What Are the Quilting Rules?

When I first started quilting, I wanted to know what makes something a quilt and not a comforter or a blanket? Were there specific things I needed to do to make a quilt and not another type of bedding? Are there specific steps that if done in the wrong order would negate it being a quilt?

And, real panic, what if I made something and someone looked at it and said, “that’s not a quilt because it doesn’t have ______”?

If you also are wondering if you are making a “real quilt,” it boils down to a few things:

1. There’s a top (usually pretty blocks)

2. There’s a bottom (the backing)

3. There is batting between the top and the bottom

4. There’s (possibly decorative) stitching holding the layers together

5. And there’s usually a binding

But other than that – there are no rules to quilting! I’m sure that someone might come after me for saying that, but really, you can do whatever you want when you make a quilt.

Fabric

“Quilting cotton” is usually woven cotton. It’s going to keep its shape fairly easily and stay flat when you are piecing it.

You’ll also find a lot of flannels – especially in baby prints – that behave something like quilting cotton.

But what if you really love an old pair of jeans? Or some jersey t-shirts? Or your dad’s old ties? Then make a quilt out of them! There is some fabric manipulation that you will have to do to be able to piece those fabrics – but they are still fabric and can make a beautiful quilt!

Remember: there are no rules about the “right” fabric to make a quilt.

Design

As soon as you start looking for quilts on Pinterest you will see that there are literally thousands of quilt blocks out there.

And I started wondering if there was a canon of quilt blocks I had to use to make something a quilt. Or if I had to have sashes and borders. Or how many blocks made a quilt.

Turns out you can make your quilt top into whatever you want. Seriously.

You want to make a single giant quilt block? Do it.

You want to add three borders? Do it.

No borders? Do it.

Different size quilt blocks? Do it.

Create a quilt block based on your scraps? Do it.

Remember: there is no canon of quilt blocks that makes something a “quilt.” And you can put whatever blocks you like together in whatever manner you like.

Quilting

Are there rules about how you have to quilt to make something a quilt? Is there a special technique or something?

Nope. Not at all. Technically all you need to do is stitch through all the layers of your quilt to get it to stay together. When you buy your batting you will see a distance between stitches. In order for the batting to not dissolve, you do need to make sure that you are stitching at least that close together – but you can make those stitches however you want!

Hand quilted? It’s a quilt.

Walking foot quilted? It’s a quilt.

Free motion quilted? It’s a quilt.

Took it to the long arm machine? It’s a quilt.

Remember: stitching the layers together is what makes something a quilt. What those stitches look like and how they were made is not the definition of a quilt.

So what makes a quilt?

In the end, to me, aside from the technical sandwich and stitching, what makes a quilt is:

1. Did you enjoy making it?

2. Will it keep someone warm?

3. Will it share your love with someone?

4. Can it stand up to life? (Washing, hanging, whatever you want to do with it.)

If the answer to all those questions is, “yes” then you have made a quilt!