Crazy Quilts- Use Of Embroidered Designs

Jamila Parks

Embroidered Designs

Embroidered quilts became popular since mid 1800. Ladies grew more creative and tried out various patterns and designs on their quilts. Quilts were becoming famous for not only warmth and comfort. They became areas to showcase talent and creativity.

Back in the 1800s, hand stitching was a common thing. Most of the clothes were hand stitched and people were experts in this. The art of hand stitching slowly made its way to designing quilts too. Crazy designs were gaining popularity and it is during this time that memory quilts made their appearance.

Many pieces of fabrics which were reminders of important life events, souvenirs or gifts from others were stitched into the quilt in random designs. Sometimes the seamstresses would stitch in the date of the event as well.

These were not used for the primary purpose of bedding. Rather they were preserved for decoration and memory sake. Later on these rare and crazy quilts were the source of information to all history lovers.

As women’s magazines also started gaining acceptance in many families, the ladies of the house were exposed to many more new designs and ideas. Some of the stitches used back then are still being incorporated today. The main stitches used were

· Honeycomb,
· daisy,
· perle stitch,
· herringbone,
· feather stitch,
· capped feather stitch
· Half daisy.
· French knots
· Detached wheatear

With the help of these stitches many beautiful quilts were designed. If you take a look at the industry today, you can still see many similar patterns being repeated.

Today one of the well known designers who use crazy quilting methods is Linda Atwill of Molly Mine. She has also written a book regarding the modern techniques in crazy quilting. Following the modern trends, she has adopted many themes like Christmas, Halloween etc in her designs.

Since time immemorial, crazy quilts have been around and they represent many cultures and are pictorial representations of life.

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Expert Advice On Straight Line Quilting

Jamila Parks

Straight Line Quilting

Straight line quilting requires patience and precision. Unlike free motion quilting, straight line quilting is more complicated .You need to be very careful when dealing with straight line quilting. When starting out with this also, you have to try out simple lines first. Do not attempt very complex designs which will confuse you more.

Echoing the lines
Pivoting the lines is a good way to create a simple yet elegant design. You can for example start with a small diamond and then echo the lines of the diamond to create a pattern. The shape should be radiated towards the outer side and can be ended at the borders.

Mark the quilt top correctly
You need to learn how to mark your quilt top correctly. If the quilt top is not marked properly, the straight lines will not turn out correctly. This may be one of the most important part which people often neglect. They go ahead and start the pattern without fixing the quilt and then later realize that the straight lines have gone zig zag.

Try out the dense lines
Experiment as much as you can with dense lines too. Matchstick quilting will help you to do this. It is really tedious and a great pressure to get all those lines done. However the end product is worth all the effort.

Spray basting
Evenly spaced lines in the same direction will also give you a great look. Spray basting your quilt will help to remove layers and give you an even platform to work on. You need to remove the layers and uneven surfaces first as you will be working on straight lines.

One important thing you need to pay attention to is not to hurry at all. Take your time and be patient as you work on a straight line quilt. Give it a bit of time and you will master the tricks.

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What You Must Look For While Buying A Free Motion Quilt Sewing Machine

Jamila Parks

Quilt Sewing Machine

Ready to take up free motion quilting? Excellent decision! Now what would you need to check before buying your sewing machine. There are certain points you could verify when you go hunting for the machine.

Get the best for your money
Quilt making is a good investment once you master it. So when you have now decided that you are going to give it a try, buy the best machine you are able to afford. Don’t look for low cost machines just because you are a beginner. The art of mastering this is not going to be far away once you get started. So decide right now to get the best for the money you are going to spend.

Large throat space
When you are attempting free motion quilt making, try to get the maximum throat space/harp space in the machine. This means that the space between the machine edge and the needle should be allow you to move the bulk material easily. Then only will you be able to sew comfortably.

Open toe darning foot
Free motion is required for getting best results. An open toe darning foot allows more visibility and is easier to handle.

The machine should provide facilities to quickly change the presser foot and should also have free access to the bobbin. Go for a machine in which the needle which has up down movement.

All the above tips will help you choose a suitable sewing machine.

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The Trick To Make A Light Weight Quilt

Jamila Parks

The Trick To Make A Light Weight Quilt

Quilts are quite cozy and you all love curling up in them. However during summer as much as all like the comfortable quilt, the heaviness and climate may not allow you to enjoy being covered up so much. You may wish the quilt was lighter so that you could still enjoy being wrapped up. The good news is it is actually easy to make a light weight quilt.

The fabric matters
Quilts have to be made of fabric which suits the season you need it for. You should not choose material which becomes very warm. Denims and chambray are good choices for the winter. However cotton is the best for summer. The fabric is light weight, especially if you go for Cotton lawn, Cotton double gauze and cotton voile. These are the best choices for breathability. Cotton lawn may be the last option as it may not feel very soft against the skin. One of the favorites is cotton voile. This is extremely soft and smooth. All the above are becoming popular as they are good choices for making lightweight quilts.

Choose the best batting to suit the season

Here again the fabric you use as the batting matters a lot. You may feel like using polyester as it is lighter, however this will give you a warmer quilt which will not be very comfortable in summer. Similarly wool is not a good choice for summer; however is the most suited for winter. Cotton is the is generally preferred during warmer seasons. Bamboo batting is another great material for lightweight batting.
You should definitely try cotton voile with a bamboo batting. It is a pure delight. The luxurious, light and drapey feel you get is exactly what you need for the perfect summer.

Just take care of the above two points when choosing a quilt and find yourself a great light weight one to curl up this summer.

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