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Each quilter has their essential tools, their iron, their scissors, rulers and so on. However for me it does not just stop there.

Over my years of quilting, I’ve also come across a number of little accessories and tools that would just make quilting so much tougher without them. The funny part is that they are not even big things, just small things here and there that save me a couple of minutes at a time.

Chaco Liners

Chaco liners look a lot like permanent markers, however they’re completely different. Rather than permanently staining your fabric, these liners use a powder type tip that is designed to leave a mark, but not forever.

The basic concept behind these is you can mark out the measurements as required and then when its no longer required, clean it off simply. Ideal for any person working on a custom quilt pattern or patchwork quilt.

They are also refillable, so when you finish one, you can just unscrew the cartridge and replace it with a fresh one.

Thread Rack

This is a fantastic straightforward to use device which has saved me countless minutes hunting for the right thread. This is a rack divided up into a grid. Where each grid meets is a little dowl that protrudes, which you can put a spool of thread on.

I have arranged mine in a rainbow colour order so I can quickly find the colour thread I need and begin stitching. No more rumaging around your stitching box for the right colour spool.

You can get ones that stand vertically and have a roatating base to help you choose your threads, similar to a greeting card rack.

5 in 1 Sliding Gauge

This looks similar to one of those T-squares your teacher used in maths class. The difference is this one has an adjustable slider.

It is a real wonder tool and is ideal for marking out button holes, seam allowances and hem length, just to name a few!

Its these tiny things that help me to save minutes here and there. These minutes then start turning into hours and shortly you’ll find you cannot live without them either!

To get more excellent tips about the best way to make a patchwork quilt, check out Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt internet site now!

No two folks learn quilting the same way. Some individuals gain an interest in from a quilting magazine or perhaps from a relative. For me, my nanna was an avid quilter. One stormy day, I was at her home and she suggested that I’d like to have a go at quilting.

She had purchased a quilting kit a fortnight before and had waited until I was bored before giving it to me, so this is how I learned about quilting kits and how I made my first quilt with a green quilt design.

What’s A Quilting Kit?

There are two differing kinds, but the standard quilting kit is an all in one package for making a quilt from beginning to finish.

It includes the material, patterns and instructions on how to make the chosen quilt. The only thing they don’t have is the tools, you’re expected to provide your own.

Now And Then there are ‘block of the month’ type kits, where a different bit of material is sent to you every month and you build it up over the year, but these aren’t the most common.

Kits For Beginners

These kits are the very best way for first-timers to find out how to make quilts. Everything is provided so you do not have to stress about not having the correct materials.

The most worth comes from the instructions. The directions are made for folks who have never made a quilt before. They contain all of the info and guides you have to know to turn the material into the quilt.

Just be sure to pick one that’s labeled for beginners.

Kits For Veteran Quilters

Kits aren’t only for beginners, there are much more advanced and challenging patterns available for the more experienced quilter.

These are great if you feel just like an easier challenge, you don’t have to waste time coming up with and measuring out a design. You can just pick a pattern you love and get to work!

Hopefully this has given you a fair idea on what quilt kits are and has motivated some new quilters to give one a go!

Interested in more green quilt design ideas? Then head on over to Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt site now!

For someone just starting out in quilting, planning a quilt pattern appears like one of the hardest things you could ask them to do.

The good news for these budding quilters is that it seems harder than it actually is, all you need is the know-how.

The Fundamentals of Planning A Quilt

When you’re planning a quilt for the first time, the simplest way to do this is by designing a block. A block is a square section of quilt that holds the pattern. The concept here is that you make a number of the same blocks and then sew them together to form the pattern.

Just be sure to work out how big your quilt needs to be and then work out how many blocks you will need to make the quilt big enough.

When you’re prepared to start working on a design there are a couple of strategies that people typically use, these are graph paper or software.

Graph Paper

This is the commonest way that folks design quilt patterns. You can get graph paper ruled in all different sizes.

On the graph paper, draw a square that represents the whole block, If possible try and make the square a ratio of the scale of the block ie 3:1 or 2:1. This'll help you massively when it comes to measuring and cutting up the material for the pattern.

