Patchwork Quilt

wantacookie

I am interested in starting a patchwork quilt. I know how to do the front of it - joining the squares of fabric etc - but i'm not 100% sure about actually putting it together with the back and the padding in the middle? I have a sowing machine and that was how i was going to do the front.

Does anyone know of any online resources that might be useful for making one?
A kind of how to guide from start to finish?

Does anyone have any tips?

ArtOfEscape

About.com has a good section on quilting, including a how-to guide:
http://quilting.about.com/od/stepbystepquilting/u/how_to_make_a_quilt.htm

Good luck!

wantacookie

That looks great!

Thank you!! I'm getting excited! Haven't had time to make anything in ages!

cuilteanna

That's a pretty comprehensive site, and there are loads of online videos and blogs not to mention entire boards dedicated to quilting. My favourite basting method depends on how I'm quilting it, safety pins work well for machine quilting but I'd rather spray baste or thread baste for hand quilting.

Have fun!!

aliciaemert

Check this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Pr2m8VGuw

I'm more into knitting though.

spurious

There's also a quilting group somewhere in Dublin, which of course I can't find the number for at the moment, but I know they help out with the actual putting together, particularly of the larger quilts.

wmpdd3

Some body got a jelly roll in America last year and I've managed to make a 30cm square!

I can't get it tidy enough, the points are of I need to get a quilting ruler and a routery cutter.

Haven't even got as far as assembling it!

cuilteanna

spurious wrote: »

There's also a quilting group somewhere in Dublin, which of course I can't find the number for at the moment, but I know they help out with the actual putting together, particularly of the larger quilts.

Is it the Irish Patchwork Society, or a local group? I used to have a local one but everyone is gone away now! Basting my first ever quilt was a group activity and it was loads of fun (I helped out with lots of others as well).

Basting is the part of quilting that I hate most because trying to do a big quilt in a small space will drive you mad. This one is the last I finished and I'd to move all the furniture in the lounge to one end and even then it went nearly wall-to-wall. I'm still searching for my next project but it will be smaller than this!

wantacookie

cuilteanna wrote: »

This one is the last I finished and I'd to move all the furniture in the lounge to one end and even then it went nearly wall-to-wall. I'm still searching for my next project but it will be smaller than this!

Wow that is so impressive... the design is lovely, I was thinking just simple patch work to get me started.. and patchwork isn't even all the simple I just know I can do it

ArtOfEscape

cuilteanna wrote: »

Is it the Irish Patchwork Society, or a local group? I used to have a local one but everyone is gone away now! Basting my first ever quilt was a group activity and it was loads of fun (I helped out with lots of others as well).

Basting is the part of quilting that I hate most because trying to do a big quilt in a small space will drive you mad. This one is the last I finished and I'd to move all the furniture in the lounge to one end and even then it went nearly wall-to-wall. I'm still searching for my next project but it will be smaller than this!

Incredible work!

cuilteanna

I fell in love with that quilt when I saw it and knew I had to make one, but it's definitely not a beginner project. Simple is best to start with, and with some imagination the least complicated designs can be gorgeous!

Now to figure out what my next project is going to be...

spurious

cuilteanna wrote: »

Is it the Irish Patchwork Society, or a local group? I used to have a local one but everyone is gone away now! Basting my first ever quilt was a group activity and it was loads of fun (I helped out with lots of others as well).

Basting is the part of quilting that I hate most because trying to do a big quilt in a small space will drive you mad. This one is the last I finished and I'd to move all the furniture in the lounge to one end and even then it went nearly wall-to-wall. I'm still searching for my next project but it will be smaller than this!

I think it was a group out Raheny direction. I'm still looking for the number.
I have a king-sized nine-pointed Jerusalem Diamond quilt which I stitched by hand about ten years ago, but need to put it on backing material and quilt it. That's what I got the number for a few years ago - of course I did nothing about it, but it will be a lovely quilt when it's finished.

cuilteanna

spurious wrote: »

I have a king-sized nine-pointed Jerusalem Diamond quilt which I stitched by hand about ten years ago, but need to put it on backing material and quilt it. That's what I got the number for a few years ago - of course I did nothing about it, but it will be a lovely quilt when it's finished.

Wow, that will be beautiful!

I've been browsing lessons on Craftsy - you have to sign up, but they have free classes for their Block of the Month 2012 (which is nice because it's finished and in the end lessons she goes over basting a quilt on the floor and different ways to quilt it on a sewing machine). There are a bunch of blocks in the earlier months, all different styles. There's also a Block of the Month 2013 for free but of course it's still early in the year for finishing instructions of that one. Funny enough the instructor, Laura Nownes, wrote one of the first quilt books I ever bought!

Sharon Schamber has an interesting technique on YouTube for thread basting a quilt that uses two boards to roll the quilt top and backing around so you can work in a smaller area than laying everything out. I'm thinking of trying it for my next one (just finished piecing my backing last week).

wantacookie

I was wondering how useful a rotary cutter and self-healing mat would be? I've been meaning to buy on for a while and this looks like the perfect excuse! I have decided to make a quilt that is 12x12 squares so its going to involve a lot of cutting

cuilteanna

The rotary cutter / ruler / mat will save you loads of time. Well worth the investment IMHO!

wantacookie

Yeah I thought it might be useful! I was in Hickeys recently (trying to pick out material but couldn't choose!) and I noticed they had them for good prices so I might go back for one!

Is there anything else you would suggest getting?

cuilteanna

Just general sewing notions which you might already have... A patchwork foot for your machine and some good pins for piecing the top are helpful, a walking foot if you'll be quilting it on the machine. You can baste the layers with thread, safety pins, or spray baste so one of those eventually when your top is ready.

I understand not being able to choose. I've to have something specific in mind or just be buying odd pieces that appeal to me. The first quilt I wanted to make has never been done as I couldn't ever find 7 fabrics in the colour families I wanted that looked good to me. Someday!

wantacookie

Oh cool! I might need to pick up one or two more things!

This was the kind of design I had in mind, I was googling different patterns that others have done and this one appealed to me the most...

Going to go back and have a look when I have more time and see can I find colours I like!

cuilteanna

That's really nice, I love the lighter small scale prints next to the bright patches of each colour. The quilting design is interesting!

wantacookie

I was thinking of doing a more basic quilting design for my first one - maybe just the lines made by the squares!
But I really like the colours on this one! Now just to get some material!