Mollie Makes Quilting

Whether you grew up with a handmade quilt, which had been passed through generations, or you love the modern look of foundation paper piecing and fancy trying it, there’s something for everyone in this issue. It took me until this year to try it myself, but after proudly finishing my first patchwork quilt I’m hooked! There’s so much pleasure to be taken from all the different aspects involved, be it choosing your fabrics, cutting them into satisfyingly neat shapes, or sitting at your sewing machine watching them all come together. And as there are so many different techniques to try it’s the ideal craft for makers of all abilities. Build up confidence with our patchwork velvet cushions, then get stuck into a wall hanging or heirloom quilt – you’ll be surprised at…

Sarah Ashford Sarah has been quilting since she was a child. She designs and write about quilts for many publications, including The Quilter’s Planner. www.sarahashfordstudio.com Leah Farquharson Leah loves taking familiar things and giving them a new twist. A keen scrapbooker and gardener, Leah founded Bluebird Chic in December 2010. bluebirdchic.etsy.com Joanne Hart Joanne is a quilt designer and a self-confessed paper piecing addict. Playing with pattern, shape and colour is her thing. www.craftsy.com/profile/unicornharts Lysa Flower Based near Vancouver, Canada, Lysa designs bright, graphic, optimistic and colourful and colourful quilting projects. Try her cassettes on page 104. www.lysaflower.com Lou Orth Self-confessed fabric addict Lou lives in Oxfordshire, where she blogs about her sewing, including her patchwork projects and quilts. www.imstudiolou.com Elli Beaven Textiles obsessive Elli is the maker behind Wholecloth Studio, producing quilted goods from repurposed textiles. Check out her blanket on page 71. www.wholecloth.co.uk Other contributors Anna Alicia,…

There’s no need to invest in a huge stash of equipment to start quilting. Just make sure you have the following bits and you’ll be fine: • Fabric scissors • Small embroidery scissors • Seam ripper • Needles (assorted sizes) • Sewing thread • Tape measure • Rotary cutter and mat • Quilter’s ruler • Pins • Marker or tailor’s chalk • Iron and ironing board • Sewing machine A quilter’s ruler is made from tough acrylic to stand up to the blade of a rotary cutter. And it’s easy to sew smaller projects by hand, but if you want to make larger projects a sewing machine makes life much easier. Turn the page for your sewing machine guide……

THREAD FEED Your spool of thread sits at the top of the machine. The thread goes through a series of channels and loops before it reaches the needle (your manual will explain exactly how to thread your machine). There’ll also be a numbered dial that can be raised or lowered to adjust the thread tension as your fabric requires. NEEDLE Most machines come with a needle already in place (and a replacement), but your manual will show you how to swap it for a different one. When sewing speciality fabrics (a heavy denim or a slippery lace, for example) you should change to a different needle size to ensure the best results. Ask for advice when buying fabric. PRESSER FOOT This metal attachment sits beneath your needle and holds your fabric in place. A lever…

APPLIQUE Appliqué is the art of sewing cut-out fabric shapes onto a backing fabric to create patterns and pictures. The pieces can be sewn by hand or on a sewing machine, or even stuck on with fabric glue. BACKING FABRIC This is a large piece of fabric that forms the back of a quilt (it can be one piece or made up from several). Usually plain, in a colour that complements the colours on the top of the quilt, the backing is best made from 100% cotton. BASTING SPRAY This liquid glue can be used to hold the layers of a quilt sandwich together while you’re sewing. BIAS The bias runs diagonally to the weave of a fabric. Material that’s cut on the bias has a great deal of stretch and ‘give’ so it’s ideal for making…

HOW TO MAKE A PATCHWORK QUILT MATERIALS 3m (118⅛") Kona Cotton Solids in Snow (Fabric 1) 4m (157½") Kona Cotton Solids in Ice Peach (Fabric 2) 68.5cm (27") Kona Cotton Solids in Saffron (Fabric 3), Aqua (Fabric 4) and Emerald (Fabric 5) (ours was from www.woolwarehouse.co.uk) 1.5 x 1m (59⅛ x 39⅜") wadding Matching sewing thread Rotary cutter Cutting mat Square quilting ruler Sew the rich autumn hues you’ve been dreaming of all summer into a quilt you can keep handy when the temperature drops. If your fabric has a directional print, cut the squares diagonally in opposite directions so the print is the right way up on both sides. 01 Using the rotary cutter, cutting mat and Fabric 1, cut 12 14 x 14cm (5½ x 5½") squares and 44 15 x 15cm…