Anyone who starts to take interest in quilting is commonly overwhelmed by the thought of collecting all the patterns he sets his eyes on. While this is okay, the first task of a beginning quilter is actually to gather all the necessary quilting tools.

Here is a list of the most basic quilting tools. Although some tools need to be purchased, others are just sitting in the house, or more appropriately in the sewing box.

Pins
These are necessary to keep fabrics together while quilting. There are many different kinds of pins. Some have glass heads, while others are ball-headed. The latter are more preferred by most quilters because they are more visible and are easier to hold. Pins that are sharp, fine, and long are recommended for quilting purposes.

Pin Cushion
It is used to hold and keep pins when not in use. Other quilters also use magnetic pin strips to pick up stray pins and collect pins that have been left lying on top of the quilt.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Quilting now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Needles
There are two types of quilting needles: hand quilting and machine quilting needles. Both kinds are stronger and sharper than the ordinary sewing needles since they need to pass through multiple layers of fabrics without the tendency of bending and breaking. Hand quilting needles, also called betweens, come in four sizes: 9, 10, 11, 12, with 9 as the biggest and 12 as the smallest. They also have smaller eyes and are thicker than other needles. Machine needles, meanwhile, need to be replaced every so often to keep making fine stitches and to prevent the needles from breaking.

Thimble
Worn when hand quilting, thimble cushions the finger that pushes the needle and works to prevent finger sore and needle pricks. It can be a little uncomfortable when first worn, but proves to be helpful in protecting the finger and controlling the needle. Thimbles are usually made of metal, although leather thimbles have become more popular nowadays. In fact, leather thimbles are recommended for novice quilters because they have a better grip on the needle.

Fabric Marker
An essential quilting tool, fabric marker is used to line out the fabric. Depending on the fabric, you can use any of these three markers: pencil, chalk, or fabric marker pen. Soft lead pencil is the most commonly used fabric marker as it is easily washed off and fades over time. Chalk is also a good alternative and is fairly easy to remove. However, it does not work well when making detailed markings and drawings. For this purpose, a fabric marker pen is best used. Like the other two, it can be easily washed out and fades after some time. Before using a fabric marker, it is best to first test it on a sample fabric. Mark a small piece from the fabric you are using and wash. See how the fabric reacts to the marker.

Rotary Cutter
A circular blade, rotary cutter is used to cut and trim fabrics with precision and accuracy, which makes it very useful in cutting identical strips. Because of its strength and sharpness, it can work with fabrics of different texture and thickness and can glide through fabrics in multiple layers. A rotary cutter is often used with other quilting tools such as rotary board or mat and transparent plastic ruler. For other cutting purposes, scissors are used in place of rotary cutter.

Knowing enough about Quilting to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Quilting, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Nelson DSouza, feel free to visit top rated authority quiz site: Quiz Questions and Answers. This quiz site has quizzes in multiple choice format. Trivia Quizzes. Pub Quizzes. 10000+ general knowledge questions and answers.

Embroidery is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, much the same as quilting and knitting and other hand crafts. Many crafters who enjoy quilting also end up enjoying embroidery and might feel as if they have torn loyalties-which craft to pursue in the small amount of time available for hobbies? The good news is that quilting and embroidery make excellent companions. Crafters who love quilting but are attracted to the depth and color that embroidery stitches offer can follow both their loves by combining the two crafts.

A quilt embellished with embroidered stitches is one of the most beautiful hand-crafted creations imaginable. Take a look at some of the “crazy quilts” from the Victorian era. These quilts are most often made of silk, often from leftover men’s ties or other bits of fabric, and were pieced together in a random manner (hence the name) and then heavily embellished with embroidery. Even if your interest in quilting slants more toward traditional quilts, it’s worth taking a look at these crazy quilts to get ideas for using embroidery to embellish your quilts. Crazy quilts use embroidery extensively, in many cases covering nearly every bit of the quilt’s surface, but you can use touches of embroidery here and there on your quilts or quilted clothing to give it depth and texture.

Embroidery stitches are easy to learn, and you may even know some already. Browse through sites on the internet, and you’ll find many with clear photos or pictures of embroidery stitches. Some common embroidery stitches you might want to use include blanket and chain stitch for outlining, and feather, herringbone, lazy daisy, straight and cross stitches for decorative touches.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Quilting than you may have first thought.

