CB111

QuiltingFor Fun

Quilting is three layers Project Objectives sharp and should be kept away of fabric together to make one from young children and stored • Youth will explore the world of in a closed position. piece. The top layer is pieced by learning about fabrics, ■ together by hand or machine patterns, tools and quilting Cutting mat – Self-healing plastic; to form a . The middle techniques. 18 inches by 24 inches is a good size with which to begin. Do not store by layer is batting, and the • Youth will use quilting to create items heat or in direct sunlight. Store fl at, bottom is called the backing. for decorating a room or garment. if possible, to prevent warping. • Youth will combine design do more than keep us ■ – principles and sewing skills to create A basic straight- warm. Today, quilting can be an attractive and durable project. model is suffi cient. used to decorate a room or Many quilters use garment, or commemorate How Your Project a walking foot for a special event such as a Will Be Evaluated piecing the quilt top wedding or birth. Quilting and machine quilting. Quilts or quilted items will be judged also is a great way to bring ■ on general appearance, workmanship, Needles – For machine sewing, friends and family together fi nishing and presentation. 70/10 or 80/12 is best. For hand for a fun, intergenerational stitching, use Sharps, and for hand activity. Youth must incorporate appropriate quilting, use Betweens in sizes materials and construction techniques 7 to 10. to create a project that exhibits ■ – Long, glass-headed ones for high-quality design and workmanship. piecing and quilting. For machine quilting, use lots of 1-inch rust-proof Tools Needed safety pins. ■ ■ Rotary ruler – A clear, hard Iron and ironing board – A single acrylic ruler thick enough not pad and cover are adequate. Reviewed by to be damaged by a rotary cutter. ■ – Paper variety for Sharon Query Select one with ¼-inch horizontal plastic templates and paper; 4-H Youth Development Specialist and vertical lines; 24 inches by shears for fabric only; NDSU Extension Service 6 inches is a good size. snips or embroidery scissors ■ Rotary cutter – Cutters come in for snipping threads. a variety of sizes; 45 millimeter ■ Markers – Do not use a regular is a useful blade size. Blades can pencil. Use a wash-out marking become dull and should be changed or silver pencil. Use a white April 2015 as needed. Cutters are dangerously pencil or chalk on dark fabrics. ■ ripper Batting – Place rotary cutter blade next to the ruler and to even the fabric ■ 16-inch round quilting hoop ■ Use low-loft (thin) cotton batting edges. (not an embroidery hoop) for machine quilting. Keep stitching – Continue to cut horizontal strips or fl oor frame if hand quilting. lines no more than 4 inches apart as indicated by the pattern. ■ – One made just for to prevent the batting from shifting quilting. when washed. Use a high-loft (thick) or low-loft batting for tied quilts. Stitching ■ Most quilts are sewn using a ¼-inch ■ 100 percent polyester batting is Fabrics . If your machine or bonded, so it needs to be less closely ■ pressure foot does not have a ¼-inch 100 percent cottons are easiest to quilted. It can creep through the marking, create one with a piece handle. Look for lightweight, closely fabric and create little tufts that are of masking tape so woven, on-, colorfast fabrics. especially visible on dark fabrics. all seams are (On-grain means the lengthwise and ■ A good starting batt is an 80 percent the same. crosswise threads are at right angles cotton/20 percent polyester blend. to each other.) Polyester fabrics are by stitching harder to cut. ■ Batting does not have a right or two stitches wrong side. If the batting is not forward and Blends may be used, but you need to large enough, it can be pieced by backward at use extra care in cutting and pressing. butting the edges together and the beginning For best results, combine fabrics of whip stitching them. different color intensities – light, and end of each seam. ■ medium and dark colors. If using The batting should be a little larger prints, select a variety of pattern than the pieced top in case the quilt Pressing moves during tying or quilting. scales and designs. ■ Pressing, not ironing, should be done on a hard surface. Press seams Backing Fabric Preparation toward the darker fabric from the ■ Most quilters use the same type right side unless told to do otherwise ■ Prewash to preshrink, test for color of material for the back of the quilt by the pattern. Many patterns will fastness and remove excess dye. as the top. This fabric also should have arrows to indicate the desired Remember to wash light and dark be pre-washed and pressed before pressing direction. fabrics separately. Some quilters using. If several widths need to be choose not to prewash, but be aware seamed together, remember to cut Assembling the Quilt that a spill may cause dark-dyed off the edges before sewing. fabrics to “bleed” into lighter ones. ■ Assembling a quilt is a step-by-step process. Some quilt blocks need to Press and fold fabric lengthwise Making Your Quilt be pieced in a certain order. Be sure so it is ready to cut if using a to follow any piecing directions rotary cutter. Cutting included with your pattern. ■ Pieces and strips can be cut using Thread templates, rulers and scissors. – Piece the blocks together. Use extreme care to measure – Assemble blocks into rows, ■ For machine sewing, high-quality and cut accurately. matching points if necessary. cotton thread is a must. Use a light, – Stitch rows together, aligning neutral color (light gray or ecru) ■ Rotary cutting methods also corners and points as needed. for light fabrics when piecing. can be used. Use a dark, neutral thread – Remove selvage edges. – Attach borders, if used. for darker fabrics. – Fold fabric in fourths lengthwise, – Lay backing wrong side up and For hand quilting, matching edges. hold taut with masking tape, use a slightly stronger large paper clamps or T-pins, – Place on cutting mat, matching thread that is labeled depending on the work surface. for hand quilting. horizontal and vertical grid lines. – Smooth the batting over the – Place ruler on fabric in line with backing and if needed to horizontal mat markings. match edges.

