Table Of ContentThank you, quilters for contributing your tips and hints about so many parts of quilting. We are grateful that
you’ve shared your know-how. We’re touched by your generous spirits.
Copyright © 2014 by the staff of the Old Country Store All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief
excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Good Books, 307 West 36th
Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.
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Ebook ISBN: 978-1-68099015-7
Printed in the United States of America Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and author
have made their best effort in preparing this book with care and accuracy, and it is presented in good faith.
But they make no representations or warranties with respect to the completeness or accuracy of the contents
of this book. Sales representatives may not create or extend any warranty either verbally or in sales materials
about this book. The advice and strategies contained in these materials may not be suitable for your
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for any commercial damages or loss of profit, including but not limited to special, consequential, or
incidental damages.
Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tips for Quilting / by the staff of the Old Country Store.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-56148-804-9
Includes index.
1. Quilting. 2. Patchwork. I. Old Country Store (Intercourse, Pa.). II. Title.
TT835 .O43 2013
746.46 --dc23 2013950308
Contents
Introduction
CHAPTER 1
Getting Started
A. Choosing What to Make
B. Specific Quilt Patterns
C. Sources of Inspiration
D. Finding Time To Quilt
E. A Sewing Space
F. Advice for People Who Want to Learn to Quilt
CHAPTER 2
Selecting Fabric
A. Planning Colors and Fabrics
B. Color Inspiration
C. Fabric Quality
D. Shopping Online
E. Shopping in a Physical Store
F. Fabric Bargains
CHAPTER 3
Preparing Fabric
A. How and Why to Prewash
B. The Case Against Prewashing
C. Raveled Edges in Prewashing
D. Dealing With Bleeding Fabric
E. Dyeing
F. Pressing and Ironing
G. Squaring Up
CHAPTER 4
Managing Templates
A. Methods for Making Templates
B. Template Materials
C. Adjusting Template Sizes
D. Organizing and Storing Templates
E. Other Template Tips
CHAPTER 5
Marking Quilting Lines
A. Choosing a Quilting Design
B. Preferred Marking Tools
C. Achieving Accuracy When Marking Quilting Lines
D. Removing Marked Lines
E. Consideration for Machine Quilting Lines
CHAPTER 6
Cutting Fabric
A. Cutting Fabric Efficiently and Accurately
B. Using Bias and Straight of Grain
C. Rotary Cutting
D. Cutting Rulers
E. Selvages
F. What To Do With Scraps
CHAPTER 7
Piecing
A. Accurate, Efficient Piecing
B. Machine vs. Hand Piecing
C. Strip Piecing
D. Paper Piecing
E. Keeping Order with Small Pieces
CHAPTER 8
Appliqué
A. Preparing Pieces for Appliqué
B. Organizing Appliqué Pieces
C. Appliqué Tools
D. Pros and Cons of Appliqué Methods
E. Machine Appliqué
F. Raw-Edge Appliqué
G. Other Appliqué Tips
CHAPTER 9
Batting
A. Preparing Batting
B. Preferred Battings by Brand Name
C. Preferred Battings by Fiber Content
D. Pros and Cons of Natural Battings
E. Different Lofts
F. What To Do With Batting Scraps
CHAPTER 10
Thread
A. Hand Quilting Thread
B. Machine Quilting Thread
C. Monofilament Thread
D. Metallic Thread
E. Perle Cotton
F. Caring for Thread
CHAPTER 11
Hand Quilting
A. Pros and Cons of Frames
B. Hand Quilting Needles
C. Thimbles
D. Sore Fingers
E. Big-Stitch Quilting
F. Starting the Thread in Hand Quilting
G. Quilting in Process
H. Ending a Thread in Hand Quilting
I. Storing the Handquilted Quilt in Process
CHAPTER 12
Machine Quilting
A. Machine Quilting Feet
B. Other Machine Quilting Tools
C. Starting and Stopping Machine Quilting
D. Machine Quilting Stitches
E. Free Motion Quilting
F. Quilt-As-You-Go
G. Long-Arm Quilting
H. Learning to Machine Quilt
I. Storing the Machine Quilted Quilt in Process
CHAPTER 13
Embellishments
A. Thread Painting
B. Couching
C. 3-D Objects in Quilts
D. Cutter Quilts
E. Repurposing Other Objects and Fabric for Quilts
CHAPTER 14
Technology
A. Software Designing
B. Photo Transfer
C. Other Computer Applications
D. Dream Sewing Machines
E. Social Media
CHAPTER 15
Binding
A. Choosing a Binding Style
B. Measuring for Binding
C. Applying Binding
D. Binding Tools
E. Straight Grain Bindings
F. Bias Bindings
G. Mitered Corners
CHAPTER 16
Records
A. Types of Records
B. Photo Poses and Uses
C. Signing and Dating Quilts
CHAPTER 17
Competing, Selling, or Giving
A. Contests
B. Venues to Sell Quilts
C. Fair Pricing to Sell Quilts
D. Insuring Quilts
E. Charities
F. Quilts for Life’s Milestones
G. Giving Quilts Away
H. And Keeping Them
CHAPTER 18
Caring for Quilts
A. Long-Term Storage
B. Laundering Quilts
C. Removing Spots from Quilts
D. Other Tips for Caring for Quilts
Index
About The Old Country Store
Introduction
We love hearing what our customers plan to do with the fabric they buy at The
Old Country Store, but even more, we love when they lean in close and tell us a
quilting secret. So we asked the whole group of them for their quilting secrets
and tricks and collected the best ones in this book for you. After all, not all of us
come from a quilting family or hang out in a local quilt store. Sure, you can read
a quilting book, surf the internet tutorials, and take a quilting class, but who will
give you the lowdown on all the batting choices (see Chapter 9) or help you
figure out how to store your templates (see Chapter 4, Section D)?
Here is a collection of behind-the-scenes, not-mentioned-in-tutorials tips
from many thousands of our experienced quilting customers, as well as from us,
the staff of The Old Country Store.
Here is a collection of behind-the-scenes, not-
mentioned-in-tutorials tips from many thousands
of our experienced quilting customers, as well as
from us, the staff of The Old Country Store.
If you’re a beginner, you will be glad for the basic tips that help you get started
and steer you in the direction of a finished quilt you will love. If you’re an
experienced quilter, you will benefit from the different advice on every topic,
allowing you to pick and choose what seems best to you.
The sheer breadth of methods and opinions in this tips book is wonderfully
freeing for a quilter. One of our staff thought you could only hand quilt with a
floor frame and she didn’t have room for that! Then, a friend introduced her to a
lap hoop, and now she happily drags her quilt in process with her wherever she
goes. And there are still more ways to hand quilt without a frame in the section
on Quilting Frames (see Chapter 11, Section A).
Want to know the best way to store a quilt for a
long time?
Wondering if you should try quilt-as-you-go? See Chapter 12, Section F.
Want to know the best way to store a quilt for a long time? See Chapter 18,