Many quilters enjoy doing appliqué as part of their quilting techniques, and embroidery is a natural partner to appliqué. The process of appliqué involves layering one fabric atop another, as opposed to sewing pieces of fabric together, and embroidery stitches such as the blanket stitch can be used to decorate the edges of the appliquéd piece. Or perhaps you may want to use embroidery on the background fabric, to emphasize the appliquéd pieces. The manufacturers of embroidery floss have kept pace with developments in the world of crafting, and now offer floss in an array of fibers, including perle cotton, rayon, silk and even linen and hemp. They also feature brilliant colors, with some even offering hand-dyed and variegated flosses.

Many quilters prefer to do their quilting by machine, instead of hand, and these same quilters may also prefer to do their embroidery by machine. With the huge variety of incredibly powerful sewing machines on the market, this is a snap. Many sewing machines have embroidery functions with extensive lists of stitches, which are as easy to accomplish as flipping a switch on the machine. As with embroidery floss, there are many specialty threads available for machine embroidery.

Look into adding embroidery to your quilting and open up a whole new world of quilting and crafting pleasure to your life.

Don’t limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Quilting. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what’s important.

About the Author
By Odell Tankersley, feel free to visit this Send Out Cards affiliate site: sendoutcards

For the quilting enthusiast, one of the most important considerations is the choice of fabric. Let’s face it; a quilt’s beauty is totally dependent on what fabric the quilter chooses. If a quilt is unattractive and doesn’t beg you to reach out and touch it, it probably has a lot to do with the fabric chosen to create it. Quilters in the know solve such potential problems by choosing fabrics from companies that they trust. Based in California, Hoffman Fabrics is a company who has proven their value to quilters over many years, since 1924, in fact.

Visit any quilting website that sells fabric and the name Hoffman will pop up. They specialize in high-quality screen-printed cottons and blends. Hoffman also produces hand-painted and dyed fabrics. Every year the company introduces two new lines of fabric, which they call “colorful prints and luscious Balis.” They call their fabrics “inspiring” and that is not marketing hype. One look at the abundant richness of the color and designs of Hoffman Fabrics and you will see why they have been adopted by quilters as a must-have cloth. In return, Hoffman has shown incredible support to quilters. This is evident in the Hoffman Challenge, a contest which started in 1987.

Every year, the talents at Hoffman Fabrics choose one of their upcoming fabric designs to feature in the Challenge. Quilt-makers, clothing and accessory designers and doll-makers are then challenged to use the fabric to design an original item. The winning entries are then featured in a traveling show which stops at galleries, museums, shops, and quilting guilds. The first year of the Hoffman Challenge, 94 quilters entered. Since then, up to 700 entries a year have been received. The traveling show itself is so popular that 12 collections now travel nationwide, with some stops in Canada as well.

If you don’t have accurate details regarding Quilting, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

Besides the Challenge, Hoffman actively promotes the art of quilting in other ways. The company has paired with designer McKenna Ryan of Pine Needles Designs to create patterns based on Hoffman fabrics. Ryan says she likes to use Hoffman batik fabric for appliqué work because it has a high thread count that prevents fraying. The designer, like so many other quilters, is also appreciative of the depth of color and texture in Hoffman fabrics. Using these fabrics, she can design incredibly lush and intricate quilts based on nature.

Perhaps one of the secret’s to the company’s success is the family nature of the business. Three generations of Hoffmans are currently involved in the daily operations of the firm. It may interest contemporary quilters to know that much of the company’s design philosophy stems from the fifties, when Philip and Walter Hoffman, sons of the original founder, joined the company. They brought with them their love of surfing and translated it to original designs of the ocean, beaches, and surfing life. Combining their passions with a knack for seeking out unusual printing processes for fabrics, the Hoffman sons helped to create a company that is beloved of quilters everywhere.

About the Author
For more info please visit: The Best Game Site The Best Game Site In The World Home Blog Games Video Game Consoles Wii Video Games XBOX 360 Video Games World of Warcraft Macros

You may have heard the initials D.I.Y. and wondered what they stand for and what all the fuzz is about. D.I.Y. stands for Do It Yourself, and it is a hot trend in the craft world. One of the hottest trends in the world of craft, is an old, old tradition-quilting.

Quilting has it roots in the utilitarian needs of our ancestors. They needed warm quilts to sleep under and they didn’t have a lot of materials to work with. So they took whatever fabrics they could salvage or cut from old, worn clothes, and somehow managed to craft these scraps into quilts that were not only warm but beautiful. For a time, the craft of quilting died out. Busy modern women of the fifties wanted no part of piecing together old bits of fabric! But then the craft experienced a resurgence in the eighties. Many believe the burgeoning interest in quilting and other crafts coincided with the development of the computer. High tech, high touch, the saying goes. When we are surrounded with technology all day we long for tactile satisfaction. Fibers such as wool and cotton have become very popular because of this, and also hobbies like knitting and quilting, which have much to do with the sense of touch.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Quilting than you may have first thought.

