Hey Everyone, welcome back to Technique Tuesday.
Trapunto according to Wikipedia is defined as Trapunto, from the Italian for “to embroider,” is a method of quilting that is also called “stuffed technique.” A puffy, decorative feature, trapunto utilizes at least two layers, the underside of which is slit and padded, producing a raised surface on the quilt.
Trapunto is a form of quilting that will result in a raised area on a quilt once quilted. From the definition above it seems that padding needs to be added through a slit in the back to create the puffiness. In fact there is an easier method than this.
Adding a layer of high loft batting such as polyester will give the desired effect. The polyester batting is placed between the quilt top and the batting.
Polyester batting on top of cotton batting
The applique or quilting motif is stitched in place through all 4 layers.
Motif stitched in place
Once the stitching is done the basting pins are removed so that the excess polyester batting can be cut away as close to the motif as possible.
Cut away excess batting
The quilt is then pinned back together and the rest of the quilting is completed. If a dense quilting stitch is used such as a tight stippling then the trapunto area will puff up even further.
Note the stitching lines in the heart give even more definition to the Trapunto.
Extra definition with the extra stitching lines in the heart
This example of trapunto shows an appliqué design being used but a design can be drawn onto the quilt and stitched around to create the same effect. This technique is very effective in large open areas and whole cloth quilts.
Isn’t this is a much easier method of this age old technique than using a slit in the back and stuffing the stuffing in?
Happy Quilting!
