Any tips on getting started in quilting??

Question

I would like to try quilting, but I dont have a sewing machine. I dont want to go out and buy one in case i dont really enjoy this craft. Any tips on an easy quilting project without having to use a sewing machine??? I do know how to do some sewing by hand.

Answer 1

I've been quilting for about two years now, and I love it. You can start quilting with a very small investment - some 100% cotton fabric, 100% cotton thread, and a few needles, a pair of scissors, some template material (cardboard if you really want to go cheap, or plastic if you can spend a couple dollars more), a couple of good marking pens/pencils, and an instruction book geared specifically toward hand piecing. At the most basic level, you will draw around your template pieces on the fabric, cut about 1/4" outside the drawn line, then sew the pieces together, stitching on the drawn lines. Hand piecing requires much more in depth instructions, and you really need a book to help you with this.

As for hand piecing being slow, Jinny Beyer is a very well known quilt maker who does her piecing by hand. When asked how she has time to hand piece everything, she said that it is faster for her to hand piece because she can take her work with her and work on it whenever she has a few minutes. If she had to wait until she had time to sit down at a sewing machine, she'd never get anything done.

The link below is to her website, specifically to an instruction book that would be very helpful to you. Good luck - I love quilting (although I do it with a machine) and I hope that you will enjoy it as well.

Answer 2

http://www.quilterscache.com/
Visit this link. I just started quilting with no experience or anyone to guide me. This link has so many information pages for the beginner. Within a week I made two lap quilts. It will take you an extremly long time to do it by hand and you probably wont stick with it because of the persision you need in quilting. A sewing maching make it go faster and you have an automatic seam gauge on the bobbin plate to guide you. Keep in mind what you do by hand will take you 20 times longer than by a sewing machine. Do you have a relative you could borrow one from? Also dont start with a quilt. Make a simple project, like a placemat, or hot pad. You will be overwhelmed if you choose something large as a first project. I hope you can find one to borrow as I really have enjoyed it. Take a look at all the wonderful patterns they have and get inspired. I buy wonderful fabrics at walmart for $1.00 a yard. I really hope you find it as fasinating as I have.

Answer 3

You could sew a quilt by hand if you are willing to spend a lot of time on it. If you are looking for instruction, just go to the library. You could also take a quilting class.

Answer 4

Start with something small, like a baby quilt. You can buy panels that don't require sewing. Try outline quilting, going around the objects in the panel.

Answer 5

Try the Klutz book for Quilting. It is a great series for beginners with easy-to-understand instructions and it comes with materials for beginner projects to quilt by hand.

You will find it in the children's reference section, but it is a great way to get started in virtually any craft! If you don't have a craft or bookstore nearby that carries the book, here is the amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570542155/sr=1-2/qid=1154939723/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-5957089-1530269?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 6

all you need is a pair of scissors and a yard stick. measure out squares from colorers you like. hand stich together, add a boarder, some padding and a backing. stich together and wha lo you have a hand made quit. if you are feeling frisky, use needle and thread to stich a decorative pattern all over the quitl. good luck, it this was hard, our ancesters {who had no choice but to stitch quilts} could never have done it. don't be intimidated

Answer 7

Try the About Quilting site - they have a forum where you can get advice and lots of tutorials.

Answer 8

Go to the library, they have TONS of books on it. I'd start out by hand if I were you, that way you can more 'professionally' choose the setting on a machine you might buy in the future, plus you can claim any new stitches that you create as your own.

Answer 9

Go to a quilting store!

Answer 10

they sell mini sowing machines for a lot cheaper. maybe something like this. also maybe walmart has sewing machines and if you dont like it you can return it.