Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
Quilters who are not already a machine embroidery enthusiast just may find themselves engrossed in the craft once they realize they could incorporate machine embroidery into their quilting.
Embroidery is a traditional way to add special decorative touches to quilts. Whether by hand or machine, a quilter may accent his or her creation with embroidered flowers or other accents. But today's machine embroidery - for those willing to try it - can make quilting quite different.
For instance, a quilter may use a simple embroidery design to let the machine "quilt" the project. Simple designs that can be stitched in one color work best, especially for the beginning machine embroidery quilter.
If you want to give this a try, look for an embroidery design that's simple - one that you can visualize stitched into a quilt. Some redwork inspired designs work well. Other simple designs like flowers, circles, sun/moon, houses, hearts - there are all sorts of designs to choose from - can work well as quilting stitches.
Be sure to keep your quilt top's theme in mind. We all know and love the traditional beauty of the double wedding ring quilt. While the quilt top is beautiful with its color variety, the quilt back is just as pretty with its simple stitching that follows the design on the top.
What if you used an embroidery machine to quilt hearts into the quilt design? That one unexpected touch would truly make your quilt unique.
Have you ever needed to throw together a quick quilt? Many quilting pros laugh at the notion, but sometimes we need a quick gift to give and want to make it personal. Lap quilts and baby quilts are very easy to create on an embroidery machine.
Simply hoop your top fabric, batting and backing fabric into an embroidery hoop. Pick a design and get to work! Even if you are quilting solid color fabrics, you can complete a quick, beautiful quilt with the embroidery machine in no time!
Some ideas for a baby blanket for a boy would be to use outlines of footballs, airplanes, trucks, trains, etc., for your quilting pattern. The hardest part of your job will be re-hooping fabric and pushing the "start" button!
Ideas for a baby blanket for a girl include outlines of flowers, baskets, dolls, kittens, etc.
The method above uses machine embroidery on relatively small quilts. Larger quilts can be done the same way or may be quilted with machine embroidery by individual quilt blocks. Experiment to decide which method is easiest for you and remember that the machine embroidery quilting method may change with each unique project.
If you can't find a pattern you like already on embroidery file, ask a digitizer to help you create one. A digitizer is someone who takes art images like line drawings, clip art and fonts and alters them to become a stitch pattern. So if you'd like for your family tree wall hanging to be quilted with a tree pattern, a digitizer can create one for you.
Be sure to let your digitizer know you plan to use the image for quilting. The digitizer will need to plan stitches accordingly.
Quilting is rich in tradition and therefore many true-blue quilters do not like the idea of using machine embroidery to quilt their projects. Isn't it great to try new ideas and techniques? Remember, not too long ago quilters refused to consider machine quilting at all! Embroidery machines will never take the place of quilters, but it can be a fun and rewarding sewing technique to try from time to time.
Penny Halgren ~ TheQuiltingCoach.com
Penny, a quilter for more than 26 years, enjoys exploring all aspects of quilting and sharing her knowledge with all quilters.
Article provided by articlesbase.com
Teach Yourself to Rotary-cut
Click on product link or image for more info and current price
Whether you’re an experienced or a new quilter, you’ll want to keep this valuable guide on hand. Learn to cut your quilt pieces with precision and speed using the essential technique of rotary-cutting. Clear instructions, helpful step-by-step photos, and a beautiful collection of rotary-cut quilts are sure to inspire you. Starting with basic strips and squares, and progressing to triangles, using templates, and the more advanced techniques of fussy cutting and squaring up blocks, this collection of timeless projects contains all the information you need to get started. Projects include: * Feed-Sack Patches * Hole in the Wall * Round the Twist * 25 in 25 * Bow Tie * Pinwheel Panache * Twist and Shout * Independence * Tipsy Trees * Building Blocks (3 pillows) * Scrappy Maple Leaves * Heading North * Streaks of Lightning * Snow Stars * Jane’s Kaleidoscope * Town Square Picnic * Slice and Dice
See More Rotary-cut Quilting Books Options
The Quilting Zone - Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited:
The Ultimate Creative Guide to the Most Popular and Versatile Pattern
Click on product link or image for more info and current price
Quilters can explore the creative possibilities of the most popular and adaptable patchwork pattern. Log cabin is the quintessential quilt block, at its most basic strips sewn in order around a square center. Generations of quilters have been fascinated with the limitless variations possible by changing the central shape, the widths of the strips, the arrangement of blocks, and the interplay of lights and darks. Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited provides everything a quilter needs to design and create an original log cabin quilt: options for block construction, 18 block styles with many variations, setting options, photographs of outstanding quilts from primitive to contemporary looks, and a workbook with full-page diagrams. This is the ultimate guide to the ultimate quilt block. Patricia Cox is the former director of the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska and the author of American Quilt Classics. Maggi McCormick Gordon's previous books include The Ultimate Quilting Book and 1000 Great Quilt Blocks.
