The quilts are the most beautiful. Patchwork and quilting: diagrams and descriptions

Velda E. Newman is an internationally recognized quilter, artist, writer and teacher from Northern California with 4 children and 12 grandchildren. For the last 25 years she has been actively participating in many national and international exhibitions. Her nature-themed quilts are large-scale and incredibly beautiful and original. Velda takes inspiration from nature and then uses the three fundamental elements of design - color, shape and texture - to transform the world around us into amazing works of art, while going beyond realism: "I take life and enhance it." When creating her quilts, the artist also uses paints, inks, pencils, and also dyes fabrics herself. She considers Kaffe Fassett her favorite artist, which is not at all surprising.

This is what going beyond realism looks like, the author against the background of his quilt, go here, there is something to look at

Quilt "Hydrangea"

Alison has been making quilts for over 30 years and has spent many years traveling around the country giving lectures. Her quilts have won numerous awards and are included in public and private collections. After her husband's death in 1997, she moved to Durango, Colorado, to live surrounded by mountain and desert landscapes that inspire her creativity.

About her art, Alison says:
"All my quilts start with white cotton fabric. I love experimenting with textile paints, discovering new ways to allow colors to flow together, creating unexpected layers, textures and images. I love the process of free motion quilting, which holds all the pieces together and adds a spontaneous, unifying design. I love creating images that explore the parts where mysticism meets science to find ways to deepen my own understanding of how the quantum physics and spiritual inquiry point to the same truth. I love that my mind lets go when I create and I feel an expansion of my consciousness, a greater consciousness flowing through me and my art."

Now it is not surprising that Alison has so many quilts that depict mountains that are very similar to the mountains in Roerich's paintings. Go to her website, you won't regret it.

Quilt "Ancient Directions"
Alison states, "I made this quilt for about nine months after an extended stay in the San Juan Mountains in the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. I was struck by the beauty and significance of this area."

To be continued!

Patchwork quilts are like a greeting from childhood. They are reminiscent of old village blankets made from various fragments of fabric in a grandmother’s house, where they sent their grandchildren to stay in the summer. Today, patchwork has gone beyond the boundaries of rural life and has turned from a sign of need into exclusive products. Having a blanket made from a bunch of cute squares is prestigious - it is expensive and not everyone can afford it. But you can learn how to sew it yourself - this art is not as difficult to master as it seems.

Patchwork and patchwork are synonymous words. Patchwork means the art of sewing from pieces of fabric. This type of needlework appeared in ancient times. It is believed that patchwork originated in Asia and came to Europe during the Crusades. Patchwork especially flourished during the time of the first American settlers, when Protestant women, out of poverty and the special frugality characteristic of Protestants, did not throw away old blankets and sheets, but sewed new ones from their pieces. In an attempt to create something beautiful from multi-colored pieces of fabric, patchwork was born.

Important: in patchwork it is important to be able to combine fabrics with each other in color. Beginners can be advised to start by creating monochromatic compositions, since it is easier to combine monochromatic materials with each other. You can combine plain fabrics and fabrics with a pattern. The combination of fabrics with different patterns requires a developed aesthetic taste.

In addition to blankets, there are other products in the patchwork style. This technique can be used with equal success to make bedspreads, pillowcases, bags, and dresses. Patchwork style bags look especially stylish and extraordinary. You can sew in this style not only from textiles, but also from leather, although it is much easier to sew from fabric. Textile bags are back in fashion today, so patchwork is experiencing a new round of popularity.

What is patchwork (video)

What is quilting

Quilting is, by and large, a slightly improved patchwork that combines:

• patchwork,
• embroidery,
• applique,
• the art of creating quilted things.

When quilting, one not only sews together different pieces of fabric, but also quilts the item and decorates it with appliqués and embroidery.

A thing is made up of individual motives-quilts. The quilt should be voluminous. Volume is created thanks to three layers. The first layer is the actual fabric composition, the second is a padding made of padding polyester or other materials, the third is the wrong side of the fabric.

