What is patchwork quilting? What is required for needlework, what are the basic processing techniques for the material? The best ideas for craft quilts: pot holders and panels, bedspreads, bags.
Quilting is an original technique of sewing patchwork, in which a distinctive feature of the craft is its volume and multi-layeredness. For needlework and creativity, it is not at all necessary to purchase specialized sewing equipment, basic products in the quilting style are also on the shoulder for beginners. Moreover, each homemade product will be unique, even if the pattern is repeated, the combination of prints and shades will remain one of a kind.
What is quilting?
When it comes to patchwork sewing, quilting as a type of needlework comes to mind in close connection with patchwork. For many, at first glance, both types of needlework will be the same, because in both patchwork and quilting, the main material is scraps of fabric. But after spending a little time analyzing the nuances, you will immediately see the difference. While the task of patchwork is to combine different cuts of fabric, patchwork quilting also means adding volume and fluffiness to the product. This effect can be achieved by joining several layers of material and additional quilting of the product.
The quilting technique originated from patchwork in the 16th century. England is considered the birthplace of such handicrafts. In the 16th century, the country became the main importer of Indian variegated fabric. Well, English housewives did not miss the opportunity to effectively use each flap, trimming the pieces together for a new craft or sewing on a finished product.
The real dawn of quilting needlework came with the first wave of immigrants to America. It was the settlers who began to combine patchwork, appliqués, embroidery on fabrics and decorative stitching to obtain voluminous products. The main task of needlework at that time was to save materials. Now it is the development of unique handicrafts from bright cuts of fabrics.
The simplest, but no less popular ideas for quilting are:
- Panel … Decorative home decoration made in three-dimensional technique will become an original addition to the interior. The advantage of such a craft for novice needlewomen is its large size and the ability to work out the techniques of appliqué and stitching.
- Kitchen potholders … Such an accessory should protect from the heat of a hot pots or pans. As with the panel, this craft can be an ideal starting point for beginners. Kitchen potholders are small in size, but will allow you to learn the basic techniques of the selected type of needlework. In this case, it is better to choose large quilting patterns.
- Cover … A large craft, which will require patience and attentiveness from the master, on large crafts will be the best way to show skills and work out all known firmware techniques.
- Bulk crafts … Having learned to work with simple geometric shapes, you can move on to voluminous crafts, for example, bags, needlework organizers or boxes.
Thus, doing needlework will not only get rid of small rags and scraps of fabric, but also acquire beautiful functional things for the interior. Small crafts will be a great souvenir or gift for family and friends. And blankets and panels, made in complex combined techniques, can even become central examples of exhibitions of folk applied art.
However, not all the benefits of needlework can be assessed only by the beauty and functionality of the crafts. Quilting on a sewing machine or using manual techniques, like other types of needlework, is an activator of neural connections and a stimulator of brain activity through micromassage of the fingertips. It is noted that working with needles normalizes blood pressure levels, and also helps to "switch" from pressing problems, relieve stress.
Important! Detailed quilting workshops allow even children to master the basic techniques. The benefits of such handicrafts at a young age are enormous: the development of fine motor skills, the ability to combine various colors and materials, the development of imagination and planning skills. However, do not allow too young craftsmen to work with piercing and cutting tools. Even younger schoolchildren must work under adult supervision.
Materials for making crafts using the quilting technique
The first product that gave the handicraft its name was a quilt - a dense multilayer bedspread. It necessarily consists of at least three layers. The first layer is the outer one, sewn from rags of variegated fabric. The second - internal, is a filler. The third - purl, can also be sewn from various patches, if, according to the author's idea, the craft is two-sided, but it can also be cut out of a single piece of cloth.
It is better to choose natural fabrics for quilting. Crafts made of cotton are easily cut out and attached to each other, the parts do not slip on a typewriter or in your hands. But as you experience and grow in skill, you can switch to synthetic fabrics.
Batting is suitable as a filler. By the way, it can also be natural or synthetic. Fusible synthetic material can wrinkle during use, and polyester material can crawl out through the seams, therefore, if possible, choose batting made from natural fibers for the first crafts.
