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Archive: Quilting
May 15, 2009
Custom Map Quilts
Some folks at Haptic Lab are making these luxuriously customized map quilts:
Soft-Maps are handmade quilted maps of Brooklyn neighborhoods and parks that represent your unique place in the city. These heirlooms are meant to be used: wrap your children in them, have a picnic, pull them close during the next Nor'easter. Not only beautiful, these blankets can be used as a mnemonic tool. As your child grows up with a Soft Map, they learn to read their neighborhood and its landmarks in a tactile, easily remembered way.
Each map is embellished with hand-embroidered street names, compass rose, and scale marker. Upon request, the Lab will detail the house or apartment you live in, your metro stops, your favorite coffee shop, the school your child goes to, or any other place in your neighborhood that has sentimental significance to you. It is important that each quilt be unique to its owner, just as a neighborhood is unique to each of its denizens.
While my pockets aren't nearly deep enough to purchase one of these creations, the project sparks dozens of creative ideas! (Thanks, Randy!)
Posted by Becky Stern |
May 15, 2009 09:00 AM
Arts & Design, Fiber Art, Kids, Quilting, Sewing |
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May 11, 2009
Painted Fabric Quilt
Calamity Kim shares a beautiful quilt that she created on a base of painted fabric, a technique with which I wasn't familiar, but am very interested to explore now. She used acrylic paints on muslin to create the house painting above on the left, and then after some sanding and added batting, she combined fabrics and stitching to create the final quilt. The effect is fascinating!
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
May 11, 2009 07:05 AM
Arts & Design, Quilting |
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April 14, 2009
How-To: Simple Quilted Potholder
If there's one thing a kitchen can never have enough of, it's potholders. How many times have you been standing in front of a scorching-hot pan, needing to pull it off the heat, with nary a potholder to be found? Maybe it's just me … but either way, these simple quilted potholders will protect your hands and are an ideal way to use up fabric scraps. Making them is also a chance to get started with patchwork and quilting without committing to making an entire quilt. Read on to find out how to make them!
Read full story
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Apr 14, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Projects, Home Decor, Quilting |
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April 1, 2009
Patchwork Potholder
I've been in a quilting mood these past couple of weeks, getting together my Heather Bailey fabric to start up a new quilt. I'm now about to start the fun part of ironing and cutting my patches. I love it when I can start forming the pieces together to see how the various patterns look together. Maybe it's fate, but I just came across Etsy's mention of this a-dor-aaaa-ble book that I now desperately want called Patchwork Style by Suzuko Koseki. There's also a project excerpt on Etsy to make this patchwork potholder, perfect for my leftover patch scraps!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Apr 1, 2009 11:00 AM
Quilting, Sewing |
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March 18, 2009
New Zig-Zag Quilt Pattern From Anna Maria Horner
I love the unique look of this new quilt pattern from fabric designer Anna Maria Horner. I haven't seen quilts using this kind of zig-zag pattern before, and I am mesmerized by these bright fabrics together like this. The pattern is available for download from her web site here.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Mar 18, 2009 03:00 PM
Quilting |
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March 17, 2009
Gorgeous Art Quilts From Luke Haynes
I am in awe of the workmanship behind these amazing quilts from artist, Luke Haynes.
Luke Haynes reassembles everyday snapshots as refracted fabric visions. His museum quality quilts transcend the medium, offering warmth and comfort for our slumbering imagination.
[ via NOTCOT.org ]
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Mar 17, 2009 06:30 AM
Arts & Design, Quilting |
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March 2, 2009
Mend Your Quilt
Welcome to Mending Month on CRAFT! All month we'll be bringing you projects you can do to bring new life to things you already own. First up is a continual project I've been working on: mending one of my quilts. It's the first one my mom made for me, and it must have been ten years ago by now. The wear is all on the top, where the fabric just seems to be shattering at any point of bending (seams) or tension. I've been told it could be UV damage aggravated by sitting on the quilt all the time, but who really knows what caused damage like this! Here's what I did to try to bring it back to life. I made an Instructable about this a while back, too.
Find the right fabric
I asked my mother to look through and see if she had any of the fabric she used to make my quilt, and it turned out she did. Not all of them are exactly the same, and that's ok. As long as it fits the color scheme and roughly matches the print size, it'll look fine.
Make paper templates
If you don't have access to the pattern from which the quilt was made, use pieces of paper to make templates for each patch size you plan to make. Lay the actual size template on a new piece of paper and draw on whatever seam allowance makes you comfortable.
Cut the patches
Use a rotary cutter and plastic ruler (if you've got 'em) or scissors (if you don't) to cut out your patches. Iron the seam allowances to the wrong side of the fabric, using the paper template as a guide. If you use steam, the paper won't burn.