Important: the choice of fabric depends on what product is being sewn. For blankets, dense fabrics are chosen, mainly cotton. For the bag – leather, artificial leather, thick linen and cotton, velvet. For clothing - thinner and more delicate fabrics.

Quilting looks more elegant and advantageous than just patchwork. Quilt-style items can become a real work of art, especially if the quilt combines elegant embroidery, appliqué and a special type of stitching. Complex stitching is encouraged. The more complex the stitch pattern, the more interesting the quilting. In complex products, one stitch looks like original decor.

Quilting: history of needlework (video)

Where to look for ornaments

Before you start making blankets, bags or pillowcases, you need to develop a pattern and select fabric. It’s difficult to design an ornament on your own – they can already do it experienced craftswomen. And for the most part, they do not develop them completely, but use ready-made motifs, which they combine in different sequences, creating masterpieces. These motives are called schemes.

Patterns for patchwork exist in large quantities. Finding them is not difficult. There are websites where you can find patterns for a bag or a blanket. There are basic patterns on the basis of which many ornaments are made. They can also be downloaded from the Internet along with detailed description sequences of stitching individual motifs.

Basic circuits

Basic schemes are the basis of the basics. You can create products based on them varying degrees difficulties. Having mastered the basic schemes, you can proceed to more complex compositions. But they are already used to create things that look aesthetically pleasing and complex.

Basic schemes include:

• "Sewing in squares"
• "Ohio Star"
• "Hourglass",
• "Carousel",
• "Card trick"
• "The Riddle of Solomon"
• "American Mystery"
• "English Park"
• "Log Cabin"
• "Oil Can"
• "Russian square"
• "Virginia Vortex"

Sewing with squares

The easiest way. This scheme does not cause difficulties. This is where you should start mastering patchwork and quilting. Here you just need to cut out squares of a certain size and sew them together.

Important: the beauty of the canvas depends on how even and uniform the cut squares are, the evenness of the stitching and the exact size of the allowances for all squares. If everything is followed, the corners will match and the front side will look perfect.

How to assemble a block of squares (video)

Hourglass and log cabin

Scheme " hourglass"implies the combination of strips of fabric in different combinations. Their width and length may vary. An hourglass is assembled from strips of varying lengths. A similar cut is used for a log cabin. Only in it the stripes are formed into squares.

Square and hourglass patterns are ideal for sewing simple quilts.

Ohio Star

Here the diagram is based on a triangle. Small squares are assembled from triangles, and from them a large square motif is created. Depending on the arrangement of the blocks, you can get completely different stars.

Most often, the Ohio Star is used for sewing blankets and pillowcases. But you can also use it as a single motif for sewing a bag in the quilting style.

English park, American mystery and carousel

Triangles are also used here. The diagrams suggest their different locations. The English park and carousel are already considered patterns of medium complexity. From triangles in an English park you can assemble patterns in the form of a mill, crosses, and zigzags. Triangles are used in the same way in the American riddle. The only difference is in their grouping. In the carousel, triangles are combined with squares, making the pattern in the motif more complex.

Carousel can already be a full-fledged pattern for sewing bags and clothes.

Card trick

This pattern combines fabrics of 5 colors. The pattern is combined from triangles. At the same time, large and small triangles are combined here, from which in turn large triangles are made.

This pattern looks very advantageous when sewing a bag. At the same time, it looks more interesting when there is only one motive.

Solomon's Riddle

It's already complex circuits, in which the square is cut into two parts - or rather, a semicircle is cut out of it at one end. Next, these two motifs are combined in different combinations.

The “Riddle of Solomon” scheme is sometimes called the “drunkard’s way” or the “old maid’s riddle.” They are perfect for bedspreads, finishing clothes, and sewing bags.

Oil can

In the Butter Dish, basic squares are cut into triangles and rectangles. Further compiled in different combinations the squares from them are connected into a large block square.