The ironic thing is that technology itself has had much to do with spurring interest in craft and quilting. Technology has created better and easier-to-operate sewing machines, found ways to cheaply produce plastic stencils, and come up with innovations like the rotary cutter and mat that are huge time savers for quilters. The more time-saving ideas craft companies come up with, the more popular quilting becomes. Contemporary quilters have the best of all worlds-access to incredible numbers of patterns, both traditional and modern, and all the best tools the craft world has to offer.

Today’s quilter also has access to so much more information than their pioneer ancestors could ever have dreamed of. Books and patterns and websites offer a constant flow of information on the craft. Then there are the television programs. With the advent of cable’s dominance, many television channels now focus on the home. And many of these home channels have a large preponderance of shows on craft, including quilting. The information explosion is a huge boon for today’s crafters and this has driven the expanding popularity of the D.I.Y. movement.

This movement has made it hip and trendy to love all kinds of craft again, which is wonderful for lovers of craft. Once something is trendy, all kinds of companies offering new products and information are sure to spring up. Becoming hip has also assured that quilts now have a place in the finest of galleries and museums. Quilters are at the forefront of the D.I.Y. movement, constantly improving their craft and delving into its history. Our pioneer ancestors could never have imagined that there would come a day when their utilitarian, functional craft was considered not only trendy and hip, but so beautiful as to be art!

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Quilting.

About the Author
For more info please visit: The Best Game Site The Best Game Site In The World Home Blog Games Video Game Consoles Wii Video Games XBOX 360 Video Games World of Warcraft Macros

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Quilting, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Quilting.

In the good old days, quilting sometimes takes months and month. Sometimes, several quilters work together to finish a quilt faster. Those were the days when quilters (mostly women) have all the time in the world.

Today, it is already common for most quilters (including the traditionalists) to sometimes use the machines in quilting. Admittedly, the primary consideration of today?s quilting machines is for faster and easier work.

Moreover, many quilters also agree that there are certain quilting chores that are simply too much for the hands. Related to this, it was found out that the machines could also trigger quilters? creativity.

From simple walking foot to free range embroidery, a quilter now can sometimes come up with works of art using the machine?s capacity for intricate quilting.

Machines

An ordinary sewing machine can double up as a quilting machine. However, some machines need adaptations. For the quilter, a little practice is all there is to do to master machine quilting.

A big consideration is the width of the opening between the needle and the motor where larger openings are needed to maneuver large quilts. (In small machines, large quilts need to be quilted in sections and then joined.)

There are two categories in machine quilting: machine guided (where the feed dogs are up) and used for straight and slightly curved lines. Free motion quilting (where the feed dogs are covered or dropped) is for all the other patterns like feathered stars and stippling.

But these are not written in stone.

Some quilters use free motion quilting for all their patterns, even those made with straight lines. Other quilters prefer to use even stitches of machine-guided quilts in making feathered quilts (or some such patterns).

The more authentic information about Quilting you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Quilting expert. Read on for even more Quilting facts that you can share.

Needles

The most important part of a sewing machine is the needle, even if it is the least expensive of all the parts. Ideally, quilters should begin new projects with new needles.

Needles need to be replaced if they start to show signs of dulling, make popping noise (threads caught and broken by dull needle points) and produce poorly-formed stitches.
Large projects need several needles.

Sharp needles are needed to penetrate thick layers of fabric and batting. There are specialty needles too for rayon embroidery or metallic threads. There are very good popular brands of these needles available.

Threads

First, threads designed for hand quilting are never used in machine quilting. Threads for hand quilting have wax coatings (for strength and ease) which can possibly damage the tension discs of sewing machines.

There is also need to match your thread and the project correctly. Rayon and metallic threads are best for wall hangings while baby quilts (which are washed every so often) would need pure cotton thread.

Another tip is a thread that might be too heavy for the machine?s needle might be used in the bobbin and sewing the quilt from the wrong side.

Finally, if you are looking for best results while using machines to do your quilting, use high-quality cotton threads with long staples (fiber).

There is no conflict in using either your hands or a machine to do your quilting. If you have the eye and the heart for your work, beauty will always come out.

