Prim Stitches-n-Country Wares

Quilting is more than an art form - it is a testimonial of life's celebrations and disappointments, of mistakes made and lessons learned, of rebirth and renewal, all woven with the threads of one's heart and soul. Unknown Author


More Photo's further down page...

I have a passion for quilting. Although this is not a normal technique of quilting, it is unique and very artistic. Each quilter make works of art. These quilts are a new kind of quilting that I created myself. If your interested in learning to quilt, the best way to learn is by doing! I have used my technique not only on quilts but on pillows, bags, stitchery's and more. If you are interested in learning how these quilts are made please keep reading. I will also put other articles about different quilts and techniques you can use at the bottom of this page.

These quilts shown above and below this article are all handmade! Each quilt is different. But the same technique was used in making them. I drew out my design on a large piece of paper. By doing so you can modify your layout any way you want. Making sure that everything will fit on the size quilt you are making. Or if your making a pillow or something else that your going to quilt.

I then pick out the colors and fabric's I want to use on the quilt. NOTE: there are many different types and grades of fabric you can use. I like a cotton polyester mix (mostly cotton). They wash up well and will last forever. It's important that you don't buy the cheapest fabric you can find. You want your quilt to be of good quality. When purchasing your fabric, be sure to buy matching thread in the same colors. Or if you want your quilted lines (which quilters call those lines the ditch) on the outside of the quilt to be visible, choose a little bit darker color of thread.

NOTE: Before purchasing your fabric you need to decide what sized quilt you are making. This will determine how much fabric your going to need to purchase. A crib mattress size is 28"x 52"Full Size: a full (double) size mattress is 54"x 75" A King size mattress is 76"x 80". A Queen size mattress is 60"x 80". A Twin size mattress is 39"x75". If you are planning on putting a ruffle around the bottom of the quilt. When I put a ruffle around the bottom of a quilt I count two and a half times the finished outer edge of the quilt to get a nice ruffled edge.

The next step is to transfer your layout on the fabric you've chosen to work with. I use a disappearing maker pen. It's easy to correct any mistakes this way and you won't have any lines showing on your finished product. The ink lasts 24 to 48 hours before disappearing.

I then put the design on a piece of batting before I start to paint it. The design is then painted with acrylic paint and fabric medium. After the paint is totally dried, the paint is set with a hot iron. Note: Use a white cotton cloth to put over your project before heat setting. There should be instructions for this on the fabric medium you purchase. Also if you want very pastel colors be careful as to how much paint you mix with your medium. I use a lot of white to soften my colors, and a touch of black to darken them.

The next step is to hand stitch a running stitch with black embroidery floss around each and every part of the design I've painted. This is part of the quilting stage. Remember there is a layer of batting under your design. Some of my quilts I do what's called "Stitch-N-Stuff". It is a technique where you add a second piece of fabric before quilting around your design. Once your design is quilted you then can turn it over and cut a small cut in it. Use polyester stuffing and stuff each part of the design you want to stand out. The Farm Animal Quilt below is one that I used this technique on. It has more of a 3-D effect to it and looks great.

Once I have finished quilting my design, I then decide what I want my quilt to look like. If I am going to do square patches, strips, diamonds or even a mixture of all of those.




This Quilt Available for Sale $95.00





This Quilt is available for sale. $85.00
	All quilts can be ordered or you can request a quilt design of your own and I would be happy to give you a price. Please email me with your requests.

Rotary Cutter and Mat - A fabric cutting tool with a circular blade that cuts through several layers of fabric at once. It is best used with a clear plastic ruler as a quilting guide. A cutting mat is essential to protect the work surface and preserve the blade's sharpness. A rotary cutter is a must have! It will help you to cut all your squares uniform and at one time. You will save a ton of your time by using a rotary cutter and cutter mat. The rotary cutter mat has guides to use to help when cutting different sizes of fabric. You can purchase these in different sizes. http://www.cutting-mats.net/index.html Cutting mats, rotary cutters, art supplies, scrapbook supplies tons and tons of great products here.
	Prismacolor Professional Colored Artist Pencils, Drawing Pencils Is what I use on my quilts. They are great quality and blend together well.

NEEDFUL THINGS TO GET STARTED IN QUILTING- Things you need when starting to quilt are Sewing Machine, Fabric Scissors, Paper Scissors, Rotary cutter. Rotary cutter mat, Iron and Ironing board, seam ripper, pins & needles. Needles for your machine and for hand sewing. If you plan on doing all your quilting by hand of course there is no need for sewing machine.

Pre-washing or not pre-washing your fabric before quilting. It is recommended that you always pre wash your fabric before cutting it and making you quilt. There are pros and cons about this subject. The pros are that if you have bright colors such as red that may bleed or run into other fabrics you most certainly would want to pre wash it. To help set the dye use 1/2 cup of salt when washing your fabric in cold water. You will prevent shrinkage by pre washing. Many fabrics will shrink. Cons: when pre washing fabric you have to iron it all before you can get it to lay flat and cut it.

PRINTING ON FABRIC - you can purchase paper for printing directly onto fabric with a computer printer - either laser jet or ink jet. Also used is FREEZER PAPER FOR PRINTING PHOTOS onto fabric. Freezer paper is used much like fusible web. Iron until smooth on white or off-white muslin or cotton , I prefer to use muslin. Iron freezer paper, shiny side to wrong side of fabric. Iron should be set on the cotton setting NO STEAM. Ironing melts the shiny wax coating and adheres it to the fabric. Cut freezer paper & fabric to size, using an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper as a guide.
Printer needs to be set to best or good quality ink setting and mirror image printing, After applying the freezer paper to the fabric, let cool, then carefully feed it through your printer. Peel off the paper backing before sewing.

