Sewing and Quilting Guide
Sewing 
and quilting are hobbies that never go out of style. Whether you are making alterations to those great new trousers that you bought or if you just like to do a little patchwork quilting in front of the TV, you can find all of the fabrics and supplies that you need right here.
Choosing the Right Fabrics
No matter what your project may be, you want to be sure that you are using the right fabrics. Choose from contemporary, vintage, or designer material!
- Clothing Fabric: There are many choices of material when it comes to sewing your own clothes. Beginners will probably feel more comfortable sewing with a softer and more manageable fabric, whereas heavier fabrics may require a more practised hand.
- Quilting Fabric: A quilt is typically composed of three layers. There is a background fabric, a fabric for the bottom of the quilt, and fluffy batting in between the two.
- Upholstery Fabric: When you’re upholstering or reupholstering a piece of furniture, you'll need a heavier fabric that can withstand the wear and tear that upholstery has to take over years of use.
Choosing the Right Threads
Be sure to choose the right quality thread or quilting thread for your project. Pick a thread colour that matches the colour that occurs most often in your fabric. If an exact match can't be found, always go a shade or two darker, not lighter, or think about a contrast stitching. We will also recommend always going with the more expensive thread; though it's tough to see with the naked eye, cheaper threads often have a lot of loose fibres, which weaken the thread and therefore the stitches.
- Cotton: Cotton thread is great for fabrics that don't have a lot of stretch to them. Cotton stitches will not hold up well to stretching, but will look better than polyester or silk threads.
- Polyester: Though polyester's sheen can look strange on some projects, it is best for clothing that has a stretch to it. It is also great for embroidery due to its strength.
- Silk: Both silk and cotton are good for use with delicate fabrics; go for silk if the fabric needs to stretch.
- Quilting Thread: Quilting thread is usually made of cotton and provides strength for stitching through layers along with helping the quilt hold up over time.
Evaluating Sewing Machines
Think about what you are comfortable using, what you are looking for, and how much you are willing to spend. These are all important factors to consider before you buy. You may want to read our Guide to Sewing Machines for more details!
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Computerised Sewing Machine - This is an electronic machine with a memory to store commonly used stitches, patterns, and embroidery fonts. It will also standardise the feeding of fabric into the machine and let you change foot pressure when you’re working with fabrics of varying thickness.
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Electronic Sewing Machine - This model gives the user some control over the machine, allowing you to change the stitch type, size, and speed with the touch of a button rather than the knob of its mechanical counterpart.
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Industrial Sewing Machine - This is a heavy-duty, all-metal machine designed to handle thicker fabrics, sew through several layers, or tackle an upholstery project with ease. It has an automatic feed that guides fabrics through in one-foot increments and holds them in place with an extra presser foot.
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Mechanical Sewing Machine - This model costs significantly less than others, but doesn't offer the accuracy and ease of use that the others do. Settings are adjusted manually through a knob, and long-time sewers may be the most comfortable on this traditional machine.
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Sewing and Quilting Accessories
Find all of the tools and furniture that you will need!
Related Guides
External Links
- About.com: Ideas and instructions on how to upholster/reupholster your furniture.
- Craftster.org: Read through forums and articles about sewing your own clothes.
- eHow.com: More information on how to choose an appropriate thread.
- Quilting101.com: A site full of quilt-making tips and resources.
- Sewing.org: Free sewing projects, learn-to-sew articles, and more.
- StartSewing.co.uk: Tips for cutting different fabrics.
- YouTube.com: A video on how to quilt using a sewing machine.
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