What You Need to Know About Quilters? Den

Roz McIlwraith bought Quilters? Den six years ago with the goal of expanding her sewing skills and providing clients with access to creative, progressive quilting. Having experienced a subpar quilting experience as a beginner, she is passionate about teaching beginners how to quilt with confidence.

According to data Premier Needle Arts accessed through the survey, there are 85 million active creatives in North America. This represents a 10% increase in new quilters since 2021.

Quilting Supplies

Quilting is a great way to hone your sewing skills and create beautiful handmade items that you can proudly share. Though it is possible to quilt completely by hand, a sewing machine is helpful for speed and accuracy. For beginners, an affordable model without all the bells and whistles will do just fine.

You'll also need a few other essential quilting supplies. A self-healing cutting mat is an investment that will last for years to come and a pair of scissors (smart but not expensive ones will do) is a must. You may want to consider having one pair reserved for cutting fabric and another for paper and other crafting materials.

Good quality quilting cotton is important for both strength and a nice finish. Thread conditioner helps keep cotton threads sharp and smooth. Fabric starch is useful for pressing seams and other parts of your quilt project.

Sewing Machines

Quilts can be sewn completely by hand, but most quilters use sewing machines for convenience and for the added precision they offer. These machines also make it possible to quilt larger areas of the fabric in a single pass, which is helpful when creating the complicated patchwork patterns used in modern quilts.

A quilter needs a good ruler that measures both the width and length of fabric, and a rotary cutter with circular blades to cut your pieces. You should also consider getting a pair of quilting gloves for added grip and protection of your hands as you work.

A quilt is completed with a layer of batting sandwiched between the top and bottom layers of fabric, and stitching that holds them all together. Quilters can create straight lines, intricate designs or anything in between.

Classes

Whether you want to learn a meditative hobby or potentially launch a side business selling hand-quilted bedding on Etsy, NYC offers a variety of quilting classes. The city's top providers feature courses that range from a Mini Patchwork Quilt Workshop, which produces a quilt of modest proportions in just two hours, to Easy Modern Quilting Boot Camp, which delves into contemporary quilt design.

YouTube video tutorials are also available for those looking to learn a new skill or brush up on an existing one. Popular classes include a 12-part Beginner Quilting video that walks students through the basics of the craft, from fabric selection and pinning accuracy to putting together Log Cabin blocks.

Many of these videos are free, while some offer a premium or gold membership. The latter allows users to ask questions and receive direct help from instructors, which may be helpful if you're having trouble with a specific technique.

Quilting Fabrics

Quilting fabrics are available in a wide variety of colors, designs, and patterns. Many quilters choose to work with cotton, which is durable and easy to sew. However, there are plenty of other options to explore as well — linen and flannel are both natural and breathable, while velvet and lightweight denim offer a more contemporary feel.

For machine quilting, it's important to use a premium quality fabric that has a high thread count and tightly-woven fibers. This fabric will hold up better and resist stretching during the sewing process. Quilters also need to consider the intended purpose of their quilts when choosing fabrics. For example, if a quilt will be used in the winter, wool may be a more insulating option.

Quilting Patterns

Quilt patterns are written instructions that guide the quilter through the process of making a quilt. They can be purchased from fabric stores, book publishers or online. A good pattern will include a list of fabric requirements and cutting sizes, sewing instructions, illustrations for quilt blocks, layout of blocks and detailed construction methods. It is also helpful to read the pattern errata page if available, as errors may occur after publication and distribution.