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Creating a Handmade Quilt With Embroidered Quilt Blocks

by

Nancy Ball

For the dedicated quilter, the pattern options are almost endless. You can use the same quilt pattern and give it many different looks by using different fabrics, prints and colors. If you enjoy quilting as well as other sewing crafts, you can create a truly unique and personalized quilt by combining one or more of these sewing crafts. Creating a quilt with embroidered quilt blocks is one way to combine two crafts to design your own one-of-a kind handmade quilt. If you are making a quilt as a gift for a special person, it can be personalized by using a theme that has to do with something the recipient especially likes. For example, for someone who likes birds, you might want to embroider a variety of birds onto the quilt blocks. For a baby quilt you could embroider nursery rhyme scenes. The following suggestions will give you some ideas of how to create a beautiful handmade quilt using embroidered quilt blocks.

You will find that white or a fabric print that is white-on-white is the best choice. You want the focus to be on the lovely embroidery rather colorful fabrics and patterns. By all means, pre-wash (and iron) your fabric to pre-shrink it before embroidering your design onto it. Ironing is also important. Next, determine the size your finished quilt needs to be. From this you will decide how many different embroidery scenes you will want to use and the size each quilt block needs to be. You can chose to use squares or rectangles. Like any other quilt, care should be taken that all of the squares or rectangles are cut to exactly the same size and the same seam allowance is used throughout the entire quilt when sewing them together. Once you decide the theme you are going to use for your embroidery, you need to find embroidery patterns. This author once made a handmade quilt for a family member who especially likes anything to do with ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ by using a Wizard of Oz coloring book. Almost any picture you find can be modified so you can use it as an embroidery pattern. When you embroider your design onto your fabric, it’s is important to make sure it is centered on the quilt block. An iron-on pattern can be easily created by purchasing a tracing pencil at the fabric store. You then trace over the picture you want to embroider, then iron it onto the fabric like any other iron-on transfer pattern. You can also purchase special computer paper to print an iron-on transfer pattern. For a handmade quilt with embroidered blocks, sashing between the blocks gives a nice look rather than just sewing the blocks next to each other. You may find that white is best for that also, however, when you create the handmade quilt, it is your project and you can use your own judgment. To determine what fabric to use for sashing, it’s a good idea to lay the finished quilt pieces on a bed or the floor and experiment to see what colors and patterns of sashing looks best with your particular quilt blocks. The great thing about creating your own beautiful handmade quilt is that it is your project and you can select the patterns, colors and fabrics to make it uniquely your project. Naturally, embroidering quilt blocks will take extra time, however, embroidery is a project that you can easily carry with you where ever you go. You can use make good use of ‘down time,’ such as waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or while traveling so you won’t feel that the time waiting is wasted. Happy quilting and embroidering!

The author comes from a family of dedicated quilters and has had many years of experience in creating and caring for handmade quilts. These suggestions come from personal experience . A feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment awaits anyone who enters the creative world of quilting. Find quilting tips and information and the best quilting frames and supplies at http://www.bestquiltingsupplies.com.

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