If you're making your piece into a small quilt or wall hanging, you'll want to layer wool + batting + cotton binding and backing. We love Quilter's Dream Cotton or Wool Batting. Either works, but the wool batting gives the piece a fluffier, loftier appearance. For the binding, a cotton fabric with a fun, small print in a coordinating color always looks great! We like to use a 2-1/2" double cut binding that compliments the cotton backing that you choose!
Another great way to personalize your piece... how about a little more embellishing??? Below are some of our favorite stitches to use along the edge of our bindings along with the page number for the stitch instructions which can be found in Creative Stitching, for those applicable, and the thread used in each example:
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Couching using Tentakulum Painters Thread's GIMP
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We think of quilting as the final layer. Quilting really adds to the finished look of a piece, especially when working with a material as dimensional as wool because the quilting really pops against the background. There are a lot of options when it comes to how you can quilt your piece, so here are some examples:
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First is machine quilting! The pattern you choose is really up to your preference, you can do a more random swirly pattern, circles echoing your stitched circles, or "bubbles" which look so sweet on neutral backgrounds, giving the appearance of pebbles. Play around with different kinds of threads on sample pieces to see what your preference is. You can machine stitch with Ellana wool thread for a fuzzy texture, by using Ellana in the top of your machine and a 50wt cotton thread in the bobbin, with a #16 topstitching needle. Using a cotton thread for machine quilting, like Efina or Konfetti, will give you more of a sheen.
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Tip: There's not much difference between machine quilting cotton and wool, but be mindful of the fact that wool can be anywhere from a little to a lot stretchier than cotton, which could cause problems when quilting if you're not careful. |
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Next up is hand, or big stitch quilting! We like to use 8wt Eleganza, to hand quilt, using Running Stitches, French Knots, and Cross Stitches. A great thing about hand quilting is that you can use a variegated thread, or multiple different threads, to add some extra color to your piece. Just make sure to pop your knot into the piece, between the front or back layer and the batting, to hide them. You'll also want to be mindful of where you place your stitches, as you'll be able to see them on the back, so do your best to keep it tidy!
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Can't decide which option you like best? Try a combination of both! Machine quilt a pattern you like, then addd some pops of hand stitching throughout!
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