How to Make Hand Made Quilts
A handmade quilt provides more than just warmth. Quilts are a labor of love, an outlet for artistic expression and a great way to say "I care." Making your own quilt allows you to fully customize the color, pattern and composition to perfectly match your needs. Quilting can be a very soothing, comforting hobby, and once you learn the basics, you can make any type of quilt.
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Things You'll Need
- Cotton fabric scraps in a variety of colors
- Rotary cutter and mat
- Ruler
- Sewing machine or hand-sewing supplies
- Iron and pressing surface
- 1 1/2 yards quilt batting (cotton or polyester)
- 1 1/4 yards quilt fabric for backing
- Quilter's safety pins
- 1/2 yard quilt fabric for binding
Instructions
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Directions
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1
Use the rotary cutter, ruler and mat to cut the cotton fabric scraps into 6-inch squares. Make 36 squares, using a variety of colors and fabrics.
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2
Lay the fabric squares out on a flat work surface in six rows of six pieces each. Rearrange them until you are happy with the layout.
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3
Sew the squares together, keeping the right sides together. Start by stitching the squares into rows, then stitch the competed rows together, forming one large piece. Press.
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4
Lay the quilt backing on a flat work surface with the right side down, making sure it is smooth. It will be bigger than the finished quilt top. Place the quilt batting on top of the backing, and top with the quilt top, right side up, sandwiching the batting between the quilt top and back.
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5
Use safety pins to fasten the layers. Use a pin every 4 to 6 inches, making sure the pin goes through all three layers.
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6
Stitch by hand or machine through all three layers. Follow the lines of each square, making a smaller square of stitching about a half-inch inside the seam of each block on the quilt front. Trim excess batting and backing from around the edges of the quilt.
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7
Use the rotary cutter, ruler and mat to cut the binding fabric into four strips 3 inches wide and 44 inches long. With the right sides together, sew a strip to one side of the finished quilt. Press the seam open. Fold the free edge of the binding fabric under a quarter-inch and press. Fold the binding strip to the back of the quilt and tack into place by hand. Repeat for the remaining three sides.
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Tips & Warnings
1. Making a handmade quilt is not difficult, but it can be time-consuming. Depending on the pattern you choose, your quilt can take a few days, a few weeks or even a few years to complete.
2. Start with a simple pattern to learn the basics of quilting, then move on to more complex designs.
3. The steps above will produce a quilt that is 32 inches square. Use more or fewer squares to vary the size of your quilt.
1. Use good-quality, 100 percent cotton fabrics to make your quilt. Low-quality fabrics will not produce good results, and your quilt may even be damaged when it is washed.
