Quilting the Quilt

Twenty years ago, machine quilting was considered “cheating” by a great majority of quilters, and it was rare to find a machine-quilted project among show winners. Now hand-quilted quilts make up only a small percentage of completed quilts.

Machine quilting requires some practice before you tackle your first project. Even doing something as simple as writing the alphabet with your machine will help you develop the muscle memory to create your own spectacular quilts.

If you find yourself in a time crunch (or you just like to get things done fast) you can shave hours off your completion time with these machine appliqué shortcuts I call Quick-liqué.

In the previous issue of Love of Quilting, we showed you how to use motifs from fabrics to create quilting designs. Now we’ll show you how to use those designs you’ve found hidden in your fabric.

Learn how to use motifs in your fabrics to create your own quilting designs.

When deciding between cotton and polyester thread, consider the quilt’s intended use.

In our quest for the perfect quilting design it’s easy to be enamored with filigree and flourish when all we really need is sleek and simple. Straight lines and circles fill the bill!

To keep the viewer’s attention focused on your masterpiece longer, use one of the following techniques to add movement to your work.

A quilt border serves the same purpose as a picture frame—it keeps the viewer’s attention focused on what’s happening inside it.

When debating between custom and overall quilting for your quilt, you’ll save yourself lots of time and stress if you answer these questions to help you decide...