About the Author
Charles Smith is an immigration law researcher. If you are looking for professional immigration services in the San Diego area, feel free to visit this San Diego immigration lawyer website. You can get help for green cards, deportation, marriage visas, and citizenship.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Quilting? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Quilting.

Many crafters do not take the time to learn about the correct batting for their quilting projects, but it can make the difference between a successful quilting project and an unsuccessful one. The right batting can have an enormous effect on the finished appearance of your quilting project. It can also make the difference between enjoying the process of quilting or hating it. You spend hours planning the design and look of the outer layers of your quilting project, why not take the time to learn a bit about the batting that goes inside?

Batting is the insulating fabric, which is the part of the quilt that creates warmth. Batting is layered between the quilt top and the backing. This quilting sandwich of three layers of fabric is then pinned at the edges in order to temporarily secure it. Most commonly it is then sewn together, either by hand or machine, but sometimes crafters tie the layers of batting and fabric together. Usually yarn is used to tie a quilting project together, but sometimes several strands of thread are used also. Be certain to tie a tight square knot if you choose this method of securing the batting to the fabric. You want to be sure the quilt will stand up to years of use.

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Quilting. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

Batting comes in several different fibers, most often polyester, cotton, and wool. Polyester batting has a high loft which will remain through repeated washings. It is generally hypo-allergenic and usable for either hand or machine quilting projects. Cotton batting is a quilter’s dream. It has a much lower loft than the polyester batting, and is often used when quilters want to achieve an antique look. Because cotton is a natural fiber, it “breathes,” meaning it will help you to remain cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Cotton batting is not as suitable for tying, as it has a tendency to clump. Like cotton, wool batting breathes. It is easy to quilt, and thus a much beloved batting of many quilters. There are two different ways batting is manufactured–needlepunched or bonded. Needlepunched batting is a good utilitarian choice for a quilting project that needs to stand up to hard use. It is made by thousands of needles piercing the batting, interlocking the fibers. The needlepunched batting is firmer and heavier than bonded batting, which is manufactured by using a bonding agent to adhere the layers of the batting together.

Many battings, whatever form you choose, are available either pre-cut or rolled on a tube so that you can cut your own to size. If your quilting project is a standard quilt size (such as twin, full, queen, or king) you will probably be able to find a pre-cut batting quite easily. For other sizes you may need to buy batting on the roll.

Taking the time to learn about your choices in batting can change your quilting for the better, making it easier to complete projects, and increase your chances of being satisfied with the finished project.

That’s the latest from the Quilting authorities. Once you’re familiar with these ideas, you’ll be ready to move to the next level.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 training site for great bonuses: Perpetual20

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Quilting.

For the quilting enthusiast, one of the most important considerations is the choice of fabric. Let’s face it; a quilt’s beauty is totally dependent on what fabric the quilter chooses. If a quilt is unattractive and doesn’t beg you to reach out and touch it, it probably has a lot to do with the fabric chosen to create it. Quilters in the know solve such potential problems by choosing fabrics from companies that they trust. Based in California, Hoffman Fabrics is a company who has proven their value to quilters over many years, since 1924, in fact.

Visit any quilting website that sells fabric and the name Hoffman will pop up. They specialize in high-quality screen-printed cottons and blends. Hoffman also produces hand-painted and dyed fabrics. Every year the company introduces two new lines of fabric, which they call “colorful prints and luscious Balis.” They call their fabrics “inspiring” and that is not marketing hype. One look at the abundant richness of the color and designs of Hoffman Fabrics and you will see why they have been adopted by quilters as a must-have cloth. In return, Hoffman has shown incredible support to quilters. This is evident in the Hoffman Challenge, a contest which started in 1987.

Every year, the talents at Hoffman Fabrics choose one of their upcoming fabric designs to feature in the Challenge. Quilt-makers, clothing and accessory designers and doll-makers are then challenged to use the fabric to design an original item. The winning entries are then featured in a traveling show which stops at galleries, museums, shops, and quilting guilds. The first year of the Hoffman Challenge, 94 quilters entered. Since then, up to 700 entries a year have been received. The traveling show itself is so popular that 12 collections now travel nationwide, with some stops in Canada as well.

The best time to learn about Quilting is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable Quilting experience while it’s still free.

Besides the Challenge, Hoffman actively promotes the art of quilting in other ways. The company has paired with designer McKenna Ryan of Pine Needles Designs to create patterns based on Hoffman fabrics. Ryan says she likes to use Hoffman batik fabric for appliqué work because it has a high thread count that prevents fraying. The designer, like so many other quilters, is also appreciative of the depth of color and texture in Hoffman fabrics. Using these fabrics, she can design incredibly lush and intricate quilts based on nature.

