The terms quilting and patchwork are almost always used synonymously, but do they mean the same thing? If you talk about quilting, the picture that comes to most people’s minds is the patching of fabric pieces.
To some extent, these people are right because patchwork is quilting. What they don’t realize is that this is only one of the various types of quilting.
If you’re familiar with only patchwork as a budding quilter, it is time to broaden your horizon. There are many styles of quilting, and you should familiarize yourself with them in order to choose the one that best suits your creative style.
So, what are the most popular types of quilting? Patchwork is undoubtedly the most popular type of quilting. Others are applique, paper piecing, and English paper piecing, to mention a few. Each method has their similarities and differences and produce specific results.
As you advance your skills, you’ll come across patterns calling for these and other different styles of quilting. Read on to uncover the popular ones, their differences, levels of difficulty, and more.
1. Patchwork Quilting
Patchwork, also known as piecing quilting, is the most popular type of quilting that the majority of people are aware of. But for the sake of those who are completely green in quilting, we’ll go over it.
This kind of quilting entails stitching blocks of fabric together into one large piece with a continuous flow. The blocks which are smaller pieces of fabric, are joined by stitching them side-by-side to form columns and rows.
The best thing about this quilting style is that it is pretty simple. Quilters at any level, even those with no experience, can pull it off. It is so forgiving, and there are no pattern or design rules.
You can use any block shape you want, be it strips, squares, triangles, or hexagons, and follow a defined or random pattern. When you choose to keep the blocks similar throughout the quilt, it is referred to as piecing quilting.
Patchwork can be done by hand or by machine. It is the first type of quilting technique every quilter learns.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
2. Applique Quilting
Applique quilting is another popular type of quilting. It is fantastic for the quilter who is looking for a fun and creative way of expressing their ideas. If you’re new to applique quilting, then I highly recommend checking out these applique patterns.
Applique quilts open up an immense opportunity for freedom of creativity, unlocking limitless design possibilities.
Unlike the patchwork where blocks are stitched side by side to create one big quilt, here, small pieces of fabric cutouts are laid on top of an already large sheet of fabric and stitched there.
The fabric beneath acts as a backdrop for the small, sometimes large cutouts, which can be any shape. These shapes are positioned strategically to create a pattern or image of an animate or inanimate object.
For clear contrast, the background fabric is usually a solid color, but nothing is stopping you from playing around with multicolored or even printed sheets.
There are two methods of making applique quilts; the raw edge method and the interface method.
Raw Edge Technique
You’ll start drawing the design onto a piece of adhesive paper and stick it on the applique fabric. You can also pin baste the paper design if the paper is not tacky.
Next, you want to cut out the shape’s outline to get a fabric replica before removing the paper from the back.
Now press the cutout shape on top of the more extensive fabric, which is the background. You can thread baste or glue baste for a temporary hold before sewing it all around to secure.
You can choose to do zig-zag stitches, blanket stitches, or any other decorative stitch that attaches the cutouts to the fabric and seals the raw edges nicely.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
Interface Technique
If you’re worried about the raw edges of your applique unraveling, this second technique will give you peace of mind. You can cut a piece of interfacing matching the shape of your fabric cutouts and make a small incision in the middle of the interfacing.
Next, place the fabric and interfacing, with the right side facing each other, then sew the edges together all around using a strong stitch.
Manipulate the inside of the fabric through the small opening made earlier on the interfacing, turning it all the way out such that the right side of the fabric is now outwards and the wrong side is inside.
Press the shapes flat and then align them on top of the background fabric and secure with decorative stitching.
This type of applique quilting produces the best results with large and non-angular designs such as those with curves, circles, ovals, and soft corners.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
5. Paper Piecing Quilting
The third popular quilting style is paper piecing. It is also known by the initials FPP which stands for foundation paper piecing.
It is a favorite for adventurous quilters who like making precise designs with intricate details and sharp corners hassle-free and with perfection.
Basic patterns are very beginner-friendly though they may sound complicated. Advanced designs call for professional-level skills.
Paper piecing quilting is one of those techniques better demonstrated practically than explained in writing, but we’ll do our best to simplify things.
This technique utilizes a foundation paper to begin with. Unlike the other two types of quilting, here sewing is done on top of the paper and not directly onto the fabric.
The paper usually has a design printed or traced on it and serves as a template. If you know anything about a painting by numbers, the concept is similar.
You’ll begin by drawing, printing out, or tracing a design on a piece of paper. This will be your template.
Ensure the paper is lightweight, easy to tear, and most importantly, see-through. Tracing paper, Foundation paper for quilts, and newsprint are some examples of the best papers for paper pieced quilts.
Other experienced quilters find freezer paper works fantastic for them. You can try out the different types on a sample quilt to discover what works for you.
The next step is to align a patch of fabric to one or a portion of the designs on the wrong/unprinted side of the foundation paper. You can lift it against the light for accuracy.
As a beginner, it is better to be liberal when cutting fabric and give yourself ample wiggle room for the blocks. You do not want to quilt too far, only to realize the fabrics are too short.
As you get accustomed to this style of quilting, you can reduce the size significantly to save on fabric.
Machine stitch seams along the design border on the front of the paper with the fabric patch at the back. Any portion of fabric outside the perimeter lines is the seam allowance and will be trimmed afterward. Do the same for the rest of the quilt.
When done, carefully tear out the paper before attaching the backing and batting. A pair of tweezers is indispensable in pulling out tiny bits of paper stuck under stitches.
Please note that not all foundation papers are temporary and removable. Others are permanent and become part of the quilt. Light muslin and non-woven interfacing are common alternative permanent foundations to paper.
