free rag edge quilt patterns
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In order to learn how to quilt you must first understand how a quilt is made.
Basically a quilt is a sandwich that consists of three layers. The top of the quilt is a decorative layer created from small fabric pieces or 'patches' sewn together in a creative and artistic manner.
The second layer is the batting. Batting is a cozy thermal layer of matted cotton, wool, polyester or silk fibers that give the quilt warmth and volume.
The third layer is the backing that is made from one continuous piece of fabric.
Quilting is the stitching which holds the three layers of the quilt 'sandwich' together while forming a decorative design. Quilting can be done either by hand or machine.
The three layers are held together in one of three ways...
The oldest method is hand quilting. This is perhaps the most labor intensive choice for those just learning how to make a quilt. Hand quilting is usually done in a quilting 'hoop' or on a quilting 'frame' using special needles, called 'betweens', and quilting thread.
The easiest method is machine quilting. Machine quilting involves the use of a sewing machine to stitch the layers of the fabric sandwich together.
The third method is called tying which involves using evenly spaced knots or bows to hold the layers together at wider intervals than quilting. Done by hand or machine, this method makes a generous, puffy quilt called a comforter.
Those learning how to make a quilt should be familiar with the term piecing or patchwork as it is sometimes called. This is an exacting method of sewing small pieces of fabric ('patches') together to produce a decorative pattern or 'block'. This can be done either by hand or with a sewing machine.
Another important definition to know while learning how to quilt is of the term appliqué. Applique is the method of applying fabric shapes (called 'patches') by hand, onto a fabric background. Applique are grouped together to produce a decorative pattern or 'block'. If you are using a sewing machine, appliqué, fabric shapes are usually cut into the desired shape without seam allowances. The shapes are then fused to the background with heat-activated fusible web. They are usually sewn on the quilt using a close zigzag stitch called a 'satin stitch'. This method is particularly suited to intricate 'pictorial' appliqué that attempts to reproduce a stylized or realistic story or picture.
Another method of machine appliqué involves drawing or tracing the shape onto the wrong side of the fabric. The patch is then placed facedown onto a lightweight lining and sewn around the marked seam line. It is then trimmed, turned right side out and sewn to the background using invisible thread and a machine blind hemstitch.
If you are just learning how to quilt that are plenty of sites on the Internet that can explain such products as heat-activated fusible web and, seam lines and various stitches used in quilting.
A 'Block' is a single design unit comprised of small fabric pieces sewn together to produce a decorative pattern. Often, blocks are separated by alternating plain squares or by fabric strips. This is called sashing. Sashing is a term that those just learning how to quilt will run into often.
For comprehensive step by step lessons in how to quilt go http://www.kathkwilts.com/lessons/gendirs.html. Here you will find out everything you always wanted to know about making a quilt including instructions on how to cut shapes for piece work, hand piecing, machine piecing, creating appliques by hand, creating borders and sashing.
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Timely help for free rag edge quilt patterns
About Quilting I like this scrappy miniature quilt. It's made from sixteen 3" foundation (paper) pieced whirlwind blocks and finishes at 21" square. The blocks are quick and easy to make, but you might have to experiment a bit with patch placement (for the neutral background) because triangles can be a little challenging at first if the technique is new to you. I get lots of emails from quilters who've never tried foundation piecing, and always encourage them to experiment with it -- most people love the technique once they've tried a few quilts. And after you've made a couple of foundation pieced projects, you'll know instinctively how to make them all. Newcomers to foundation piecing should read my Foundation Piecings Basics and Paper Piecing Tips before sewing the quilt. Photo © Janet Wickell Scrappy Miniature Whirlwind Quilt originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 09:00:16. Permalink | Comment | Email this Pictures of String Quilts Do you have bunches of leftover fabric from other projects? Do you like scrap quilts? If you answered yes, a string quilt might be a perfect next project for you. To make a string quilt, strips are sewn freehand-style onto foundations. You don't have to fuss over strip width, seam allowances or worry that strips don't "match." You can configure the strips in any way -- make square blocks or cut pieces into other patchwork shapes. If you don't have leftover fabric, no problem, lots of quilters cut new yardage into strings just so they can make one of these lovely quilts. String Quilts Gallery String Quilt by Momof11 Pictures of String Quilts originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Sunday, September 5th, 2010 at 11:39:18. Permalink | Comment | Email this Milky Way Quilt Pattern I'm not inserting an image of the Milky Way quilt for a couple of reasons. It's difficult to see the design as a small