Creativity in Your Hands
Creating patchwork quilts is a fun and practical craft that even the clumsiest person can enjoy. Quilting isnt just fun– its part of a tradition that dates back as far as the first century BCE. Homemakers have long seen the value in saving scraps of old and leftover cloth for use in other projects. By stitching these scraps together, they created patchwork curtains, bedcovers, and even clothing. Patchwork quilting isnt just part of European history; in the United States, quilting bees were important social functions for pioneer women. By learning just a few easy stitches, you can become a part of this storied tradition.
Creating a patchwork quilt requires stitching together three layers of material. These layers– the batting, the quilt top, and the backing– form a sandwich of fabric. The batting goes in the middle. It is a filler material that determines how thick or thin the quilt will be. The backing is typically made from a single piece of fabric, though some quilters choose to make it from patchwork pieces. The quilt top is the topmost layer of the quilt. Its created by stitching together a large amount of fabric scraps.
The patchwork quilt top is where a quilters creativity comes into play. Smaller pieces of fabric are arranged in grids and stitched together to create designs. Most quilters use a four-patch or nine-patch block when creating patterns. Beginners might want to stick to the simpler four-patch block, and to shapes like squares, rectangles and triangles for their patches.
Once the quilt top is complete, the quilter has to attach it to the batting and backing. How the quilter accomplishes this depends on the type of stitching pattern the quilter is using to sew the layers together. The type of stitch not only affects the look of the quilt, it also helps keep the batting in place. To put together the layers, the quilter should put the backing fabric right side down on a flat surface, then position the batting on top of it. The quilt top should be carefully placed over the batting so that the quilter can baste the layers together by hand. Once the quilt is basted together, the quilter can start stitching!
At once easy and complicated, creating patchwork quilts is the perfect craft for anyone curious about traditions from the past. Beginners and expert sewers alike can enjoy piecing together patches to create simple or intricate designs.
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