What is an easy way to make a quilt for non-quilters?

1. 89

   Victoria Lynnposted 12 years ago

   What is an easy way to make a quilt for non-quilters?
   
   I've always wanted to make a quilt but don't know how to start. I thought about just cutting up random square of scrap material and sewing them together...? But what about the backing? And the trim? How would I put together a simple quilt?

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2. 68

   galleryofgraceposted 12 years ago

   You can sew a beautiful quilt with just squares of fabric. Choose a few colors and alternate the squares as you sew them. Use a  blanket or purchase  quilt batting at any fabric shop. You can make the back of the quilt all one piece of fabric or sew another section of squares for the back.
   Use the blanket as a guideline for the width and length. Make the quilt  just a couple inches bigger than the blanket or batting.
   
   Make it special by using squares of old clothing from each family member.
   The edges can be covered with any strips of fabric you may have.
   Once it's complete make the quilters knot in the center of each square for an old fashioned look.
   The quilters knot is simply hand sewing a short piece of embroidery thread through the fabric and double tying it.

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3. 77

   KittySewsposted 12 years ago

   Victoria Lynn,
   If you look at the Gift Laptop Quilt, the quilting is the part where you are putting the stitches in around the flower design.  Many times the hardest part is the piecing of a quilt top-which is what you are talking about doing.  In this case the batting is sandwiched between the backing and the quilt top.  You decide how big you want the quilt and when you have put all your scrap material together make the quilt top an even edge all the way around... Be sure if the top edge is 44" that the bottom edge of the quilt top is 44" and if the side is 72" that the other side is exactly 72".
   
   Your backing if you are going to pull it around so you don't have to make a binding separate will need to be that much bigger... so it would need to have an extra 4.5" all the way around to be able to fold it over 2 and under 1/2" to have a smooth fold under edge on the 2" quilt binding of 1/2".  Your batting will be 2" wider than the quilt top and the quilt binding edge will just come over your quilt top so it doesn't infringe on any design.
   
   I will give you pictures in the article so you can understand. You pin your 3 pieces together like a sandwich and baste round the edge or spray baste with a commercial quilting spray glue.   Check the reviews of different basting glues on the internet so you can eliminate the brand that has the worst reviews.  I just pin in the center and machine baste large stitch around the whole piece.You can stitch in the ditch of the seams of your pieces on your quilt top or just turn over your quilt after you have sandwiched it together and give yourself a patter you want to quilt it.  You use a freemotion quilting stitch on your machine so you can mover your quilt around as you sew the sandwich together, or you can handquilte as Great Grandma's and those without sewing machines have always done. 
   
   You can also handtie the quilt.  If you have a good compressed cotton batting, you can tie as far as 10" apart.  That is use a yarn or many strand embroidery floss to tie the quilt.... You tie just like any square knot and the ends are usually about 2" so you would have a yarn or embroidery floss of 4.5" so you have plenty to tie an x square and leave the tails straight up on the top for decoration besides functionality.  I will do a couple of small wall hanging examples.
   
   I will do an Article explaining what quilting is and the easiest ways to do piecing and the quilting.

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4. 89

   JSParkerposted 12 years ago

   Thanks for this great question and the excellent answers.  I have wondered the exact same thing...how do I get started making my first quilt?  It didn't occur to me to ask on HubPages, so thanks for taking the initiative, Victoria Lynn.  The answers so far have given me a lot of insight into how to go about it!

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5. 77

   EuroCafeAuLaitposted 12 years ago

   Galleryofgrace said it all, that was how I made a quilt when I was home with chicken pox at age 19!.  I took old family scraps and managed to create a beautiful quilt using on old blanket as a backing.  The only thing I would add is to use a store-bought sheet for the opposite side.  Tie it up and enjoy your masterpiece !

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6. 79

   tigerbaby777posted 12 years ago

   Victoria, check out my hub on how to start a quilt.  I love quilting and I started out on my own.

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7. 59

   Bonitaannaposted 12 years ago

   I made this light quilt last year for my husband.  I had it finished in less than a week.  It turned out beautiful with very little sewing.  You cut a square about 8X8 and batting to match. You put the batting in between the front and back piece and then you sew with your sewing machine a large X on it from corner to corner.   According to the size you want for your bed.  Just say 10 X 10 squares.  Sew 10 prepared squares in a row with the edge brought forward not to the back. Each one of them sewn together like that in a row of 10.  Do it again until you have 10 strips with the edges all sewn to the front.  Now you join them altogether being careful to match the corners, sewing every strip together till you have it made 10 sqs X 10 sqs. All the raw edges are on top of the quilt.  Now you clip the edges with the tip of the scissors every inch so that it gives a little. Now you are finished.  Then you wash it in the washing machine so the front raw edges fray and usually get frizzy.  It turns our beautiful and it makes a quick light quilt.  I used a sheet on the back and all flowered material on the front in pastels and it is lovely and very nice and colorful for the summer.

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