No less close attention should be paid to the choice of other materials and tools:
- spare needles for a sewing machine or regular needles for hand quilting;
- threads to match the fabric or contrasting in color (depending on the author's idea);
- scissors on the fabric (they must be very sharp so that the cut is even);
- cardboard and paper for lining or patterns.
Before starting work, it is strongly recommended to check the serviceability of the sewing machine and the availability of spare parts, so that in the process of creating a craft, you do not have to interrupt in search of additional elements. Safety pins, a ripper, a roller knife, an iron with a steaming function will greatly simplify creativity. Each master has his own set of such "magic wands" for creativity.
It will not be superfluous to draw a quilting diagram on a piece of paper. If possible, use colored pencils or felt-tip pens to delimit the patterns. Such careful preparation will greatly simplify the further assembly of small pieces of fabric.
Basic techniques for making quilting crafts
Speaking of patchwork sewing, many people remember patchwork as the main type of needlework with different-sized cuts of fabric. Indeed, it is quite difficult for a beginner to understand how patchwork differs from quilting, if you do not delve into the nuances of the technique. Meanwhile, it is in these nuances that the difference lies. The top layer of the quilt (crafts) is really done in the patchwork style, but appliqué or embroidery with stitches (the basic elements of the quilt) can be laid on top of it. It is permissible to make the bottom layer in one piece, but when creating bedspreads and blankets, craftswomen can not be limited and create double-sided sets. The craft (three layers) assembled together is necessarily quilted, that is, it is stitched by hand or with a typewriter. The quilting applique can also be stitched or it remains a solid canvas. It all depends on the author's idea.
The quilting line is the “signature” of the craftswoman, and therefore in any technique it is given special importance. Historically, all crafts were done by hand, but more and more beginners are wondering what quilting on a sewing machine is, because the use of modern equipment significantly speeds up the process. It is noteworthy that the type of stitching (manually or with a machine) is not essential for quilting. The pattern created by the seams is key.
Depending on the stitch, the following quilting techniques are distinguished:
- Straight - the line is sewn in even rows. The first stitches are secured and go around the product around the perimeter, and then the lines are laid out parallel to each other.
- Lattice - the stitch forms a square or rhombic pattern.
- Contour - the applique on the craft is additionally sewn along the contour and at a distance of 5-7 mm from the first line.
- Seam to seam - the stitch lies next to the previous seam.
- Author's (curvilinear) - the seam is laid out in random order, often craftswomen embroider floral motifs on the canvas in this way.
- Dotted - the seams are laid out with a dotted line, most often this type of quilting is done manually.
For ornate patterns with a machine, it is best to use a dedicated quilting or embroidery foot. These products have an open spout and rounded edges, making the stitching easier and more accurate. The work will take longer without the foot.
Speaking of the quilting technique, one cannot fail to mention the various combinations of central patchwork patterns. In the course of the popularization of needlework around the world, each nationality had its own characteristics in the layout. The most popular ethnic motives in sewing are American quilting, Celtic, Japanese.
So, in the East, sewing is actively combined with embroidery and a decorative stitch "Back to the needle". Japanese quilting is mainly in pastel colors, or with a distinct color scheme - red and gold, purple and red with yellow and green. Sewing is done with white or gray threads. Japanese quilting actively uses appliqué and fine mesh stitching. Celtic motifs differ not so much in their sewing technique as in their patterns. Plaited braids occupy a central place in the work of English craftswomen. This ornament can be made in the form of patches, appliqués, sewn in the same color scheme, or with the help of stitching.
But American quilting has regional differences. Immigrants from all over the world adopted the sewing technique, but brought a national flavor to the design. For example, for North Carolina, where most of the emigrants are from Holland, the "tulip" became a characteristic pattern, and immigrants from England used patches only in the shape of triangles for sewing; characteristic flowers with triangular petals are a distinctive feature for such crafts.
The best quilting craft ideas
It is impossible to master the needlework of quilting, regardless of its type, only on the basis of theoretical knowledge. It is imperative that you complete several trial crafts before creating a decor for your home interior, a gift to your loved ones or relatives. It is better to master each of the techniques on large workpieces. For example, make potholders out of large squares using the American Amish technique, the bedspread - in the Japanese technique, and the bag - in the combined one.
