Patchwork Crazy

Patchwork Crazy

Types of Quilt Styles

As a Beginning Quilter, What Type of Quilt Should I Make?

So, you've decided to get back to your roots, do something natural and relaxing - you've decided to make a quilt. Your first step is to choose which type of quilt you'd like to make; which will be most satisfying and beautiful! There are so many types to choose from, but the key is to look at many different examples and find one that makes you stop and look for a while. That's a sure clue about what type you'd make with the most enthusiasm.

The list below is a simple compilation of the different types of quilt styles that exist with a short explanation of each style. If one intrigues you, you can do more research by visiting the dozens of wonderful internet sites or browsing through the many books available on quilting from Amazon.com, the internet or from the local library.

The major types of quilts I found are:

•Patchwork or Pieced Quilts

*Traditional Style
*Friendship - spaces for friends to sign, perhaps for a going away gift
*Crazy - Haphazard design, all different fabrics with various textures and
colors. Victorian styles were done with satins and velvets.
*Center Medallion - A centered main panel surrounded by a series of
plain or coordinating borders
*Sampler - Like an Album or Friendship Quilt but pieced together rather
than appliquéd - a different pattern in each block
*Charm - Each fabric is only used one time on the entire quilt

•Applique' Quilts

*Traditional Style
*Baltimore Album - Detailed and embellished design
*Hawaiian - Use of hand-dyed and batik fabrics, some hand painted
*Folk Art - Unusual fabrics and "found" art (e.g. Buttons)
*Portrait - Very artistic, fabrics used like paint to produce a "picture"
*Stained Glass - Black bias tape is used to give 'lead' effect between
squares like a stained glass window
*Molas - All fabrics sewn together, then shapes are cut away to reveal
different patterns beneath
*Celtic - Continuous weaving line, called "Road of Life"
*Appliquéd Center Medallion - A centered main appliquéd panel
surrounded by a series of decorative borders

•Watercolor Quilt

Somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle. A quilt for the very artistic, that uses
several different patterns and colors of fabric (very light to very dark) cut
into small squares and used to make a painting-like design that you
create.

•Whole Cloth Quilt

Also know as "White" quilts. Large single piece of fabric (usually white)
where the quilting stitches are the actual design.

•Strip Quilt

Parallel bars or bands of fabric that are arranged vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

•Pictoral Quilt

Realistic pictures of people, animals, objects or scenes as the pattern.

•Embroidered Quilt

Design embroidered on top piece, no batting in between layers.

Picking the right type of quilt is the first step to take. For the beginner it seems very daunting as the steps progress, but once all is in order and ready to go, quilting will hopefully become a passionate craft that you'll enjoy for years to come.

About the Author

http://www.patchwork-quilt-patterns.com
is cohosted by the author, Mary Brander who is new to quilting, but finding it more enchanting every day.

What method of quilting would be best to make one out of dance costumes? Is it even possible?

i was asked to do this by a friend and am not sure how to proceed past thinking maybe a crazy patchwork quilt which i have never done. any good ideas are welcome. thanks in advance.

I think a "crazy quilt" would work. You can see an example here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_quilting

Crazy quilts use all sorts of fabrics. You may need to do something so that the fabric doesn't stretch if the dance costumes are made of stretchy fabrics.

Here's another quilt pattern that I think would work: http://www.quiltville.com/stringx.shtml

Girugamesh Crazy Tour '09, Islington ("Patchwork" clip)