This article page is a great selection of valuable quilting information for you, the quilter. They include many tips and tricks to help you with your quilting and general sewing too. Just as an example:
Tip-You should always cut your borders to length before attaching them.
Read the article "Cutting Border Strips" to see why this is so important.
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Color and Quilting
Colors and how they affect quilting When we admire a quilt or pattern, it can be determined that the color plays a big part in the decision to like or dislike it. The use of contrasts or complementary colors can make or break a design. To understand this, we need to look closely at what colors are. Read More...
- Cutting Border Strips
- Have you ever cut a border strip and added it without cutting the border strip to length? I am sure everyone has done this at least once in their quilting life, but do you know why this is not good practice? When you cut a border strip any length and just stitch it to your quilt, the border strip can be stretched with the pressure foot as you sew it in place. This sometimes happens even using a walking foot without us realizing it. After the seam is sewn, the fabric relaxes again Read More...
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Designing a Quilt
Turning Idea into Quilt Patterns and quilts I design are always unique and often portray the beauty of nature, whether it is scenes or flowers. 85% of my work involves combined techniques of traditional patchwork, modern day appliqué and artistic quilting. The question is; how do I get from point A, the idea, to point B, the finished quilt? My designs usually start out by seeing a particular scene or flower, or a suggestion/idea from a friend. Read More...
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Facts about Fabrics
Interesting facts about Quilters Fabrics When I first started quilting, 26 years ago, I attended a class on appliqué. We were told to bring fabrics, none of which were specific to quilting. These fabrics included polyesters, rayons, cotton and knits, just to name a few. Read More...
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How to Choose good quilting fabric
Good quality fabric enables you to make advanced projects with ease[/quilt-patterns/bargello-quilt-patterns/bargello-blues-bargello-pattern/] Interesting facts about Quilter's Fabrics When I first started quilting, 37 years ago, I attended a class on appliqué. We were told to bring fabrics, none of which were specific to quilting. These fabrics included polyesters, rayons, cotton and knits, just to name a few. Read More...
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Improve your quilting
How you can improve the quality of your quilt making. Introduction One of the best ways to improve your quilting and patchwork skills is to learn to work accurately. For accuracy, always start out slowly and increase your speed as you become more familiar with a process but ensuring you do not lose accuracy along the way. Read More...
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Make a design wall
Is a design wall only for a designer? Quilters, whether they are art quilters or traditional quilters use a design wall. Quilt designers also use a design wall. The answer to the question is ‘No’, a design wall is found in almost every quilter’s home whether they design or not. Read More...
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Quilting - New Zealand style
There is an estimated 27 million quilters in the United States alone, add to this quilters in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Europe and many other countries. That sure is a lot of quilters, and a lot of quilts! As a quilter and traveling teacher from New Zealand, I am often asked how different quilting is in our small South Pacific Island. In the beginning, cotton fabric (the most popular patchwork fabric today) was not readily available. Read More...
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Should I prewash my fabric?
Many quilters wonder whether they should pre-wash their fabrics before using it to make their quilt or use it just as it comes from the quilt store. There are certainly a lot of discussion points on both sides. Allergies: The most important reason for washing your fabrics is if you are allergic to the chemicals manufacturers add to the fabrics. Read More...
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Tips for Applique
Quilting is a very popular hobby and covers a huge range of topics such as applique, patchwork and quilting and then each of these topics cover many different techniques both in hand stitching and machine. When you view the quilts on my website, you will notice that I deal mostly in applique quilts. I found many quilters are afraid to try applique, which is a shame because in most cases, applique is just as easy as patchwork with less need to be accurate in your stitching. Read More...
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Washing Your Quilt
There are many suggestions and ways quilters wash a quilt. I hope this article will help you decide how best to wash your quilt. Before you proceed, you should consider what the quilt is made of. Read More...
