Beginner Quilting - Instructions For Making Lap Quilt

Predominantly quilts that fit the size of your lap are termed as lap quilts, lap quilts are comfy, soft and tender felt. Laps quilts are similar to those like a bed quilts just the size is smaller.

If you like yours to be that extra bit cozier you can simply do that by adding more batting but as a precaution prewash the fabric, find the right fabric and do iron it if it is cotton so as to compress the batting.

If the material is a wash & wear type then iron is not a must as the fabric will not get furrowed and craggy on washing. Here below is the list of instructions to be followed while making a lap quilt.

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES THAT ARE REQUIRED:

* Customary sewing machine

* Spray starch

* Rotary cuter

* Embroidery needles - general size 12

* Iron

* Needles

* Cutting mat

* Quilt batting

* Fabric in 4 colors or 4 shades.

* Pins- beaded head

* Design for block quilt

* Rotary ruler

Instructions For Making Lap Quilt

1. Buy 3 yards of blended cotton fabric (Wash and Wear). Harmonize colors and patterns. Play with color combinations as you please, pick your favourite pink color or have blue outlines also make sure your you have all other supplies stored before hand.

2. We recommend Prewash of fabrics as a necessity. As some fast color may go dull or even rub on to your quilt later on so prewash it and let get dried completely, there are chances of the fabric shrinking too.

Dry up the fabric and then proceed to iron the material once you have sprayed starch to it. Take extra care of keeping the fabric absolutely dry and hard sans wrinkles.

3. Thereafter, on a place mat lay the fabrics one over the other like a heap. With the use of a scale slice nearly 150, 3 and half inch by 3 and half inch squares applying a rotary cutter. All the squares you cut should be of similar dimensions and importantly without edging or irregular.

4. Now decide the pattern of the quilt and lay the squares that way. Permit for 10 strings of 15 squares. Arrange the cut material (squares) for each particular string in different plies.

5. First stitch each string of those squares thus making individual rows. 1/4-inch seams are then to be stitched. Iron the joints smoothly. Thereafter stitch the entire individual rows as one and you should have in hand a ten by fifteen square quilt.

6. Take your selected batting material and put it over the piecing. Place the piecing in such a manner that the upper side is facing the mat while the side that has stitches visible should face the batting. Next, put your lining fabric on it.

7. Once that is done, we have three things, the batting, the piecing and the lining fabric. Your task shall be to stitch them all or co join them using a sewing machine. Experimentation with different design patterns should be avoided at a beginner's stage.

8. Spruce surplus batting by cutting the side threads or nets of the quilt. Pin casing to the border of that quilt on all the corners stretching on the outer side. A sewing machine can be used to sew the binding. Extra threading can be cut away.

As the weekend sets in I am sure you'd like to relax in front of the television, enjoying your favourite programming with your cozy lap quilt to warm you.
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Tips on Producing A Stunning Patchwork Quilt

A patchwork quilt is made by piecing together quilt blocks in order to create a specific design. However because of the advances in the techniques used for producing quilts (quilting) a person can now choose just how they actually put these pieces of material together.

However one thing is certain, which is that in order to produce a good quality patchwork quilt a person needs to be accurate when they are carrying out the work. Unfortunately it only takes one mistake in one of the blocks and this will soon be repeated throughout the rest of them. So it is important that before you start to make your main quilt you make a sample block first and then measure it. If you discover it is not the size you were looking for then you will need to figure out just where exactly the error has occurred. Look and see if the threads are too wide or narrow along the seams. If they are, then you need to clip them and restitch.

There are various ways in which you can piece a patchwork quilt together and we will now take a look at these below. But what is important is that you piece each block together one at a time.

1. Hand Piecing

This method gives your quilt a hand made look which often gets lost when a person is producing a quilt on their machine. So it really is a case of you sitting there and pinning each block together and then sewing them up just one block at a time. It may take longer than other methods but the finished product will be something that you treasure and truly appreciate in the future.

