The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker, 12 Quilt Projects

132 Pages·2010·24.2 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Hartman

The Practical Guide
to Patchwork
New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker
12 Quilt Projects
Elizabeth Hartman
Text copyright © 2010 by Elizabeth Hartman
Artwork copyright © 2010 by C&T Publishing, Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hartman, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Anne)
The practical guide to patchwork : new basics for the modern quiltmaker /
Elizabeth Hartman.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-60705-008-7 (softcover)
1. Patchwork. 2. Quilting. I. Title.
TT835.H3422 2010
746.46--dc22
2010014305
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PREFACE 4
All the Basics 5
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES 6
Fabric • Batting
Thread • Basic tools
Useful supplies
PLANNING YOUR QUILT 18
Standard quilt sizes Contents
Adjusting and resizing
Choosing fabrics • Color
STEP-BY-STEP QUILT CONSTRUCTION 25
Rotary cutting • Patchwork piecing
Making a quilt sandwich
Machine quilting • Binding
Projects to Get You Started 45
Fenced In, 46
Snapshots, 51
Small Plates, 56
Batch of Brownies, 62
Projects for a Confident Beginner 70
Valentine, 71
Kitchen Window, 77
Planetarium, 82
Dedication & Acknowledgments
Little Leaves, 88
This book is dedicated to my blog readers and all the other
Intermediate-Level Projects 95 sewers and quilters who share their work online. Thank you
for your continuing support and inspiration!
Sunspot, 96
Thank you to my husband, Chris Hartman, for his support
Superstar, 104 of this project, and to my mother, Susan Green, and my
sisters, Margaret James and Sarah Green, for their help
Birdbath, 112
cutting appliqués and hand finishing the binding.
Rain or Shine, 118
Thank you also to Susanne Woods and everyone else at
C&T Publishing for giving me this opportunity, and to
RESOURCES 126 Cynthia Bix and Nanette Zeller for their excellent editing
work. Thank you, Cynthia and Nanette, for helping to make
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 127 this book more readable!
I’ve always been someone who makes things, but when I started
making quilts ten years ago, I was instantly hooked. I love playing
with color and pattern, the orderliness of the process, and, per-
haps best of all, that my work is rewarded in the end with a really
fantastic usable object.
Preface
Many sewers are hesitant to approach quiltmaking. Unlike a tote
bag or skirt that can be completed in an afternoon, a quilt is some-
thing you’re likely to work on for weeks or even months. There are
many steps, each of which may involve learning a new technique.
It’s worth the effort. A well-made quilt is not only something
you’ll be able to use for years to come, it’s something that is very
uniquely “you.” The patterns in this book will tell you how much
fabric to buy and how to sew the blocks together, but each deci-
sion you make—be it fabric selection, block arrangement, or the
shape of your machine quilting stitches—brings your unique view-
point to the project.
I like to think of a quilt block pattern as a problem that can be
solved in a number of different ways. While beginning quilters
may want to start with something basic, and experienced quilters
may enjoy the challenge of a more elaborate project, I hope that
quilters of all skill levels will be able to use the projects in this book
to find their own creative “solutions.”
As you work, keep in mind that every step of this process is achiev-
able. You may need to take out some stitching and redo it. You
may end up with some wrinkles or unexpected wonkiness. You’re
very unlikely to end up with a quilt that you can’t use.
I hope this book inspires you to make a quilt you will love!
4 The Practical Guide to Patchwork
All the Basics
This is a step-by-step guide to making
a quilt, from gathering supplies and
choosing fabrics to basic quilt con-
struction. Although I know it’s easier
said than done, I recommend choosing
a first project that doesn’t have a
deadline attached to it (such as a baby
shower or birthday) and working at
your own pace to complete each step,
one at a time. You can do this!
If you’ve quilted before, I hope you
can still find one or two helpful tips in
this section.
All the Basics 5
Materials and Supplies
When shopping for supplies, a good rule of thumb is to buy
the best-quality materials you can afford. You’ll be spending
a lot of time making and using your quilt, so invest in mate-
rials that you’ll be happy with for the long term.
Materials Fabric
Finding new fabrics to use is one of my favorite parts of quiltmaking!
