Hello

will introduce myself first, my name is Jane I have been member of ivillage for lots years now, and have posted here I think in the card making section.

I am just starting a new project tho, and want to make a kingsize patchwork quilt.  I am using materials from friends, family and freecycle so it will be a range of colours and textures, am doing squares so nothing too difficult lol

I do have a couple questions tho if anyone can help please

1. If I do 4inch squares, but make big squares made up of say 16 little squares can I wad each bigger square first before sewing all the big squares together to make the main quilt (does that make sense?)

2. I would ideally like to do as much as possible on my sewing machine, can I use my machine to do the wadding? or will the needle pull the wadding through?

3. Can anyone recommend the best place to get wadding, and what weight would be better?

Think that is it for now

Not starting it til June, as am collecting my materials and cutting my squares first

thanks in advance

Jane x

Hi Jane,

Nice to see you!

I can only help with the answer to number 2...

I made a quilt at school (many moons ago now) and I did the majority on a sewing machine - it was my GCSE Textiles exam piece. I didn't have a problem with the wadding being pulled through.

Each of my squares was done individually so I can't help with number 1, although I can't help thinking you would have to press the 16 square like hell so it didn't bulge up at the seams if you didn't wad them individually.

As for the wadding - it was from school so I have no idea about that!

Sorry I wasn't more help :)

T x

Hiya

did you wad each square separatly then before sewing them altogether?  The look I want to achieve is a puffy look, so I was originally going to sew all the squares together on the machine to get a flat patchwork sheet if you like, then I was going to wad it with a plain cheap sheet backing, but do that by hand and sew each square individually but going up and down the lines.  Then was going to back the whole thing again with another coloured sheet or lining material depending on the size.

does any of that make sense at all lol it difficult trying to explain it on here :o)

Cant wait to get started have just had email from freecycle lady and hopefully will be collecting a whole lot of material tonight :o)

love Jane x

Hi Jane,

I made a big patchwork flat sheet, wadded it, backed it - but didn't go over the lines. As it was for a baby I wanted the back sheet to be as smooth as possible so it ended up patchwork front, wadding then a flat sheet back...

Don't see why you couldn't though!

T x

Hi Jane

If you made up each set of small squares with the patchwork, wadding, and backing, then another layer of backing again I think you would find it very bulky.

Why not make up the patchwork squares just on wadding? Then make up each of these into the full size quilt and quilt through the whole lot including the backing. Sometimes the wadding clogs the machine a bit. A good way round this is to have a roll of loo paper on your lap and run that through the machine, underneath the fabric and wadding. Easy to tear off afterwards.

I have to buy my patchwork materials online. I usually buy from a company called The Tabbycat (LOL what is it with me and cats!) I will find the link and post again. It isn't the cheapest company but the lady who runs it is very helpful and able to advise about weight of wadding etc.