hand quilting

What is the best way to launder a vintage hand-stitched quilt top? I bought an old quilt top today, and before I work with it, it will need to be cleaned. It has one small hole in one of the squares, and I've counted two small seams that will need to be re-enforced, but otherwise it seems to be intact. (The pieces are hand stictched, but are fairly tight.) What is the best way to clean it without doing it damage? Baste the open seams shut, and baste a patch over the holes. Take it to a laundromat and put it into a triple-load machine on the gentlest cycle. Use Orvis soap, available at quilting supply shops. As you pull it out of the machine, don't let it hang. Take it home and dry it flat on a clean tarp in a room with good air circulation. After it's dry, you'll have a better idea of the colors you want to use for your repairs. .

VICTORIAN HEART ALBEMARLE RED TOILE PRIMITIVE QUEEN 4 PC HAND QUILT SET BEDDING Beautiful Antique Double Wedding Ring quilt hand stitched hand quilted Antique Pinwheel pattern quilt hand stitched hand quilted Nice Bright VINTAGE BEAUTIFUL HAND MADE HAND QUILTED QUILT FULL QUEEN 77 X 80 King size Hand embroidery machine quilted quilt Z 9 BEAUTIFUL 100 Hand Sewn Poor Mans Log Cabin Piece Quilt 92 X 92 Vintage Hand Made Square Designed Country Quilt Vintage Double Wedding Ring Quilt Top Hand Sewn 98 x 83 CHAIR PADS STAR QUILT PATTERN HAND HOOKED ACCENT Hand made quilted lap quilt VICTORIAN HEART PRIMITIVE SHENANDOAH CABIN LODGE KING 4 PC HAND QUILT SET Hand Quilted Postage Stamp Quilt VICTORIAN HEART TRUMAN FISHING LODGE LUXURY HAND QUILTED COTTON CAL KING QUILT VTG BLUE PINK RAMBLER or SPRING BEAUTY QUILT HAND QUILTED 84 X 84 ANTIQUE VINTAGE HAND MADE QUILT PASTEL COLORS 80 BY 74 1940s Hand Made Baby Quilt 44 x 36 Red and Blue Teddy Bears NEW Free Shipping Hand Made Baby Quilt 42 x 36 Noahs Ark in Pink Blue and Purple NEW Free Ship Hand Made Baby Quilt 47 x 37 Ducks and Frogs on Pink and Green NEW Free Ship TRUMAN FISHING LODGE LUXURY HAND QUILTED COTTON CAL KING QUILT SET BEDDING NEW Feed Sack Pieced Pattern Building Blocks Hand Tied Quilt Vintage 40s Hand Made Baby Quilt 46 x 36 Teddy Bears in Blue Purple Pink and Green NEW Hand Made Baby Quilt 45 x 36 Denim Overall Teddy Bear with Green Blanket NEW Vintage Quilt Hand Quilted Hand Embrodrey Pink flowers never used prize winner Charming Colorful Vintage 30s 40s Sun Bonnet Sue Quilt Applique Hand Stitched VICTORIAN HEART SHENANDOAH FARM HOUSE LODGE CABIN QUEEN 4 PC HAND QUILT SET TRUMAN FISHING LODGE LUXURY HAND QUILTED COTTON CAL KING QUILT 5PC SET BEDDING LARGE HAND STITCHED VTG QUILT TOP FEED SACKS BIAS PIECED DIAMONDS POINTS WINNIE THE POOH HAND MADE INFANT BABY OR REBORN DOLL QUILT BLANKET RAGGEDY ANDY HAND MADE INFANT BABY OR REBORN DOLL QUILT BLANKET Hand made queen size Puppies Galore quilt Top551 TRUMAN FISHING LODGE LUXURY HAND QUILTED COTTON CAL KING QUILT 8PC SET BEDDING Antique Hand Stitched Diamond Star Patterned Quilt Antique Quilt EXQUISITE A VINTAGE ANTIQUE PATCHWORK TEXAS LONE STAR QUILT HAND QUILTED BEAUTIFUL Antique VINTAGE Classic Hand Stitched DoUBLE WeDDiNG RiNG QUILT Old Feedsacks VINTAGE SUN BONNET SUE QUILT HAND QUILTED FEED SACK FABRICS APPLIQUED Antique Hand Stitched Flower Garden Patterned Quilt Antique Quilt EXQUISITE B GORGEOUS HAND MADE AFGHAN QUILT THROW BLANKET 6 ft X 5 ft RED ROSES on WHITE Vintage Hand stitched Cathedral Window Quilt 70 x 80 Hand Stitched Quilt Top Polyester 96 x 96 Colorful Ready For Finishing ANTIQUE LOG CABIN QUILT PILLOW W HAND CRAFTED ORANGE TABBY CAT HANDMADE QUILT ENTIRELY HAND STITCHED 92 X 66 NORTH CAROLINA HOMEMADE Alex Anderson’s Hand Machine Applique Quilt Book Gorgeous Vintage Hand X Stitched Floral Wreath QUILT TOP 102]HIGH QUALITY FAUX LEATHER Woman Heart Quilting Tote Shoulder Corss Hand Bag Pussy Cat Applique Hand Quilted Cot Crib Baby Quilt Hand embroidery quilt top Z 12 Quilt hand sewn