2. Machine Piecing

This method allows you to produce a patchwork quilt much quicker, and it does help to ensure that the quilt you produce stays in one piece once completed no matter how many times you wash it. However in the beginning you may find this method difficult but as time goes by and you become more practiced in the art of machine quilting you will soon find that the quilts you produce look just as good as those made by hand.

Certainly whichever method you choose to use in order to produce your patchwork quilt will depend on the type of person that you are. If you are someone who is dedicated and willing to spend months or even years producing a quilt, then hand piecing is probably the best solution for you. However if you are someone who would like to have the finished article on their bed in a matter of days, then machine piecing is probably the best method to choose.
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Selecting and Preparing Fabric

Selecting fabric for a quilting project can be as much fun as doing the job itself. Even though to quilters select the same quilt pattern, different options of fabric will make each quilt unique. Most quilter's like using fabric that is 100 % cotton because they're easier to sew, mark, press and hand quilt. If you are trying to find fabric in a quilt shop you will seldom find fabric that is not pure cotton. Fabrics will likewise probably be arranged consistent with colors and print types.

With more experienced fabrics apart from cotton might be additional for variety. Not all fabrics are suitable still. If you are using an unique fabric for the initially, or want to make use of various types of fabrics together, try a small test block first. Fabrics of a medium density, with a regular weave work well. Loosely woven fabrics are prone to distortion, as are stretch fabrics. Silk, lightweight wool and some plastics may be employed with seasoned.

Both the color and tone of the fabric you opt will influence the overall effect of the pattern that you opt for. Tone may be used to create depth and interest with greater effect than when using color alone. Good planning is essential to reach the sought after look.

Color is greatly suffering from the colors approximately it. Using contrasting colors will make bits of a quilt block place upright out from one another. Combing certain warm colors like reds, yellows and oranges, in a similar quilt block as cool colors like blues, greens or violets, will make them look more vivid.

Combining fabrics with various print scales and types can add visual texture to your quilt. Interesting visual effects might be achieved by using colors of graduated values. Printed cotton fabrics are accessible in lot of designs and types including batiks, homespun plaids and florals, tiny-grained prints that seem as if solids, reproduction prints, and soft flannels. Solid-color fabrics become just about every color, shade and tint that you are able to imagine.

Quilt blocks created from fabrics of the same or various shades of one color, but of contrasting textures can create pleasing results. Fabrics with a nap such as velvet, or fabrics with sheen like taffeta also provide interest.

Whatever fabric you opt for your quilting project, you need to prepare it the right way before you start. Most cotton fabrics shrink when they're washed and dried. If you don't preshrink your fabric before you make your quilt, the fabrics may pucker at the stitching lines and the finished product may shrink in size the initially it is washed.

To avoid this wash all fabrics first in a washing machine on a short gentle cycle. Use cool or warm but never hot water. You may make use of a mild detergent, but it is not necessary unless the fabric is soiled. Wash like colors together just in case they are not colorfast. Machine dry the fabric and press it with an iron. You are now ready to begin your job.
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Quilting Kits For Beginners Are Relatively Simple

All quilting kits for beginners will have certain tools that are essential and certain tools that might fall into the category of a luxury.

This article will first be concerned with those beginners quilting tools that are absolutely mandatory if you are to grow and thrive as a quilter. In a later article we will discuss the "luxury" tools.

The Necessities: Pins, Needles and Thread

It goes without saying that you will need basic sewing gear to start your quilting. Forget any form of polyester threads. This kind of thread is simply not soft enough for quilting. Stick with cotton thread. Use very thin needles with very large heads. You should also obtain long straight pins to hold your pieces together.

Rotary Cutter

This is an absolute must if you want to finish your quilting pieces before the next ice age sets in. The great advantage of a good rotary cutter is that it allows you to make precision patchwork shaping cuts accurately and fast. Quilting shops will have a wide variety of these essential tools. Get one and learn how to use it.

