Nancy Ball

Fabric selection is an important factor when you embark on a new handmade quilting project. Since any handmade quilt will require many hours of labor, albeit a labor of love, you want to ensure that the finished quilt will be a project you will be proud to display, to use in your home or to give as a gift. You want it to look beautiful, and you also want it to be durable for the purpose for which it was created.

Whether you are from a family where several generations before you were experienced quilters, or whether you are the first in your family to take up quilting, you have no doubt seen pictures or patterns of quilts that you would enjoy making. If your goal is to create a quilt for yourself or as a gift for a special person, pattern selection for the beginning quilter is an important step in the process.

The purpose of creating a handmade quilt might not make sense to someone who did not come from a family of dedicated quilters. Growing up in a family where my great grandmothers, grandmothers, mother and all of my aunts were quilters, the time and energy that goes into creating a quilt was always appreciated. In making the decision whether to make your own quilt or just go to a store and buy one, there are some things to consider.

A handmade quilt is a labor of love and should be considered a prized possession. You want to make sure it will last for years to come and look as beautiful as the day the last stitch of the binding was tied off. Here are some things you should never do if you want your one-of-a-kind creation to maintain its original beauty.