How to Make Tied Quilts and Homemade Quilting Frames

By Elizabeth A. Martin
Published on January 1, 1975
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You can use colorful balls of yarn or crochet cotton for tying.
You can use colorful balls of yarn or crochet cotton for tying.
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Soon you'll have a collection of unique, handmade blankets to keep you warm.
Soon you'll have a collection of unique, handmade blankets to keep you warm.
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Each tied quilt is made up of backing-filling-top
Each tied quilt is made up of backing-filling-top "sandwich". Note, in this photo, how C-clamps are used to old the quilting frame together.
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If your quilt's top has a
If your quilt's top has a "scattered" pattern, you can lay out its grid of ties with a pattern made from a 9" X 12" piece of scrap cardboard.
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Start each row of ties by stitching down and back up through all thicknesses of your quilt's material twice and then making a snug square knot.
Start each row of ties by stitching down and back up through all thicknesses of your quilt's material twice and then making a snug square knot.
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It's faster and easier to make all the ties you can with each 3-foot length of yarn . . . and then go back to snip the thread in two between each tie.
It's faster and easier to make all the ties you can with each 3-foot length of yarn . . . and then go back to snip the thread in two between each tie.
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The completed quilting frame in action. Note how legs go together and framing boards fit into notches at top of each of the long vertical uprights.
The completed quilting frame in action. Note how legs go together and framing boards fit into notches at top of each of the long vertical uprights.
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Ties can either be arranged in rows or staggered.
Ties can either be arranged in rows or staggered.
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Invest in a sturdy quilting frame if you're an avid quilter.
Invest in a sturdy quilting frame if you're an avid quilter.

Blankets and quilts are expensive at the store, so why not make your own? Learn how to make tied quilts for warm and unique additions to your home. Homemade quilting frames are easy to make. There’s a plan for a beginning quilter or, if you’ve been quilting awhile, the sturdier quilting frame would serve you best.

Ever admire the beauty of a traditional homemade quilt . . . and then shudder at the thought of all the stitches that hold the masterpiece together? Well, there’s a simpler alternative: tying. You can tie a frayed blanket between layers of cotton or gingham print in a fraction of the time you’d spend on conventional quilting. All you need is a simple frame (see the instructions with this article), a few inexpensive materials and the barest number of spare hours.

Quilt Sizes

Baby quilts are approximately 3′ X 5′ (standard crib size) and, when tied, can be made in an afternoon. Two-yard throws — afghan-size car blankets or stadium robes — are 4′ X 6′ and also take only a few hours. They get their name because the quilt top and backing each requires two yards of 45″ fabric.

A quilt that measures 7′ X 9′ hangs to the floor on a twin bed and will fit a full-size bed as a comforter (a cover that usually lies on the mattress only and is supplemented with a dust ruffle to conceal the box springs). A quilt (8′ X 9′) that completely covers a full-size bed will serve as a comforter on a king-size or large water bed.

Materials

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