The NDSU Extension Service – Center the quilt top, right side up, does not endorse commercial products or over batting. companies even though reference may be made to trade names, trademarks or service names. – If hand quilting, layers using Hand Quilting attach a narrow wood strip or dowel large safety pins, then hand baste to the wall with brackets. Slip the the layers together using 2-inch • Place the hoop or frame in the pocket of the quilt over the rod or running stitches with white center of the quilt. It should be dowel. Try to hang your quilt where thread in a grid pattern. stretched tightly to avoid puckers. it will be out of direct sunlight. Expert quilters recommend • Begin stitching in the center of the you use a 3- to 5-inch grid. hoop and work toward the edges. Explore Quilting – If machine quilting, use the 1-inch • Move the hoop as needed, doing ■ safety pins and anchor the layers Quilts have a long and interesting the center section fi rst and then history. Families brought quilts together at 3- to 4-inch intervals. completing each side separately, Remove pins as you stitch. from many countries and cultures using the same center-to-edge when they settled in North Dakota. Select a pattern and quilt as technique. desired. Make sure the stitching Once here, they continued making lines of your pattern are no more quilts using materials at hand. than 4 inches apart to keep the Tied Quilts ■ Making quilts with friends, or batting from shifting. • Instead of sewing, you may tie your quilting bees, long has been popular. – Bind the edges. To bind the quilt, quilt. Using , heavy embroidery The hostess of the bee would have cut and piece together enough thread or even narrow ribbon, mark the quilt bottom, batting and pieced 2½-inch strips of fabric to go all the surface of your quilt at regular top already fi xed into a large frame, the way around the edge of the intervals no more than 4 inches to and many women would get quilt. Sew them with right sides 5 inches apart. Sew once through together for a day facing the edges of the quilt top. all layers, tie the ends on top of of quilting and Turn under a e-inch hem on the the quilt and cut to length. socializing. binding edge and fold to the The hostess back of the quilt. Hand sew Caring For Your Quilt often would the binding in place on the end the ■ back side of the quilt. Keep quilts out of direct sunlight day with a so the colors will not fade. Washing completed quilt. usually is better than dry cleaning ■ Many families have special quilts Machine Quilting for 100 percent cotton quilts that that have been handed down from • Set the machine stitch length at are made of prewashed fabrics. grandparents, aunts and uncles. eight to 10 stitches per inch with Fill a bathtub with warm water Ask your family members if they a size 14 needle. and thoroughly dissolve a mild have any of these heirloom quilts soap in the water. Stir the quilt • Use a walking foot or release the and what they know about the into the water with your hands. pressure foot tension slightly and quilts’ history. You even could Rinse well. Let as much water as use a throat plate with a small hole. design your own quilt block to possible drain from the quilt, commemorate a special family • Have the quilt totally supported on but do not wring it. Lift the quilt event and start your own heirloom. the table to prevent pulling when out of the tub and dry on the line. stitching. ■ You have other ways to learn about ■ To store quilts, roll in a clean, quilting and the history of quilts. • Roll the quilt toward the front from 100 percent cotton sheet and store Visit a local historical society, each end and pin securely to leave in a cool, dark place. Do not fold museum, quilt shop or show; about an 18-inch work surface. a quilt if possible, but if you must, take a quilting class; or check out • Begin at the center of the basted refold it occasionally to reduce books from your library. You might (or pinned) quilt and work toward permanent creases. be able to fi nd an experienced one end at a time. Try to keep most ■ Display your quilts by using them quilter in your hometown who of the quilt roll to the left of the on beds, as lap blankets or on a quilt would help you get started. machine to make working on it rack. If you choose to hang your easier. Work from the center to each ■ Learn by doing. Enlarge the 4-H quilt, make a hanging pocket on the edge before unrolling clover pattern on the next page, back of it. Cut a 4-inch-wide strip to a new section. or fi nd a simple block pattern in of fabric the width of the quilt and a book and try it. You’ll learn a lot • You also may choose press a e-inch hem along both long about choosing fabrics, cutting, to have your quilt edges of the strip. Hand sew the strip piecing and quilting. You can use machine quilted to the back of the quilt at the top. your block for a pillow, apron bib professionally. On your wall, hang a special quilt or the front of a tote bag. hanger or window curtain rod, or 4-H Clover Block Books About Quilting Quilting Websites Alex Anderson. “Start Quilting with ■ The Internet has thousands of Alex Anderson: Six Projects for First Time websites about quilting. For the Quilters.” Watson-Guptill Publications most up-to-date sites, do a search using the keywords “quilting,” Winky Cherry. “My First Patchwork “quilt history,” “appliqué” or Book: Hand and Machine Sewing.” whatever you’re interested in, A Palmer/Pletsch book for children. and follow the links. Here are www.palmerpletsch.com/childrenbooks.htm a few to get you started. Mimi Dietrich. “Basic Quiltmaking Techniques for Hand Applique.” Quilting History (Each square = 2” block) Martingale and Co. www.womenfolk.com/historyofquilts/

