At the Quilted Paradise Newsletter, I found handy instructions, a primer of sorts, on making various types of borders.  You may want to take a look.

              There also are a number of books dealing with quilt borders that you may want to look at as well.  A border can be part of the art of your quilt.

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Tips for Borders on Your Quilts

This shows how, in this mixed media world, quiltmaking has taken on a whole new direction for those who want to experiment and combine traditional with experimental.

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Fusing Fabric for Quilting

Also, Beth utilizes different fabrics as well.  If you’re participating in Take a Stitch Tuesday, let me know where we can find your work.  I’d enjoy seeing it. 

Beth posts her stitches on her Meandering Threads blog.

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Another Interesting Quilting Stitch

I’ve done some of each, but some quilters like to do only one type to finish their quilted projects.

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Participate in a Quilters’ Poll

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.

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More Quilt Basting Tips

I’d never thought of that, but realized I had to agree in this case.  The quilt consisted of an intriguing design of brightly colored solid patches.  The way they were interlocked made the design.  However, when we looked at the next photo with each patch practically covered with quilting…swirls and loops…your eye strayed from the patch design to the stitches.

This probably depends on the fabric and design used.  In some, like this quilt of different colored solid fabrics, the quilting stitches would be very evident.  Depending on individual preference, quilters would either like it very much, be neutral, or find it not so attractive.  Other fabrics, with busy designs, would not show the quilting so readily.

Then you have quilts and wall hangings, like the one pictured on the cover of Sandra Meech’s book, Creative Quilts: Inspiration, Texture & Stitch, where the design itself is created by the stitches.

It would be interesting to see what you think.  Can you have too much quilting?  Or do you find quilts more attractive with more intricate quilting designs?

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Can You Have Too Much Quilting In a Quilt?

You’ll find the tips given in installments at: www.quiltedparadise.com/n/058-jqz.jsp .

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Free Motion Machine Quilting

What is meant by tying a quilt? 

Tying, or tufting as some quilters refer to it, is an effective way to hold the layers of a quilt together.  You thread a long needle with double strand of thread or crochet cotton.  Push the needle through the three layers (top, batting, and backing), leaving abut 2 inches of thread on the tip.  Then push the needle back up to the top, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the starting place.  Next you secure the thread by tying it in a double knot and cut the ends the desired length.

Why tie one instead of stitching with a quilting design?

Tying doesn’t take so much time as quilting with stitches.  It’s also a good method to use when you have an especially thick batting.  

I also used this method on many of the quilts I made.  Because tying didn’t take so much time as quilting, this enabled me to keep the price more affordable for my customers.   

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Q & A – Why Tie a Quilt?

The current newsletter from Quilted Paradise gives “A Few Tips for Applique” where you can find how to perfect this technique.  (http://www.quiltedparadise.com/b/047/owg/9436 )

You also can register to receive e-mail notices whenever new newsletters are published.  These contain quilting tips, book reviews, and questions and answers.

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Tips for Applique Quilting & Fabric Art Projects

However, you can purchase pre-cut squares of various sizes for creating a quilt.  Browse through quilt supply catalogs, check out online stores or visit your favorite quilting shop.  There you’re likely to find these squares.  Some are arranged around a theme or specific colors.  Others are a mix or ones from which you can choose what you desire.

Check these out for your simple, as well as more complex, quilting and patchwork projects.

(Link for the previous simple quilt blog, http://www.blisstree.com/2006/08/09/q-a-whats-an-easy-quilt-for-a-beginner/ )

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Pre-Cut Squares for Quilters