Is quilting your passion? Do you love doing it, and do you enjoy the final product? Quilting is one of the things that you should seek to know how to do.
The end products of the quilts are very beautiful and very decorative. Many people, however, have a challenge on how to do it. They consider it a difficult job to do, yet it is very easy.
In this article, I am going to take you through the various steps to follow when quilting. The article will have a set of FAQs to answer all your questions that you need to know. Please read on for more information.
What are the tools that you need for quilting?
Quilting requires several tools for it to work well. They include an iron, ironing board, seam ripper, clear rulers, rotary cutter, mat, clear nylon thread, white cotton thread, long pins, cotton fabric, and bias tape maker, and so on.
All these tools are useful when sewing the quilt squares. These tools work interdependently to produce the best final product.
Quilting is a series of steps that one should follow chronologically to come up with a desirable product.
The steps to follow when quilting.
Set up the workstation.
When you assemble all the tools, you must put them in a proper set up before you begin sewing. You will need a large table for that purpose. If you do not have such kind of a table, you can combine two of the same sizes. Alternatively, you can use an ironing board for the purpose.
Any flat surface works well when sewing, and so, even if you combine two chairs, it can still serve the purpose. That effectively means that it is not necessary to have a big table, but rather, you can create one for your own.
The table or the surface that you create should be able to accommodate all that you are doing. That will enable you to organize all your work with precision.
It is also excellent to have a trash bin for thread clippings. You will throw into the bin all the material that you cut off from the main fabric.
The importance of doing so is that it keeps your workstation tidy and presentable. It will also help reduce the hustle of cleaning the workstation when you finish doing some quilting.
Choose the right type of fabric.
If you do not have one already, then you will need to purchase some. Most people prefer using cotton cloth for work. You can use some of your old cotton clothes to complete the task, but if you do not have any, you can still purchase some from your local supplier.
An advisable factor to note is that other types of fabric can still work when quilting. However, the quality of the final product might be low, as compared to when you would use quilting cotton. The user, therefore, has to choose wisely on the best type of fabric to use.
Choose the batting.
The style you choose will determine how your end product will appear. How your quilt will feel, look, or even warmth will also depend on the batting style of your choice. The quilter should have in mind the product specification when choosing the batting style.
Types of batting.
There are several batting styles, all of which, when you use, will give you an excellent final product. However, the three main batting styles are:
- Cotton batting.
- Wool batting, and,
- Polyester batting.
Among the three, cotton is the most preferable one because of the following reasons:
- You can sew it with a lot of ease, and with minimum time.
- Cotton is readily breathable.
- It lays flatter than any other type of clothing.
- Everyone can work on it with a lot of ease.
The wool batting, on the other hand, is very heavy and absorbs a lot of moisture from the environment. Since it is of heavy fabric, it might be a little bit difficult to quilt it.
The final product is best for cold seasons, such as that of a winter period.
Polyester is heavier than the rest, and, therefore, it is warmer. That makes it hard to work on it with regular quilts. One good thing about polyester is that it is cheaper than cotton in most cases.
Batting usually comes in rolls and also in many sizes. It is, therefore, easy to get a size that fits your needs.
Always select a batting that has colors that match with the material that you will quilt. It will make your work to be more beautiful and presentable.
The backing fabric.
Get a flat sheet of your choice, and any color to use in the quilting process. In traditional styles, people would always go for the white backing fabric. However, you may choose any other backing color to match the quilt.
Cut the squares.
There are many ways of doing it. You can use either a rotary cutter or a scissor for the work. If the fabric is wrinkly, iron it first. If you cut without ironing, there will be several mistakes along the line. These mistakes might not appear to be much, but it will affect the outlook of the final product.
It is not a necessity to wash the fabric before cutting. You can do that at the later stages. However, that is not a rule that is on a stone. You can as well decide to clean it before cutting and quilting.
Mark the combination for blocks.
Arrange and color the blocks in a way that creates an even pattern. You will need to have a good judgment so that you can decide what goes with what, and which one goes where. The best combination will lead to the formation of the best quilt that appeals to beauty.
Assemble and sew the squares.
Place the squares in the most appropriate position. Sew the squares first in three rows, and then sew the rows together.
Do the finger pressing.
Doing that will help you hasten the quilting process and even give you some better and prettier looks.
Sew a seam and flip the fabric to the backside. You will again open the seam up and rake the longer part of it with your thumbnail. That helps to flatten the seam for neat sewing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
How do you put quilt squares together?
The way you will arrange the squares will determine the appealing look of the final product. To put the quilt squares together, you will have to do some sewing.
First, sew the squares together in three rows. Next, combine the rows as well. Placing the squares most appropriately before sewing will determine the outlook of the final product.
How do you start quilting for beginners?
Quilting is a process, and everyone has to learn the basics of doing it. Beginners have to learn all the initial procedures.
Such include: choosing the pattern, doing the initial patchwork, and so on. I would advise you to carry out frequent practice to enhance your skills.
Aside from the above, they should learn to arrange the blocks, cut the fabric, and so on.
Can you quilt without a sewing machine?
During the old days, and when there were no sewing machines, people used to do the quilting. However, the process was long, and the final product would not be so appealing. Things have changed, however, with the introduction of sewing machines.
The machines have made the process easier and fast, and therefore, enhancing the outlook of the end product. Yes, it is possible to quilt without a sewing machine.
Conclusion.
Quilting is a simple process, and the end product is very appealing if you follow all the procedures. You will need to select the best fabric to use for your activity.
If need be, you can wash the fabric before beginning to cut it. Finally, how you arrange the squares will affect the appearance of the final product.
Taisha personally working at home in sewing, embroidery machine & Others. She created this blog to share her experience.