Supplies
Tools
- Mid-length needles called "betweens"
Note: Size n° 8 needles are the thinnest and work well when precision is needed.
- High-quality sewing scissors, used only for cutting fabric
- Small, pointed embroidery scissors for cutting threads
- 1 thin n° 2 pencil for tracing the templates. It can be replaced by a fabric pencil.
- Graph tracing paper to make templates
- Graph cardstock or index cards, solid enough to last through several uses
- 1 ruler, long and transparent, measuring about 40 cm (16 inches)
Note: Special "patchwork" rulers are available that measure both cm and inches.
Materials
- Pieces of fabric
- Matching thread
Directions
Choose your fabric for patchwork
- You can use any sort of fabric for making your patchwork. Be aware, though, that certain fabrics like silk or velvet are complicated to put together in a quilt.
- As a beginner, it's advisable to use cotton. It's economical and it comes in a wide variety of colors and prints.
Cut your fabric for patchwork
- It's advisable to cut all of your fabric before starting your work. This precaution lets you see far in advance if you're going to run out of fabric.
- When you cut your pieces of fabric, check that each piece has at least 1 edge cut along the "lengthwise grain" of the fabric, that is, one edge is cut parallel to one of the selvedges of the fabric (along the line of the warp of the weave). Basically, the edges cut along the lengthwise grain don't deform as much as those cut along the crosswise grain (perpendicular to the selvedges). The worst deformation comes when the edges are cut along the bias.
Piece the quilt together
- When you've chosen and cut all the pieces of fabric according to your template, you only need to piece them together.
- Piecing a quilt is done very methodically, row by row until you form a block, and then block by block.
- The pieces should be sewn on the wrong side, right sides together, at 6 mm (1/32 inch) from the edge.
- Once you've assembled a block, iron it on the wrong side without opening the seams. The seams should all end along the same side toward the center of the block to avoid any unnecessary thickness.
- If you are working with curved patterns, sew starting at the center of the sewn line and iron your seam, ending at the concave part of the line.
Tips
Block (or square)
This is the basic unit of a patchwork quilt. It's made of patterns cut according to templates. These patterns, once assembled, make up the block.
Quilt
It's the whole point of quilting. The quilting effect is one that adds dimension and strength to patchwork. To be able to "quilt" patchworks, you need to first insert a layer of flannel (called batting) between the top layer of the work and the background lining. The quilting is done by hand with small, even stitches.
Selvedge
The selvedge is the finished edge of the fabric, bound to prevent fraying.
Top
It's the top layer of a patchwork quilt, made of blocks and borders.
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