Wednesday, January 28, 2015

A Guide On How To Make A Quilt

By Ines Flores


Quilts have been around for ages. They do not have a distinct cultural background as, many cultures from all over the globe, from the Americas to Europe, Africa and China, have had quilts in different styles for quite some time. The quilt has become quite a household name in the recent past both in domestic usage and as a fashion statement. This has led to more and more people gaining interest in the age old practice, and hence seeking for easy ways on how to make a quilt.

The first stages of the procedure involve collecting materials and tools to be used in making the quilt. It also involves deciding on the method to be used. There are two basic methods the traditional approach which is more tasking, and the modern way where machines and simpler tools are used to make work easier and save time.

Some of the tools required include a cutting apparatus either rotary cutters, or well sharpened scissors. A comfortable cutting surface and a long enough ruler: about 12 to 30 inches in length, as well as needles, thread, and a sewing machine are also needed. Quality fabric should not be forgotten. A basic pattern guide and batting material, either polyester or cotton, are also needed.

Once you have all the materials you need, what follows is cutting up the material for the upper part of your quilt. Since most designs are made of regular shapes of various designs and layouts, you should begin by cutting out your preferred shapes. Squares are most preferred for their symmetry and ease of sewing together.

The cut out shapes are then placed on the pattern guide before being sewn together. The size of the quilt may however not allow for easy laying out of the shapes if it is larger than the available work space. In such a case, you may sew them together row wise or column wise and then sew them all together to form the front part of the quilt.

With the front part complete, focus now shifts to the middle part or filling, known as the batting, as well as the back part. These are relatively easy to make since they only require you to cut their respective materials appropriately. They generally require a wider and longer cut to accommodate scrunching of the material after sewing.

At this point, the front part, batting and back part should be arranged and pinned together in preparation for final sewing. Wrinkles and any spaces should be removed before final sewing. The sewing should be done from the middle, toward the ends. A general rule is the more the seams the better. The process ends with sewing in the binding to give a finer and finished look.

Quilt making has several advantages such as acting as a therapeutic treatment, being a non- destructive hobby, and it may be turned into a money making venture by selling the quilts. These may also be given as gifts to various people.




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