Contents
Guide
About the Author
Choly Knight is from Orlando, Florida, and is the author of Sew Kawaii!, Sew Baby, Sewing Stylish Handbags & Totes, Sew Me! Sewing Basics, Sew Me! Sewing Home Dcor, Sew Me! Sew and Go, Quilting Simplified, Bling It Up!, Awesome Duct Tape Projects, Craft Projects for Minecraft and Pixel Art Fans, and Pixel Craft with Perler Beads. She has been crafting for as long as she can remember, and has drawn, painted, sculpted, and stitched everything in sight. She began sewing clothing in 1997 and has yet to put her sewing machine away. After studying studio art and earning a BA in English, she now enjoys trying to find numerous different ways to combine her passions for writing, fine art, and craft art. She created all of the designs, projects, and patterns that appear in this book. She focuses on handcrafted clothing, accessories, and other creations inspired by Japanese art, anime, and style, and specializes in cosplay (costume play) hats and hoodies. You can find out more about her and her work on her website: www.cholyknight.com.
Introduction
My first quilt was made primarily out of necessity, but I never imagined how addicted I would become. I started sewing by making my own clothes and accessories, and any sewer will tell you how quick and easy it is to amass a huge stash of fabric scraps after only a few projects. I had squirreled away an unmanageable trove of fabric beneath my bed, and I tried every trick up my sleeve to get rid of it: gift purses for friends, matching hats for all of my outfits, and every other trinket you can imagine.
But I was ignoring the elephant in the room quilts. I learned from sewing books that quilts are the quintessential scrap-busting project; used from the very onset of sewing history. But I was convinced that quilting was way beyond my abilityit seemed like an art only practiced by skilled masters who could sew precise " (0.5cm) seams without even looking and used an arsenal of templates, rulers, and guides for even the most basic projects. I felt I couldnt even think about quilting until I was a seasoned veteran sewer. Meanwhile my closets were quickly filling with scraps and I was drowning in fabric.
Before it was too late, I decided I had to sew myself out of the fabric pile I had created. I didnt have many of the fancy templates and tools that dedicated quilters do, but I studied to find shortcuts, tricks, and techniques that allowed me to make the quilt I wanted without so many hard and fast rules.
Even though my first quilt was unusual to say the leastmade from an eclectic mix of satins, denim, and cotton with more than a handful of wonky seams and frayed edgesI was surprised by how much I loved the process. Watching a tiny swatch of fabric slowly grow into a massive quilt top through all that piecing was breathtaking to me. Not to mention I loved how quilting turned a random pile of fabric into an intricate collage with so much depth and texture. I was immediately hooked.
I hope that when you start to see the quilting possibilities ahead of you, you will be hooked too. Taking the plunge into quilting can be intimidating, which is why Ill focus here on small one-block projects. These projects will introduce you to the quilting process on a small scale, so theres no need to feel overwhelmed. Ill teach you everything I know about making the process as easy as possible. Youll find uncommon and underrated techniques that make quilting approachable and foolproof. And each new technique is followed by a manageable project to test your skills, so you can practice before taking on a large bed quilt. And youll have a beautiful patchwork project to boot! Youll find that each project includes fabric requirements and cutting plans for five different quilt sizes. These are ready and waiting for you once youve had the chance to practice and gain confidence with the smaller projects.
Creating a quilted project will likely be a challenging endeavor your first time, but I think youll find its worth it for the immense payoff you receive. Not only will your project be a unique, handmade item that will last for years, but it will also serve as a time capsule. Quilts and quilted projects are a beautiful way of showcasing a collection of favorite fabrics and motifs that you fell in love with at a particular time in your life.
So whether youre ready to try patchwork for the first time or are completely comfortable with quilting and need some quick weekend projects, Im sure youll find something new to learn from this book!
Happy quilting!
Getting Started
If youve never quilted before, this is the place to start! Preparing to quilt might seem like a daunting task, but in truth, you dont need a whole lot to get started. This book describes the most basic of tools and techniques that will open a wealth of possibilities, and you wont get bogged down with extra gadgets and rules you dont need to know just yet. Take note of this section during your next shopping trip so youll know exactly what to look for!
THE HARDWARE