What is Quilting all About?
Quilting is an 8 BILLION dollar business in America annually. It is a craft that has been around for hundreds of years.
For centuries, the Chinese have used quilted cloth for their padded winter clothing. The Crusaders found that the
quilted shirts worn by Arabs offered a great deal of protection under their chainmail. They brought the idea back home
in the 13th century. The process was adapted by European women for the use in creating bedcovers.
Quilting came to America with the Pilgrims. It was necessary for the settlers to recycle their clothing and other fabrics,
for their quilt tops, cutting the fabric into smaller pieces and patching over and over until it wore out completely. These
first quilts were practical rather than pretty, but soon the designs became more colorful and elaborate. Appliqué also
became a popular way of decorating the quilts and the patchwork quilt was officially born.
It wasn't long before quilts became associated with the celebration of important events. Specific designs were created
for specific reasons. The Double Wedding Ring design was used to mark a marriage or anniversary. This design was
made from interlocking rings, each constructed from tiny patches.
Today, patchwork quilts are traditionally made from scraps left over from past sewing projects. Not all scraps are
suitable for this purpose. Loosely woven fabrics, such as muslin, are weak and prone to distortion, while very tightly
woven fabrics, such as ticking, are not flexible enough and hard to stitch. Cotton is the best fabric to use, especially for
beginner quilters. Once a quilter is more experienced they may add other fabrics like silk, lightweight wool and so on.
The color of a quilt is up to the creator. Most quilters plan their project carefully, or follow an established pattern. Making
test patches is a great way to experiment. Colors are usually sorted into tones, light, medium and dark. Using tone helps
to create depth and design. Textured fabric also creates different effects.
You must pre-wash all fabrics in mild detergent and warm water before starting a quilt. Any fabrics that may run should
be washed separately. When the fabrics are dry they should be ironed, either with a steam iron, or a dry iron and a
clean damp cloth.
Quilts consist of three layers. The top piece is the layer that is decorated and most elaborate. The middle piece is a
layer of batting that provides warmth. The third piece is the backing. These three layers are held together with lines of
stitching. These lines may be worked in a grid, in straight rows or elaborate patterns. Originally they were sewn by hand
with a needle. Today some quilters still produce quilts this way, while others rely on machine quilting.
In the early days the equipment needed to produce a quilt included a needle, thread and material, and hopefully a pair
of shears and a thimble. A wooden frame would be constructed to allow the quilter to use both hands, or to enable more
than one sewer to work at a time. Quilting bees were popular social gatherings. Today many quilters prefer to use a
large wooden hoop to make their projects more portable.
Quilting is an 8 BILLION dollar business in America annually. It is a craft that has been around for hundreds of years.
For centuries, the Chinese have used quilted cloth for their padded winter clothing. The Crusaders found that the
quilted shirts worn by Arabs offered a great deal of protection under their chainmail. They brought the idea back home
in the 13th century. The process was adapted by European women for the use in creating bedcovers.
Quilting came to America with the Pilgrims. It was necessary for the settlers to recycle their clothing and other fabrics,
for their quilt tops, cutting the fabric into smaller pieces and patching over and over until it wore out completely. These
first quilts were practical rather than pretty, but soon the designs became more colorful and elaborate. Appliqué also
became a popular way of decorating the quilts and the patchwork quilt was officially born.
It wasn't long before quilts became associated with the celebration of important events. Specific designs were created
for specific reasons. The Double Wedding Ring design was used to mark a marriage or anniversary. This design was
made from interlocking rings, each constructed from tiny patches.
Today, patchwork quilts are traditionally made from scraps left over from past sewing projects. Not all scraps are
suitable for this purpose. Loosely woven fabrics, such as muslin, are weak and prone to distortion, while very tightly
woven fabrics, such as ticking, are not flexible enough and hard to stitch. Cotton is the best fabric to use, especially for
beginner quilters. Once a quilter is more experienced they may add other fabrics like silk, lightweight wool and so on.
The color of a quilt is up to the creator. Most quilters plan their project carefully, or follow an established pattern. Making
test patches is a great way to experiment. Colors are usually sorted into tones, light, medium and dark. Using tone helps
to create depth and design. Textured fabric also creates different effects.
You must pre-wash all fabrics in mild detergent and warm water before starting a quilt. Any fabrics that may run should
be washed separately. When the fabrics are dry they should be ironed, either with a steam iron, or a dry iron and a
clean damp cloth.
Quilts consist of three layers. The top piece is the layer that is decorated and most elaborate. The middle piece is a
layer of batting that provides warmth. The third piece is the backing. These three layers are held together with lines of
stitching. These lines may be worked in a grid, in straight rows or elaborate patterns. Originally they were sewn by hand
with a needle. Today some quilters still produce quilts this way, while others rely on machine quilting.
In the early days the equipment needed to produce a quilt included a needle, thread and material, and hopefully a pair
of shears and a thimble. A wooden frame would be constructed to allow the quilter to use both hands, or to enable more
than one sewer to work at a time. Quilting bees were popular social gatherings. Today many quilters prefer to use a
large wooden hoop to make their projects more portable.
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