African American Quilting Article

Quilting Flannel

You’d hardly think that ordinary flannel and great sewing went together. That is why flannel is not a very popular sewing material. But when it comes to quilting, wool along with flannel are some of the most preferred materials for making the most intricate designs in quilting. This is because flannel is a supple and pliant fabric more so than other fabrics that are available today in the market. Apart from this flannel that is used for quilting brings some homely and warm memories to the mind when you curl up in bed with the flannel quilt made with your own hands. Flannel is very simple and this is one reason as to why it appeals to most individuals who use and sew quilts.

When you are using flannel for quilting, you must remember that it requires heavy bastings and you must use pins for this purpose so the fabric does not creep. It is not advisable to quilt flannel by hand as the thickness will make it almost impossible to get some neat stitches in place as it will be as good as sewing three layers of fabric. Hand stitches have the tendency to disappear and there will be no visible stitches on your final product and of course these stitches are the most popular trademark of quilting.

When you are choosing designs for quilting using flannel, you must make a choice of gently sloping curves and simple lines. You may also choose triangles and block patterns that you can sew effortlessly. In quilting flannel, uncomplicated, simple and easy designs are ideal ones to avoid encountering big problems or spoiling the fabric that you are using for quilting. Do not choose very difficult designs, as they are very time consuming. You could also go through websites that guide you and give you instructions and designs.

The other important thing to remember when quilting is that you will have to clean the machine on a regular basis. Flannel produces lint and while using flannel for quilting this may cause some problems in the operations of the quilting machine. Many quilters generally prefer the fabric be napped to help create a fuzzy surface. In fact, in a lot of cases, very large rollers are utilized to pick the fibers and to give it the appearance of fuzziness. This gives a fabric a softer look and an inviting appearance that will make it your favorite blanket or bed cover.

Quilting certainly proves to much more pleasurable than one would initially think. It is one of the most effective and productive ways to spend your entire day, not to mention enjoyable. It helps relieve stress and is a major source of distraction if you want to stop your brain from wandering endlessly and helps you block out certain thoughts. Quilting has no doubt become a very welcome preoccupation for many women who carry on this art handed down through the centuries.