If you opt for a permanent foundation, ensure it is not too thick, especially when quilting by hand. It will make the layers extremely bulky hence interfere with the stitching.
Keep seam stitches short for temporary foundation paper. They are more resilient and won’t budge when the paper is detached.
Not too short, though; otherwise, pulling out the paper will be a daunting task. You can use longer stitches with a permanent foundation.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
6. English Paper Piecing Quilting (EPP)
The English paper piecing quilting method is a quilting technique that also utilizes paper. Though it sounds similar to foundation paper piecing, the two are different.
The main difference between English paper piecing and the previously discussed foundation paper piecing is that the EPP is entirely stitched by hand while FPP by machine.
Also, in FPP, the needle goes directly through the paper then to the fabrics. When doing EPP, the needle does not go through the paper when joining the pieces. Let’s go into the details of EPP.
English paper piecing is a hands-on kind of quilting. It is time-consuming for large quilts and best reserved for pillows and smaller applications.
However, the sense of fulfillment and achievement from completing an entire quilt makes it worth the while. It creates intricate designs with multiple sides, angles, or corners possible and, if done correctly, flawless.
So how do you make English paper piecing quilts? You make English paper piecing quilts by cutting precise individual shapes of paper to be templates and wrap them in fabric. You can buy this paper as geometric shapes or cut them out by yourself freehand.
Begin by securing the paper template on the fabric with a pin, then cutting around the shape, leaving an allowance of ¼-½” to wrap over the paper.
Wrapping the fabric over the paper is followed by thread or glue basting and then pressing to keep the fabric flat in place and maintain shape.
Next is joining the pieces by whipstitching. The needle goes under the fabric and out through the fold and into the fold of the next part of the fabric and back and so on.
The baste is then undone, and paper is removed afterward, most times in perfect reusable form.
English paper piecing is also referred to as mosaic quilting because the fabric pieces are often identical in shape. A hexagon is the most common shape for English paper piecing.
It is the perfect quilt for anyone who likes to quilt on the go because the single pieces are small and manageable. You have to do lots of them before you start the actual joining.
These are the four basic and popular types of quilting every new quilter should know. There are tons of other styles, but they all go back to any one or a combination of these basic types of quilting. Here are more popular types of quilting to try.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
7. Charm Quilting
Charm quilting is very much like patchwork, and quilters of any skill level can execute with ease. The only difference is the appearance of the blocks.
With charm quilting, one will use blocks with different colors or patterns. The result is a quilt with very diverse blocks and no two blocks alike.
This type of quilt is visually busy, and some people find it too dramatic for their liking. On the contrary, it connotes vibrancy and fun for others and can be a great way to make something pop.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
8. Crazy Quilting
Crazy quilting is like applique quilting, only that there’s a little bit of everything. Unlike applique quilts with defined images or patterns, the pieces in crazy quilts seem to be in beautiful disarray.
As the name suggests, the pieces of fabric are haphazardly placed with a mish-mash of shapes, textures, colors, and stitches, including embroidery. The pieces are sewn onto a foundation fabric.
It is a free-spirited way of quilting, great for quilters who like no rules and sporadic creations. It is the perfect way to use your scrap fabrics and ideal for beginners as there are no flaws.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
9. Rag Quilting
Rag quilting borrows its foundations from patchwork quilting. This type of quilting is stitched similarly; piecing belongs into one quilt but usually using fabrics that fray.
This choice of fabric is intentional because the fray makes typically part of the end desired design. Traditionally flannel and fleece were used in rag quilting, but you can choose any type of fabric with a similar effect.
When rag quilting, you skip the batting customarily placed in between the quilts. Instead, a matching fabric that also frays is put in place of the batting.
The other distinct feature of this type of quilting is that the seams face outside on the right side of the block. Once complete, the seam allowance is trimmed to be uniformly in height.
When the quilt is machine washed, the agitation causes the visible seam allowance to unravel, creating a shaggy fringe along the lines of the patches.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
10. Embroidery Quilting
Embroidery quilting can take up any form of quilting as the base. It could be patchwork, applique, paper piecing, or even English paper piecing.
What makes it distinct is embroidery work usually done on the top sheet of the quilts. The embroidery can be by hand or machine stitched, and it is before any batting or backing is put in place.
You have the freedom to embroider anything from a cute personalized message to a quote or even names of objects to for kids’ quilts to help them memorize stuff. This type of quilting is great for customized quilt gifts.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
11. Art Quilting
Art quilts are nothing like ordinary quilts for keeping cozy and warm on a cold day in the bedroom. This type of quilting is meant for artistic purposes.
Quilt arts are usually hung or displayed as works of art for admiration and express opinions, ideas, imagination, experiences, scenery, or messages.
There are no rules when it comes to art quilting. It is all about your inspiration. You can use a combination of mixed media, quilting techniques, and stitches to create a masterpiece.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
12. Amish Quilting
Amish quilting is more like patchwork and has its roots in the Amish community. If there’s one thing you should know about the Amish community, it’s that they have a traditional, simple, frugal, sustainable, low-key way of living with minimal reliance on modern technology.
This type of quilting follows the same characteristics. You only need to use leftover scraps or recycled pieces of clothing for the quilts. It is entirely done by hand using natural fibers and string from hemp or cotton.
The color choice and pattern are minimal and lean on the neutral side. Backgrounds are typically black, brown, grey, or dark blue. The designs are also pretty basic and geometric with no fancy details.
As you become more and more seasoned in quilting, you can try out various other intermediate and advanced quilting styles. Once you master the basic types of quilting, you can maneuver the hundreds of lovely patterns available. They are what you know with just a twist for variation.
Check out the tutorial below for more information!
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