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Hello, I would like to know how many inches apart do we have to do when we tie a quilt? I worked with a group on a lovely 73 x 84 quilt and it was tied every 5 inches. I thought it might look better without the ties so close together.

Thanks. Regina.

Carla P

Hi Regina,

What fibers are in your batting?
That should be fine if you are using a poly or poly/cotton blended batting. If you are using a 100% cotton batting the ties should be 2" apart.

patricej

if i tie a quilt, i do it so the threads dangle on the back, usually 2" or 3" apart. if you use a color thread that coordinates with the front but contrasts with the back, it doubles as decoration on the back.

you can also "tie" a quilt in a way that leaves nothing dangling from the back. instead of tying knots, do several backstitches (like you were sewing on a button), run your needle through the innards, then bring it back up at the next spot to "tie".

Carla P

Neat idea!!! Then, if it contrasts, it could be like little polka-dots!!! :D You're a smart cookie, Patrice!!

Or, if you can draw, you could use Pigma pens to draw some flowers around them for more deco... hmmm...

Thanks for the tip!! :D

danna738

What a great idea. I never even thought of that. My son's bedroom is black and red and we couldn't find anything that he liked for the bed. I bought a red sheet and a black sheet to make a comforter. I am going to try your idea with some gray thread. This is a perfect examply of why you need to read every post. You just never know when you will find an idea or inspiration.

Extreme Quilter

Another hot tip from Patrice. You are really the go-to gal on this site!

ceannastahr

I quite often tie using contrasting embroidery floss. Sometimes I leave enough dangling to tie a bow and then knot it good.

patricej

that's so nice of you to say. makes my day. :P

but let's not forget all the great ideas we get from many of the other folks here, too. i've lost count of the "AHAH!!! So that's how to do that." moments since i started coming here.

mpeters1200

Wow...finally a post that I know I can answer!!

I am a member of a club that gives away quilts for charity. ALL of our quilts are tied. How you tie depends on if you are doing it in a frame (which is easier) or on the floor/lap.

If not using a frame, make sure that it's pin or thread basted very well. A very safe rule of thumb is no matter the thickness of the batting, place a tie on each side of your fist. Make a fist and put it down on your quilt and measure with it. After you've done that for a while you will be able to gauge if your fist is too big or too small. Sometimes what I do is use the fist plus an inch or so on each side and go all the way across in a row that way. Then, the next row I put a tie in between the ones I already made but up in the second row. I repeat the alternating ties and then it'll resemble a checkerboard a little bit. It's a nice pattern to use. Sometimes, the quilt top will tell you where to tie. Sometimes you could use the print on a fabric or keep tying in the same pieces of blocks over and over again and make a pattern that way.

Back when I was working, I had an understanding employer that would let us do whatever word searches, crafts etc at our desks. (Telephone operator). I would make sure the quilt was pin basted everywhere that I wanted a tie. Then I took it to work and tied it on my lap. Since it was already pinned so well I didn't need to worry about pulling tight or anything like that and they always turned out nice.

Hope this helps..

Melissa

mpeters1200

Oh, I forgot...

Embroidery floss works well and so does light weight crochet thread. We use darning needles so the thread fits, but there is such a large variety that you can easily find some that match or contrast depending on what you want it to look like when it's done.