Ageless Quilting

AgelessQuilting November 18th, 2006

Quilts are synonymous with comfort, warmth and beauty – not necessarily in this order. Many times quilt masters get requests to make an exceptionally different quilt, which does not reflect any traditional designs. The best thing to do is to use the novelty quilting fabrics available in the market.

What Does it Mean When You Say, ‘Novelty Quilting Fabric’?

As the name implies, novelty quilting fabric means new and unique types of quilting fabric. There are many types of unique and exquisite material available on the Internet itself. Those who have the time and want to get a good idea of what they can find in the brick-and-mortar shops could run a check on the Internet and see the varieties of novelty quilting fabrics displayed there.

The ‘novelty’ does not stop at the fabric itself. There are nowadays kits with already matched sets of novelty quilting fabric which would make it possible for anyone to finish a quilt in record time. Of course, the downside here is that you do not have much of a say in how the fabric is laid around, because it is already matched and fit for you (ready for the batting and stitching). However, giving the kit due credit, you can complete the project in record time – and sometimes this is the only important factor.

One of the most favorite styles among the novelty quilting fabrics is using family photographs as scraps to make the quilt. The end product will look like a mini documentary, and it is an excellent gift for children who are leaving the house for college, or camps, as the quilt will keep them warm in more ways than one. This also can make a stunning 18th year birthday gift, comprising of all the photographs from day 1 to the D-day when one becomes for all practical purposes, an adult.

Novelty quilting fabric can also be used then you want to create a totally different look; something like a painting. You can use different types of fabric; matching and combining it in such a way that it will look as if it is telling a story. You can use the quilt, as a painter uses his canvas, and expresses yourself to your full satisfaction. This is may be, the best part about using novelty quilting fabric – it totally sets you free in terms of creativity, giving you a free hand in translating your imagination into the quilt, just as an artist would do through their medium of art.

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AgelessQuilting November 16th, 2006

Come Christmas, everyone will be running helter-skelter in search of something or other in regard to beautiful things that can be gifted to one’s near and dear ones. These traditions are indeed wonderful, but it fills one with dread because it is so very difficult to find new ideas for gifts every Christmas.

Christmas – A Time When Everyone Loves To Make Crafts

Given the fact that hand-made things are more valued than the commercialized and machine made items, all craftspeople find themselves overwhelmed with different orders during the Christmas season which starts as early as the last week of October. Those who are talented will be booked (or actually over-booked) near the end of each year.

Among the crafts that are in demand at this time, are quilts. Maybe because it is the right season, coupled with the fact that a beautiful hand-made quilt can be the best gift ever for a friend, a family member, or your parents. For this purpose almost all the quilt masters strive to have a good collection of Christmas fabric for quilting ready for this period.

The main source for a good Christmas fabric for quilting collection would be the fabric stores. During this time of the year there will be a great deal of sales which would make available some exceptional fabrics at throw-away prices. This is the time when you should be ready to buy all the material and fabric you like and keep it for further use.

You will also come across yard sales, where you could apply the same principle. It is important that you always have a good amount of cloth in stock so you can immediately start on a project when need be without having to hunt for Christmas fabric for quilting on very short notice.

Some other great sources where you could have a perennial flow of good Christmas fabric for quilting material would be the online stores that are now mushrooming over the Internet. There is a little risk here, in the fact that many times the photographs do not capture the exact color of the fabric and when you get it, it might be quite different from what you envisioned. However, on the positive side, the online shops can offer you a sea of choices right from your computer!

Christmas fabric for quilting material is much easier to get today than say, some 2-3 decades ago. The Internet put the world at your disposal – take advantage of it. It’s never a bad idea to shop for Christmas material in the off season throughout the year, as it’s usually on sale during the off season, allowing you to save money and stock up for the busy time of year.

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AgelessQuilting November 14th, 2006

Before batik, there was canting and this was practiced by the women of Java, Indonesia. The batik material that you get in the market today is produced in Bali. The history of the batik shows that centuries ago this type of dying was extremely popular. The method was extremely simple, and the effects stunning. This is a craft that was always done by women, back then and now as well.

The batik fabric involved women making elaborate designs on a fabric which was then covered with wax with the help of special copper caps. Once the whole fabric would be covered, it would be inserted into dye, or painted – as the situation required. After getting satisfied that all the places where dye was supposed to be applied have been applied, the wax is taken out by boiling the fabric several times. The result has always been simply stunning.

You Want Perfect Results – Check Out These Tips

1. Always have the batik fabric for quilting pre-washed; this will ensure that its absorbing power is maximized and hence it will catch the dye better

2. Use the thinnest possible batting when you use batik cloth; it will make it easier for you to handle he material, and the result will be elegant

3. The best way to bring out the best in the batik fabric for quilting is to alternate it with other fabrics, preferably different colors, lights and even textures. This would ensure that the batik fabric outshines the rest by comparison

4. Keep the batik fabric for quilting at the top of the quilt always. This fabric is not known to stretch well and hence its placement elsewhere would result in a skewed look, and risk of tearing

5. Never use the batik fabric as a quilt backing fabric. Despite its beauty, the batik is terrible against the skin, and your quilt will loose its practical value.

