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 Quilting
and Patchwork Introduction
From
being decorative crafts for practical products, quilting and patchwork are
enjoying a revival in a new role as forms of textile art. Still influenced
by traditional designs, contemporary quilts are fashioning the image of
these very accessible forms of needlecraft.
Origins
Quilting in particular has been used in many societies for
centuries to provide furnishings and dress wear for both civil and
military purposes. The layers of wadding offered warmth in cold climates
and gave added protection to soldiers. Quiltings decorative effect added
to its popularity and paintings from the 1500s in Britain show that in
wealthy families luxurious fabrics were richly stitched this way.
The perishable nature of fabric means that few examples of
either patchwork or quilting exist dating from before the early 19th
century. This makes it difficult to trace their history. Examples from the
wealth of quilts which were made in the 19th and early 20th
centuries, however, show how the makers in different countries and
communities developed their own individual styles and patterns. Quilts
often reveal the beliefs and social and economic influences which were
part of the needleworkers life.
Within the library of traditional patterns inherited by
quilters of today are many patterns which have more than one name. The
reason for this is that craftspeople, living in many different countries
worldwide, independently developed the same solution to a problem.
 Basic
techniques
Patchwork - Patchwork
is the technique of joining small pieces of different coloured fabrics to
make a design. In many traditional designs, the same shape is used
throughout the quilt. The stunning effects which can be achieved are
brought about by the makers use of colour and the texture of the fabrics.
In traditional patchwork, a pattern is usually worked out in
a small block of patches. The block is then repeated, perhaps with a
variation in colours and fabric. When all the blocks are completed they
are joined up. Many modern designers still work on the block principle,
but the pattern may vary within the blocks.
Quilting The function of quilting is to hold three layers
of fabric together; the top, the wadding and the backing. As with
patchwork, there are many techniques used to do this. The small running
stitches commonly used to pattern the surface create linear grooves,
making the surface undulate, adding rhythm and movement to the otherwise
flat top layer.
When combined with patchwork, quilting can be used to
accentuate the lines of the joins. Alternatively, the stitching can be
used to carve shapes across the patching, creating an extra dimension to
the patch worked surface.
Designer quilters have two things in common: a love of fabric
and of the way it can be manipulated with stitches. They work by hand or
machine, mainly with silks and cottons. The quilts can be for walls or for
garments, not necessarily for beds.
Although many designers quilters have an artistic background,
they will also have studied traditional methods of the craft before
developing individual approaches. Precision and attention to detail form a
necessary basis for success, but once the techniques are mastered,
anything goes!
Large quilts take up a lot of space, so designers usually
work alone in a studio, often exploring a theme through a series of
quilts. Commissions for original work are welcome; the clients input will
sometimes spark off new ideas.
The professional is often looking for ways to speed up
production. Sometimes a partnership will be formed between a patchworker
and a quilter, or machine quilting will be used instead of the time
consuming hand method.
And like all textile people, patchworkers tend to collect
fabric. A piece may not be used for months or even years, but one day it
will be just right for a design. An important part of designing original
quilts is sifting through these fabric collections, selecting colours and
gaining inspiration.
The next step is to settle down and work on drawing up the
design. The beauty of patchwork is that you do not need to know how to
draw a ruler and compass will see you through. Every designer develops
their own way of working, but there are certain stages which all have to
go through.
The design is usually sketched and coloured in rough and is
then worked up in more detail on squared paper. Intuition and experience
sharpens the eye, enabling it to recognize when a pattern is going to work
and when it isnt.
One designer begins by designing the quilt in miniature,
drawing up a few pages of 3inch squares or rectangles, depending on the
shape of the finished quilt. This way, she does not have to stop for one
precious moment to rule up more squares when ideas are flooding in thick
and fast.
The small drawing is then enlarged to about an 8inch square.
A grid is drawn over this so that the drawing can be accurately enlarged
to full size. The shape is measured out and a grid added. This provides an
accurate guide showing where the lines should be drawn. All the pieces are
numbered on both designs, and grainlines and balance marks are added to
help when piecing the bits together.
Colour scheme A firm plan of the colours and fabric to be
used is usually worked out beforehand, but this again is flexible once the
practical work begins. Some designers will dye or even paint the fabrics
to ensure they have the precise colour they want to work with.
Most quilt makers have a wall of their workshop covered with
insulation board, painted white. The full size design is pinned up on this
and covered with fabrics, folded and pined roughly to size. This helps the
selection of the colours.
Cutting and Patching Templates are the cut and placed on
the wrong side of the fabric. Care must be taken to make sure that the
pattern is not reversed. The grains are checked and transferred with a
pencil. After drawing the outline the fabric is cut out leaving about 6mm
seam allowances all around.
All the pieces are then pinned on the board and adjusted as
necessary. Bit by bit the pieces are tacked in place then stitched
together by hand or using a machine. A constant check is made to make sure
that the design is working. Any pieces which seem wrong are repatched in
new fabrics. The whole is worked, pressed and checked at every stage.
Arranging the layers The whole quilt is then put up with
the top complete, but flat. The next step is to tack it to the wadding and
backing fabric. For this the quilt has to be spread out on a firm, even
surface. The backing is taped down to keep it flat while the wadding is
positioned; the top layer is placed over this. A line of pins, top to
bottom, side to side, keeps the three layers from slipping. Before these
layers can be tacked in place, the outline of the pattern to be quilted is
marked on the top. The quilt is then tacked with fairly close stitches
from the centre outwards in both directions, smoothing any wrinkles out
towards the sides.
The quilt has now taken on a new dimension, appearing softer
and richer. A final check is made before putting it on to the quilting
frame.
There are several types of frames available, but basically
the quilt will be rolled round two runners and held at the sides with
tapes to keep them fairly rigid. A group of quilters can work around a
large frame.
Hand quilting is a long process. The stitches should be small
and even, back and front. Quilters develop their own way of stitching but
it is invariably hard on the hands and neck.
Quilting can also be done using a sewing machine, but this is
not an easy option as the quilts are quite bulky. It is particularly
difficult to gain a smooth, even finish on curves or bends. Good machine
quilting is therefore a highly prized skill.
Finally the quilt is removed from the frame, and the tacking
taken out. All that remains is to square up the quilt, bind the edges and
attach a hanging sleeve and rod for displaying.
Courses
If you offer quilt or patchwork making courses / evening
classes / demonstrations - please contact
us to advertise your details here.
There are lots of books available to learn the skills from
home.
To
learn proper patchwork or quilting techniques the best starting point is
to contact polytechnics / colleges to see if they have any organized
courses.
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