patchwork newbie need some help!

Sherlock._2

csarina wrote: »

You can jooin 2 pieces together using the zig zag stitch on the machine, open the stitch to its widest and butt the two pieces together under the foot with the centre of the foot running down the middle of the two pieces and making sure the needle goes in both sides zig zag it. If you look on line you can get king size batting which should be plenty big enough for what you want, even a quees size will tuck in on the sides. It will look fine hanging down the sides, its no problem, you just make a quilt to suit you.......measure down one side across the top and down the other side of the matress and add 9 - 12 inches to each side depending on how far she wants it to tuck under. measure the bed from the top of the mattress to the bottom and down again add 9 - 12 inches to tuck in a the bottom and if she wants it to go over the pillows allow enough for that.

My quilt I fold down at the top and tuck about 4inches of the fold under the pillows and the fold it back over the top of the pillows, it makes it neater than just pulling it up.

Batting - is that the name for quilt wadding? I love to use the right words :T

Thank you for your advice - we're off shopping soon, so I'll take a look in the sewing shop

zippychick

Hi Sherlock:hello:

Another poster asked the very same question recently - and I merged that with a a few older quilting threads

Patchwork newbie, need some help

Have a read of that one, and I'll merge your thread later!

Do let us know how you get on:)
Thanks
Zip

rachbc

I would def make a quilt wider than the duvet it was going over - for example on my double bed I have a king duvet and am making (when I ever get round to it) a quilt using a piece of batting that comes already sized for a king bed 120" by 120" I guess its sized to go over the bed and almost down to the floor on each side. You can buy batting on ebay in single/ double and king bed sized pieces and all are wider than the equiv duvet size

Paulie'sGirl

Hi all,

I wonder if I could ask a few very basic questions, I've been reading the quilting threads and fancy having a go!

Can I just cut equally sized squares of fabric and just sew them together? I'm thinking of using alot of clothes which were about to head to the rag bag, so I don't have any yards of fabric or anything other than a pair of old curtains.

Also, people have mentioned "papers", what are these for?

Many thanks

PGxx

Paulie'sGirl

rachbc wrote: »

for the past few years I've been mulling over making an all white patchwork with different patterned and textures of white fabrics - been collecting a few bits from charity shops, children clothes and bedding etc - I might just make 2010 the year i finally get on with it - thanks for the inspiration

Hi all,

My brother is getting married next year, and I'd love to make him and my future S-in-L a quilt for the occasion.

I'd been wondering if it would be possible to do one in all "wedding" themed fabrics. Sorts of satins, silk, velvet, and what's the name of the one where there's a pattern woven texturally, do I mean jaquard?

I was thinking creams and ivorys. Perhaps squares to keep it simple, around a main larger square with their intials and the date embriodered in satin stitch?

Has anyone tried this? Will it work?! I appreciate, after my post above this is probably very ambitious for a first go!!

Many thanks all

PGxx

ChocClare

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

Hi all,

My brother is getting married next year, and I'd love to make him and my future S-in-L a quilt for the occasion.

I'd been wondering if it would be possible to do one in all "wedding" themed fabrics. Sorts of satins, silk, velvet, and what's the name of the one where there's a pattern woven texturally, do I mean jaquard?

I was thinking creams and ivorys. Perhaps squares to keep it simple, around a main larger square with their intials and the date embriodered in satin stitch?

Has anyone tried this? Will it work?! I appreciate, after my post above this is probably very ambitious for a first go!!

Many thanks all

PGxx

Hi, Paulie's Girl, I think that's a lovely idea.

Somewhere in the garage(!) I have a VERY OLD magazine (from about 1976) where a woman had made exactly that - a wedding quilt out of velvets and silks, all in white. It looked fabulous. I'll see if I can do techy things (like scan it [no problem] and upload it to here [ooh, getting technical now]) so you can see it for yourself.

However, a bed-sized one is a BIG job for a first project. How about something on a smaller scale with the same ideas? A cushion maybe, or if that's too naff, how about a cover for their photo album? You would make it the size of the book laid out flat, with "sleeves" sewn either side to slot the hardback cover of the book into. Just a thought...

ChocClare

Paulie'sGirl wrote: »

Hi all,

I wonder if I could ask a few very basic questions, I've been reading the quilting threads and fancy having a go!

Can I just cut equally sized squares of fabric and just sew them together? I'm thinking of using alot of clothes which were about to head to the rag bag, so I don't have any yards of fabric or anything other than a pair of old curtains. Yes, that's a great idea and very "green" (and it's how patchwork would have been done originally) - and also gives you lots of memories. I've got one made out of my DD's baby dresses, for example, and I can remember all the fabrics The only thing I would say is the fabric should all be made of the same material - preferably 100% cotton as polyester and poly/cotton mixes don't work very well - and of a similar weight: there is no point putting corduroy next to cotton lawn, for example.

Also, people have mentioned "papers", what are these for? If you make a quilt which uses more complicated shapes, eg hexagons, then you can use what is called the "English piecing method", which is where you cut your hexagon out of paper, cut your fabric a bit larger all the way round, turn the edges over the paper and tack the fabric to the paper. You then join all your hexagons together using whip stitch. Once they're joined, you take out the tacking and remove the paper. They have found antique quilts which they are able to date from the newspaper templates still left in. Ask yourself one question: Can You Be Bothered? It's great for a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt, but not if you just want patchwork squares...

Many thanks

PGxx

Feel free to pm me if you want any more specific instructions - I am by no means an expert but I'm always happy to help!

Paulie'sGirl

Thanks ChocClare,

That's all very helpful I think I'm unlikely to do the paper thing lol!

I might try the album cover idea. I could make the quilt an anniversary present. 10 years sounds about right?! LOL

Thank you so much for the offer of help, though you may come to regret it lol. Is there a book you would recommend?

Many thanks,

PGxx

Gillybean103

I've got myself some lovely fabric and want to make a patchwork cushion for our spare room. I can picture it in my head, but not quite sure where to start as i've never done it before.

I have square fabric, do i need to hem each square before i sew them together, because i've been looking online and they all say allow a seam allowance

I'm sure someone on here will know the answer to this

Thanks
Gill

adelight

Can't help but I'd love to know too! Patchworks are so lovely but I don't know where to start.