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.

When making a quilt, the initial stages are mainly about collection of materials and tools as well as proper preparation. The method one uses in the making of the quilt is what will ultimately determine the procedures followed. There are two main methods the traditional and more manual way, and a newer way that is machine intensive at all stages.

The tools to be used should be gathered at this stage. These include cutting tools, which could either be rotary cutters or well sharpened scissors. A flat cutting surface should be made available as well as a ruler, which should be at least 5 inches in width and 12 to 30 inches in length. Good quality fabric for the front, back and batting should also be sought, as well as a pattern guide and iron box.

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.

When all the shapes have been cut out, what follows is to lay out the pieces with guidance from the pattern guide. Sometimes the quilt may be too large for your workspace. In such a case, you may work around this by working row wise or column wise. The laid out pieces are then sewed together. In the case of a big quilt, the rows and columns are also sewn together to complete the front part.

The batting and back part follow. The procedure of making these is easier, since they only require a larger cut. These two are laid in front of the front part to measure their cut which should be wider and longer. This is done to accommodate the areas taken up by the scrunching fabric after the final 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.

The process of quilt making is easy once you are conversant with the procedure. It also brings several advantages such as making use of scrap and extra fabric laying around, and the therapeutic nature of the process. The process can also be a hobbyists paradise. The product itself may be sold for monetary gain, or given as a gift to a friend or loved one.




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