Hand quilting is the technique of sewing together the three layers of a quilt (batting between two layers of fabric) in a decorative freehand stitch.
Tying a quilt is an easy and quick way to finish a quilt. Tying a quilt means using thread or yarn to attach all three layers of a quilt together. This is a great option for beginner quilters as well as more advanced quilters! To add some extra interest, ties and quilting can be used...
It's finally here! The video showing you how I do big stitch quilting - a super easy and fun hand quilting technique! Big stitch quilting is my new favorite way to hand quilt - I'm not sure I'll ever go back to traditional hand quilting. It's just so much fun! I love the chunkiness of the
The Grow quilt pattern focuses on strip piecing – a quilting technique that creates a modern design. Included are sewing tips and color variations!
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.
52 of my favorite modern quilts from QuiltCon 2024.
Dear Liza, This week, I have learned about a whole new kind of quilting! It has been an adventure in history, geography, and craft. Kawandi quilting is from Western India and Pakistan, but it was b…
Tying a quilt is an easy and quick way to finish a quilt. Tying a quilt means using thread or yarn to attach all three layers of a quilt together. This is a great option for beginner quilters as well as more advanced quilters! To add some extra interest, ties and quilting can be used...
Join us as we learn how to make picture quilts with expert fiber artist Wendy Butler Berns whose method is simple, fast, and oh-sew fun!
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.
Make these fast and fun scrap quilts with these free scrap quilt patterns. Read our best tips for creating a cohesive modern scrap quilt.
Never make the mistake of forgetting these 4 important things to include when you gift a quilt! You'll be so glad that you did #4!!
I've had the chance to review the book Free Motion Quilting for Beginners (and those who think they can't), by Molly Hanson. I love that title! I'm a big proponent of quilting your own quilts, as you know, and I've read a lot of books about free motion quilting. I like how everyone presents the information in their own personal way....there is always more to learn! This book presents all the practical information you need to get started. More importantly, it gives you the confidence to jump in and give free motion quilting a try. There are 15 projects in the book that encourage you to start small and increase your comfort level with free motion quilting before you tackle something larger, like a quilt. What I love most about this book is Molly's tone of encouragement throughout the text and the projects. She is great at guiding you though the entire process! I've done a lot of free motion quilting and I love how relaxing it can be. I also know how easy it can be to get in a rut. I challenged myself to get out of my box, so to speak and try some new-to-me, designs. I gave this squared off stippling pattern a try and it went pretty well! I had to slow down and think about where I was going from time to time, but it was fun! I could see doing this all over a whole quilt. I also quilted a few swatches of different designs and I turned them into a set of coasters. Binding them was a little fiddly, but totally worth it! (I can say that now that they are done. Ha!) These are great because I not only used scraps of fabric, but scraps of batting as well. Hurray! I'm happy to count these as scrap project #94/101. If you would like the chance to win an e-book copy of Free Motion Quilting for Beginners, please leave me a comment in this post. In your comment, I'd love to hear what your favorite go-to FMQ pattern is. Or, if you are new to FMQ, I'd like to hear what pattern you would like to master. I will pick winner in a few days!
Every year, thousands of quilters and quilt lovers descend on Houston, Texas for the International Quilt Festival and Quilt Market. This year, Quilt Festival is from November 2-5, 2023. Many attendees’ favorite part of their annual trip is seeing the Festival Judged Show presented by Quilts, Inc.
Quilting for Beginners teaches newbies how to quilt from the basics, start to finish. This 5 part series walks you through each step of quilt making.
Check out these quick and versatile walking foot quilting designs that even beginner quilters can master! The walking foot is a powerful attachment for your domestic sewing machine that make it possible for you to beautifully quilt your own modern quilts!
Learn to take a photograph and transfer images to fabric for your quilting project.
You've got to get the binding on your quilt nice and straight to get the perfect look. Read this quilting tutorial to get perfectly straight corners on quilt binding.
Browse our favorite minimalist modern quilt patterns and make a simple geometric quilt perfect for your modern aesthetic.