Art Quilting – What is it Exactly ?

Art quilting has become immensely popular in recent years as more women and men take a step beyond traditional quilting and venture into this very creative field. But what exactly is an art quilt?

An art quilt is most commonly defined as having the basic characteristics of a quilt, i.e. a layer of batting sandwiched between two layers of fabric and held together with stitching, however this is where the similarity ends.

As with traditional painted art, an art quilt comprises the same elements and principles of design and is intended to hang on a wall, but because of the nature of fabric it can be manipulated or cut to any shape or size and has a tactile quality and surface design texture not found in painted art. Further embellishment of the surface of the art quilt can provide additional interest and texture.

Special Techniques

Art quilting requires special sewing and quilting techniques that are used to create the surface structure and texture of the art quilt, some of which include:

• Appliqué: hand, machine, raw edge, turned under, fusible, reverse

• Color Application: hand-dyeing, tie dyeing, stamping, fabric painting

• Embellishing: beading, hand-stitching

• Embroidery: hand, machine, free-standing

• Machine Stitches: decorative, faux hand-quilt, zig-zag, satin-stitch, twin needle

• Piecing: straight, curved, strip

• Quilting: hand, machine, free motion

• Thread: thread painting, free motion embroidery, free motion quilting, bobbin-work, couching

These special art quilting techniques can be studied through books or in live workshops or on-line classes. They are fun to learn and provide the art quilter with their own unique art quilter's palette of skills. There are also many on-line art quilt groups offering information and resources for art quilters who want to stretch themselves further.

Additional Techniques

Additional art quilting techniques can be used to create interesting and unusual textures, shapes and design elements. Some of these techniques include:

• Needle felting

• Photo transfers

• Foiling

• Using a heat gun to distress fabric

• Using papers and plastics as structural elements

Express Yourself

Art has always been an expression of ourselves and our environment; a reflection of our thoughts and dreams, and can be either subjective or objective, and so it is with art quilting. The only difference is the medium - fabric and thread instead of oils or watercolors; batting instead of canvas. Plus the added ability to add further surface embellishment and texture through the use of special art quilting techniques.

The journey into art quilting is addictive and seductive and can be very rewarding. Either as a recreational hobby or a serious art form, it is a great outlet for self-expression.

About the Author

Linda Matthews is a textile artist, designer and teacher, and her website CreativeTextileAndQuiltingArts.com offers an abundance of inspiration, education and motivation in the creative aspects of textile and quilt art.