Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Basic Quilting Steps And Longarm Quilting Services

By Minnie Whitley


Quilts are extremely popular in American homes. They are used for almost anything, be it bed covers, table cloths, furniture seats, even mats and skirts. It is a tradition handed down to generations in most families, and has always been a part of life. Quilting is known for its characteristic bursts of color due to scraps of fabric artistically put together.

Traditional quilting is done by hand, using straight stitches like a running stitch to connect differently colored scraps together. Today most quilting is done by simple sewing machines or longarm quilting services. You can come up with thousands of very unique designs, but there are loads of quilting designs and already cut fabric squares available in the market.

You will need three different layers sewn together like a sandwich. The lowest is a plain sheet of cloth known as the backing, in the middle is an insulating material called the batting. This middle layer can either be made up of any warming material such as cotton or polyester or even wool. The material you put in the middle determines the softness of your quilt, so chose this carefully. On top of these two layers is the design itself.

Of course, before you can even start on the design that you have in mind, you have to have all that you need to make it. Quilting tools include the little squares that you piece together, a big sheet of cloth for the back, and insulating sheet in the middle. You will also need a sewing machine and basic sewing materials.

To make the top design you have to piece together little squares to make a design. It is usually recommended that beginners should use ready made squares to save on time and effort. You will have to mix and match these little scraps to make a unique design. Start on sewing together rows of threes. Three rows make a bigger square.

Now you will have to iron the rows to flatten them. Stack all three layers of the design, insulator, and back. The back portion should lie upside down so that the right side of the plain fabric could be seen from the back. The design should also be the smallest fabric. The insulator must be slightly wider and longer, and the last should be the biggest.

The best way to start stitching is to work your way from the middle down to the edges. You can follow the stitch lines you have made when piecing the little squares together. Make more stitches as you possibly can to secure that the layers stay in place when they are already in use. Get another strip of cloth you can use as binding. Iron the binding first then secure them on the edges along all the sides of your quilt. Bind them in place with pins, then sew.

The last part of quilt making is the binding. Once it is done, your quilt is practically done. You can wash it for a more comfortable feel. Beginners usually take longer time to finish, whereas the more experienced ones can even finish a project within a day, depending on its size.

Of course, not everyone will have the time to make their own quilts. One can employ services that make quilts for shorter periods with the use of a long arm system. These usually take less time and with no effort, too.




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