thumbnail, plus I've included two very different color and color value arrangements within the pattern, and don't have room to display both. Milky Way is one of many quilt blocks based on the traditional Friendship Star design, but Milky Way's unique alternating stars won't emerge when blocks are simply sewn side-by-side. The method used to make them appear is easy though, and it's simple to create all sorts of layouts, from subtle to dramatic. Related Quilt Patterns Milky Way Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 13:48:57. Permalink | Comment | Email this Thirties Pinwheel-in-a-Square Block This thirties-era Pinwheel-in-a-Square quilt block finishes at 12" x 12", large enough for the wonderful reproduction fabrics to make a bold statement. Of course, if you aren't into fabrics from this area, simply choose another theme for your quilt blocks. The design works well with any fabrics. Janet Wickell Thirties Pinwheel-in-a-Square Block originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 07:00:57. Permalink | Comment | Email this Woven Baskets Quilt & Quilt Block Pattern I've had several emails from readers looking for basket quilt and quilt block patterns. So here's something new, a Woven Basket pattern. Use the pattern to make Woven Baskets quilt blocks. Page 4 of the pattern includes yardages and cutting to help you make a 61" square wallhanging, but you can customize the size and layout to suit your needs. Like other basket blocks, Woven Baskets works perfectly with either scrappy or organized fabrics. Janet Wickell Woven Baskets Quilt & Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 09:23:02. Permalink | Comment | Email this Improved Four Patch Quilt Block & Quilt Pattern The Improved Four Patch quilt block is made up of a four patch central unit set on point, and then surrounded by triangles. It's an easy patchwork quilt block that's suitable for quilters of every skill level, even beginners. The block finishes at 11-1/4-inches square, and you'll find instructions and fabric requirements for single blocks and for an entire quilt. Improved Four Patch Quilt Block & Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Saturday, August 21st, 2010 at 05:57:31. Permalink | Comment | Email this Navajo Quilt Block Pattern The traditional Navajo patchwork quilt block makes a wonderful scrap quilt. Mix-up its colors, adding anything that reminds you of the western United States (or throw out tradition and choose an entirely different palette). Navajo is a block with a ready-made on-point appearance -- created by sewing corner squares to each patchwork center. Sew the blocks side by side, or put them into columns and separate the columns with colorful strips of fabric. Janet Wickell Navajo Quilt Block Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 10:07:32. Permalink | Comment | Email this Write About Machine Quilting for Us I'm excited to finally announce that we're looking for a contributing writer (CW for short) for the Quilting site. CWs are part of a new program at About.com, one that's helping Guides fill-in areas of specialized content, in this case someone to write about Machine Quilting (it's a fantastic method, but I love hand quilting, and have loads of work to do in order to develop that content). So if you love to machine quilt, and have technical writing experience, just follow the link to learn how to apply to be a Contributing Writer for the Quilting site. Write About Machine Quilting for Us originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 10:46:26. Permalink | Comment | Email this Aurora Borealis Quilt Block and Quilt Pattern I've only seen the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) once, from an open field in Iowa. They were beautiful, but had I not known what I was looking at, the constant bends and flashes of color that crossed the night sky would likely have been a frightening experience. I hope to witness the lights again sometime, but it won't happen in my southern state. I wanted the Aurora Borealis quilt to resemble those flashes of light against a night sky. The quilt is created by surrounding color-intense stars (a Friendship Star variation) with a mottled, multicolored fabric backed in black. A plain black background is added next, to make the colorful components stand out. There's not enough space here to show you an image of the Aurora Borealis quilt -- see page 3 of the pattern (and click on the image if you would like a closer look). Janet Wickell Aurora Borealis Quilt Block and Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 12:00:13. Permalink | Comment | Email this Ocean Waves Quilt Pattern Ocean Waves is a design that's packed with half square triangle units. The quilt isn't difficult to make, but it does have lots and lots of pieces. I'm only showing the block here, because scaling the quilt down to a size that fits the space makes it pretty much unrecognizable. The pattern is a natural for scrap piecing, but looks great sewn in an orderly fashion, too. If the number of patches the quilt requires seems like more than you want to take on, just assemble a small batch of the units each time you sit down to sew. Accumulate them in a box, keeping track of how many you add each time, and for a true scrap quilt sew the units with fabrics from the day's sewing tasks. The end result is definitely worth the effort. Ocean Waves Quilt Pattern originally appeared on About.com Quilting on Sunday, August 8th, 2010 at 15:47:01. Permalink | Comment | Email this Newsfeed display by CaRP |
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