How to Select Quilting Patterns
The uninitiated hear the term "quilting" and think immediately of the multi-colored fabric composites as the process of quilting. In reality, quilting is the stitching that combines the layers of fabrics together into one beautiful final product, including the colorful piece-work layer. Quilting patterns are as unique as the piecework and can add another dimension to your quilt.
- Determine your deadline for completing your quilt. If you have no specified timeframe for completion, you can take your time with hand-quilting an intricate design. If you need to complete your quilt quickly, however, you may need a more simple design that you can complete either by hand or with a sewing machine.
- Look for a design that will complement the design of your quilt as a whole. A detailed design on the top of your quilt may require a simple quilting pattern so that it does not compete or detract from the overall design. If you have a very simple overall design, a complex quilting pattern can help to add interest and detail that otherwise would leave you with a boring finished quilt.
- Sketch out a brief quilting design if you are creating your own or look through quilting books or websites to get ideas for your pattern.
- Transfer your design to transfer paper so you can easily apply the design to the back of your quilt. At this point, you can see more clearly how the quilting pattern will look on the finished product and you can modify the design before quilting if it is not quite right.