Then begin working out your pattern inside the drawn square. Its quickest to divide the squares into smaller shapes such as squares and triangles. When you’ve worked on a couple of quilts you can then move on to something more complicated like a rose quilt design.

Quilt Design Software

More lately, quilters have been turning to computer software to help them with planning their patterns.

This program acts as virtual graph paper, letting you draw shapes, divide and resize your square on a whim. It really also help with importing custom shapes and images to add into your design.

There is a vast variation in the capabilities of different bits of software so be certain to do your prep work!

Hopefully this has helped you learn a bit more about the best way to design a quilt and has inspired you to give it a go yourself!

Would you like more rose quilt design concepts? Then head on over to Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt site now!

When starting a new quilt, the easiest and most fun part is going to the store to pick up some new materials and gear. Nevertheless the costs will all add up quickly, so to help your bank account survive your next project, here is a few pointers that may help drive your funds further.

Saving While Shopping

Check for discount bins each time you visit a craft store. Many stores have the discount bins near the entrance, but don’t stop looking there. You’ll often find a couple scattered around the store in different areas. So keep your eyes open!

You might find the very thing you need, or did not know you needed.

If you’re there to buy materials, and you can see that they’re close to finishing a bolt, ask if there’s a discount for finishing the bolt. Many stores are happy to do that so they don’t finish up with little bits of material that they can’t sell. No one is going to need to buy half a yard of a rose quilt design or custom designed material, so it benefits the store to sell the remainder of the bolt at a reduction.

Another fast tip for shopping – its OK to use polyester batting. A few people are against it, but actually there’s nothing wrong with polyester batting, you buy what you are able to afford – so don’t be put off!

Also, its perfect if you are making a blanket that is to cover a couch or for occasional use. No point spending more for something you will likely only use every once in a while.

Spend More Time Looking At Your Fabrics

Many fabrics can often cost over $10 a yard. Nevertheless some fabrics can cost slightly under $3 a yard. Folk generally accept that anything at the low end of the price bracket will be an unacceptable quality material.

This is not always true. A quilter with a keen eye for detail can find a bargain in the discount fabrics. Occasionally even great fabrics don’t sell that well, stores are all about moving stock quickly , so if it doesn’t move off the racks fast enough, they are going to discount the price with no regard for the quality – so keep your eyes open.

In the following article, we’ll be having a look at some different approaches you can take to save money and different places to get more quilting supplies.

Interested in more rose quilt design ideas? Then head on over to Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt site now!

For those of you who don’t know what a t-shirt quilt is, it is literally a quilt made out of t-shirts. It works alongside the same principles as a patchwork quilt design but is different in its own special way.

The basic notion of these quilts is that you use the designs from old t-shirts, right where the printings, designs and slogans are. This is a perfect use for all those unused t-shirts you do not wear anymore and gives them a new way to be useful.

Making one of those quilts is easy and relatively quick:

1. Collect and clean all the t-shirts you would like to use. Make sure they have all been washed and ironed. You do not want to work with soiled or wrinkled materials.
2. Work out how many you wish to use in your design. This is a vital step as it’ll affect each other part of your quilt design.
3. Choose a pattern. Will there be a border between all of the t-shirts? Will you stitch them all together and just add a border round the outside? The choice is yours.
4. Work out what size each t-shirt square needs to be to work with your pattern. Check all of the t-shirts to make sure the parts you want to capture can be contained in these sized squares.
5. Make a block template, ideally with thick card or linoleum – something that’s tough to accidentally cut through.
6. Spread your t-shirt over the block and cut out the design.
7. Organize all of the t-shirt blocks in your preferred pattern.
8. Cut out and arrange your borders and other materials and add them to the t-shirts to ensure that your pattern will work and come out the size you intended it to.
9. If everything has lined up, start to stitch the pattern into rows. Once all of the rows are complete, sew the rows together.

Thats it!

Now there’s no reason to have all those old t-shirts floating around and cluttering up your closet any more!

To get some more excellent tips about the best way to make a patchwork quilt, check out Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt website now!

Your iron gets a lot of use when putting a quilt together.