Rotary Mat

If you are using a rotary cutter, you must have a rotary mat to protect your work surface. These mats are "self healing" in the sense that they won't permanently tear when a rotary cutter is run over them to cut fabric. The material even has properties to help keep your rotary cutter blade sharp. A 24 X 18 inch mat should be good enough to start, but if you are ambitious, you could go for the 24 X 36 inch size.

Rulers

Transparent rulers do more than just measure fabric. They are also designed to grip the material while you cut. You must have a 6 X 24 inch ruler, and a 12 1/2 inch square ruler.

Scissors

The rotary cutter is not appropriate for all quilting tasks. Occasionally you will need scissors to cut fabric. Start with a single pair of scissors and gradually you will learn that different size scissors are best for different jobs. You can accumulate specialized scissors that you are most comfortable with as you gain experience.

Ironing

You will need an iron and ironing board to press your quilting patterns. Nothing special is required here - just a standard iron will be fine.

Design Wall

You should fasten a large piece of quilt batting or a large piece of flannel to the wall. You can use this as your "design wall" to pin your quilting pieces to. You will find this useful as a way to step back from your work and take a good look at it.

Strongly Recommended: A Simple Sewing Machine

If you are a hand quilting purist, you won't need a sewing machine to start, but eventually you will find it mandatory to produce straightforward simple stitching. If you don't already have a sewing machine you can pick up a simple used model practically anywhere. Check out Craigslist for some good deals. Fancy models are not needed as your main requirement will be simple straight stitches.
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A Notion About Notions

When you require quilting, there are many notions, or items that will make your project easier and more fun. These specialty items are for sale online, in craft shops, large stores and quilt shops. While not all are necessary, they really do enter handy.

Metal-edged rulers are employed when creating templates and when reducing cardboard and fabric with a rotary cutter or knife.

Metre rules are employed with set squares to cut lengths of fabric.

Set squares are utilized to measure accurate right angles and are utilized with metre rules to cut lengths of fabric.

Tape measures are flexible measuring tools used for measuring lengths of fabric.

Pair of compasses are used for drawing circles.

Vanishing markers crate special marks that will fade on contact with water.

Dressmaker's wheels and chalk are used to directly mark fabric. The chalk will disregard.

Dressmaker's scissors and shears are used for cutting fabric only.

Paper scissors are employed for cutting paper.

Embroidery scissors are small, sharp and often decorative scissors that are used in quilting to cut thread and trim fabric.

Pinking shears have serrated blades. They are used to create decorative edges and stop fraying.

Rotary cutters are utilized with a cutting mat. They are great for cutting multiple pieces that're precisely the same, simultaneously. Rotary cutters are accessible in different sizes. Small cutters work best for cutting curves and a few layers of fabric. Large cutters cut many layers at an occasion and are ideal for cutting long straight furrows.

Cutting mats are made specially for the application with rotary cutters. They protect both the tabletop and the blade. Mats with printed grids are of help for cutting right angles.

Quilter's needles are used for hand sewing applique and patchwork. Betweens are employed for making smaller stitches.

Crewel needles are used for working embroidery stitches.

Quilting pins are longer than dressmaker's pins and pass across several layers of fabric easily.

Security pins are now and again employed in basting quilt blocks together.

Beeswax is applied to quilting thread before stitching so that the thread passes smoothly through the fabric.

Thimbles are essential for hand quilting. They are used to push the needle through several layers of fabric straight away. Many styles are for sale. Some quilters and sewers collect thimbles.

Unpickers-or rippers are utilized to get rid of stitches.

Irons are employed for pressing patchwork seams and to get rid of wrinkles from fabric.

Embroidery hoops are employed while quilting. Wooden frames are usually used for hand quilting. Plastic frames with metal spring closures are used for machine quilting.

Ribbon may be familiar with embellish applique or crazy patchwork. It will probably be employed to edge a border. Ribbon may well be velvet, satin or manmade material.
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