We have designed our quilt kits to help you create a keepsake in very little time. This page contains the most commonly asked questions about our kits. If you have any additional questions please contact us at info@afternoonquilts.com.
What materials do you use in the kits?
We use only premium quilting fabric that is 100% cotton for the tops of our quilts. The batting we use is Hobbs 80/20 which is a cotton/poly batting. It is very soft. 100% Cotton batting tend to shrink quite a bit more than a cotton/poly blend does, so for ease of use we went with a blended batting. We use premium cuddle minky fabrics that are all very soft and silky. They are made from 100% polyester.
What is a quarter inch seam?
http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/11/quarter-inch-seam/
In this tutorial they also talk about making a super accurate quarter inch seam. For very exact quilting patterns this makes a big difference. For patterns like our strip quilts and quilts created from large squares and rectangles it is not going to make as much difference. Just be consistent by sewing on your quarter inch line and you will end up with a great result!
Even though all the strips for the quilt top are cut to the same length, mine are all coming out different lengths when I sew them together. Why?
Our strips are all cut to the same length. Due to the natural stretch in cotton fabrics you still might encounter some issues with your strips not matching up perfectly. The simplest solution is to pause when you are 2/3 down the strip, match the un-sewn ends up and then hold the ends together while you sew the rest of the strip. The feed dogs will even out any extra slack you might have and your strips should be close to perfect. If you do end up with a little extra you can trim it off with no adverse effects!
Another way to make sure your strips line up perfectly is to pin. Find the center of each strip that you are going to sew together. Then pin out from the center, all the way to the end of the strip, using as many pins as you need. If your fabric is pinned perfectly it will sew together perfectly. Make sure that you take the pins out as you sew. If you sew over a pin it will break your needle.
Why are my batting and minky both so big?
Your batting and minky backing are both cut larger than the quilt top, but are not cut the exact same size. Do not be concerned by this. They will both be trimmed to the size of the quilt top after you are done quilting it.
What is basting and how do I do it?
Basting is the process of attaching your quilt back, batting and quilt top together to prepare it for quilting.
http://quiltingintherain.com/2011/04/how-to-baste-quilt.html
All of our quilts are backed with minky. Here are a few things to keep in mind when basting a minky backed quilt –
- Do not pull the backing so tight it is being stretched. You want it flat, but not stretched.
- Some minky fabrics do not stick to the tape very well, If you have one of these just tape it as well as you can and baste it anyway.
- If you want to use a spray basting method be aware that you can spray baste the top to the batting, but the minky will not stick using spray basting, therefore I do not recommend it.
What is a walking foot? Do I need one to quilt my quilt?
This link will help you understand everything you need to know about a walking foot!
http://www.generations-quilt-patterns.com/is-a-walking-foot-necessary.html
I finished quilting my quilt, how do I get it ready to bind?
After you quilt your quilt, you need to trim it before you can attach the binding. Because the backing it minky, you might want to have a vacuum handy to clean up the fuzz that will be created from trimming it.
For trimming your quilt you have two options.
1- You can lay your quilt out, grab a pair of scissors and just trim all the excess batting and minky off. You will also even up rows that ended up uneven at this point. This is quick and easy, and doesn’t require anything but scissors, but you will NOT get an exactly square quilt using this method.
2)If you want a perfectly square quilt and very straight edges Here is a tutorial to help you out –
http://www.overallquilter.com/blog/video-4-squaring-up-your-quilt/
How to I prepare my binding? How do I attach it to my quilt?
This tutorial will show you how to attach your binding strips to each other, fold and iron your binding to prepare it, and then attach it to your quilt. She finishes her binding using a zigzag stitch. This is a very forgiving method, especially for a beginner. You can also finish your binding exactly like she outlines, but just using a straight stitch.
*PLEASE NOTE – In the tutorial she connects her binding strips at an angle. For our pre-packaged binding if you sew them together at an angle you will NOT have enough. Please just sew straight across the tops of each strip to connect the binding strips*
http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/11/zigzag-binding-tutorial.html
If you have any questions feel free to e-mail us at info@afternoonquilts.com
How do I wash my quilt?
Wash your quilt in cold water. You can wash it with detergent, but NO Fabric Softener. To make sure no colors bleed you can add a “Color Catcher” sheet. These are widely available on the laundry isle. Then, either dry flat or on a cool dryer setting.