Quilting Questions..... And Answers

I've had a couple of questions left on comments recently regarding quilting. Rather than just answer them within the comment realm, I thought I'd devote a whole post to it. Karen left me this comment: "Pam...off topic here...but I saw in an earlier post that you quilt. I've done a bit of it myself but not for YEARS. I'm about to make birthday quilts (queen size) for each of my guys and I'm thinking of getting a rotary cutter & mat. I'm not sure where to start as they are available in every conceivable price range and option. Is there anything I want to make sure I have? Any suggestions? Skip it altogether? Are they a big help? Since I'm making 5 quilts before the end of the year, I don't mind spending a little bit extra if it is something that will save a truckload of time. Thanks, Pam." First off I have to say to Karen... "WOW"! That is some goal...5 queen size quilts before the end of the year! As far as answering your question.... I think you'd be crazy NOT to use a rotary cutter and mat! They are extremely helpful for cutting out quilt pieces, and they save lots of time. As far as what size mat to buy; that depends on the amount you have to spend for the purchase ;) I prefer a larger mat so I can fit all of my fabric on the mat at the same time. My friend Hope likes to use fat quarters of fabric, so she only requires a smaller mat. The size will be up to you; as long as you can fit the piece you're cutting on the mat. There are many different brands on the market that you can choose from. I've owned Fiskars brand, and Olfa. I prefer the Olfa products, but that's just my preference. The only other supplies you need are a rotary cutter, and a clear plastic ruler. Again, rotary cutters come in many shapes and sizes, but you don't need anything fancy. Just make sure you pick up some extra blades. Since you're cutting out 5 quilts, you will need to replace your blade a couple of times before you're finished. There are also many kinds of rulers to choose from, but the best kind will have clearly visible grid lines so that you can accurately measure your fabric. Deby also asked me recently for some advice in using a rotary cutter. The best advice I could give is "Be Careful".... the blade is very sharp. After you have your ruler in place on the fabric, you want to make sure it doesn't shift before the cut is made. You will want to apply even pressure on the ruler by pushing on it with your hand, and don't remove pressure until after your cut is made. Of course, as with any craft, there are many, many tips and tricks to get things done quicker and more accurately. My best advice is to get a book on rotary cutting and see what works best for you.
Back to Karen and her 5 quilts (I'm still amazed by that!). If you haven't already decided on what pattern you will be using, may I suggest the "Turning Twenty" quilt? Check out this one that Hope made for her daughter.
It is SO beautiful, yet simple to make. All of the pieces are cut from 20 fat quarters, all into simple rectangle and square shapes. You could easily make this suitable for a man, with different choices of fabric. If you need more ideas for quilt patterns, check out "Quilter's Cache", a website with hundreds of FREE patterns!

If anyone else has quilting or sewing questions, please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer.

While I'm on the subject of quilting, I have a question to ask all of YOU! Here is what my current quilt project looks like:
I have it all pieced, and the layers basted together (that's what the orange thread is for), but I am having trouble thinking of how I should quilt this. I would like to do something above simple lines, but I just can't figure out what. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!!