Perhaps one of the secret’s to the company’s success is the family nature of the business. Three generations of Hoffmans are currently involved in the daily operations of the firm. It may interest contemporary quilters to know that much of the company’s design philosophy stems from the fifties, when Philip and Walter Hoffman, sons of the original founder, joined the company. They brought with them their love of surfing and translated it to original designs of the ocean, beaches, and surfing life. Combining their passions with a knack for seeking out unusual printing processes for fabrics, the Hoffman sons helped to create a company that is beloved of quilters everywhere.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Quilting. Share your new understanding about Quilting with others. They’ll thank you for it.

About the Author
By Jim, feel free to visit his top ranked site:best health care site,health care,job search,passing the driving test,driving test tips

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of Quilting is certainly no exception.

Embroidery is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, much the same as quilting and knitting and other hand crafts. Many crafters who enjoy quilting also end up enjoying embroidery and might feel as if they have torn loyalties-which craft to pursue in the small amount of time available for hobbies? The good news is that quilting and embroidery make excellent companions. Crafters who love quilting but are attracted to the depth and color that embroidery stitches offer can follow both their loves by combining the two crafts.

A quilt embellished with embroidered stitches is one of the most beautiful hand-crafted creations imaginable. Take a look at some of the “crazy quilts” from the Victorian era. These quilts are most often made of silk, often from leftover men’s ties or other bits of fabric, and were pieced together in a random manner (hence the name) and then heavily embellished with embroidery. Even if your interest in quilting slants more toward traditional quilts, it’s worth taking a look at these crazy quilts to get ideas for using embroidery to embellish your quilts. Crazy quilts use embroidery extensively, in many cases covering nearly every bit of the quilt’s surface, but you can use touches of embroidery here and there on your quilts or quilted clothing to give it depth and texture.

Embroidery stitches are easy to learn, and you may even know some already. Browse through sites on the internet, and you’ll find many with clear photos or pictures of embroidery stitches. Some common embroidery stitches you might want to use include blanket and chain stitch for outlining, and feather, herringbone, lazy daisy, straight and cross stitches for decorative touches.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Many quilters enjoy doing appliqué as part of their quilting techniques, and embroidery is a natural partner to appliqué. The process of appliqué involves layering one fabric atop another, as opposed to sewing pieces of fabric together, and embroidery stitches such as the blanket stitch can be used to decorate the edges of the appliquéd piece. Or perhaps you may want to use embroidery on the background fabric, to emphasize the appliquéd pieces. The manufacturers of embroidery floss have kept pace with developments in the world of crafting, and now offer floss in an array of fibers, including perle cotton, rayon, silk and even linen and hemp. They also feature brilliant colors, with some even offering hand-dyed and variegated flosses.

Many quilters prefer to do their quilting by machine, instead of hand, and these same quilters may also prefer to do their embroidery by machine. With the huge variety of incredibly powerful sewing machines on the market, this is a snap. Many sewing machines have embroidery functions with extensive lists of stitches, which are as easy to accomplish as flipping a switch on the machine. As with embroidery floss, there are many specialty threads available for machine embroidery.

Look into adding embroidery to your quilting and open up a whole new world of quilting and crafting pleasure to your life.

About the Author
By Earnie Banzhof, feel free to visit his top ranked Book Self Publishing site: How to Self Publish a Book That Sells at http://we-publish.com/

The best course of action to take sometimes isn’t clear until you’ve listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

There are many different types of fabric that may be used in patchwork, quilting and appliqué. The following information will help you identify and choose the best fabric for your projects.

Calico is a strong, plain weave fabric. It is available in a variety of weights and is usually white or natural with darker flecks.

Corduroy or fine-wale corduroy is a plain-weave fabric with vertical pile-effect ribbing. It frays easily but is suitable for appliqué and large-scale patch pieces.

Cotton is the choice of most quilters. It is hard-wearing and easy to work with. Cotton comes in a wide range of plain and patterned print colors. It is the best choice for patchwork quilt fabric.

Felt is made from wool. It is non-woven fabric. Instead, the fibers are compressed with moisture and heat. Felt shrinks making it unsuitable for most articles that need frequent washing. It is ideal for appliqué

Gingham is a cotton or cotton blend fabric. Alternating stripes of colored and white threads in the warp and weft produces a checkered pattern.

