Pressing the seams in your quilt is one of the most important tasks for the completed work. A good press will mean that the quilt is assured a smooth flow from piece to piece both visually and to the touch. Most quilters will find that they have a style of pressing that suits them best, but before you find that style it is important to realize what pressing is not.

What Pressing is Not

Pressing the seams in your quilt is not the same as ironing. Although you will be using an iron and an ironing board, it is absolutely critical to remember that you are not ironing (that is, running the appliance over the seam with gentle pressure) but just coaxing the seam down in order to seal it and make it less visible. Read the rest of this entry »

One type of quilting pattern used today is Edge-to-Edge quilting. As the name implies, Edge-to-Edge quilting is repeating the same pattern from one edge of the quilt to the other edge. Typically quilters will work from the top of the quilt to the bottom to create an Edge-to-Edge quilting pattern.

Novice quilters will enjoy Edge-to-Edge quilting because only one or two designs are used to achieve the effect. Traditionally, only one color thread is used and this makes it easier for beginners. Quilts made with this pattern have a more symmetrical look and feel to them rather than trying to balance various motifs and designs throughout the quilt. Read the rest of this entry »

Long ago, quilts were strictly made by hand and out of necessity. Scraps of material were used to create quilts that would be used for curtains, bed covering, burials and more. Families had special or Keepsake quilts though that were created to pass down through the generations. You can go to a store or craft fair and purchase a quilt but it will not be the same as a Keepsake quilt.

Keepsake quilts pass not only the quilt but the rich family history with it. They are living memories of the past for many generations. For example, some quilts have pieces of cloth from special events such as maternity clothing pieces, christening gown swatches, past bed cover sections and more. Knowing where all the different sections of the quilts come from is a way of passing down the family history to each generation.

Some families have a generation Keepsake quilt. These quilts are never complete. Each generation works on them and adds sections to them. They then pass the quilt down to the next generation. These family heirlooms are gorgeous and a wonderful way to keep Read the rest of this entry »

Your selection of quilting batting for your projects is essential to the life and enjoyment of your quilt. Batting is the middle layer of your quilt that provides warmth, fluffiness and texture. There are several types of low-loft batting materials available. Which type you choose for each project will depend on the purpose of the finished quilt.

Low-loft batting is used most often for quilts. Low-loft batting is soft and very easy to sew through. It doesn’t have the same thickness as other batting material which makes it easy to sew straight lines and maintain accurate seams. Low-loft batting should be used for quilts that need a flat appearance when completed. Some examples of low-loft batting uses would be wall hangings, placemats, handbags, clothing, and quilts that only need a thin insulation layer. Read the rest of this entry »

Some folks have asked me this question, so here’s my answer:

Broderie Perse is a method of applying a fabric, originally the colorful Chintz type fabrics of Europe, onto a background by hand sewing. This was done in order to randomly decorate it or establish a pictorial scene upon the background.

The efforts were turned into coverlets or quilts and became most popular in the 17th Century and possibly earlier in some cases with Indian Broderie Perse findings. The Chintz fabrics were used due to the firm outlines of the figures woven into the fabric, the images were not usually blended into the next image, there was clear space around where the picture could be cut out, as if it were in a coloring book with a line around the outside.

Thus when cut just outside the lines of those images, say a flower or bird, the artist would then take the cut-out motif and apply it onto the background fabric of the Read the rest of this entry »