Quilting Basics

Quilters who are not already a machine embroidery enthusiast just may find themselves engrossed in the craft once they realize they could incorporate machine embroidery into their quilting.

Embroidery is a traditional way to add special decorative touches to quilts. Whether by hand or machine, a quilter may accent his or her creation with embroidered flowers or other accents. But today's machine embroidery - for those willing to try it - can make quilting quite different.

For instance, a quilter may use a simple embroidery design to let the machine "quilt" the project. Simple one color designs work best, especially for the beginner.

If you want to give this a try, look for an embroidery design that's simple - one that you can visualize stitched into a quilt. Some redwork inspired designs work well. Other simple designs like flowers, circles, sun/moon, houses, hearts - there are all sorts of designs to choose from - can work well as quilting stitches.

Be sure to keep your quilt top's theme in mind. We all know and love the traditional beauty of the double wedding ring quilt. While the quilt top is beautiful with its color variety, the quilt back is just as pretty with its simple stitching that follows the design on the top.

What if you used an embroidery machine to quilt hearts into the quilt design? That one unexpected touch would truly make your quilt unique.

Have you ever needed to throw together a quick quilt? Many quilting pros laugh at the notion, but sometimes we need a quick gift to give and want to make it personal. Lap quilts and baby quilts are very easy to create on an embroidery machine.

Simply hoop your top fabric, batting and backing fabric into an embroidery hoop. Pick a design and get to work! Even if you are quilting solid color fabrics, you can complete a quick, beautiful quilt with the embroidery machine in no time!

Some ideas for a baby blanket for a boy would be to use outlines of footballs, airplanes, trucks, trains, etc., for your quilting pattern. The hardest part of your job will be re-hooping fabric and pushing the "start" button!

Ideas for a baby blanket for a girl include outlines of flowers, baskets, dolls, kittens, etc.

The method above uses machine embroidery on relatively small quilts. Larger quilts can be done the same way or may be quilted with machine embroidery by individual quilt blocks. Experiment to decide which method is easiest for you and remember that the machine embroidery quilting method may change with each unique project.

If you can't find a pattern you like already on embroidery file, ask a digitizer to help you create one. A digitizer takes art images like drawings, clip art images and fonts and alters them via computer to become a stitch pattern. So if you'd like for your family tree wall hanging to be quilted with a tree pattern, a digitizer can create one for you.

Tell your digitizer you want to use the image for quilting. The digitizer will need to plan stitches accordingly.

Quilting is rich in tradition and therefore many true-blue quilters do not like the idea of using machine embroidery to quilt their projects. Isn't it great to try new ideas and techniques? Remember, not to long ago quilters refused to consider machine quilting at all! Embroidery machines will never take the place of quilters, but it can be a fun and rewarding sewing technique to try from time to time.

Penny Halgren

http://www.TheQuiltingCoach.com

Penny has been a quilter for more than 26 years. She enjoys exploring all aspects of quilting sharing her knowledge with all quilters.

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Quilting machines are absolute revelations in the quilting industry today. Gone are the days when you would sit in front of the fire and sew until your eyes were sore and your fingers bled! In days gone by, you would only make quilts for your family and friends, but now it is a big industry, especially as old-fashioned furnishings are making their way back into fashion. You can see quilts adorning all sorts of homes today, and all thanks to the quilting machine. The quilting machine can infinitely aid productivity and efficiency and should be considered as a worthwhile investment.

The Finances Of The Quilting Machine

A good quilting machine will be extremely pricey. The best quilting machines are actually available for prices in excess of $10,000. However, if you look at the use that you could actually get out of them over the years, as well as the possible financial gains were you to go into business, this may seem like a drop in the ocean – as long as you can afford it to begin with! You could actually keep your day job whilst launching a career in quilting because a quilting machine makes it possible for you to begin working at home in your spare time. You can also churn out two or three quilts every day. If you build up your clientele enough, then that may translate into thousands of dollars a day!

You can learn how to use a quilting machine in just a few hours. It is very basic in look and feel so you can work well with it. The initial set up of a quilting machine is simple enough if you follow the instructions that come with it. However, you may then choose to play with it for a while to get to grips with it. Most people do not need specialist training to learn how to use a quilting machine, but those that do can actually take a class or a course of classes to learn how to do all of the basics associated with using a quilting machine. Whilst these classes can be expensive, they will give you confidence in what you are doing and will allow you to work freely with the quilting machine, more so than you would have ever thought possible!

The quilting machine can really enhance the pleasure you take from creating beautiful quilts for your home and those of others. You will be making a worthwhile investment because each one will give you years of enjoyment and use. You can really make some of the most beautiful quilts you have ever laid eyes on!

You can also find more info on Quilting and Quilting Designs. IHeartquilting.com is a comprehensive resource to known about quilting.

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When we think of quilts, most of us automatically think of the homemade quilt; that which was lovingly and painstakingly constructed over many hours. Quilting is such a time honored skill that it continues to be passed down from generation to generation – a gift given from mothers to daughters. But the quilting machine has made its presence known, and more and more quilters turn to this faster, more convenient method of quilting.

In a day and age when machines of every variety play a significant role in our every day lives, it is unsurprising that the quilting machine has grown in popularity. After all, the beauty of handmade quilts is undeniable; but also undeniable is the time such a process takes – time that few who live in this busy working society can spare. The quilting machine – like all machines – has taken what was once a time-consuming, meticulous procedure and turned it into a convenient and accessible hobby that yields the same outcome – a beautiful and admired quilt.

Of course, aside from the convenience, the benefit of the quilting machine is consistency. Gone are the erratic stitches and misaligned blocks of fabric. Today’s quilters, with the use of a quilting machine, have infinitely more control over the quilting process. And, subsequently, what may have hindered those from giving quilting a try in the past, has been eradicated by modern convenience.

A quality quilting machine is a bit of an investment. But if you are committed to the art of quilting, it is well worth the price. You may find it best to find a quilting machine at a reputable fabric store. The knowledgeable employees that generally staff these kinds of stores will give you insight into the different features of various machines. Keep in mind that while you may be using a machine there are still materials that are required, such as quilting machine needles, measuring tape, quilting pins, and quality quilting shears. You may find the use of quilting templates to be most beneficial in this instance; you can easily trace a design from the template right onto your fabric with a fine point fabric pen. Then, you can cut the design from the fabric, and, using the quilting machine transfer the design onto your quilt.

Regardless of whether or not you decide to use a quilting machine or sew a quilt by hand, you can rest assured of one thing; while the journeys may be different, the result is the same – a beautiful, cherished quilt.

For easy to understand, in depth information about quilting machines visit our ezGuide 2 Quilting.

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