Quilt bindings are the most magical, and sometime confusing part of quilt making, especially for a new quilter! I shared a tutorial a few years back, but have adapted and made a few changes as I’ve grown as a quilter, and thought it was enough to update the post. Any tips or suggestions you might […]
9 must know Quilt piecing tips. Quilt techniques to know especially if want to learn how to quilt or want to improve your piecing accuracy.
Learning how to tie a quilt is a great way to give some hand quilted charm to your projects. Continue reading for 6 fun ways to try it out!
Never made a quilt as you go block before? This tutorial will show you all about quilting as you go method - easy and for beginners!
Want to hand quilt and don't know where to start? These tips and tricks will give you what you need to be hand quilting in no time!
Learning tips and tricks usually just comes with experience, but this article gives you a run-down on how to quickly boost your quilting skills.
Learning how to tie a quilt is a great way to give some hand quilted charm to your projects. Continue reading for 6 fun ways to try it out!
Are you new to machine quilting? You may have made tied quilts for a while and now want to explore machine quilting. I’ve seen a lot of advice given for how to machine quilt but I think mos…
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from the sale if you click through and purchase. Are you scared of sewing with curves? Have no fear! Today I am sharing a few tips and tricks that have been helpful for me. Give this post a read and try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern . 1. Sew slow. It's tempting to put the pedal to the metal when you're comfortable sewing, but with curves it's all about slow sewing. You want to take your time and ease that curve slowly through the machine. 2. Needle Down. I set my machine in the needle down position when I sew. That means every time I lift my foot off the pedal the machine stops with the needle down. This helps to hold all the layers in place so that I can lift the presser foot and adjust around the curve. This will help you make that curve nice and smooth. Every few stitches, I raise the foot and turn the fabric slightly around the curve. 3. Pin, Pin, Pin!! Don't be stingy with those pins. As you pin your curved pieces together make sure you pin all the way around that curve to the very end. I also find it most helpful to start in the middle, work my way to one end, back to the middle and to the other end. 4. Steam Iron. I personally find that using steam is helpful. First of all it helps work out all those wrinkles from the pins so you can see if there are any puckers. Second, I think it helps ease out any accidental puckers if there are any. This is simply personal preference. I know there are mixed opinions on using a steam iron while quilting. I make sure not to pull or stretch the fabric too much since the steam will cause that to happen on it's own a little. 5. Tailor's Clapper! Alright this might be a new tool you haven't heard of before. I use this handmade clapper from Lamb and Loom. It makes such a difference to me! When I'm ready to press I open the seam, press and then quickly place the clapper over the seam and let it sit while I move on to the next piece. Then I repeat that process. The clapper helps to hold the heat on the seam and really make it crisp! I'm hooked on my clapper. The pattern above makes great practice - The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern. If you feel like you can conquer the curves try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. This pattern was my first attempt at sewing curves. You can do this! You have all the skills you need now. Good luck! Here are some additional blog posts you might enjoy: Sewing with Triangles Quilting Curves Making Half-Square Triangles The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern.
Debbie Maddy is an Indigo and Shibori artist that teaches classes in these techniques, as well as designs a line of fabrics for Moda.
Ultimate quilt binding tutorial with step by step instructions to show you how to make quilt binding and how to attach the first round of binding. Includes 10 tips for success and a lits of tools you'll need to make your own quilt binding.
See how to finish binding on a quilt - the easy way!
Making a t-shirt quilt for the first time can be daunting + overwhelming! Check out all the steps for how to make a t-shirt quilt in this detailed tutorial!
Jelly rolls can make it so easy to quickly finish a quilt top, but how many jelly rolls to make a quilt? Jelly roll fabric strips are 2 1/2" wide by the width of the fabric, making it pretty nice when it comes to sewing straight lines.
The precision of your pieced quilt pattern depends on the accuracy of your quarter-inch seams! Get accurate seams with these tips and tricks.
Quilting basics: Learn how to sew a quilt the easy way using these step by step instructions with tips and tricks. Learn some basic quilting techniques that you can apply as a beginner to make the sewing process easier.This post has been sponsored by Cricut, compensation has been given but the opinions are my own....
Avoid Tension Waves and Other Issues! Are you disappointed with the results you’re getting with straight line quilting? If so, one or more of 6 comprehensive tips is likely to help. One common issue is creating tension waves. The solution is to always quilt in the same direction, rather than turn at the end and …
To go with the video tutorial I've put together a cheat sheet. It details my method of making pinwheels along with a handy reference chart with the quilt math to make pinwheels in all sorts of sizes. You can download a PDF version of the cheat sheet by clicking here. You can also 'Pin" the
There is an easier way to bind a quilt: use the backing fabric. Learn how in this tutorial from NewQuilters.com. #bindingaquilteasy, bindingaquilttutorial
Wondering How to Finish a Quilt? Top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter, features an Easy DIY Tutorial for Finishing and Binding a Quilt. Click here now!!
Making mitered corners doesnt' hjave to be hard.Start with a small application to gain confidence in making excellent mitered corners every time!
This week we’ll assemble the blocks into a quilt top. Follow the instructions on page 23 of Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist to assemble the quilt top. Assembling the quilt top…
Learn how to use interfacing to tame stretchy t shirts and make them play nicely for quilting. Tutorial from NewQuilters.com #tshirt quilts #tshirt quilting DIY
Sewing tricks from professional seamstresses. Your sewing is about to get easier and more efficient. Grab a project to test them out!
Straight line quilting is a great beginner quilting technique, but there's a right way and a wrong way. Continue reading to see if you are doing it right!
