New to Quilting - Any Advice?

[susank]

I have sewn for over 40 of my fifty years and have never tried quilting. Now that I have a log cabin I am thinking it is the perfect time to give it a try. Can anyone recommend books, websites, anything. I am really a true beginner to quilting but a pretty experiences sewer.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Susan

[Leslie]

I learned how to quilt in a class offered by Hancock Fabrics. I was in my early 40's and had been sewing since I was 13 but knew nothing about quilting so my first suggestion is - take a class, it will make the process a whole lot easier and fun.

We used the book Start Quilting with Alex Anderson and I highly recommend it. It's basic and the projects are beginner-friendly. My first quilt was the Rail Fence, a perfect starter quilt. My second quilt was the Nine Patch Variation Quilt. That's when I discovered I'm not a little piece person, my quilts have BIG pieces. The 3rd quilt in the book is the Log Cabin.

My third quilt was the Attic Window. I found a book called Quilts for Baby, Easy as ABC, by Ursula Reikes. Another beginner-friendly book. I was able to follow the directions and make 2 Attic Window quilts that turned out so well they both sold in a silent auction for $90 each!

My other most used quilt book is Bits & Pieces Quilt by Anne Dease. I learned basic binding using this book, as well as about measuring, cutting, proper ironing of seams. This book has big, clear illustrations something I really appreciated being a visual learner.

Now, books are great, but nothing beats a class, so that's still my #1 recommendation.

www.qnntv.com is a good quilting site, you can sign up for a free newsletter. I believe they also have a 24 hr. quilting channel, which used to be free, but now they are charging a $24 yearly fee to subscribe to it. www.free-quilting.com is a nifty little site that will hook you up with all sorts of free newsletters for not only quilting but just about any other area involving sewing as well (embroidery does not fall into their categories).

I hope this helps get you started.

[susank]

Thank you Leslie - I will check out these books and sites. You are likely right however - a class may be a good idea. I happened to mention my interest to a friend who has a friend that is the head of a quilting guild in the city that apparently has a waiting list to get into (who knew!?). I may go to her to find out about good classes.

[grannyfranny]

Ladies, this is so great that we are talking about quilting, beacuse I have a big question on my mind that I have been wanting to ask you. I recently downloaded some nice designs planning to used them in a quilt for my new grandbaby that's coming. I did not have my embroidery machine when any of the others were born. So this is my question and I hope I don't sound too dumb. Can I use some of the designs as the quilting? Like "a boy is a joy", Can that be put on the border as quilting? Even the simple redwear designs, can they be used? And if I'm going through three layer, top, batting, and bottom, what stabalizer should I use? I would be grateful fo rany help.
:-)
Fran

[craftmama]

Susan,
I got interested in quilting when I took a class at the local night school. But I then went to the local quilt shop and signed up for a class in beginning quilting and have been hooked ever since.
Diana

[debmac]

I am still new at quilting. I took a beginner class at a quilt shop to make a table runner when I first started. It was the perfect class for a first time quilter. It was a small enough project to finish fairly quickly and it could be completed with my regular machine. If you have a good quilt shop around it will keep you inspired.

[Leslie]

grannyfranny, you can absolutely use your embroidery designs to "quilt". However, there is a catch when using lettering.

If you are using the design for quilting the quilt, then I assume your intention is to go through all 3 plies of the quilt (top, batting, bottom). If you use words, such as "a boy is a joy", it's going to show through the back of the quilt, more than likely upside down and not as clean looking as the lettering on the top of the quilt.

It would be better to use the lettering on the border of the top of the quilt, then, when you put the quilt together, quilt the border on your sewing machine with a wavy line that won't disrupt your lettering.

Go to www.youtube.com and type in How do you quilt on your embroidery machine. You get some demonstrations/tutorials that will shed some light on the process.

[grannyfranny]

Thanks Leslie, that gives me a little more courage to do what I have been planning in my mind. And I will check out youtube.

Fran

[Stitchn-Jeans]

Grannyfranny,

Go to the store that i told you about. They do a great job with everything you want to know.

Stitchn-Jeans
Grace

[grannyfranny]

Ladies, you have been very helpful. Thank you.

Fran

[jil]

I have sewn for over 40 of my fifty years and have never tried quilting. Now that I have a log cabin I am thinking it is the perfect time to give it a try. Can anyone recommend books, websites, anything. I am really a true beginner to quilting but a pretty experiences sewer.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Susan
Hi I'm June and I have been quilting for about 5 years now after sewing for 50+ years and it is addicting. You buy alot more fabric than you would every dream of. But it is so much fun, I have made king, queen, lap and baby quilts. Once you start the bug can't give it up.....
June

[susank]

Oh no - I'll buy even more fabric!! Sounds like you really do enjoy it June.