Sometimes quilts don’t turn out quite as planned once they’re done. Rather than ripping it out and starting over or just storing the quilt away somewhere, create interest and design by adding stamps. Stamps can be added after a piece is quilted or you can plan to create stamped quilt blocks from the beginning. Heather Thomas shows you several examples of how adding stamps can change the entire look of a quilt.
Color Blocks
While many different squares stitched together and quilted with fun spirals creates a colorful quilt, Heather decided it didn’t have enough visual interest. By using a stamping technique she was able to add an additional design element to the quilt without having to spend time adding more hand quilting or appliques. Heather explains how she used small stamps and a black ink to contrast the color blocks already on the quilt. By spacing the stamps out she was able to create enough stamped quilt blocks to add to the piece without overpowering the hand quilting already done. Heather also explains that not every stamp has to be perfect as long as the stamping is consistent throughout the quilt.
Stamps
Stamps don’t have to be just small designs spaced evenly over a quilt, but rather can be the entire quilt block design. Heather shows an example of how she created a stamp that covered an entire finished quilt square and used it over the whole quilt. Since the same design was being used to create multiple stamped quilt blocks that all had the same design, she rotated the stamp to give several blocks a different look. The quilt top was stitched using hand dyed fabric in various colors, so black ink was used for stamping. If you plan to create a similar quilt and are dying fabric, consider leaving out several colors to allow yourself to be able to use different colored inks.
HI, I wondered, after the fabric is stamped, do you use a presser cloth to set the ink? If not, how do you finish it? Thanks, Lucy
Hi Lucy. Depending on the ink used- you would want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to make it permanent.
Ashley
National Quilters Circle
Enjoyed this topic – however, what type of ink to utilize was not addressed. Also, fabric preparation for using ink, ie: wash material, heat setting, etc. I think when offering options like this it is important to “flesh out” the topic so that the information is truly usable. Thank you.
Hi Pam,
Thank you for your patience while I got the answer for you from our expert, here is what she has to say:
Hi,
You can use many different types of ink/paint for this. When you determine what ink/paint you want to use- you can then follow the manufacturer;s instructions as to how to use that specific ink or paint.
Cheers,
Ashley
National Quilters Circle
well as a beginner I need to know the ink you use and info like other people gives when they show us a project. We seen on here the paintstix and how to use them and fabric paint and the brands but never the brand of the ink you use
What type of Ink did you use?
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