6. If you have to choose between batik fabric for quilting and other fabric, by all means use he batik fabric. It costs the same as other fabrics, but its impact and looks far surpasses the best of best materials.

7. When purchasing batik fabric for quilting, always visualize the possible combinations and buy as many as you can gather in a pattern. This will stand you in good stead when you need some exceptional material for a rush job in quilting. Batik material will instantly brighten up any type of quilt you are working on.

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AgelessQuilting November 12th, 2006

Bali quilting fabric is known for two main reasons: quality and exquisite design. Quilting has become a tradition with many of us who had the good fortune to try and venture into this fascinating world. The reason it is fascinating is because quilting gives us the possibility to create and be unique each time.

Different Types of Bali Quilting Fabric

There are two popular types of Bali quilting fabric and they are batik and polo. Batik is a fabric whose design is created through a unique process, which consists of applying wax to form different patterns. It is always recommended that you wash a batik Bali quilting fabric at least couple of times with hot water before you start stitching in order for the wax to completely wash away.

The other Bali quilting fabric is called ‘polo’ which also means in Balinese ‘without a background.’ These are created through hand dying and no wax therefore, no design or pattern on it. All Bali quilting fabrics usually come pre-shrunk but you can always wash and dry it before you start the quilting process so you don’t take any chances.

Style, Elegance, and Personality

Bali quilting fabrics don’t just offer unique hand designs, quality, and durability. Through its sophisticated patterns you will get elegance and style in a very simple and colorful way.

Bali fabrics are easily marked for their colorful, vivid and unique patterns; they come in a great variety of colors to match the most demanding requirements and decors. Bali fabrics are popular not only because they are made all individually by hand but also because of their unmatched quality.

Where You Can Find Bali Quilting Fabrics

The best place to shop for Bali quilting fabrics is online. Here you will find a large number of virtual stores, which compete with one another on quality and prices. You can even contact these stores by phone if you have any urgent questions or requirements. Huge numbers of designs, patterns and ideas await you in the online stores.

Try to shop around before deciding on a particular design or pattern of Bali quilting fabric so you can profit of the best bargains available. Be sure to ask all questions before you order and pay for the merchandise as sometimes online stores have bargains listed in different sections, which you may not see, or access on the home page.

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AgelessQuilting November 10th, 2006

The essence of a good quilt is the fabric panel. To fit the pattern of the quilt, the fabric panel must be cut to the precise shape plus the ¼” seam allowance. Since the quilting fabric panel is usually cut by human beings, the outcome isn’t always perfect. Add to that the times that the panels you cut are being combined with pre-cut purchased panels or panels from a swap forum, and you will find that at some point you will need to know what to do when a quilting fabric panel comes up a little short.

A Solution

If your problem quilting fabric panel is larger than the finished panel and ¼” seam allowance but is slightly off square – as you see it – see if you have enough allowance to use the fabric squared off but with a little less seam allowance. If not, and the squaring is really unacceptable, toss it into the leftover bag for use in another project.

Before giving up on a quilting fabric panel, try giving it a good pressing. As you press, pull the fabric to try to stretch it out. If the result is a quilting fabric panel that is larger than the seamed square (even if it protrudes into the seam allowance) then the job is done. Line it up carefully and remember that you have less than the usual seam and you should be able to make do.

Now we’ve examined every quilting fabric panel that doesn’t come up to snuff. The problem is that each one is properly squared but a little smaller than you’d like to work with. Cut a piece of freezer paper to the ideal size of the fabric panel. Freezer paper with a grid will be a little easier to work with, but plain paper freezer will do.

On the unshiny side of the paper, draw a horizontal and a vertical line along each center. Use the intersection of the lines to position lines from corner to corner. You can also draw the ¼” seam allowance. These lines will help position the quilting fabric panel.

Take the quilting fabric panel and figure the center horizontally and vertically and position it on the freezer paper. If the fabric has a pattern, try to position it in the areas you consider important. When you can match the fabric with the lines of the freezer paper panel, pin them together.

Use appliqué pins if you have them so you don’t have to remove them as you iron. Press the shiny side of the paper to the fabric. Remove the pins. Make sure that the edges of the quilting fabric panel extend into the seam area. Now you can use the marking on the paper to line up your quilting fabric panel with the other panels.

Once all questionable panels are treated the same way, you can start assembling the quilt. Match up the seams using the paper. Remove the paper after the quilting fabric panel has been joined to panels on all sides and the border has been applied.

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