How To Sew Home Quilts For Children

Introduction

Sewing something by yourself at home can always be a hassle, though one must admit, it’s well worth the reward- especially when you’re sewing for children. Often, these hand-made gifts tend to make the best presents. But because they grow out of their clothes so fast, and being children, use them so roughly, the clothes you worked on so patiently can wearily get discarded. But then there are some gifts that are made at home but are a little more durable- like quilts. Cheery, practical and full of memories, quilts are some of the most rewarding of gifts. And unlike popular opinion, they’re not that difficult to make.

Step 1

The Latin word “culcita” and the French word “cuilte” are thought to be the possible origins for the “quilts” that we are familiar with today. While historians are not clear as to exactly when quilting began, it can be determined that the process has been around for a long time. A quilted floor covering dating as far back as first BC was discovered in Mongolia. There are several references to home quilts and quilting in Literature as well. The oldest bed quilt however, is believed to be one discovered in Sicily. Quilted garments were worn by the Crusaders because they were comfortable and the extra padding provided protection from the effects of the weather for their armor. Early American ladies of good families prided themselves on being able to quilt and fine needle work. Quilters have made use of a variety of materials including satin, linen, Egyptian cotton and fleece etc. Quilting in some homes is considered a tradition worth passing on- even today. Because of the wide range of materials that one can use, quilting, especially with the intent of gifting to children, can be quite fun.

Step 2

Before one takes the plunge, stocking up would be good idea. Some quilters seem to prefer starting off with checking what you do have- and the best way to do that seems to be looking around the house. Scissors, rulers, threads, needles (or a sewing machine if you’ve got one), are the obvious equipment required to make quilts at home. But there may be some you are not familiar with like Rotary Cutters, Rotary mat for surface protection, an Iron and an Iron stand (or just a plain iron will do as well), pins and a seam ripper to rip out the seams in places one made errors. Some also recommend a place to tack/pin up your designs. While a table may do, people, especially professional quilters seem to prefer a vacant wall. And of course, the fabric and- this is crucial- the quilting pattern you plan on using as reference and guide. These patterns can easily be found online. While we gave examples of different kinds of materials used by quilters from around the world, every quilter agrees that pure cotton might be the best option-especially for beginners. After ensuring that the fabric is strong and colorfast, it would also be good to ensure that the material used for the backing (back of the quilt) is the same color and weight (and preferably the same material), as that used for the top. If one plans on using more than one color, it would be a good idea to check for a balance between the colors chosen and (to avoid awkward situations), people’s response to colors as well. It would not do to spend weeks on a pink and orange starred quilt and then discover that the recipient hates both colors with a vengeance!

Step 3

Press your fabric well (here’s where that iron comes in handy!) before you begin cutting it in order to get straight smooth cuts. Be careful and make sure you’ve measured your cuts right. It wouldn’t do to mess up your measurements and only discover that you’ve made a mistake halfway through your work! Usually, quilters begin by piecing their work, i.e: sewing together the pieces of fabric chosen and cut in the desired fashion and pieces to make the top of the quilts. The sizes and measurements will of course be in the order determined by the pattern chosen. Some quilters’ prefer to cut out existing shapes from patterned fabric. Others prefer stitching the different pieces of fabric together to make the desired shape- for example, using red, blue and yellow fabric of similar material to make a truck. Regardless, the easiest way to stitch quilts at home, especially for beginners is to follow the patterns. Here, one does not have to be completely restricted though. Since the quilts are being made for children, one could use bright, cheerful colors with the same patterns. There are also several easy to make patterns available online and in quilting books that are tailored specifically for children. Quilters also finish off their home made quilts with the borders, that are also pieces of fabric cut specifically to decorate the perimeters of the top. The binding (material that is attached to the borders) is traditionally machine sown to the front of the edge, folded twice and sown by hand to the back of the quilt.

Step 4

The batting (filling) is placed over the backing (back of quilts) and the material for the top is placed over them. This process is referred to as layering. The three layers are then sown together, usually following a decorative pattern. This process is called quilting and is done in a variety of ways including foundation (or paper) piecing, machine quilting (by using a sowing machine) and hand quilting (sowing by hand) etc. Quilters usually start their quilts from the middle and continue till the edge. This a process found quite easy to do from home and you don’t need much direction for it.

Step 5

Children have been known to respond to different colors and shapes in different ways, so it would be best to choose accordingly. Yellows and oranges remind most children of the sun and stars, dark blues and purples remind some of gardens. It is also considered a good idea to label the home quilts. This is considered a good idea, especially if one is going to gift it to a child, because it will serve as a testament to when and why the quilt was made and by and for whom. It’s no wonder the tradition has survived so long, even in homes today. A small quote, a piece of poetry or the like can also be embroidered on. You’ll find several examples specifically for this online. Or you could reach for the book shelf and fine something!

Tips

Before you do anything else, learn how to use your equipment! The fabric or your quilts needs to be handled with care. The rotary cutter can be tricky and quite dangerous. And while you’re at it, try to find out the meaning of the quilting terminology- yes, quilters really do have a language of their own. You’ll find many good examples of quilting and patterns online and in good books. Before you know it, you’ll be making all your quilts from the comfort of your own home. Happy Quilting!

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