by Sophia Josephina

Created on: July 06, 2009

Do you think you can't quilt because you don't have a quilting machine? Or have you already made your quilt top and now are ready to quilt it? Here are a couple of ways that you can quilt your piece of art that will leave you feeling like the artist you are.

QUILTING BY HAND

Way back before they even had quilting machines our ancestors quilted by hand, with a needle and thread. This can still be done in the present day quilting. After you have picked which design you want quilted on your quilt, take a tracing pencil and draw it on. Make sure to use a pencil suited for writing on fabric, that way when you are done it can be easily wiped off.

Now you need to section your quilt into fours if it is a small quilt, six if it is a medium size or if it is a larger quilt you may want to section it into eights.

When you quilt you will work from the middle of your quilt to the outside, this is so that your fabric will smooth out as you quilt.

Don't skip around sections! This is very important if you want a quilt that will not have puckers. Work each section from the middle to the edge.

You can either use one strand of thread or two; it is all up to you remember this is your design. After threading the needle tie a small knot at the end of the thread.

Now you are ready to quilt. Starting from the middle section and begin quilting by pushing your needle up through the back of the quilt and positioning it so that it will follow the design you have already traced on the quilt.

Once your needle is on top of the quilt, leave a little space then send your needle back down through the fabric remembering to always follow your traced design. Keep doing this until your quilted artwork is complete.

A lot of people like this method because you can take the quilt with you if you are traveling, or even if you are watching TV you can quilt.

SEWING MACHINE QUILTING

When using this method you would still trace your design onto the quilt and section it.

You will need to turn your feed off. These are the teeth under your presser foot that push your fabric through when sewing.

Replace your presser foot with an embroidery attachment. This foot usually has a hole on it.

Then using a straight stitch on your sewing machine, determine how long you want your stitch to be.

Begin quilting by lining up your design and sewing. As you sew you will move the quilt so it stays lined up with your design. You may want to practice this method before you actually do your quilting. Try to get into a rhythm with the machine as it sews you move.

This Method is the most popular and you can finish your quilt in less time than hand quilting.

Which ever method you use have fun with it.

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