How to Sew Quilts
There are many designs for quilt tops and many more being created everyday. There are many books and web sites that offer information on how to put together different blocks and strips that eventually form the quilt top. Once you have your quilt top ready, then what? How do you actually sew a quilt. It's not as difficult as you might think. A first time quilter, with basic sewing skills, can complete a quilt.
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Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Quilting needles
- Quilting thread
- Backing fabric
- Binding fabric
- Quilt top
- Batting
- Large safety pins
Instructions
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1
Cut your backing fabric two inches, all the way around, larger than your quilt top. Also, cut the batting the same size as the backing.
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2
Place the backing fabric, right side down, on the floor or other large area. Then place the batting and the quilt top, right side up, on top of the quilt backing. This is called sandwiching.
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3
Baste(sew loosely with long stitches)the quilt sandwich. You can either baste the three pieces together using long running stitches or you can use large safety pins to hold the quilt together. Which ever method you choose, the procedure will be the same. Start in the very center of the quilt and work your way down, smoothing all three layers as you go. Then, starting back at the center, work your way to the top. Now, at the center again, work outwards to the right and left. Continue to attach the rest of the quilt, smoothing all the layers.
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4
Sew the quilt. This is actually called quilting. You may use small running stitches(quilting by hand)or you can hand quilt the entire piece. You will use a special, strong thread called quilting thread. Trim the backing fabric and binding to match the quilt top.
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Cut four long strips of fabric, sized to match each side of the quilt (plus ½-inch) for the binding. If you are making a large quilt, you may have to piece the strips of fabric. The width of the binding should be cut 2½-inches wide.
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Fold and press ¼-inch on just one long side of each of the strips. Now, you are ready to bind the quilt. Begin with the left and right sides of the quilt. With the edge of the fabric strip that is not folded, pin it to the quilt side, right sides together. Sew through all four layers of fabric. Repeat the same procedure with the top and bottom of the quilt.
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Fold over the binding on the right and left first. Pin and hand sew the binding to the back side, keeping the ¼-inch folded under. Repeat the same procedure with the top and bottom binding.
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Resources
- Photo Credit marymademe at Flickr
