Homemade Infant Bedding

If you have the means to give a big item as a gift, you can still have it personalized. Again, personalization makes an impression. Have baby's initials put on his or her crib or armoire.

Squaring the quilt: After the pieces have been sewn together take a couple of measurements on the upper half and lower half of your quilt. They should be the same. Also take a couple of measurements the other direction. If they are the same you should have an evenly proportioned quilt.

Blanket Quilt A century ago, cigar companies tied a bright colored silk ribbon around a bundle of cigars. Women stitched them together with black or colored embroidery floss stitches onto a fabric foundation block. They were not cut or curved, but placed side by side. Cigar company ribbons had fancy logos and used attractive fonts in black ink on yellow or orange ribbons. The various advertising on the ribbons added decoration to the quilt block. Green, pink and purple ribbons were occasionally used in the block designs, signifying a rare cigar.

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.

We have taken our family on many picnics. These picnics are not complete without a quilt, to cuddle on after we have our meal. We have recently bought a Jeep and we always have a quilt with us in the Jeep as we go on outings. We tend to use heavier quilts for these outings because of the sturdy sewing and materials that are used, the quilt will not show the wear of outdoors as easily.

The great value of a template in how to make a quilt is that it allows one to easily make patches identical in size and shape that fit together perfectly. Quilt block templates may be purchased or they can be made. To make a cardboard template the design must be transferred on to paper that has been squared and then with very sharp scissors cut out. The cutout then gets glued onto a piece of cardboard. It is important that a seam allowance be included. The cardboard template should then be cut out and the paper seam allowance protected by covering it with a very thin layer of clear polish or nail varnish. New templates should always be made for each of the project's required shapes.

Comfort Food: Exchange a bite of Mac and Cheese or Beef Stew (ok Bourguignon, you Julie and Julia Fans!) as a promise to nurture one another. Serve it at your reception. Have it on your buffets when you entertain during the fall, or have the annual mac and cheese (or whatever) party once you're married.

The preferred needle type for woven cotton fabrics is called a "sharp." Sizes 75/11 and 80/12 are good choices for piecing, quiltmaking, and binding most simple quilt patterns. Use a smaller needle (70/10) if you're piecing tightly woven batiks and a larger needle (90/14) for flannels. Dull needles can cause skipping or uneven stitches, so it's a good idea to insert a fresh needle at the start of every project.