These patterns look great in bedspreads.

Russian square and Virginia vortex

Sewing a Russian square starts from the center of the central square. Next, triangles are applied.

This is a great pattern for a bag and especially pillowcases. Despite its apparent simplicity, quilling based on this pattern looks very beautiful.

The Virginia swirl, or monkey tail as it is also called, is sewn using the same principle and also from triangles. Only here they fold into a twisted spiral. A very effective pattern for pillowcases and bags. If you twist in the other direction, you can get tailed stars, which make excellent blocks for bedspreads.

Important: when planning to sew a patchwork product for the first time, many try to use the remnants of old things, combining them with scraps of new fabric left over after sewing. But in this case, when washed, the product may shrink unevenly and begin to look askew. Under no circumstances should you combine old and new fabric in products. In order for them to look perfect, you need to take only high-quality fabric.

Other schemes

Quilling and patchwork are not limited to the above mentioned patterns. Craftswomen are coming up with more and more new ways to combine geometric shapes between themselves. Very interesting schemes can be considered a darts, where the center of the block consists of triangles, and the block itself is then entirely composed of trapezoids arranged in a circle. The diagrams where pentagons and octagons are combined look interesting. These circuits already require much greater skill in precision fitting. But quilting-style products with stitches based on them look aesthetically pleasing and expensive.

Master class on patchwork sewing (video)

There is no doubt that you should try to sew a bag or a blanket in the quilting style with your own hands. Schemes for the product can be found on any site dedicated to patchwork. The main thing is to start with simple basic schemes in order to get better at it and not be disappointed in your abilities. Even the most simple products will look beautiful and stylish - for this you just need to take high-quality fabrics and do not forget about accuracy and precision in work.

Quilting: ideas for inspiration (photo)

Wausau, Wisconsin
01/3/2018

Quilting (eng. quilting) - making quilted products, patchwork sewing.

These works are part of an exhibition of quilts, which is taking place these days at the Art Museum
city ​​of Wausau. Several dozen quilts were presented at the exhibition, but
today I will show only those that depict birds. The works are not only
in the patchwork technique (specifically patchwork), but also in other artistic
techniques for working with fabric.

"Will we save whooping cranes"? Sara Sharp (Texas)

Quilt making has always been an essential part of American life.
and culture. Quilted products came to the New World along with settlers
in the 20s of the 17th century. Due to a shortage of fabrics, they were repaired
using pieces old clothes. Further fabric shortages cemented the tradition
make quilted products from scraps. They became more complex over time,
each craftswoman tried to create a quilt with her own special pattern and combination
colors. Traditionally, American housewives assembled the top portion of a quilt in the winter.
All the neighbors gathered in the spring to quilt the product, and in the evenings, after work,
men joined them.

"Scared Rooster" Judith Peterson (Oregon)

American quilts created before 1750 are made using the patchwork technique.
Later (before 1850) appliqué became popular. They were considered especially exquisite
floral motifs covering the entire surface of the product.
At first I tried to take down the title of each work and the name of its author, but then
I abandoned this idea. Here are some of them:

"Quiet Morning" Ann Myhre (Colorado)

"Gift from China" Ann Myhre (Colorado)

"Dodo Bird" Susan Carlso (Maine)

"Two Creatures" Judith Roderick (New Mexico)

"Ravens" Jill Kertulla (Virginia)

"What's Happening in the Swamp?" Christine Holden (Florida)

And here at least bat, not a bird, but also with wings, so let
will be in this company.

Quilt called "Long-necked cats and long-legged birds" by Kathy
York (Texas), has become my favorite. The bird here is quite small, but
what beautiful cats!

"Boogie Night" Diana Ferguson (Tennessee)

"Yellow-headed Bird" Sandra Pateet (California)

Each of the works of hand-patchwork virtuosos is unique, each
a piece of the author's soul is embedded in them.