Affix the patches
There are many ways to attach the patch. Topstitch or zigzag on a sewing machine, or hand embroider/applique the patches to the quilt. Some methods make the patching more evident than others. Experiment. Let us know how it goes and leave suggestions in the comments!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Mar 2, 2009 09:00 AM
Mending, Quilting, Sewing |
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February 11, 2009
HOW TO - Cat Quilt
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories has a howto up on making a fishbowl quilt for your cat to sit on! In my house this would really free up the people-blanket space!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Feb 11, 2009 04:00 PM
Quilting |
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February 6, 2009
2009 Tokyo International Great Quilt Show
Yay! I just noticed that Moonstitches has posted up her stunning photos of this year's Tokyo International Quilt Show. I'm just a beginning quilter myself, but I never fail to be inspired, and I'm always so happy that Alexandra's our eyes over in Tokyo. (She knows what we want to see and has great detail shots, too!) Be sure to check out both her posts about it as she has links to other people's photos about it as well.
Posted by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith |
Feb 6, 2009 01:00 PM
Quilting |
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February 4, 2009
Sew,Mama,Sew! Doll Quilt Sew-Along
In honor of Fat Quarters Month, Sew,Mama,Sew is holding a Doll Quilt Sew-Along. Part 1 shows you the steps on how to cut and piece your quilt and if you are having problems you can visit their forum. Working on a doll quilt is a great way to try your hand at quilting which can be very addictive, believe me! The fun has just started so it's not to late to join in.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Feb 4, 2009 10:00 PM
Quilting |
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January 31, 2009
HOW TO - Quilted Camera Case
Amy a La Mode shares a tutorial showing us how to make a soft, cushy camera case complete with a little pocket on the front you can use to hold cords or memory cards.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Jan 31, 2009 08:00 PM
Quilting, Sewing, Tech Accessories |
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January 27, 2009
Airline-Inspired Quilt
I love the modern yet retro look of this airline-inspired quilt by Feed Dog.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Jan 27, 2009 08:00 PM
Quilting |
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January 21, 2009
HOW TO - Teapot Quilt Square
Pink Penguin has a helpful step-by-step tutorial showing us how to make these super cute teapot quilt squares. These would make great potholders or trivets, no?
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Jan 21, 2009 09:00 AM
Quilting, Sewing |
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January 13, 2009
Free HouseWares Quilt Pattern
Fans of Lizzy House's fun Lizzy Dish fabric patterns will love this fun and free quilt pattern download.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Jan 13, 2009 06:15 PM
Patterns, Quilting |
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January 6, 2009
Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces
Cool Hunting has a book review up about Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by Robert Shaw. From the review:
Hawaii's geographic isolation is a blessing and curse. Though often lacking the attention of their continental neighbors, the separation helps fosters a distillation and refinement of native style. In the late 19th century, western traders brought quilting techniques to the archipelago. And for the next hundred years, natives injected the art with their own regional distinctiveness, namely botanical imagery and vibrant, symmetrical patterns Print styles passed through generations like sacred heirlooms and often depict moments from personal or Hawaiian history.
It's not quite out yet, but you can pre-order on Amazon.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jan 6, 2009 03:00 PM
Quilting, Reviews |
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December 22, 2008
Map Quilts by Leah Evans
Label-Free posts about the work of textile artist Leah Evans, who creates hand-stitched, map-inspired quilts that encompass a variety of techniques, including reverse appliqué, needle felting, hand-dyeing and embroidery.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Dec 22, 2008 08:00 AM
Arts & Design, Quilting |
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December 19, 2008
Doodle-Inspired Baby Quilt
Craftster user LoopedyLoop created this fabulous baby quilt inspired by the book Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. The detail work on this piece is wonderful.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Dec 19, 2008 09:00 AM
Hand Embroidery, Quilting |
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December 2, 2008
HOW TO - Paper Pieced Hexagon Flower Ornament
Lovestitches has a tutorial up for making these sweet soft paper pieced hexagon flower ornaments. I'm thinking they are cute enough to have up year-round.
Posted by Rachel Hobson |
Dec 2, 2008 12:00 PM
Holiday projects, Patterns, Quilting |
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November 12, 2008
Passage Quilts
Bits and Bobbins posts about these moving and extremely beautiful "passage quilts", which are made from the clothing of those who have gone through a passage in life (death, birth, marriage, etc.). From the Passage Quilts website, these quilts:
"[begin] with the architecture of the clothing, these quilts are pieced without a predetermined pattern. this process provides the maker an opportunity to examine his or her life patterns.the resulting quilts reflect the relationship of the maker to the materials, retain a sense of the body, and in the case of bereavement, carry the consoling essence of the beloved."
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Nov 12, 2008 09:00 AM
Quilting |
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November 10, 2008
Free Quilt Pattern from Chickpea Sewing Studio
Chickpea Sewing Studio shares her free pattern for making this sweet, block-style baby quilt. All those little blocks make this pattern perfect for using up fabric scraps.
Posted by Jenny Ryan |
Nov 10, 2008 11:00 AM
Patterns, Quilting |
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