Welcome to Quilting With Tamara
There is so much more to quilting than picking out a pattern. Each quilting skill builds upon the next and therefore important to learn the foundation skills. It takes practice and a willingness to learn a few basic techniques. Let’s throw some patience in there too! I continue to learn. Quilts, fabrics, and even quilting tools inspire me – well, almost any tool, as you will see.
There are fundamental quilting skills to have, no matter the quilting level. You will find quilters across the ages and not limited by gender. Don’t let the process overwhelm you. Breaking the process down into manageable steps provides opportunities to hone those skills.
In the Beginning – Before Quilting Skills Developed
Looking back to the beginning of my quilting “career,” I think about how far I have come. So many people, tools, classes, and books have influenced my quilting skills.
When I started, I didn’t have the rulers, cutting mats, and rotary cutters. I had scissors, paper, a sewing machine, and access to books and magazines. To say my quilting skills were sorely lacking is an understatement. I asked myself if I had the stamina to be a quilter, to commit to that long-term project.
Fundamental Skills?!?!?
There are fundamental skills that will aid in the success of a quilter. I will create a list in this post but will build on the list in more detail in future posts. Remember, this list isn’t complete, and feel free to share what you found to help improve your quilting skills – the ever-evolving process of being a quilter.
Family and Friends influence my quilting
I still have the quilt my grandmother made me when I was a child. Picture a 4-Patch quilt that repurposes outgrown clothing. Grandma gathered our outgrown clothes and created a beautiful scrap quilt for each of the grandchildren.
The inner layer of the quilt was flannel. Grandma tied my quilt at the corners of the 4-Patches. There was something so heart-warming when we (my siblings, cousins, and I) received our quilts. I don’t remember how we knew that this was something special. Maybe our parents warned us how much time and effort it took to create a quilt for all the grandchildren. Who knows, but I treasure mine.
Due to the condition of the fabric in my quilt, I have tucked it away for safekeeping. Archival tissue paper protects the quilt in the cedar-lined trunk. I NEED to include the information about the quilt for the future and really shouldn’t put that off. Maternal Influences
My love of crafting comes from my mom, but my mom is not a quilter. She is a crafter; her focus was crocheting, simple sewing, and other crafty things. I learned how to hide my good scissors and why I needed to hide my good scissors. Thank you, mom, for teaching me why I needed to do this.
Below is the list to get you started on honing your skills. I will provide links that go into more detail over the next few weeks/months as time allows, especially with the holidays closing in on us quickly. I still have a hand quilting project that I am finishing for this Christmas.
Fundamental Quilting Skills
- Sewing Knowledge
- Do you know HOW to sew? If not, check out some videos and seek out experts to help with basic sewing skills.
- General sewing knowledge will cover a variety of fundamental skills needed for quilting.
- Understanding your Sewing Machine
- Get familiar with your machine! Each machine is diffferent, but there are some common similarities.
- You can find so many tutorials online based on your specific machine.
- Take classes both locally and online to learn more.
- Seek out an expert for help.
- Know the Terminology including Abbreviations
- I will be working on a page with basics terms and abbreviations. It will be a page that grows and expands as I continue to add to it.
- Do a search for general quilter or quilting lingo – you may be surprised at what you find.
- Pattern Basics
- How patterns are written will vary with each designer as well as which format is used. Familiarize yourself with a variety of patterns. You may find that a couple of designers suit your learning style better.
- Patterns often include abbreviations or just written directions, take some time to learn what it means. It has become easier with the internet at your fingertips.
- Rotary Cutting Basics including Tools
- There is so much to this topic – tools and techniques.
- Rotary cutting will help speed the process up, but you may have to try a couple different styles/brands to find the one that suits you best.
- Again, checkout a search to see the different brands of cutters, rulers, and mats. I will share with you what I have tried when I work on this post. I do have my favorites.
- Fabrics
- The style of your quilt will dictate what type of fabric you use – even non-cotton fabrics.
- There is a place for every fabric, but not every fabric needs a place in your quilt.
- Not all cottons are created equal.
- Some fabrics shouldn’t be mixed – test their stretchiness. Do they have the same amount of stretch?
- Time Saving Tips
- Seek out quilting tips! Within those tips, you will find time-saving techniques. Some of those techniques I have incorporated into my quilting repratoire, others I have discarded because they don’t work for me.
- I started with the book: Tips for Quilters by Rachel T. Pellman. I still go to this book when I am looking for a shortcut.
- Pressing – NOT Ironing
- If you iron, you may find that your blocks are distorted.
- Pressing will go a long way to prevent skewed bocks.
- To use steam or not to use steam
- To use spray starch or spray sizing – what the heck is spray sizing?
- Quilt Layout and Adding Borders
- Design boards, large tables and even the floor provide space to lay your blocks out. This will help with finding areas in which your may have turned a block or an area where the colors aren’t playing nicely.
- If you don’t have a dedicated area for laying out your quilt – take a picture of it once you have it the way you want it. Refer to that picture as you start piecing the rows together.
- Adding borders was my downfall. I didn’t know how to accurately measure or add a border. Even when I did learn the correct way to do it, I often chose the easy way. My machine quilter pointed out how difficult it was to quilt my quilts and make the borders look good.
- Layering, Basting, and Finishing your Quilt
- This is the exciting time for me. There are different tools to use for the jobs and I will share tips that I have found useful, but I am always looking for advice in this area.
- The area a variety of ways to finish your quilt. I love exploring this part, not just because the quilt is almost done and I can’t wait to see the results!
- Binding and Labels
- There are several options for binding your quilt. I have my favorite, which I will share with you…but my way isn’t the only way. In my world, there is more than one way to bind your quilt.
- Labeling your quilt provides future generations the information about the quilt.
- What should you include on the label?
- Why you should add a label or documentation.
This list is far from conclusive – You will find numerous books written about it! I will continue to add and expand on this topic. Please feel free to contact me or leave comments on the blogs. Join my Facebook page for additional information.
Until next time…
