Machine quilting basics

Beautifully machined quilts are in no way second best to those worked by hand. Because the stitches are continuous, the finished product is usually flatter than a hand-quilted one. An even-feed, or “walking”, foot, which feeds the layers through at the same speed top and bottom, is useful. Start and finish either by setting the stitch length to 0 and taking a few stitches before re-setting, or leave a tail of thread to tie off.

Preparing a quilt for machining 1To work on a small area at a time, roll up both sides of the quilt towards the centre, leaving 30cm (12in) open in between. Hold the edges with clips. 2Fold or roll up the other ends of the piece and secure them using clips, leaving space to work on. Repeat the rolling and/or folding process as you work your way around the piece. Grid patterns Traditional gridded quilting patterns can be square or diamond shaped. Mark the grid by drawing the centre line in each direction, or use 6mm (1⁄4 in) masking tape. If you set a quilting guide on your walking foot, you can use it to measure the distance between rows as you work. 1Take a few short stitches. Set the quilting…

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Patchwork & Quilting for Beginners (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2nd Edition

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