I want to make a quilt?

i need help with the best material to use and to make my quilt light in weight, easy to wash and not too warm...but very soft..

i live in a region where the climate is usually quite warm...and it doesn't get too cold in winter..please advice on any kinda material...thats easy to handle...i am a big fan of quilts...wat kinda design wud look good...are floral prints a better option
I want to make a quilt?
Use heavier weight cotton material because it cuts and sews so much more easily ( it doesn't slip as much). Go to the quilters section in the fabric store and you will get the idea. The batting I use is a polyester batting- it looks like a blanket and is really easy to use. It is cool in the summer, warm in the winter and is really light. It also doesn't shrink when washed so you don't have to pre- wash it before you use it. Go to a book store or library and find a book that has the beginning basics of quilting, they have lots of good tips. There are tons of books and magazines out there with beautiful patterns; look for the ones that rate the difficulty of the pattern. Start with an easy one because it takes a lot of practice to piece the more elaborate patterns and you don't want to overwhelm yourself the first time out. I have found that patterns don't matter so much as the color in a quilt, if the colors go together then I go for it. If you do pick a really wildly printed fabric though, it would be a good idea to choose the others in a more subdued print just so that they aren't fighting each other lol... hope I helped. Have fun.
Reply:A trick of my great grand-mother's was to use a flannel sheet between the layers of your quilt instead of batting, another thing to try today would be one layer of fleece or a light fleece blanket. It works great and it won't clump like batting does over the years if you don't finish your quilt completely.
Reply:Cotton is the best choice for the outside fabric. I like the idea of the flannel sheet that others were suggesting, but I've only worked with batting, which is pretty lightweight as well.



As far as the design floral prints are ok as long as you pick fabrics that compliment it. Think of it like getting dressed, you wouldn't want to cover yourself in floral prints when you get dressed. Measure and design your quilt before you buy the fabric. Its a lot like basic geometry. Oh and don't forget to allow for the seams. I don't think you need a pattern as long as you plan really well when you design a pattern.
Reply:Generally, cotton is used in quilting. The warmth would be determined by how much batting is between the two layers of the quilt.



There are some book and some patterns you can find at your local craft store.



Good luck.
Reply:Stick with 100% cotton fabrics, and use the best quality you can afford. If you have access to a local quilt shop, check there. Try online (I like Hancocks of Paducah, especially their discount fabrics that sell for $3 - $5 a yard instead of $8 - $10).



To keep it lightweight, you can use a very thin batting. I prefer a 100% cotton batting because it looks like the traditional quilts. Natural fibers (like cotton) breathe better than synthetics (like polyester), and are less likely to beard (fibers poking through the fabric). Even wool batting is cooler than polyester in the summer. Also, cotton is very easy to quilt through. A standard cotton batting is less than 1/4" thick. As far as I know, all batting is washable, even wool, so that shouldn't be an issue. Just know that if you pre-wash the fabrics you should pre-wash the batting, too, or they'll shrink differently. I prefer not to prewash anything and when I wash the finished quilt it shrinks a little to give that puckery, old fashioned look.



If you want to go even cooler, you can make a coverlet instead of a quilt. It's basically a quilt top and backing without any batting. It's very thin and cool, but you lose the dimension that makes it look so nice and quilty.



As far as designs, both in the quilt blocks and in the fabric itself, that's really up to you. Floral prints, geometric prints, tone-on-tone (prints in a single color family), batiks, marbles, and anything else you can think of will all work. Mix sizes of prints - for example, if you use floral prints, use some very large prints, some medium and some small. Combine multicolor prints with tone-on-tones and even solids. I would recommend starting with a very easy block, like the rail fence, so you get comfortable with cutting and piecing. Check out Quilters Cache for some great instructions. I'd also try the book "Start Quilting with Alex Anderson" for some great beginner information.
Reply:First go to the store, ask the clerk there to help you decide about the material you wish buy. As far as the heaviness of the quilt u can use a sheet for the lining or backing. This will make it light weight.

Numerous of patterns can be found on the Internet. You have just looking at all patterns they offer and make a decision. As far prints go you may need to look at the pattern first.



This is a fun hobby. I have made several. My dad quilts them for me. A bow tie is a good and simple quilt. A Dresden plate is simple to do also.

Good luck and have fun.