Quilting is no doubt a time-taking task, demanding a high level of patience. However, when followed, certain tips make your life easy by saving time and money! One such technique is to use plaid fabric to create quilts.
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Advantages Of Using Plaid Fabric for Quilts
- Quilting with plaid fabric saves you a lot of time. It fastens your delivery time and prevents you from crossing the deadline!
- Plaid fabrics impart a new texture to your quilt. Its quality increases and imparts a heavily worked look for the quilt.
- It is an appreciable economic option for most quilters, even when the budget is not very high.
- Plaid quilting results in a much stronger quilt than that can be obtained through traditional techniques.
- Using plaid fabrics for quilting, you can add much-needed versatility to your work resulting in unique masterpieces!
Some Other Time and Money-Saving Quilting Ideas:
Here go a few more ideas that help you save both money and time while quilting.
#1. Reversible Quilt
Reversible quilts are the type of fabrics that can be put-to-use in either direction, up or down. You can create one by using one kind of cloth on each side. However, do ensure that the stitch pattern chosen suits them both!
These are advantageous as they serve multiple purposes and are associated with a greater utility factor. This makes them more user-friendly than the standard quilts that can usually be used only on a single side.
#2. Recyclable Quilt
Quilts reap more economic value when recycled. Yes, you heard it right! You can recycle your worn-out, torn quilt by repairing it and start using it once again. Two techniques serve the best: patchwork and plaid quilting.
In patchworking, you can renew your quilt by stitching patches at the places necessary. On the contrary, if you prefer to plaid quilt, then stitch a suitable cloth material over the old quilt edges and then create all new patterns inside it.
#3. Table Runner or Throw
At times, your quilts can be damaged in certain areas while remaining fit and sturdy at other places. In such cases, recycling the entire quilt may not be an appropriate idea as it would mask even its good parts.
Instead, you can opt for converting your quilt to a table runner or a throw. This can be done by cutting and re-stitching the good parts of the quilt on the new piece of fabric. While doing so, you can cut different shapes and sizes to eliminate the possibility of monotony!
#4. Baby Blankets
Infant and kid useable blankets never seem to be enough in stock. The statement is especially true during winters that thrive with more frequent use resulting in wet quilts that remain non-dried for exceptionally long hours.
This might be the time to look for quick creatable quilts using plaid or cartoon print fabric. Moreover, you can even upgrade the used quilt by adding a new cover with a print of your child’s favorite cartoon character.
#5. Denim Quilt
Denim wears often become out-of-style before getting torn. This would make them corned in your wardrobe. But they can be made to obtain an all-new attractive, versatile look when used in quilts.
You can cut them to suitable shapes and sew them along to create strong quilts that last considerably longer. Nevertheless, it is to be kept in mind that such quilts are robust and thick, and heavy, which affects their portability.
#6. Pillow covers and old bed linen
Pillow covers are usually sewed on three sides and can thus act as a good pre-stitched material for your quilt. Likewise, old bed linen that is no more useable either due to tear or color fading can be used as padding materials for the quilt.
The parts that remain intact in pillow covers and bed linens can be sewn together to obtain an all-new quilt. The advantage is two-fold: minimized wastage and a new quilt at minimal cost and effort!
#7. Old towels
Old towels can be easily converted to thick rugs of even thickness. Having many towels of the same size quicken the process considerably. The only thing that might be required is to trim their edges before starting to stitch!
You can even use these towels to act as immovable layers for carpets. Such products offer extra warmth and will be naturally fluffy. An anti-skid layer added to their bottom can further make it slide resistant.
FAQ:
1. What does a beginner quilter need?
A set of accessories, when kept handy, increases the comfort of quilting for novices. These include the accessories that are supplied with the machine, spare items, and assisting materials.
As a beginner quilter, you need to have
- Rotary cutter
- Iron and ironing board
- Basting pins
- Self-healing cutting mat
- Quilting gloves
- Wonder clips
- Acrylic quilting ruler
- High-quality thread
- Sewing machine
- Right kind of fabric
- Water-soluble cloth marker
- Clover roll and press
2. How long does it take to make a quilt by hand?
The time taken to make a quilt depends on the type of cloth, desired design, size of the quilt, grip over the accessories, and handling the quilt and the material.
Typically, quilting by hand takes slightly more time than that when done using a machine. If the cloth chosen is handy and easy to handle, and the chosen design is simple, then the twin-sized quilts may be finished within 2 weeks.
On the contrary, if the material is non-cooperative, the design is complex, and the desired size is large, then it would take years! Nevertheless, in either case, your quilting experience matters the most and contributes positively to lessen the delivery time.
3. Can I machine quilt without a walking foot?
Yes, it is possible to quilt without a walking foot, particularly when you have a darning or a hooping foot. Although this is ok for a small-sized project, the use of the walking foot is preferred to obtain high-quality, even seams.
Quilting is easy and renders a high-quality finish when done using the walking foot. Nevertheless, if you don’t have one, then you can always look for alternatives like a mechanism to drop the feed dogs and/or the use of hooping or darning foot.
Nonetheless, it is important to have a sufficient grip over the accessories to obtain an appreciable finish. This applies to the tiniest used equipment, including basting pins that hold the multiple layers of the fabric.
