Quilting a quilt is the process of permanently joining the three layers of the quilt sandwich by stitching them together by hand or machine. There is no defined pattern you have to use when quilting. In fact, quilting is often used as an additional decorative element in a quilt. For instance, some of the ways that quilting can be used include:
- Tracing the geometric shapes of a patchwork quilt
- Bisecting the geometric shapes of a patchwork quilt
- Silhouetting the outline of a shape
- Stitching designs right into the quilt fabric
Whether you’re working from a preexisting quilting pattern or you’re designing your own pattern, start in the middle of the quilt and work out toward the edges to ensure that the batting doesn’t bunch. There should be no space larger than 6″ left unquilted. You can quilt by hand or by machine.
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Hand Quilting
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Though hand quilting is slower, many quilters prefer its versatility and the look it produces. When hand quilting, it’s generally a good idea to wear a thimble to avoid getting pricked. Always have your quilt secured in a quilting hoop when hand quilting so that the stitch area stays smooth and flat.
Quilting Stitch
Most hand quilting uses the quilting stitch. To quilt a line, thread a needle with about 18″ of thread, make a knot at the end, and follow these five steps:
- Insert the needle, from the top down, through the quilt top and batting (but not through the backing) about 1″ from where the line that you’d like to quilt begins. Tug the thread so the knot pulls through the quilt top and lodges just beneath the fabric surface in the batting.
- Work a backstitch to secure the knot.
- Bring the needle up at the beginning of the quilting line.
- Work the quilting stitch, moving the needle down and up through all three layers of fabric along the desired line. Try to keep the stitches even, with 5–6 stitches per inch. You can work the stitches one at a time, though it’s often faster to work a number of stitches at a time.
- To finish a line of quilting stitches, tie a small knot in the thread near the quilt surface at the top or bottom. Tug the fabric so the knot pulls through and nestles just beneath the surface of the quilt top. Work a backstitch to secure the knot, then snip the thread.
Machine Quilting
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You can machine quilt using the straight stitch. For most quilting, it’s best to use a walking (even-feed) presser foot, though for intricate work that requires turning the fabric, you may want to try a darning foot. Make sure to push the fabric through the machine with even pressure, keeping the needle aligned along the line you want to quilt. To quilt freeform shapes such as spirals or squiggles, drop the feed dogs and use both hands to guide your quilt under the needle.
Roll the Quilt while Machine Quilting
One of the main difficulties of machine quilting is that most quilts are too wide to maneuver easily. To make it easier to feed the quilt through the machine, you can roll the edges of the quilt up like a scroll, keeping flat only the area where you’re quilting.