American Quilting Potholders
The traditional quilting of American Amish is a combination of bright squares with even stitching. The variegated front side is combined with the pastel plain back. For a potholder with a size of 24 * 24 cm, it is recommended to take flaps of 9 different colors. Choose contrasting threads for quilting - white or black.
Necessary materials:
- scraps of fabric - 9 squares measuring 8 by 8 cm in different colors and one solid square 26 by 26 cm;
- filler for quilting - 26 by 26 cm;
- oblique binding for edging - 1.5 m, 6 cm wide;
- threads, scissors, sewing machine.
We make potholders using the American quilting technique:
- We lay out flaps 8 by 8 cm in a row of three and connect the sides.
- Smooth the seams so that the seam allowances look in one direction.
- We lay out the stitched rows together and stitch them horizontally, we try to dock the places of vertical seams evenly.
- We put together a whole piece of fabric, filler, patchwork canvas.
- We sew the tack blank together.
- We spread the stitch on the potholder. To do this, draw a pattern from the back side (in random order), and then sew three layers together with a typewriter or manually. The stitching must be carried out on the back side, then the quilt will turn out to be plump on the front side.
- We process the edge of the potholder with an oblique inlay. Optionally, we can add a functional loop to the craft.
The same technology is used to create the basis for a decorative panel in the quilt technique. An applique is glued or sewn onto the assembled workpiece before stitching, and then the edge is processed. The craft can be complicated if you choose other quilting schemes instead of a simple square pattern.
Japanese quilting bedspread
You will need pastel-colored patches to work. For the top layer, preference should be given to natural fabrics, and dense flannel and polyester should be used as filler. Quilting templates can be found in advance or come up with your own. As an example, a one-piece canvas with a colored border is used for crafts. The main focus is on embroidery.
Necessary materials:
- a piece of pastel fabric measuring 140 x 175 cm - 2 pcs.;
- flannel 140 x 175 cm - 2 pcs.;
- polyester 140 x 175 cm - 1 pc.;
- bias tape in contrasting color;
- quilting threads - white.
We make a bedspread using the Japanese quilting technique:
- Put the materials together in the following order - cotton, flannel, polyester, flannel, cotton.
- We sew a blanket blank around the perimeter. If the machine cannot cope with the thickness of the material, you will have to manually sew the craft.
- On the seamy side, we mark the drawing: we divide the blanket into squares with a side of 17.5 cm, in each of them we draw a flower or a four-leafed leaf. Use quilting templates to ensure that every square has the same pattern.
- We make a decorative stitch according to the outlined pattern. The stitches are sewn from the back.
- We process the edge of the bedspread with an oblique inlay.
The technology described above is considered one of the simplest, since it does not use applications. If you want to delve deeper into the study of Japanese motives, you can make a quilting pillow according to a similar pattern, but instead of stitching a flower in the center of the square, make an applique there.
Crazy Quilting Bag
Crazy quilting gets its name from the crazy patchwork technique used for the front. Such crafts are best done from dense fabric, without fear of loosening. By the way, a bag made of such material will not only be beautiful, but also incredibly durable.
Necessary materials:
- flaps of dense material;
- lining fabric
- thick paper;
- threads, sharp scissors;
- clasps.
Making a bag using the crazy quilting technique:
- We put a large piece of fabric in the center of the sheet, sew it on a typewriter.
- Add other segments to the fixed flap in random order and also fix them.
- When the entire blank for the front side of the bag is sewn up, carefully remove the paper base from under the fabric.
- Since we are talking about quilting, we sew or embroider each piece of the crazy workpiece with our own pattern. For decoration, you can use beads, sequins, contrasting threads.
- Cut out the back of the bag from a single piece of fabric, and the inside of the bag from the lining.
- Putting together the craft - two parts of the bag, lining side, handles.
If you are an experienced seamstress, you can design a bag with interior pockets and other functional details.
How to make a craft using the quilting technique - watch the video:
Quilting is a very interesting type of needlework that combines the techniques of patchwork, sewing, embroidery, and decoration. Despite the seeming complexity, even beginners can make individual crafts. And if you really like this kind of pastime, then with the help of fabric scraps in the future you can not only decorate your house with bright panels, but also create many useful unique things.