Carol Doak. “Your First Quilt Book From the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History: Suggested Project Ideas (or it should be!)” That Patchwork Place http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/ Quilts: Marianne Fons and Liz Porter. subjects/ • hand or machine pieced “Quilter’s Complete Guide.” Leisure Arts (reprint) • hand or machine quilted Story Quilts • tied Jennifer Keltner. ”Complete Guide to www.litcircles.org/Extension/storyquilt.html • embroidered Quilting.” Better Homes and Gardens • crazy quilt Creative Collection. Lots of information Quilting Techniques but no patterns in this book. • appliquéd Lots of quilting links Diana McClun and Laura Nownes. http://quilting.about.com Wall hangings ”Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!: The Complete Quilt block sampler Guide to Quiltmaking.” McGraw-Hill More Links

Table runner or place mats Jane Townswick. “Easy Machine www.missouriquiltco.com Tote bags and purses Quilting.” Rodale Books www.allpeoplequilt.com/ www.modabakeshop.com/ Jackets, vests or other clothing Patricia Wilens. “Quick and Easy Pictures The AIDS Memorial Quilt Story Scrap Quilts.” www.aidsquilt.org Pillows Oxmoor House Paper foundation quilting project Most popular quilting Web sites have lots of free projects and ideas. Fabric stores also carry quilt books and patterns.

This publication was created by Cindy Swenson, Peggy Anderson, Gail Gette, Merry Green and Sara Kuhry, former NDSU Extension staff , and Rachelle Vettern, NDSU Extension leadership and volunteer development specialist.

Visit North Dakota 4-H on-line at www.ndsu.edu/4h

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