The Basics

So for those that are not quilters, yet, let me briefly describe the process...





The first three steps can happen in any order.
1) Decide to start a project (You may be inspired while shopping)
2) Choose fabric (This can involve shopping for fabric)
3) Choose a pattern (This can invovle shopping)

4) Prepare fabric for piecing (this usually includes ironing --oh whoops I mean "pressing")
5) Piece fabric together through the following process:
cut, sew, cut, sew, press, cut, sew, cut, sew, press, press press...
6) Complete the top of the quilt (this may include piecing a border)
7) Choose a back for the quilt and batting (the middle of the quilt)
8) Press the top and back again.
8) Baste (put) your quilt sandwich together. (top, batting, back)
9) Choose a quillt pattern and quilt
10) Choose binding, piece binding and bind quilt.

10 Easy steps... HA!!

I have projects in probably everyone of these stages/steps. Mostly its the "choosing" that keeps me from moving forward, you see the creative part of quilting is the more difficult part.

So after that first quilt I convinced my sister and mom to each do a yellow brick road, one with "nature like" batiks and one with a red and white pattern. My sister a frequent traveler decided to piece by hand. My mom took a different route, she decided that quilting by paper instructions and phone explanations was too difficult and sent the cut fabric pieces to my grandmother, a wonderful seamstress, to piece together. I eventually finished the border, had it quilted by Linda Bridges, and sent it for binding to the last sister in the family to finish a Payne (my maiden name) family quilt. Quilts of the same pattern but different fabric or quilts of the same pattern and fabrics with different quilting patterns can look completely different. In an effort to explain this to the newer quilters, I am including a picture of the yellow brick road pattern quilt with nature inspired batiks.

peaceful quilting - Michelle