Embellished with Czech and Japanese seed beads, bugle beads, silver and bronze beads, vintage buttons, embroidery,sequins, tulle, fabric scraps and couching in acrylic yarn and lots of hand quilting. Batting is 1/4" thick and backed with purple and white gingham.
Posted by researchasaurus on 2005-12-31 09:25:58
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Hi Sarah! I'm totally joining this lovely quilt-along. I will email you right now.
My blog is an all-purpose craft/food/life blog with heavy emphasis on knitting, but I already have my first quilt top almost finished (it's crib sized) and I'm about to get to the scary stuff--actual quilting, binding, etc. I have NO IDEA how to do either of those so I will be glad to have some support!
Posted by bookish on 2004-10-07 12:35:50
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This is a pretty vague overview- you are welcome to PM me with more specific questions... I've been making quilts for a couple years now.
1. cut strips for the top. An easy way to do this would be to use fabric with the same width (ie. 45") and to make this the width of your quilt and then to make it about 60" long. This is the standard size that I make because it is just so darn easy to work with. Your quilt would then look as though it is horizontal lines- which is a good look to showcase the actual fabric. Squares and blocks need to be more precise and are time consuming.
2. Sew the strips together- this is your quilt top.
3. Cut batting (I prefer flannel) and a backing the same size as your quilt.
4. Use a BUNCH of safety pins and pin all three layers together- the more pins you use, the better your quilt will look.
5. Quilt by running machine stitching through all three pieces.
6. Use quilt binding to sew all three layers together around the edges- you may want to find a library book with instructions for "mitering the corners"
Posted by pteryla on 2005-10-06 13:49:57
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I think the detailed instructions from the earlier post sound great, and I love the idea of making a quilt top into a duvet cover. My only concern is that using a sheet could be a problem-- you generally don't want to quilt with a sheet, because of the high thread count, which is tough on needles. But if you're only sewing edges, you might be okay. I still might pick an expanse of good quilting flannel instead. But if money is an issue, just use a tough needle for the sheet.
I have a question of my own: Any recommendations for laundering an antique quilt top? My thought is handwashing, cold, with something gentle like Woollite. I have a few that I would like to get to work on this winter.
Oh, and making your duvet cover will doubtless take much less time than quilting.
Posted by karikazo on 2004-08-02 13:32:36
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someone's talking about QUILTING *pantpantpant*--here I am--!!! uh. sorry.
Your top sounds great. I learned to quilt out of books (public library always has a lot of basic quilting books), so I don't know the best sites, but BH&G has some stuff here: http://ww4.bhg.com/bhg/category.jhtml?catref=cat40013
I just wrote something incredibly long and detailed and decided it was too much info. Here's the short version of what I suggest:
I'd suggest tying your quilt (BHG has a section on that) instead of quilting the layers together. It's faster, easier, and would be less frustrating than trying to learn to hand- or machine-quilt for the first time on a bed-sized project. Plus, I think it has a casual, old-fashioned look that would work well with the way I'm imagining your top.
(I meant I'm imagining your quilt top, not "your top" as in "your boobs"....uh....anyway.)
PLUS, I think this would work with any kind of backing fabric you use. Many sources say not to use sheets for backings, as the tighter weave of sheeting fabric can be hard to quilt through (though flannel has a looser weave, I think, and might be perfect). I think tying would work with sheets or anything just fine.
Just putting top & backing together without batt sounds great, if you aren't concerned with warmth. It will save you the money of buying the batt, and means you'll have fewer layers to baste & tie. I've also heard of using polar fleece as the backing (sans a batt), so you could try that if you want something warmer.
I haven't tried this, but here's a technique that might work for you. You can put the top and backing together, wrong sides out, and sew along the edges (like making an envelope). Leave an unstitched section big enough to turn the whole thing inside out, and voila...the edges are put together, and you don't have to worry about putting on binding. Then you can do the tying (or quilting); you might want to baste it with thread or safety pins first.