You probably already know that
The variety of fabrics available to today’s quilters is truly amazing.
you need fabric, thread, and
Solid fabrics are available in hundreds of colors, and each new wave
batting. This section talks about
of print fabrics seems more fabulous than the last.
them in a little more detail.
Almost all print fabric made for quilting is 100% cotton. Cotton is
easy to work with, washable, and durable. It’s a good choice for
quilters, and its long life means you’ll be enjoying your quilt for years
to come.
Most cotton quilting fabrics are of a similar, medium weight, but
other types, such as chambray, twill, poplin, and double gauze, are
all suitable for quiltmaking.
Fabric that is 100% linen lends a natural look and a lot of texture. It
can be an excellent choice for setting off bright colors or comple-
menting muted ones. Linen can be tricky to work with, as its looser
weave is prone to raveling, but the unique look of natural linen can
be worth the extra work.
Linen/cotton blends are my favorite solid fabrics. The blend offers
some of the weight and texture of linen, but with the stability and
tighter weave of cotton. Because it provides a nice contrast in texture
to the smoother blocks, I like to use linen/cotton blends for sashing.
6 The Practical Guide to Patchwork
1 2 3
4 5 6
7
Don’t hesitate to include unconventional fabrics, such as madras SAMPLE FABRICS
plaids, vintage bed linens, and shirting cottons, in your composi-
1. Double gauze
tions. Just keep in mind that the projects in this book (and patchwork
2. Cotton print
quilting projects in general) will be most successful when constructed
3. Twill
of stable woven fabrics that can be washed and ironed. 4. Poplin
5. Linen
Remember also that delicate fabrics wear more quickly and may not
6. Linen/cotton blend
be the best choice for a quilt that will get heavy use over many years.
7. Selvage
Note: For more about prints and how to choose the right ones for
your quilt, see page 24.
Materials and Supplies 7
FABRIC VOCABULARY
The project instructions will make more sense if you familiarize
yourself with the following terms.
SELVAGE is the finished edge of the fabric. The selvages of
quilting fabrics are usually printed with the name of the fabric
and designer and are often quite attractive by themselves. Some
quilters like to save their selvages to use in other projects (see the
photo on page 7).
FOLD refers to the center fold created when fabric is folded sel-
vage to selvage, as it is on the bolt.
GRAIN refers to the way the threads in the weave of a woven fabric
line up with the selvage. With cotton and linen fabrics, the grain tip
is parallel and perpendicular to the selvage. Fabric cut along the
grain is stable and ideal for patchwork piecing. It can be difficult to identify
the right and wrong sides
BIAS means diagonal in relation to the grain. Fabric cut on the bias
of some fabrics, especially
(for instance, fabric that has been cut into triangles) has a tendency
solids and batiks. In theory,
to stretch along the bias edge and requires careful handling.
you should choose one side
WIDTH is the distance from selvage to selvage. In most cases this
and stick with it. In practice,
is about 42˝–44˝. (In order to account for a wide variety of fabrics,
it can be difficult to keep
the projects in this book assume a 40˝ width unless otherwise
track of which side is which.
stated.)
Don’t spend too much time
LENGTH is the distance from cut edge to cut edge, along the sel- fretting about the differ-
vage. The length of the fabric is the length of the cut. For instance, ence between seemingly
a perfect 2-yard cut should be 72˝ in length.
identical right and wrong
sides. If you can’t tell the
Fold
difference, it’s unlikely
Bias n to harm your project.
dth Grai
Wi
Grain
Length
Selvage
RIGHT AND WRONG SIDES The right side of the fabric is the
side you want showing in your finished project—usually the side
with a pattern printed on it. The wrong side is, of course, the
opposite side, which you don’t want to show.
Right side Wrong side
8 The Practical Guide to Patchwork
ELEMENTS QUILT
OF A
A quilt is like a sandwich. It has a fabric top, a fabric back, and a layer
of batting in the middle. The quilt top and back are usually made
using patchwork, a technique in which smaller pieces of fabric are
sewn together, often in blocks that have a repeating pattern. The
layers of the quilt sandwich are held together by quilting, and the raw
edges are finished with a binding.
Block
Sashing Quilting
Binding
Detail of Rain or Shine (full quilt on page 118)
Materials and Supplies 9