Lawn is a fine crisp cotton, or cotton blend fabric. It is available in prints and plain.

Linen is fabric that is woven from fiber produced by the flax plant. Linen frays and creases easily but is suitable as a ground fabric.

Muslin is a white or natural open-weave cotton or cotton blend. This fabric is suitable for backing quilts and is also used in shadow quilting and appliqué.

Organdy is a fine cotton fabric that is starched. It is used for shadow work.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

Organza is a gauzy fabric woven from silk or synthetic fibers. It may also be woven from silk and a synthetic blend. Organza is available in plain colors and with metallic and iridescent effects making it suitable for appliqué and shadow work. It is also sometimes used for delicate patchwork.

PVC is a plastic, cotton-backed cloth. It is difficult to work with because of its lack of flexibility. It is used for patchwork and appliqué.

Sateen is a soft fabric that has a surface sheen. It is a popular quilt fabric.

Satin is a shiny fabric that can be woven from cotton, silk, or synthetics. It is used in appliqué.

Silk is fabric that is woven from natural fibers produced by silk worms. It works well for almost any project and is available in a variety of textures, colors, patterns and weights.

Shantung fabric is woven from yarns of irregular thickness giving it an uneven surface. It is used for quilting and patchwork.

Taffeta is a plain-weave fabric with a two-tone effect. It is suitable for appliqué and small patchwork.

Velvet has a closely woven backing and a dense cut-pile surface. It is used in patchwork, especially crazy patchwork, but the nap should lie in the same direction as the patchwork.

Voile is a fine woven fabric that is used for shadow work

Wool is made from woven fleece. Wool does not launder well and should only be used for inlaid appliqué, unless it is lightweight. Light weight wool may be used in patchwork.

Now that wasn’t hard at all, was it? And you’ve earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert’s word on Quilting.

About the Author
By Chris Meagher, feel free to visit his top ranked Automotive site: Instant Whitewalls

Many crafters are drawn to quilting because of the wide variety of beautiful fabrics available. Walk into any fabric store or quilting shop, and your eyes are nearly overwhelmed with all the choices in fiber and color. Bolts of fabrics in a rainbow of colors assail the senses. The contemporary quilter is lucky indeed to have the huge array of fabrics available to her. However, this embarrassment of riches can also lead to uncertainty in selecting the correct fabrics for a quilting project.

While the craft of quilting was one borne of necessity and thus many different fabrics have been used throughout the years, far and away the most common fabric for quilting is cotton. Some historical quilts may use brightly colored wool, usually appliquéd quilts, as wool is a bit heavy to be used for pieced quilts. Cotton is such a wonderful all-purpose fabric which washes well (though be sure to pre-wash all cottons to pre-shrink it) and maintains its color and hand. Generally speaking, 100 percent cotton is going to be the quilter’s first choice. You may be tempted by the bargain blends on the sale rank at the fabric store, but think twice before you commit to these fabrics. For a little bit more money, it’s worth it to invest in quality fabrics for your quilt. After all, you’re going to be spending quite a few hours of your precious time making the quilt, so why not invest in the best? Besides, relatively speaking, fabrics for quilting simply don’t cost that much money.

The more authentic information about Quilting you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Quilting expert. Read on for even more Quilting facts that you can share.

One of the most important elements of choosing fabrics for quilting is color. Often this is a topic which confuses beginning quilters, but there’s no need to shy away from learning about color. Most people are far more adept at combining color than they imagine. First off, learn to trust your intuition (unless you know you are color blind!)-if you like the way colors look together, others probably will also. And remember that this is your quilting project and you should choose fabrics that you love the look of, and that you’ll enjoy working on. Another trustworthy way to choose the color of fabrics is to study nature. You really can’t go wrong emulating the way colors go together at the ocean, or in the forest. Go to your neighborhood park and study the various hues you’ll see looking at a tree, or the lawn.

For those who want a bit more guidance, you can do a rudimentary study of color theory. Study the color wheel and familiarize yourself with the primary colors (red, yellow, blue), secondary colors (green, orange and violet), and intermediate colors which combine primary with secondary colors. Another aspect of color for fabrics is value-light, dark and medium. The values in your fabrics should be well balanced, and not too heavy in any one value. You might also want to consider the intensity of the colors in your fabrics, which is the brightness or dullness of a color.

Familiarizing yourself with the wide variety of fabrics available for quilting is a pleasurable experience that will also enhance your enjoyment of the craft.

About the Author
By Barry Friedmann. Please visit his top ranked super fast income systems website to find out how to make money fast.