Quilting Basics

The following is a reference guide. For more information, consult a comprehensive quilting book.

BASIC TECHNIQUES

Appliqué

Fusible Appliqué

All templates in Quilter's World are reversed for use with this technique.

1. Trace the instructed number of templates 1/4" apart onto the paper side of paperbacked fusible web. Cut apart the templates, leaving a margin around each, and fuse to the wrong side of the fabric following fusible web manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Cut the appliqué pieces out on the traced lines, remove paper backing and fuse to the background referring to the appliqué motif given.

3. Finish appliqué raw edges with a straight, satin, blanket, zigzag or blindhem machine stitch with matching or invisible thread.

Turned-Edge Appliqué

1. Trace the printed reversed templates onto template plastic. Flip the template over and mark as the right side.

2. Position the template, right side up, on the right side of fabric and lightly trace, spacing images 1/2" apart. Cut apart, leaving a 1/4" margin around the traced lines.

3. Clip curves and press edges 1/4" to the wrong side around the appliqué shape.

4. Referring to the appliqué motif, pin or baste appliqué shapes to the background. 5. Hand-stitch shapes in place using a blind stitch and thread to match or machinestitch using a short blind hemstitch and either matching or invisible thread. Borders

Most Quilter's World patterns give an exact size to cut borders. You may check those sizes by comparing them to the horizontal and vertical center measurements of your quilt top.

Straight Borders

1. Mark the centers of the side borders and quilt top sides.

2. Stitch borders to quilt top sides with right sides together and matching raw edges and center marks using a 1/4" seam. Press seams toward borders.

3. Repeat with top and bottom border lengths.

Mitered Borders

1. Add at least twice the border width to the border lengths instructed to cut.

2. Center and sew the side borders to the quilt, beginning and ending stitching 1/4" from the quilt corner and backstitching (Figure 1). Repeat with the top and bottom borders.

3. Fold and pin quilt right sides together at a 45- degree angle on one corner (Figure 2). Place a straightedge along the fold and lightly mark a line across the border ends. 4. Stitch along the line, backstitching to secure. Trim seam to 1/4" and press open (Figure 3).

Quilt Backing & Batting

We suggest that you cut your backing and batting 8" larger than the finished quilt-top size. If preparing the backing from standard-width fabrics, remove the selvages and sew two or three lengths together; press seams open. If using 108"wide fabric, trim to size on the straight grain of the fabric.

Prepare batting the same size as your backing. You can purchase prepackaged sizes or battings by the yard and trim to size.

Quilting

1. Press quilt top on both sides and trim all loose threads.

2. Make a quilt sandwich by layering the backing right side down, batting and quilt top centered right side up on flat surface and smooth out. Pin or baste layers together to hold.

3. Mark quilting design on quilt top and quilt as desired by hand or machine. Note:

If you are sending your quilt to a professional quilter, contact them for specifics about preparing your quilt for quilting. 4. When quilting is complete, remove pins or basting. Trim batting and backing edges even with raw edges of quilt top.

Binding the Quilt

1. Join binding strips on short ends with diagonal seams to make one long strip; trim seams to 1/4" and press seams open (Figure 4).

2. Fold 1" of one short end to wrong side and press. Fold the binding strip in half with wrong sides together along length, again referring to Figure 4; press.

3. Starting about 3" from the folded short end, sew binding to quilt top edges, matching raw edges and using a 1/4" seam. Stop stitching 1/4" from corner and backstitch (Figure 5).

4. Fold binding up at a 45- degree angle to seam and then down even with quilt edges, forming a pleat at corner, referring to Figure 6.

5. Resume stitching from corner edge as shown in Figure 6, down quilt side, backstitching 1/4" from next corner. Repeat, mitering all corners, stitching to within 3" of starting point.

6. Trim binding end long enough to tuck inside starting end and complete stitching (Figure 7).

7. Fold binding to quilt back and stitch in place by hand or machine to complete your quilt.

QUILTING TERMS

• Appliqué: Adding fabric motifs to a foundation fabric by hand or machine (see Appliqué section of Basic Techniques).

• Basting: This temporarily secures layers of quilting materials together with safety pins, thread or a spray adhesive in preparation for quilting the layers.

Use a long, straight stitch to hand- or machine-stitch one element to another holding the elements in place during construction and usually removed after construction.

• Batting: An insulating material made in a variety of fiber contents that is used between the quilt top and back to provide extra warmth and loft.

• Binding: A finishing strip of fabric sewn to the outer raw edges of a quilt to cover them.

Straight-grain binding strips, cut on the crosswise straight grain of the fabric (see Straight & Bias Grain Lines illustration on page 96), are commonly used.

Bias binding strips are cut at a 45-degree angle to the straight grain of the fabric. They are used when binding is being added to curved edges.

• Block: The basic quilting unit that is repeated to complete the quilt’s design composition. Blocks can be pieced, appliquéd or solid and are usually square or rectangular in shape.