How to hand quilt in 3 easy steps! In this blog and video tutorial I'll list out all of the supplies you need and show you how simple hand quilting is!
Hi there, I’m hoping you can help me. I have a newly finished quilt that got a small hole in the top from my cat’s claws. What’s the best way to repair…
There's an imminent new arrival in our extended family, so it's time for me to get working on another version of my baby beach scenes. Simon suggested I incorporate surfing since the father is a keen surfer. That was the starting point for my designing, anyway. I ended up with this row of (potentially surfable?!) waves which will go across the top of the reef/water section, and I started by piecing them. I divided the waves into organic shapes, much like those I used in the much larger Australian scene and space quilts, which I could then piece from different colour water fabrics. The first step was to trace these onto mid-weight non-woven interfacing and mark some registration points along the curved seams to help piece thems evenly, then cut the pieces apart. After carefully selecting the fabrics to use for each piece (colour, and a smooth gradation was the main consideration)I placed the interfacing patter piece directly on the fabric and drew around it with a air-erasable marker, adding the 1/4in seam allowance by eye as I went. I then added the registration marks and the piece number with a fine-tip permanent pen before cutting it out. I've saved all the interfacing pieces in case I want to do the waves again. Then I pinned all the pieces in place on my pattern and checked I was happy with my fabric choices. Then it was just a case of gradually sewing them all together, carefully easing the curves. The wave section is all done now and will be pieced to the top of the reef/water section once that's done (the bottom is straight-ish).
This past Saturday I taught a workshop on the One Block Wonder Technique at the Eastern branch of the Irish Patchwork Society. It was a bu...
tutorial on joining the ends of quilt binding
Our latest Slow Roads design. Inspired by Americana quilts from the early 1900s, we worked with expert crafts people in Jaipur, India to produce our exclusive monochromatic pull tie quilts. Each Sunday Quilt is handmade from vintage sari fabrics. The vintage fabrics range in technique, from ikat, block print, to appliqué. Some squares on the quilt may be embellished with beads and/or mirrors. The workshop specializes in high quality textile handiwork and is family-owned and operated. The workshop supports women artisans and handicraft traditions throughout Rajasthan. They pay their female workers fair wages, allowing them to manage their finances at their own discretion. One of a kind. Origin: Jaipur, India Manufacturing: Machine sewn, hand quilted Material: Cotton, Silk (Warm Sand Only) Colors: Warm Sand, Canyon, Deep Lake, Moss, Mulberry Condition: Excellent. Due to the nature of the vintage fabric areas may show signs of use. Wear and inconsistencies are unique to the original item. Dimensions: Quilts are handmade by artisans, sizes may fluctuate a few inches. Throw - 72.50" L x 54.50" W King - 108.50" L x 90.50" W Notes: Limited quantities in-stock. In the event we are sold out, reorders will arrive in 4-6 weeks. Place your order now to reserve yours. Made to order. Dry clean only
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
whew… I know you’ve been waiting a long time for this. Remember two (okay three) weeks ago when I teased you with the promise of an in-depth instruction-filled post on my favorite quilt…
Experiment with ‘wavy’ rulers to add movement, dimension to quilts...
See how to finish binding on a quilt - the easy way!
This vibrant child’s quilt looks like a floor puzzle. To piece a top like this may seem difficult, but it’s not, according to the maker, Polly, of Pieces by Polly. She explains her secr…
There is an easier way to bind a quilt: use the backing fabric. Learn how in this tutorial from NewQuilters.com. #bindingaquilteasy, bindingaquilttutorial
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Getting and keeping a 1/4" quilting seam allowance isn't hard. Check out these 5 ways to get the perfect scant 1/4" in your next quilt.
Imagine quilting your favorite dog breed tomorrow... Ask for the breed you want, I create them on demand and upload them here every week. Craft this Havanese Quilt Pattern, a delightful addition to your sewing projects! This meticulously crafted pattern features vibrant hues from the Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids
A Textile Designers guide to the art of Fabric Manipulation to use in simple craft projects
Day Two of our Free Motion Quilting Series shows how to practice Waves.
