Quilting is more than a way of making warm coverings out of scrap fabric: it's an American folk-art form that has been passed down from our ancestors. Quilting can become just as enjoyable, useful and meaningful to you as it has been to generations gone by. But how do you get started? This program provides everything you need to know, from tools and fabrics to simple beginning techniques for constructing your first quilt.
Starting a Quilt
The best place to start research on your first quilting project is at your local quilting store. In addition to advice, tools and materials, these retailers often offer quilting classes. Most libraries and bookstores carry a large selection of quilting references, and further inspiration and help is available through quilting magazines and the Internet.
Tools for a Quilt
(These basic tools can be found in almost any quilting store.)
For rotary cutting:
- Medium-size rotary cutter (Be sure to close the guard when the cutter is not in use. Also use a mat and ruler that are designed for rotary cutters.)
- Medium-size cutting mat, 6"x12"
- Omnigrid ruler
For piecing the patches together: - Extra-fine glass-head pins
- Sharp scissors
- Seam-ripper
- Needles
- Thread
Basics
A quilt is actually a sandwich of three layers: a top, a middle, and a back. The quilt also has an inner and an outer border and binding, whose colors will vary.
When shopping for fabric that will become the quilt, always try to select a dark, medium and light color. Once you are more comfortable with quilting, add more colors.
When looking at the quality of a fabric, the more threads per square inch means a better cloth. In quilting this is called "having a good hand."
To prevent fabric from shrinking, wash and dry it before piecing and cutting. This will also prevent the dye from running.
Rail-Fence Pattern
The best pattern for beginning quilters is called the rail-fence pattern. This consists of three strips of fabric sewn together to make a block. Three colors work best for this pattern. Click here for instructions on making the Rail Fence Quilt.
GUESTS:
Sally Collins, author, c/o C & T Publishing, E-mail: ctinfo@ctpub.com , Web site: http://www.ctpub.com
Ami Sims, author, c/o Mallery Press, Phone: 800-A-STITCH or 810-733-8743, E-mail: amisimms@aol.com
Marsha McCloskey, author and quiltmaker; owner, Feathered Star Productions, E-mail: mccloskey1@aol.com, Web site: http://quilt.com/MarshaMcCloskey
Carolyn Reese, quilt store owner and instructor, The Fabric Patch, Web site: http://www.thefabricpatch.com
Lynette Jensen, author, c/o Thimbleberries, E-mail: tberries@hutchtel.net , Web site: http://www.rjrfabrics.com/TBhomepg/index.html
All tools mentioned in the show (medium size rotary cutter, medium size cutting mat, 6"x12" Omnigrid ruler, extra fine glass head pins, sharp scissors, seam ripper, needles, thread, 14" or 16" quilting hoop, thimbles, needles, quilting thread, low-loft polyester batting, marking pencils and #1 safety pins) are basic tools that can be found in most quilt and fabric stores. The producers did not provide specific brand names.
Orvus Quilt SoapB., which host Alex Anderson recommends for laundering quilted material, is available in feed stores and manufactured by Proctor and Gamble, Inc. Call 800-332-7787 to find a retailer in your area or for additional product information. Phone: 800-332-7787 or 513-983-1100
Alex and nearly all of the guests featured on this program have written a number of books covering myriad quilting topics. We have listed each guest's most recent works below. Look for these references in book, sewing, fabric, craft, and quilting stores nationwide, or inquire about ordering by mail or on-line from one of the following:
- Through guests' companies and publishers at the addresses provided.
- Barnes & Noble Books By Mail, 1 Pond Rd., Rockleigh, NJ 07647, Toll-free: 800-843-2665, Customer Service: 201-767-8844.
- Amazon.com Books at http://www.amazon.com - on-line orders only.
Books by Alex Anderson
Quilts for Fabric Lovers (1995, ISBN: 0914881876) C&T Publishing
Simply Stars: Quilts That Sparkle (1996, ISBN: 1571200193) C&T Publishing
Start Quilting With Alex Anderson: Six Projects for First-Time Quilters (1997, ISBN: 1571200290) C&T Publishing
Books by Marsha McCloskey
Marsha McCloskey's Quick Classic Quilts: Four-Patches to Feathered Stars (1996, ISBN: 0848714652) Oxmoor House, E-mail: OxmoorCS@aol.com - or - OxmoorHouse@time-inc.com
On to Square Two (1996, ISBN: 0486294765) Dover Publications
Pieced Borders: The Complete Resource (1994, ISBN: 0929589033) Crosley-Griffith Publishing Co.
Stars and Stepping Stones (1993, ISBN: 0486274160) Dover Publications
Variable Star Quilts and How to Make Them / Dover Needlework Series (1995, ISBN: 0486285952) Dover Publications
Books by Ami Simms - Available from C&T Publishing at E-mail: ctinfo@ctpub.com , Web site: http://www.ctpub.com
Creating Scrapbook Quilts (1997, ISBN: 0943079047) C&T Publishing
Every Trick in the Book (1996, ISBN: 0943079020) C&T Publishing
How Not to Make a Prize-Winning Quilt (1996, ISBN: 0943079055) C&T Publishing
How to Improve Your Quilting Stitch (1996, ISBN: 0943079004) C&T Publishing
Invisible Applique (1996, ISBN: 0943079012) C&T Publishing
Books by Carolyn Reese
None
Books by Lynette Jensen - Available from Rodale Press at Web site: http://www.rodalepress.com
At Home With Thimbleberries Quilts: A Collection of 25 Country Quilts and Decorative Accessories (1997, ISBN: 087596768X) Rodale Press
The Thimbleberries Book of Quilts: Quilts of All Sizes Plus Decorative Accessories for Your Home / A Rodale Quilt Book (1995, ISBN: 0875966306) Rodale Press
The Thimbleberries Book of Quilts: Quilts of All Sizes Plus Decorative Accessories for Your Home (1998, ISBN: 0875969631) Rodale Press
Books by Sally Collins
Small-Scale Quiltmaking: Precision, Proportion, and Detail (1996, ISBN: 15712000961996) Watson-Guptill Publications, E-mail: 103484.2142@compuserve.com
| ALSO IN THIS EPISODE: | | Getting Started With Quilts |
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