See More Log Cabin Quilting Books Options
The Quilting Zone - Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
Hawaiian Quilting: Instructions and Full-Size Patterns for 20 Blocks
Click on product link or image for more info and current price
Hawaiian Quilting - Instructions and Full-Size patterns for 20 blocks is a very user friendly reference book for those wishing to commence their journey into Hawaiian quilting. It includes detailed instructions, 20 full-size quilting blocks (each 18" square) for creating exotic floral motifs: orchid, waterlily, hibiscus, and 17 others. Author Elizabeth Root takes her time to bring you up to date with interesting background about the origins and history of this fascinating art form. For those who have always found it quite difficult to understand the instructions for folding your pattern paper into eight, Roots's instructions are so straight forward and easy to understand you'll wish you'd come across this publication much sooner.The general instructions clearly outline the steps for creating a Hawaiian quilt, specifically - cutting the pattern, laying and tacking the pattern to the background, and appliqueing the design. Consideration has also been given to the presentation of the 20 patterns. Each pattern is on its own page, with a blank page behind it so there is no chance of chasing the incorrect line when tracing.
See More Hawaiian Quilting Books Options
The Quilting Zone - Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match
Click on product link or image for more info and current price
Modern Japanese quilting blends Eastern and Western techniques to create quilts of extraordinary style and beauty. Using designs borrowed from a rich decorative arts heritage, and often incorporating traditional kimono fabrics, Japanese quilters have developed a distinctive style based on unusual motifs and striking color combinations. With Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match, any quilter can create exquisite and unique works of patchwork art in the Japanese tradition.
The book presents more than 125 different block patterns, each with complete instructions and a color photograph, representing a variety of pattern sources: kamon (family crests), hakone yosegi (parquetry) and traditional textiles, such as kasuri weave. Each 9-inch block includes a full cutting guide and fabric palette; suggestions for use, either mixing and matching or adapting to an all-over design; and icons indicating techniques and skill level. The blocks on each spread are related in design and technique.
In addition to the Block Directory, Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix and Match features an Inspiration Gallery, showcasing examples of finished quilts from leading quilters. Using these examples, author Susan Briscoe explores such topics as color ideas from traditional Japanese textiles and quilts, motifs, and recommendations for combining fabric patterns and block designs. An extensive section on technique, as well as several pages about the fabrics themselves and a listing of suppliers and organizations make this volume as practical and informative as it is beautiful.
See More Japanese Quilting Books Options
The Quilting Zone - Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
Sew Easy Rag Quilting
Click on product link or image for more info and current price
Rag Quilting is sweeping through the quilting world. And with good reason. It's fun, fast and fabulous! There is no batting, no binding, and often, no quilting. When the quilt top is finished, the whole quilt is complete. Results are satisfying for quilters of all skill levels. Easy enough for beginners, this book includes twelve projects based on five different designs: Simplicity, Allegiance, Cottage Row, Honeycomb and Flamingo Flurry, which is featured on the cover.
See More Rag Quilting Books Options
The Quilting Zone - Digitizing a Quilt Pattern
easyfuncandlebiz.com ocnsignal.com walking101.com
wicksworks.com wordwooze.net