News — quilting tutorial

Once the quilt has been quilted, the edges need to be bound. The binding can either frame the quilt or fade into it by using the same or similar fabric to the outside border of the quilt. It is your choice. Before adding the binding, cut off any excess batting and backing and square up the quilt one final time. Your sides should be of equal length and your top and bottom should be of equal length. Cutting your binding requires an upfront decision. Some people cut their binding at a width of 2-1/2". I cut mine at 2-1/4". I...

When I first started quilting, I didn't understand the function of borders. Sure they look great and add to the overall beauty of the quilt, but there are also a couple specific reasons for adding them. When all the pieces have been sewn together in the center of the quilt top, most designers add one or more borders. The first border is the most important because it can keep the edges of the quilt top from stretching. Structurally, its main purpose is the secure the edges of the quilt.  Square up the quilt before adding any borders. Make sure the...

OK, so it's going to be more than a word.... There is a difference between ironing and pressing. You iron clothes. Ironing is moving the iron to and fro across the fabric to straighten it. You can iron fabric when you are prepping it for cutting. Once you start piecing, you press. Pressing is an up/down motion. There is no dragging because any dragging could distort your pieces.  If you watch quilting shows, you will hear them say to set the seam before pressing. Setting the seam is taking the fabric as it has been sewn together to the ironing...

Believe it or not, but the hard part is over. The prep work and cutting your fabric sets the stage for a successful quilt or other project. The hardest part of this stage is getting that perfect 1/4" stitch. As with just about everything, there is more than one way to achieve that goal. Experiment with them all and decide which one works best for you. Most machines have a 1/4" foot. These feet have a flange on the right side. The raw edge of the fabric glides along that flange keeping the fabric straight and at that perfect 1/4"....

Prepping and cutting your fabric is perhaps one of the most important steps in the quilt making process. If your pieces are not cut correctly, small errors in each piece's size multiplied over the size of the entire quilt can add up to a major difference in the size of your quilt compared with the pattern dimensions. While the final size of your quilt isn't a big deal like it is in garment making, it is indicative of inexact cutting. Truth be told, this is the area in which I struggle most, so it is the skill that I have...