I could help but notice one day when i was working on a green quilt design that my iron was leaving small smudges and marks on my quilt. It was this that made me realize that my iron required cleaning.

But how do you get all the dirt and dust off that has been baked on over the many hours of use?

Its actually incredibly easy. Here’s how:

Get a bottle of white vinegar. Unbeknown to some, vinegar is an amazing cleaning agent. You may use it to clean drains and floors and it kills a lot of bacteria. Your iron is no exception so we’ll be using it here too.

First, fill the reservoir up to 1/4 the way with vinegar

Next, get a clean white cloth to iron onto. I have found that an old towel or dishcloth works best. Try and use an old one as the vinegar smell can linger after a wash on occasion.

Set your iron to steam mode and wait for it to warm up. When its prepared, spray and iron the vinegar onto the fabric.

Run the hot iron over the top of the cloth. Repeat this until the reservoir is completely empty.

When its empty get some distilled water and fill the reservoir all of the way this time. The reason we use distilled water is that it’ll stop the blocking of the spray and steam nozzles of the iron.

Like you did with the vinegar, spray and iron the cloth again till the iron is empty.

Once this is done, all your nozzles should be completely clean as well as the underside of your iron, this explains why we were ironing over the cloth.

This works perfectly with any iron and I am able to strongly recommended for any iron with a teflon coating as it won’t affect or damage the teflon, unlike washing with a bristle pad or brush.

Now you can enjoy worry free ironing, without the smudge marks.

Interested in more green quilt design ideas? Then head on over to Jane Green’s how to make a patchwork quilt site now!

Essentially, quilts are a type of blankets made from three layers: a top, batting in between, and a layer of backing material. The layers are connected together using the method of quilting. The basic meaning of quilting is to connect separate layers with a needle and thread. Of course, this process can be used for both practical purposes and for decorative projects.

Tying is another method of connecting the layers in quilts together. This method is a lot faster, and it is often used when the quilt is simply needed for practical purposes. No matter what method you use, the three layers still need to be prepared and basted. This step is typically done with thread or yarn. The ties are finished off with square knots, which are customarily set 3-5″ apart all over the surface of the quilt. A quilt that is tied is sometimes called a comforter.

Once upon a time quilts were created for necessity. Today creating quilts has become an art form. Today, talented crafters are often called fabric artists, instead than seamstresses and quilters as they were known in the past. Aside from the ever popular bed quilts, quilting is also used to create clothing and wall hangings. Handmade quilts may sell for hundreds of dollars and hang on museum walls, not just bed frames. Amish quilts from Pennsylvania and Ohio are especially sought after, as are vintage and antique quilts.

If you have be so lucky to inherit a beautiful quilt, you should make sure you take great care of it – aside from preserving the heirloom, you are also preserving its increase in value. Never store quilts in plastic bags, wooden trunks or boxes made of cardboard. You should also make sure your quilts get some air at least once every year, but try to avoid direct sunlight. If the quilts are extremely old, airing them out flat prevents unnecessary stress on the stitches. You always take a chance when you wash antique fabrics. Spot test it first. If you are using a machine, wash in cold water with a mild detergent and a gentle cycle. Dry your quilt on a flat surface. Using a fan and rotating it will speed up the drying process.

Over time, quilts have been pieces of history, both of their times and their creators. During the depression, for example, fabric was a scarce commodity. Some historians even believe secret messages and codes were hidden in handmade quilts at different times throughout history. One case is believed to be related to the underground railroad. A specific pattern would tell the slaves it was safe to leave and move on to the next leg of their journeys. Even if not all historians buy into this theory, some agree that signature quilts were used before and after the civil war to gather funds. Signatures were added after a donation was made. Another name for these quilts is friendship quilts.

While not all historians agree on this usage in the past, it is becoming increasingly popular today. Many people love to give T-shirt quilts and memory quilts as gifts. And our technology is advanced enough that it is now even possible to add photos of loved ones. Quilts are some of the favorite items used to raise funds at fundraisers and raffles. Quilt guilds are being created and growing at a rapid rate, preserving and passing on treasured patterns and techniques.

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