Friday, 11 October 2013

How To Recognize Custom Quilts

By Rhea Solomon


Quality custom quilts are a substantial purchase for most people. They can be a form of artwork that finishes a room or just another blanket if you are not careful. They are unique to each purchaser in color and design. They can be soft demure colors or have a boldness that makes your room pop with excitement. On the whole though they are a bargain because the average hand quilter only gets about two dollars an hour for her hard work.

Quilting can be traced back centuries to when ladies sat in a circle and worked together to create bedding for themselves and neighbors. The stitching creates a design in the fabric that is both subtle and textured. This pattern serves to secure a soft filling between two outer layers of fabric. The top layer of fabric is a patchwork of blocks that create the image that is seen on the back of the quilt. The artistry comes from the melding of colors in the pattern with the stitching.

Definitions vary when you are looking for custom work. One definition states that there must be a traditional block pattern with only dark colors like red, blue or green. Others say that there can be lighter hues of these colors and a white background for a more summery effect for your quilt.

Yet another definition is that they are made in the manner of old order Amish ladies. These contain blocks of solid or printed fabrics and traditional block patterns as well as non-traditional patterns. A little broader version would include quilts made by Mennonite ladies. Although most products sold by Amish ladies would not be appropriate for their own homes.

The term handmade means one of a kind. Some quilters will make the same quilt two or three times using the same fabrics. Although not mass produced these are not one of a kind items.

Manufactured products often have designs printed on the front or back of them. They offer no blocking or patchwork designs. This happens when the demand for quality quilts exceeds the abilities of the quilters to produce enough products to meet the demand. Another factor is that most people do not know what to look for in a custom product and will accept them as authentic.

The back side of the quilt is one of the best places to determine the quality of the product. The pattern stitched there should be uniform and cover most of the surface. There should be no blank spots in the fabric over the size of a fist. The actual stitching should measure seven to the inch.

Your custom quilts can be the centerpiece of your bedroom decor. Selecting colors and patterns is just the beginning. The finished product will take about a year to be completed but can take up to two years. Hopefully it will be well worth the wait.




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