Applique And Embroidery Stitching In Quilting Projects
Shortly after her death I came across the quilt that she made for my mother a few years before losing her eyesight. Suddenly it began to dawn upon me. When I looked at the quilt, I did not see a blanket. Instead, I saw a scrapbook made from material. It was as if, by looking at the quilt, I was paging through my family album. I remembered the times when we baked cookies with my mother, the times when my sisters and I played with our tea-set, the first "Superman"-movie I saw with my dad, my first day at school, the visits we had with our grandparents and many other special memories. Each memory was carefully interwoven into this quilt.
Blanket Quilt Once you have your design set, the next considerations are the materials you choose to make the quilt out of. Does the material match the nursery for the child; is it themed for their gender? Additionally the cloth needs to me comfortable for the newborn; cotton or fleece fibers are among the best choices. If you are using two different materials they need to be of the same type, with the only difference being the pattern. In addition to the cloth or yarn you will need appropriate thread and batting for the inside of the blanket.
When you are in the midst of selecting the blankets, you must avoid those poorly made products. You are reminded to choose products which come with high threat count. In order to minimize down leakage, you need to get a blanket with a thread count of at least 220. At the same time, you are reminded to focus on the stitching. It will be better for you to pick those blankets with regular V stitching, box stitching or quilt squares. Besides, it is also important for you to feel the materials personally when you shop around. Don't be shy to test the products. You are advised to feel the blankets with your fingers and play with the materials. If possible, you should hold each blanket against your face to find out how soft and warm it is before you purchase. Make the selection carefully.
I cut the denim into 4 inch squares and lay them out on the floor until I get the look I want. If your are using child sized jeans you may want to make smaller squares or even alternate between a 4 inch square and one that is made of 4 squares, 2 inches wide. Be creative. Your quilt blocks can be triangles, diamonds or what ever shape you choose. It is your design so let your imagination run.
If you're not sure what design you should use, take a trip down to the closest fabric store and take a look at their collection of baby quilt patterns. If it is your first attempt at quilting, remember to keep it simple. A lot of the time less is more. This may mean something like the sky with some white clouds. Many people decide on a patchwork design even for baby quilt patterns. Pink and blue are always appropriate colors for babies so you really can't go wrong with that. If you don't know the baby's gender, than white or yellow is a safe, neutral choice.
Some women used larger scraps, and often the block's strips were a variety of widths. Scrappy strips were asymmetrical and uneven, or pointed, or on the bias. Whatever fabrics were available, they were used as is. There was no time to waste cutting them to size. Women used an old blanket or quilt as the filler and tied the layers together; winter was near -- no time for quilting it.
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.
