Fun ways to create a story quilt with Hochanda
For anyone who likes sewing or needlework, creating a story quilt has always been a great way to create something personal for your home or as a gift for a friend or relative. However, with a bit of creative thinking it can also form the basis of a fun project you can try.
Do you have family members or a circle of friends that you normally meet up with? Why not create a shared story quilt amongst yourselves to help keep you all in touch during this time when we are unable to meet?
What’s the story?
A story quilt is a series of patchwork material that’s made from different fabrics and is used to tell a story. Use it as an opportunity to express yourself and tell a story of a memory, a feeling or an event that’s important to you. Making a story quilt as part of group means everybody can add their own designs onto a single piece of several squares and then it can be sewn into one large quilt once we are all able to meet up again.
Even though you’re in different location to each other, knowing that you’re all working on a piece of craft work together can give you all a shared sense of comfort.
This series of quilting tutorials will show you everything you need to know about quilting and help get you started.
Ideas for your shared story quilt
Think about stories, celebrations, places or feelings that you find memorable or uplifting.
Pick a theme – Either select a subject, story or a colour palette to get you started and this will be the base idea for your quilt. For example, you could choose Springtime colours such as Yellows and Pinks or the colours of the rainbow. If you’re working on this as a group, you could each pick a different colour of the rainbow and incorporate that into the colour scheme of the quilt.
Once you’ve had a think about what you want the story quilt to be about, sketch out your basic design onto a sheet of paper. You could have a central image with a border, or a patchwork made up of square or hexagons.
Deciding which different craft skills and techniques you’re going to use in your design will help you then list out the materials you’re going to use to make the quilt.
Some sewing and possibly some embroidery will be needed to put the story quilt together as a final piece, but you don’t have to sew to be able to tell a story. You can cut out fabrics, images or shapes and stick them on to your quilt backing.
Be inspired
Sharing memories with the group as you design and create your quilt will help inspire you all. Talk about your experiences together, whether it is hints and tips on quilting or just how you’re feeling, communicating together and creating this quilt full of memories will help bring you all together at the difficult time.
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert you’ll be able to find lots of inspiration for your story quilt with Hochanda’s range of Quilting supplies including fabrics and kits here.