I'm sure there are some more detailed sites; I'll have to hunt around.
Posted by hodge on 2005-10-03 16:57:20
Post Subject: vintage quilt top ---> duvet cover - help please!
i found this lovely wedding ring quilt top made with 1930s feedsack fabrics this weekend and would love to make it in to a duvet cover until i have the time/expertise to quilt it myself. i would like to do so in the least destructive way possible, and i am hoping someone can offer me tips.
it has a scalloped edge so i need to tuck that in and sew straight edges, plus i need some way to keep the duvet inside.
Posted by lesalesa on 2005-10-06 21:19:02
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I have a question of my own: Any recommendations for laundering an antique quilt top? My thought is handwashing, cold, with something gentle like Woollite. I have a few that I would like to get to work on this winter.
There was an article on that in Martha Stewart recently. Maybe last month's issue, I can't remember (and have already recycled it, sorry). You could look on-line at Martha Stewart.com and search for the topic. I know she had really specific info that would probably help you.
Posted by Liberty Gooler on 2005-01-04 13:51:32
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I think she means ironing the seams at the back of the quilt top. You know how you have to press all your seams in sewing, and how you usually press them open and flat? For my quilt I just pressed all the seams flat in one direction, not opening them up.
Hmm, I wish somehow I could just draw you a picture of something, I don't think this is clear...
If the link is not stable it's on the Martha website, and its called a memory quilt. I don't have a rotary cutter yet so what I did was make paper templates for my pieces, pin them to the paper and cut around those. I made mine by machine and the biggest problem I had was stiching in the ditch, that is stiching the quilt top to the batting. I didn't line up my squares exactly so I had some problems getting even lines of stiching.
You really do have to be very particular about cutting out and piecing together, it makes the whole process faster and smoother and makes the quilt look better.
And yes I have the same problem about stopping and starting, but actually I think quilting is a good stop and start craft. You can hack away at it for awhile and then forget it in a closet for a bit. Let's just say I started my nephew's quilt when he was born and didn't mail it off to him in Alaska until his first birthday.
Posted by xuli on 2004-10-01 14:21:33
Post Subject: cheating on crafts?
So, I've known for awhile that some yarn stores offer services where they'll do all the finishing on stuff that their customers have knitted -- weaving in ends, blocking, seaming, etc.
But then a few weeks ago, I was shocked to learn that my friend's mom, who makes these gorgeous quilts, hasn't actually quilted in years. She does all the designing and piecing, then ships the quilt top, batting and backing to a quilting shop where they quilt it all together for her. I've never met this friend's mom, but her quilts are so pretty. I felt like Sammy Sosa's biggest fan must've felt when they found cork in his bat.
The idea of paying someone to finish my knitting projects might be tempting if I could afford it, but I still think that if I did that I'd never feel OK about telling anyone that I'd made something. But maybe I'm just bitter because I can't afford it, or maybe I'm just a crafting prude.
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2005-09-16 00:46:18
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I've done some small quilting on bus commutes. Years ago, but hey. Anyhow, I was working on a cathedral window quilt top and with all the folding and hand sewing, it's quite small and portable until you assemble.
Most people were concerned with how I could keep from pricking my fingers.
I've gotten way more comments on crafted things I've worn or had to carry about, and most of them have been in areas with twentysomethings.
I can be gracious and all, but it's kinda embarrassing especially when i'm thinking, "Hey it's not rocket surgery!" <sic>
Posted by happydaisydoo on 2005-10-18 16:10:18
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My mom has made several rag quilts out of baby flannel. They are super soft and frayed on the outside so they have some visual interest. She simply cuts out 4 or 5 inch squares and sews them wrong sides together. She then cuts fringe into the parts sticking out from the seams. After that she washes the quilt top once to induce fraying. She adds batting and backing and voila, she has a baby quilt. She sometimes adds pretty embroidery to the quilt squares, too. I'm sure you could google "rag quilt" for much better instructions. Have fun with the babies!
