Learn How to Make a Quilt
By Janet Wickell, About.com Guide
- Quiltmaking Must-Knows
- Patchwork & Sewing Skills
- A,B,Cs of Rotary Cutting
- Learn How to Machine Quilt
- Quilting Fabric Tips & Techniques
- Needles & Threads
- Quilt Borders & Binding
- Quilt Design Tips & Techniques
- Color and Color Value for Quilters
- Applique Techniques
- Fabric Embellishments
Quiltmaking Must-Knows
Use these resources to explore important methods that will help you make a quilt. All of these quilting tutorials are must-reads for beginning quilters, and will help you avoid some of those pesky errors that love to cause problems.
- Learn to Sew a Quarter Inch Seam
- Fix Problem Quilt Blocks
- How to Press Quilt Blocks
- Quilt Backing Instructions
- Cut Setting Triangles for On-Point Quilts
- Decimal to Fraction Conversion Chart
- How to Make Window Templates
- How to Calculate Yardage
Patchwork & Sewing Skills
Patchwork quilt blocks are a lot easier to stitch together once you understand a few basic assembly methods -- and how to categorize them by the gridded arrangement of their patches. Your piecing accuracy will improve immediately when you take a bit of time to get those basics behind you, and you'll love the payoff in time saved because your quilt blocks will fit together just like they should, every time.
- Quick Pieced Half-Square Triangle Units
- Quick Pieced Quarter-Square Triangle Units
- Quick Pieced Flying Geese Units
- Chain Piecing for Speedy Assembly
- Which Patchwork Blocks Work Together?
- Learn the Partial Seam Technique
- Half-Square Triangles on a Long Grid
- Learn to Make Yo-Yo Quilts
- Quilt Assembly Quiz
- Practice Set-In Seams
A,B,Cs of Rotary Cutting
Rotary cutting might be the absolute most important quilting technique introduced during the last century. Rotary cutting lets you cut patches very quickly -- and with a high degree of accuracy. Master a few basic skills and you'll never go back to cutting with scissors.
- Introduction to Rotary Cutting Tools
- How to Choose the Best Rotary Cutter
- Rotary Cutting Safety Essentials
- Learn to Rotary Cut Fabric Strips
Learn How to Machine Quilt
There's been a huge upsurge in the popularity of machine quilting in recent years. The technique can be accomplished on nearly any sewing machine, although some machines do have more bells and whistles to help quilters get the job done.
- An Introduction to Machine Quilting Methods
- Machine Quilting Tips & Techniques
- Make a Practice Quilt Sandwich
- How to Pin-Baste a Quilt
- Learn to Stitch in the Ditch
- Easy Way to Preview Quilting Stitches
- Use this Easy Method to Sew a Machine Quilted Grid
- Choose a Sewing Machine for Machine Quilting
- Machine Quilting Needles
Quilting Fabric Tips & Techniques
You just brought home a bag full of quilting fabrics, and if it's your first, you're probably wondering what to do next. Sort them, match them, and have some fun looking at the fabrics, but don't make any cuts until you're sure they're ready to put sew fabrics into a quilt.
Needles & Threads
Choosing the right needles and threads will help you assemble your quilt more easily, not to mention preserving its integrity for the decades to come.
Quilt Borders & Binding
Not every quilt needs borders, but when you do add them, remember that borders serve as a frame for your quilt, enhancing its design in the same way that a picture frame improves the appearance of a photograph or painting. Take time to measure and sew borders correctly so that the sides of your quilt are nice and straight. And remember that your quilt isn't complete until its edges are finished. My favorite is mitered binding, and isn't difficult at all to apply.
- Learn to Measure and Sew Straight Borders
- Sew Quilt Borders with Corner Squares
- Make Quilt Sashing with Cornerstones
- Make Long Binding Strips
- Sew Mitered Binding to Your Quilt
- Make a Hanging Sleeve for Your Quilt
- Traditional Methods for Prairie Points
Quilt Design Tips & Techniques
There's absolutely no limit to the ways you can organize your quilt blocks and other components -- quilt layout is up to you. But there are some techniques you can use to make sure the final product is the quilt you envisioned.
- Standard Mattress Sizes
- Learn to Make a Scrap Quilt
- Review: Quilt Design Wizard Software
- Design and Make a Dollhouse Mini Quilt
Color and Color Value for Quilters
We all have favorite colors, and our favorites often have a way of making it into our quilts, even if they show up in tiny amounts. The first thing you should remember: there are no rules for combining colors, but there are some color guidelines that will help you sew a stunning quilt, even if it's your very first project. And if you're a new quilter, you might be surprised to hear that color value can have even more of an impact on design than actual colors do, so be sure to work through that tutorial.
Applique Techniques
Applique can be accomplished by hand or by machine. You'll find that each method branches off into numerous applique variations -- there's something for every sewing style. (This section is expanding)
- Needleturn Applique Instructions
- Fusible Web Applique
- Sew and Turn Applique
- Applique Quilt Photo Gallery (Quilts by Community Members)
Fabric Embellishments
Techniques you can use to create your own one-of-a-kind quilting fabrics.