After finding Penny Halgren’s pin and thread basting tips, I discovered a newsletter I’d received awhile ago from Konstantin’s Quilted Paradise.  There you’ll also find information about pin basting and thread basting and the types of materials to use for each.
These are such simple techniques that experienced quilters often don’t remember their early quandry or realize beginners might find it challenging until they know which to use when.
Check out Konstantin’s explanation here: www.quiltedparadise.com/n/065-qoz.jsp or at www.quiltedparadise.com/issues.jsp and click on issue number 65.

American quilts throughout the years generally consisted of two types – “pieced” and “appliqued” although there were many variations.  The word “patchwork” often was used to encompass both types of quilts.
To make a pieced quilt top, the quiltmaker cut patches of specific shapes and sewed together to create a design throughout the quilt.
Quiltmakers created appliqued quilts by laying pieces of fabric on a colored or white background then stitched them to that material with fancy stitching to form a design.
 
        

Often we forget that new quilters are coming to this art everyday.  They want to know some of the very basic rudiments of quiltmaking and patchwork before they branch out into the more artistic and complicated patterns and techniques.
I’m planning, at least once a week, to post some tips for beginners.  If you’re just starting out, let me know what you’d like to learn.  If you’re an experienced quilter, what did you find most helpful when you were a novice?
You’ll find a number of books for beginners.  This is just one.

In my book, The Magic of Patchwork, (http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jetent/mea ) I’ve given …read more