USING FREEZER PAPER FOR APPLIQUÉ - Freezer paper is used much like fusible web. Trace the design you want on the dull side of the freezer paper. With paper scissors, Cut out the design you traced. You can use templates, handmade from plastic, cardboard or cardstock paper. Or purchase hard plastic templates in just about any design you can imagine. Iron freezer paper, shiny side to wrong side of fabric. Iron should be set on the cotton setting NO STEAM. Ironing melts the shiny wax coating and adheres it to the fabric. Use fabric scissors when cutting the finished freezer paper/fabric appliqué. Leave 1/4 inch seam allowance for folding and ironing over the edge of the freezer paper design. Clip notches around the edge of your design, working with small amounts at a time iron the seam allowance over the freezer paper. You can then remove the paper or sew it onto your background fabric and cut a small slit in the background fabric. Dampen with a spray bottle of clean water. let set a minute or two and use tweezers to remove the freezer paper from your appliqué design.

SCISSORS-The different between fabric scissors and paper scissors- If you have had no experience you will want a good pair of fabric scissors. Never use your fabric scissors for paper. It will dull the blades on your scissors and become useless for cutting fabric. It is important to have a pair for fabric and for paper.

PRESSING -Use an iron to press seams and blocks - this means simply pressing downwards on the seam with the iron from above and not moving the iron back and forth which can distort the block or seam. And will be much easier to work with when sewing your blocks together. It gives you a nice finished look.

Satin Stitch - A slanted, tightly packed (no spaces showing through of the fabric) outlining stitch. Often used around appliqué pieces. A machine satin stitch is made by setting a zig zag stitch very closely with the machine settings. You can also hand stitch a satin stitch. Although it is much more time consuming than the machine.

Walking Foot - a foot attachment that feeds both layers of fabric evenly through the feed dogs...used for straight line quilting. This is a must if you are working on a large quilt. Usually sold separately. Check your sewing store for the walking foot that fits your sewing machine.

Thimble- If your not comfortable with the old fashioned hard thimble, go to the office supply store and buy the rubber finger tips for flipping through paper. they come in all sizes and work great as a thimble.

Album Quilt/ Autograph Quilt - A quilt made of many different blocks that friends, family, church members have signed with permanent ink or is embroidered and then put together into a quilt. Some call this a signature quilt. It can also be done with photos printed on fabric and put together. A great gift that will last a life time. Often these quilts are created for an important event.

Appliqué Fusible web - is used to put small pieces of fabric on a background fabric and then hand or machine sewn. Appliqué is very popular and can become a piece of artwork to hang on the wall. Pillows, Purses, Clothing, all can be appliquéd. You can find fusible web in all your fabric stores. Follow the directions that are given.

Backing - The back fabric of a quilt is the 3rd layer of the quilt. Just a plain piece of fabric to your quilt size. You have the top, batting, and backing.

Basting - Long stitches used to hold fabric layers or seams in place temporarily and usually removed after final sewing. This can be done by hand or machine. Set your machine on the longest straight stitch. You can also pin the quilt instead of hand or machine basting. You can purchase quilting pins they are a longer pin than normal at your local fabric stores.

Batting - The layer in the middle of a quilt. Batting comes in different thicknesses and can be cotton, polyester, blends, silk, or wool. I do not recommend silk. Silk is warm but slippery. Also used are bed blankets. They come in all sizes to fit your quilts and make a great batting. Purchase them in different thicknesses depending on how thick you want your quilt to be.

Binding - The straight-grain of the fabric are cut in long strips that will cover the outside edge of your quilt. Folded in half & pressed with a hot iron makes it easier to cover the edges of your quilt, then pinned in place with quilt pins. This will finish your quilt and hide all batting and raw edges of the quilt.

Fat Quarter - cut one yard of fabric then fold in half lengthwise and then widthwise. The dimensions are approx. 18" x 22" when folded

Fusible Web - Various interfacings which can be ironed onto a fabric for easier appliqué or to support the fabric. Can be purchased at your local fabric stores. Comes with instructions for applying. Works great for fabrics such as polyester to make it stronger and easier to machine sew. Your fabric will no long stretch once the fusible web is applied.

Grain -The lengthwise and crosswise threads of a woven fabric.

Templates - A shape cut from cardboard, card stock paper, or plastic used to make numerous pieces of a pattern for quilt blocks or appliqué. Templates may also be used to transfer quilting lines to a quilt top.

Hand-Quilting Stitch - A small, even running stitch that is made through all three layers of a quilt to hold them together and to form your pattern.

In-The-Ditch - Is to stitch in the seam. Such as if you have two pieces of fabric sewn together you would stitch a running stitch right inside the seam line.

Matching Points - Piecing to make sure that the corners of your blocks or the points of stars match in piecing at the seam line so that the points are not cut off by the seam.

Patchwork - The basic method of making a quilt by sewing many small pieces of fabric together.

Quilting Hoop - A small circular or oval apparatus that is used to hold the layers of a quilt together during hand quilting.

Seam Allowance - The width of fabric left to the right of a sewn seam. In quilting this is normally 1/4 inch.

Invisible Thread - Fine nylon thread used for machine appliqué

Border Strips - One or more strips added to the outside edge of a quilt.

Outline Quilting - Quilting stitches that follow the outline of an appliqué design or pattern on the fabric

Embellish - to add decorative stitching, lace, buttons, etc...to a quilt; Crazy Quilts are lavishly embellished

Batting for your Stitchery's & Quilts

You can purchase blankets in natural colors at Wal-mart for around $5.00 for a twin size. They work great for the batting for your stitchery's. They don't stretch out and they lay flat. The finished product is great! Washable! You can get a lot of small stitchery's out of one twin size blanket. If you are making a quilt, they come in all sizes so you can trim them down to your quilt size or make your quilt to fit the blanket.