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An Introduction to Different Quilt Styles

Individuals who enjoy quilting can employ various styles, including patchwork, embroidered, and English paper piecing. Different styles allow quilters to achieve multiple purposes.

Patchwork quilts, or pieced quilts, remain the standard form of quilting. Creating a patchwork quilt involves sewing together disparate pieces of fabric. Individuals generally select pieces that contrast or complement one another in some way. Quilters sew the pieces together to create a single block, though triangles, stripes, and other shapes are also common.

Quilters often recycle old clothes and other items to create unique pieces. Those with access to fabric and crafts stores can carefully select different materials and color palettes. Regardless, many quilting enthusiasts enjoy recycling used fabrics that hold special meaning. Many quilters carefully plan a patchwork quilt before making it, while others enjoy finding a design as they quilt.

Embroidered quilts blend the sewing skills of embroidery with quilting. The development of an embroidered quilt is usually similar to that of a patchwork quilt. The main difference is that quilters usually leave the blocks of an embroidered quilt blank or with simple patterns so they can add personalized stitching after the quilt is complete. Some embroidered quilts feature custom stitching on each block, ranging from quotes to illustrated figures.

Quilters looking for geometric styles should consider the English paper piecing quilt. These vintage-style quilts have many small shapes, often hexagons, that create an interlocking pattern over the entire quilt. Beginners should work with simple shapes, while advanced quilters can use complex shapes such as tetradecagons.

They can begin an English paper piecing quilt by cutting out the desired shape from a piece of paper. They then fold the fabric around the paper and baste it in place (basting temporarily holds together layers of fabric). Quilters can remove the paper from the center after joining the fabric along each side of the chosen shape.

Appliqué quilts are similar to English paper piecing quilts but feature diverse shapes and images sewn into the quilt. The images may come together to tell a story, form a map, or create an abstract, aesthetically pleasing image. Quilters can apply the images, or appliqués, to quilts through various means, including glue. They can also customize appliqué quilts with different stitching techniques.

Then, quilters can take on more advanced styles as they become more comfortable in their craft. Foundation paper piecing (FPP) quilts involve more complex designs. The process begins by stitching fabric onto a paper pattern. FPP patterns feature lines and numbers, resulting in a process comparable to paint-by-numbers. Although the lines and numbers provide guidance, they exist to help quilters navigate complicated imagery and designs. Individuals can seek out FPP designs made with novice quilters in mind.

Rag quilts are far less glamorous than FPP but can carry more sentimental value. Quilters make rag quilts using less conventional fabrics, often resulting in frayed edges. The result is a cozier quilt ideal for a baby's first blanket. Quilters can test various fabrics for rag quilts, ranging from fleece to denim. Rag quilts fray after the first wash and become softer over time.