Learn how to use interfacing to tame stretchy t shirts and make them play nicely for quilting. Tutorial from NewQuilters.com #tshirt quilts #tshirt quilting DIY
How to make Maple Star Quilt Blocks. This is a free quilt block tutorial for a 12 inch Maple Star Quilt Block. A step-by-step tutorial great for beginners.
Binding is the final step of quilting and it must be perfect. Otherwise, all your efforts will be wasted!
Want to give your quilting some added texture and depth? Try machine quilting with 12 wt. thread! It's not difficult, but there are 5 secrets you must know.
Here are five common methods of making a flying geese block. and I put them through their paces constructing a 4" x 2" finished flying geese unit.
A step by step tutorial with a video and photos to show you how to create a mitered corner in your quilt binding! Don't get frustrated, I can show you how.
Straight line quilting is fast and fantastic. Come to Bonjour Quilts for a ton of straight line quilting designs and tips you can use today.
tutorial on joining the ends of quilt binding
Quilt basting is essential to prepare your project for quilting. Learn how to make a quilt sandwich and discover 4 ways how to baste a quilt.
How to Cut Fabric PERFECTLY STRAIGHT...and Square It Up! No more crooked lines and frustration with cutting!
See how to finish binding on a quilt - the easy way!
Use Elmer's glue to glue baste a quilt. Glue basting is quick and easy, and far less expensive than many other basting methods.
If you are planning on making a quilt with your old blue jeans then these tips for quilting with denim jeans will help you out.
See how to finish binding on a quilt - the easy way!
Washing a quilt can be a stressful process for many quilters because the risk of ruining a quilt that you just spent hours and hours to make is scary! However, washing your quilt doesn’t have to be as scary as we make it out to be. Plus, you can even wash and dry your quilt...
For my regular blog readers, this tutorial is going to come a little from left field. This year, I have found myself in the position of teaching quilting classes. Now, I have made one or two quilts in my time, but I never even found out how proper quilters go about this whilst I was making them... so I have had to learn on the run. In my classes, we have been exploring quilt-as-you go techniques. I wanted to find a better way of joining the blocks together. I have read quite a few online tutorials, but they mostly seemed a little clumsy. So I came up with my own way (this is not to say that nobody else has done it this way...but I have not seen it done quite like this). Start with your two blocks to be joined. They should already be quilted to the wadding and backing. The backing should extend beyond your block about 1 inch (at least on one of the blocks). The quilting should stop before the edge, probably no closer than about an inch from the edge of the block. You can see that I have not washed out the marker I used to draw my quilting lines. Square and trim one of the blocks. On the first block, you want to trim the block, wadding and backing all to the same size. Here it is, all trimmed up. You can put this aside for the time being. On the other block, you need to fold the backing out of the way...which is why you can't quilt all the way to the edge of the block. Then square and trim the side of the block and the wadding. On that same block, we want to trim the wadding back further. We want the wadding to be trimmed 1/2 inch smaller than the block. (From this point on, you need to excuse my dirty fingernails...I got home from camping at lunch time and haven't cleaned them yet). This is a little tricky, and we don't want anyone to cut themselves with the rotary cutter. I used pattern weights to hold the top layer back whilst I cut the wadding. Now unfold the backing so that it can be trimmed. An experienced and precise quilter could probably trim the backing to 1/2 inch bigger than the block. My students are generally beginners and are still developing their sewing accuracy, and I like to allow a little for turn of cloth, so I trimmed to 5/8 inch larger than my block. So, here you can see the trimmed block. The wadding is 1/2 in smaller than the block and the backing extends 5/8 inch beyond the block. Now, for the ever-so-slightly tricky bit. Line up the edge of the backing with the edge of the wadding and stitch together with a 1/4 inch seam. I don't often use pins, but my students love to use them. If you like pins, you can pin to your heart's content before stitching. Some of the students are able to use their walking foot for this step. Others have a walking foot that is difficult to use for 1/4 inch seams, and so switch over to their 1/4 inch foot for this. It really depends on your machine and foot. If you can't use your walking foot, go slowly and use use good holding techniques to overcome the effects of the feed dogs. Once you have stitched the backing to the wadding, press the backing so that it forms a fold that sticks out past the wadding. Take your time to smooth the backing all the way from the stitching line. This is easier than trying to turn under an accurate seam allowance later. Now get your first block (the one we trimmed first and put aside). Put it right sides together with the second block. My blocks are random blocks, so I do not need to match any seams...but if you do, take care to match any seams on the two blocks at this point. The two blocks are then stitched together with a 1/4 inch seam. We are stitching through all 3 layers of the first block (top, wadding and backing) and the top layer of the second block...so through 4 layers altogether. Again, your choice as to whether you use a walking foot or 1/4 inch foot. You will need to hold the folded backing edge of the second block out of the way whilst you do this. All stitched together. Open out the blocks. Everything should sit nicely, with no lumpy overlap of wadding. Now you can press the folded backing of the second block over the join. There are several ways you can finish up from here. The neatest is probably hand stitching the fold down, the same way you would hand stitch the quilt binding. Another option is to machine quilt a straight line. If you do this from the back, the line is not likely to end up in the ditch on the front...but some of my students like to do this anyway. You could stitch in the ditch from the front, and because we allowed that extra 1/8 inch when trimming the second backing, it should, in theory, catch the fold at the back. Me, I like to finish quickly and get back to my dressmaking, so I used a decorative patchwork stitch from the front, which covers a few sins. Here is the back view. If you secure the backs before sewing the next block, you wont be able to stitch all the way to the end because you will need to be able to fold the backing back when trimming ready to attach the next block...no matter if you have...a few moments with a quick unpick will sort that out. Happy quilting, xx
Learn how to sew reversible placemats with our step-by-step directions. This is a perfect project for beginners.
