Quilting: What’s In The Name?

Article by Embroideryquilter

The vocabulary of quilting can be quite strange! To begin with, quilting can mean the act of putting the top together, adding the actual quilting stitches, or the entire process of making quilts from start to finish! This is the easy part, though.

Next, we have types of quilts. One hears such descriptive terms as “utility quilt”, “heirloom quilt” and “art quilt”. Art quilts are simple to understand, but sometimes difficult to envision and create. These masterpieces are free-flowing with a mixed assortment of fabrics and embellishments, and are never meant for the bed. Utility and heirloom quilts are generally meant for sleeping, and have more in common than one would think!

A utility quilt can be any quilt that is meant to be used! Patchwork, appliqué or whole-cloth, they are meant to be loved, cuddled, dragged through the dirt (we hope not), and anything else a quilt could possibly be used for. Heirloom quilts are no different, but the makers mostly want the quilts to be admired. They begin with more expensive fabric and finish with intricate quilting, usually by hand, but more often now by machine. Don’t let the names fool you! These types of quilts are the same. It’s the quilters who make them that are different.

Quilt-shop quality fabric is another term that is over-used and misunderstood. While all quilting cottons are not created equal, there truly is not much difference in quality between the .00 per yard fabrics from your local craft store and the .00 per yard stuff from a quilt shop. There will always be those that insist higher price means better quantity, but the main reason that quilt shops cost so much more is that they have a higher cost per bolt. The chain stores can buy a larger bulk, and pay a smaller price, and the savings are passed on to the customer. Of course, your favorite designer might only be available from the quilt shop, so have at it! There are many other quilting supplies about which this price for quality myth exists. Use your common sense!

Quilting thread is another term that is changing. Thread for quilting used to be nothing but cotton, cotton, cotton. Now, it is common to do the final quilting with the lovely shades of polyester threads meant for machine embroidery. I’d been doing this for years, and finally discovered that the rest of the world had caught up with me. Very nice! Still, when looking at actual quilting thread, it is important to make sure you’re getting the right product. The threads for hand and machine quilting are quite different! Never put hand-quilting thread through your machine!

Machine quilting can also have several meanings. It can be the act of piecing patchwork, but mainly refers to adding the actual quilt stitching. Most home quilters use a method of pushing and pulling their quilts through the small opening in their machine. Professional quilters generally have a long-arm machine system that holds the quilt steady while the machine is moved. Then, there are the home systems. They aren’t true long-arms, but they do the job just fine. Of course, machine embroidery is also becoming an acceptable way to quilt, but that’s another topic altogether!

Regardless of the vocabulary, quilting is a fun and meaningful way to express creativity; creating lovely works of art or comfy and loveable blankets. Whatever you call it, it’s beautiful!

What is Frugal Quilting?

Article by Nikki Willhite

When I was a little girl, I slept under a quilt my grandmothermade out of my old dresses. That was a very frugal quilt. Thereare other ways to make quilting frugal. Quilting can be anexpensive hobby, or it can be done in a very economical way. Youdon’t have to invest in a multitude of quilting tools orpatterns. It only takes a handful to tools to start quilting.

Specials rulers and other quilting papers and gadgets come inhandy, but are not necessary. If you go a long time without usingspecial quilting rulers, you forget how to use them. Then youhave to spend your time learning how to use them again. At bestit is a quick review. At worst, you’ve lost the instructions andcan’t remember how to use them.

SO HOW DO YOU MAKE QUILTING A FRUGAL HOBBY? Here are some basics

1. Fabric selection. Fabric can cost over a yard, or it canbe purchased for under .00 a yard. The trick is finding fabricthat is of good quality for a lower price. Quilters love to shopfor fabric. When they plan a trip, they always check out thelocal quilt stores.

I don’t buy all my fabric at quilt shops. You can find good 100%cotton at fabric and craft stores. What you are looking for isfabric with a good thread count, and a good finish on the fabric.It can be tricky, because some manufacturers put a lot of sizingand other chemicals on the fabric to make it appear moresubstantial. Your quilt will only be as strong , or last as longas the weakest fibers in your quilt. Some fabrics have a veryhigh thread count. Other fabrics, while of good quality, arethinner. Generally speaking, you do not want to mix them in thesame quilt.

2. Save every scrap of fabric that you have. You may not thinkyou have a use for small leftover pieces of fabric, but thingschange and you will evolve as a quilter. You may want to do someappliqué down the road, or make doll quilts.

You don’t have to organize your leftovers. Just throw them in abox box. Depending on how you decide to use them, you canorganize them later. Just save them.

3. Make scrappy quilts. A scrappy quilt is one that uses avariety of fabrics, as opposed to a very structured set offabrics. This helps you make use of all the fabric that you havepurchased, including scraps from other projects. Also, when yougo shopping, you can just purchase small quantities of that whichyou like. Most quilters like to get like a little bit ofeverything they like.

4. Make larger blocks. Block size is important in frugalquilting. You waste more fabric when you make small blocks.Making large blocks makes the piecing process go very quickly.

No matter how carefully you cut and sew, sometimes pieces won’tmatch up perfectly. Fabric stretches, even on the grain. When youmake larger blocks, you have more room if you have to pull alittle to make the blocks fit together.

5. Piece beginning quilt blocks.  Beginning blocks can be just asbeautiful as blocks that are more difficult to make. You willmake fewer mistakes with easy to make quilt blocks. Mistakeswaste time, and sometimes fabric. Frugal quilters do not take ayear to make a quilt. Frugal quilting is making a quilt in areasonable amount of time. It is making quilts that will beused, sometimes called “utility quilts.” If you want to make anheirloom quilt, it can take over a year and a lot of your time.In that case you will want to use the finest fabric you canafford.

6. Creativity over expense. Frugal quilting is using morecreativity with your own designs than following technicallychallenging and expensive patterns. Not only are patternscostly, but the design can be so structured that the slightestmistake ruins the appearance of the quilt.

7. Avoid unnecessary paper aids. You can use quick piecingmethods, but they are the easy ones, and they don’t requirespecial rulers, or extra papers that cost money that must beremoved when you are done sewing.

8. Don’t waste time. Time is a consideration for everyone.Frugal quilts should be not only easy to piece, but also easy toeither tie or machine quilt.

9. Use simple measurements. Last, but not least, frugalquilting is using what I call “simple measurements.” If you makemost of your blocks in standard sizes, you can put aside blocksyou decide not to use on a current project and use at a latertime. Or, if you are in the mood to piece a particular block,like the flying geese, you can make a bunch of them and just setthem aside. They not only will give you a jump start on yournext project, but they can inspire your design.

Quilting a a great expression of art, as well as a practical hobby.Don’t let money stop you. Have some fun with it.

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