Fun And Memorable Party Games And Activities
In the early days of quilting, any suitable material, from an old blanket to cotton wadding, was placed between the patched pieces and an old sheet and then put onto the quilting frame, which kept the quilt's layers stretched tight while the quilter worked away.
Unlike comforters, a quality quilt is filled with cotton. This results in a much more substantial bedcovering. When you compare a comforter and a cotton-filled quilt of the same size, you will find that the quilt weighs quite a bit more. The quilt is heavier, but it takes up less space. Therefore, you get all of the warmth of a comforter, without the bulk. And because the batting is cotton and not polyester, you won't wake up sweaty in the morning. Quilts are also much easier to store when not in use, and they can double as a picnic blanket! When was the last time you took your comforter to the park?
Blanket Quilt The best fabric for simple quilt patterns is 100% cotton because it minimizes seam distortion, presses crisply, and is easy to quilt. Good simple quilt patterns specify quantities for 44/45" wide fabric unless otherwise noted. You'll need to allow for a little extra yardage to accommodate minor cutting errors and slight shrinkage.
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!
At this point you are ready to either hand quilt or machine quilt your baby shower gift. Place the backing fabric right side down on the floor or large clean area. Put the batting down next. Place the pieced quilt on top of the batting right side up. Pin the fabrics and batting together starting from the center and working out. I recommend that you stretch all three layers before pinning. Using an old table and some large butterfly clamps, stretch your blanket securely in place to the table before you pin the layers together. Also there are curved quilting pins available at the quilt shops that will make the pinning task easier to complete, due to the shape of the pin. They are rounded at the bottom and perfect for the task.
Turn and press this rectangle over the seam allowance, again pressing away from the center piece. Trim the seam allowance close to the stitching line.
Clothes to use: Start with clean items. Besides the baby clothes you can use bibs, caps, socks, Halloween costumes, blankets, linens, special curtains and nursery items.
The third layer is the side that lays face down on the bed and is called the quilt backing. Even though the backing is not always seen the fabric color should complement the quilt design and be made of a durable cotton fabric that will not tear or fray when machine washed.
