Beginner's Guide To Quilting - UK (2020-04)

© Collins & Brown. Photography: Catherine Gratwicke.

All about...

QUILTING WITH

DIFFERENT

FABRICS

F

or past generations, quilting

was a way to turn old,

pre-loved fabrics into

wonderful new blankets and quilts.

Modern day quilters, on the other

hand, all-too-often opt for 100%

cotton, as there’s such a wonderful

range of beautiful new fabrics

available. Try experimenting with

other fabrics, such as linen, flannel

and silk, or raid your home for

household items and old clothes

to recycle. We’re here to talk you

through a few things to consider

when playing with different fabrics.

If you want to try working with

something other than cotton, first think

about what sort of quilt you want to make

and start a collection of fabrics that are

similar in weight and thickness. If you

want to use delicate or vintage fabrics,

save them for a project that won’t get

much day-to-day use, or if you’re making

a baby blanket that needs to be super

soft, why not try adding a fleece backing

fabric? Whatever the age of the fabric,

make sure it’s colour fast and won’t

shrink excessively.

If you’re using fabrics with a nap, such

as velvet, make sure it runs in the same

direction throughout the quilt. Check

fabrics for excessive fraying and if they do

fray easily, use a wider seam or overlock

(or zig-zag stitch) the seam edges.

Before you start sewing, match your

thread to the type of fabric being used,

so choose 100% cotton for cotton fabrics,

linen thread for linen fabrics, polyester

thread for synthetics and so on.

COTTON

Cotton is the best fabric for beginners and

is the first choice for quilt making

because it’s durable, easy to work with,

doesn’t fray much and handles well.

Quilts and other projects made from

cotton will be more likely to wash well,

take a medium to hot iron without

problems and stand the test of time.

Wash and press your fabrics before use

to ensure accurate marking and cutting.

Machine sew and quilt cotton fabrics with

needle sizes 70/10–80/12. Beginners will

find hand quilting easiest using needle

sizes 7–10. A 6mm (¼in) seam allowance

is generally used for piecing cotton.

LINEN

Linen, like cotton, is a natural fibre and

can be used successfully in patchwork.

A collection of delicately coloured linens

can make a really elegant quilt with a

French country feel to it. Linen tends to

fray easily, so use a wider seam allowance

than normal – 1cm (^3 / 8 in) or 1.3cm

(½in). It also creases easily so you might

prefer to use it for projects that aren’t

going to get crushed too much. Take care

when ironing linen as it’s easy to leave a

shiny surface.

Some linens are densely woven while

other are very loose, so try to choose

linens that are similar.

Machine sew and quilt linen fabrics

with needle sizes 70/10–80/12. Hand

quilt using needle sizes 7–12.

Why not have a go at using a range of fabrics in your

next project? You’ll find it easy with our top tips

Adding Texture

142 Beginner’s Guide to Quilting

Fabric Pros Cons

COTTON Easy to use, washes well Can crease easily

LINEN Rustic, textured finish Frays and creases easily

FLANNEL Soft, warm and cosy finish Can stretch as you quilt

SILK, SATIN

OR VOILE Lovely finished effect Not very hardwearing

DENIM,

WOOL OR

VELVET

Great for adding texture

Wool is warm, denim is

hard wearing

Not as easy to sew

RECYCLED

FABRICS

Make the most of old

clothes, add personal touch

Avoid mixing different

weight fabrics

WHICH FABRIC SHOULD YOU USE?

TAPESTRY QUILT

FROM QUILT ME!

JANE BROCKET