by hand basting with extremely long stitches, by pinning with safety pins, or now many quilters are using plastic tabs like stores use to attach price tags to clothes.

Hand basting takes somewhat longer to do than the other methods, and if you are hand quilting, all of the methods are comparable. With any of these methods, the layers should be secured at least every 6." Once you have quilted in a particular area, the basting can be removed. I usually leave in until I am completely done but that is just my preference.

Good, sharp scissors are a must for clipping threads close to the fabric of the quilt without cutting the fabric. Generally I use embroidery scissors, since they are smaller than other sewing scissors.

A good, protective thimble is probably a must for keeping your finger whole. There are many different styles of thimbles - ranging from metal, fully enclosed thimbles, to metal thimbles with a hole on the tip to allow your finger to breathe; and leather thimbles, both sized and adjustable. A leather thimble usually has a metal piece to add further protection. The kind of thimble you use is completely a personal preference. Due to my long fingernail and the fact I can’t feel the needle the way I want to, I don’t use one. As I said it’s a personal thing as to what you use or don’t.

You will also want a good quilt frame or hoop. For larger quilts, a quilt frame is ideal. The hoop or frame serves to stretch the layers equally so your quilt will not have any major puckers when it is complete.

To save money, for quilt backing go to your local thrift shop and buy a sheet, king size or what ever will fit your project. A lot of times you can find new or virtually new ones, also plain ones or patterned ones if you wish. Another big plus no seams in the middle!

You can piece the quilt batting; I’ve been doing it for years, told you I was a penny pincher. All you need to do is whip stitch it together, once it’s put together with the quilt top and backing you would never know the difference. Once you quilt it, it can’t slip or move around, even washing won’t affect it.

All those old clothes that don’t fit anymore cut them up for quilt pieces. After all that’s one of the ways the whole quilting thing got started. People needed blankets for the winter so they made them out of whatever material they had, a lot of old clothes went into quilts.

As you are cutting up the old clothes snip off the buttons and remove the zippers. You never know when you just might need a button or a zipper replaced.

Always, always press your seams down when quilting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into trouble because I didn’t do so.

Happy quilting, Grandma

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