I would like to learn to quilt, but I am not sure how to get started. Can you help?

Question

When I was around 10 yrs old, my mother quilted with a sewing machine. I still have 1 of the quilts and its pretty disqusting with the 70's looking fabric and poorly assembled, but it was a project for me and my sister, so of course, we thought it was great.
I already have the colors of fabric chosen for my quilt and I would like to know how to get started. Any suggestions?
I need to go buy the fabric and decide on a design.
Can you give me any suggestions?
Do you have to quilt with cotton fabric because I would like to experiment with some light denim and corduroy?

Answer 1

I hope these links help. I still referr to them sometimes.

Quilting Video's
http://www.quilterstv.com

Quilting Lesson's for Beginners & Quilters Of All Levels
http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.net/QuiltingLessons.htm

Learning to Quilt Lesson One
http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQuiltingPages/startquiltingone.html

Cute Rag Quilt
http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/GetCreative/project.aspx?project=ragquilt&Cat=sewing&Name=Rag Quilt&PARAM=2

Flutterflies Quilt Pattern
http://www.quickquilts.com:80/golden/qg26_pattern/

Free Quilt Patterns for Beginners
http://www.sewaquilt.com/

How To Pin Baste Your Quilt Together
Complete How To's On Making This Project
http://www.sewaquilt.com/pin-basting.html

Machine Quilting How To's
http://www.sewaquilt.com/machine-quilting.html

Quilting Tips and Techniques - Free Quilt Patterns
10-11-07
http://quilting.about.com/od/?once=true&

Quilting tools you can make
Stilletto, Quilting frame, and Safety Pin closing tool
http://www.quiltman.com/tools.htm

Scrappy String Quilt Instructions
Easy To Read & Follow Instructions
http://home.pmt.org/~awalter/string.html

Answer 2

Welcome to the wonderful, addicting world of quilting! You can use any fabric you like, but think about how you will use the quilt when you choose your fabric. If it's a utility quilt, something that you will use - and wash - a lot, you need sturdy fabric. If you mix fabric types, make sure they'll shrink at the same rate. You should prewash your fabric if you're using different kinds.

There are a couple of basics that will make quilting easier. Invest in a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler. It is so much easier to cut fabric this way. You can go in several different directions, either precision piecing, freeform piecing, or applique (as well as others, but these are the most common). Don't let the word "precision" scare you, but if you choose to try traditional quilt blocks, you need to learn to measure and cut correctly, and sew accurate scan 1/4" seams. If you choose freeform piecing, you can be much more relaxed in your cutting and sewing, since you don't have to match up corners and can deliberately make things crooked. Applique involves sewing cut out shapes on top of other pieces of fabric, and probably isn't what you're looking for just yet.

I strongly recommend you check out a beginner quilting book called "Start Quilting with Alex Anderson." It's a thin book that's only around $10 on Amazon, and it will get you started with cutting and piecing. Also check out magazines - there are several geared toward beginners, including a new one by Fons and Porter called "Easy Quilts." The original magazine, "Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting" is also a good choice because it provides projects in a range of skill levels. Check out the Online Extras section of their website for lots of helpful info.

Answer 3

These web sites were really helpful when I made my first quilt:
www.qnm.com
www.quilterschche.com
www.blockcentral.com
http://quilting.about.com/
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_quilting/0,1788,HGTV_3298,00.html

Corduroy and denim are heavy fabrics, and may be difficult for a first-time quilter to work with. Make it easier on yourself by using traditional cotton in a contemporary pattern.

Make something relatively small - a crib quilt, a table runner, pillows for your sofa, maybe a sofa sized quilt - for your first project. You'll learn a lot about the techniques and do a better job on the next one.

Quilt sewing is a little different form apparel sewing because you use 1/4" instead of 5/8" seam allowance and press to one side instead of pressing open.

Good luck with your quilt.

Answer 4

I'm in the middle of my first quilt, and am basically winging it! It's a story quilt, so meaning is more important than skill this time around.
However, it doesn't sound like you want to do that. If you are an experienced sewer, I'd suggest you go through the books at your local library, and your local second hand bookshops. They'll have plenty of books demonstrating techniques and patterns if you want to follow one. If you aren't confident in your sewing skills, take a quilting class. Your local craft shop will probably be running classes after Christmas. Or join a craft group. Most towns seem to have quilting groups or guilds.

Answer 5

a basic quilting book like the other quilter said........ I would buy that first, read it thoroughly and then pick out your first project and my two cents is start with some thing SMALL, maybe a pillow top. Pick out your favorite quilt square and then you'll need to pick up fabric, batting, lining, QUILTING THREAD (pillow form if you decide to do that, or whatever specifics for your project) also will need needles scissors, and a quilting hoop (if it's a small project, the little embroidery hoops might work) Alot of people I know launder and press their fabrics first------ I don't (I'm a rebel like that hee hee) some other things you might want are a ruler, a medium for creating your templates/patterns ( I use sandpaper, but there is a good plastic product that you can buy also for this) you'll need a pencil............. Overall my advice is to start small, don't plan on a huge bedspread and then get overwhelmed with a big project.

Answer 6

Before I started my first quilt project, I visited a wonderful quilt store that was staffed by experts. They suggested a book for beginners, basic supplies and helped me get started. I felt free to return periodically to ask questions and get help whenever I needed. I eventually took classes and met other people with the same illness (quilting).

And I'd suggest starting with a basic design and fabrics that are easy to sew. I laugh about it now, but before I started quilting I saw a Baltimore quilt and decided I wanted to start with that. As it turned out, I was lucky to finish a log cabin quilt!

Answer 7

Please go to a few quilt shops, talk to the staff. The ones that are most helpful will give you a list of classes. Quilting is time consuming and expensive. Learning the basics from an experienced quilter will have you enjoying the whole experience. Quilting is FUN and very rewarding, but can be quite fustrating without the basics of sewing.
Good luck and keep sewing

Theresa

Answer 8

Yeah! you are at the planing stage.

Try using graphing paper when you design. You can assign one square unit of the paper as a square inch of fabric in your quilt. Take a pencil and draw on it using its grid as a guide. Draw triangles, squares, rectangles, diamonds anything until you are pleased with the design.Then with pencil and a ruler, transfer it to a clean sheet of paper. Then, using crayons (or any coloring materials available), color the shapes with your selected scheme. Make many more copies if you like to try other combinations.

If you are so down on creativity you could copy designs in magazines. They save you effort on designing.

Try to use simple designs first. One simple design is checkers. Its easy to sew and very versatile.

Answer 9

I don't know how to quilt but I've seen books at the Bookstore, like Borders or Barnes and Noble, that have instructions and ideas. You can also buy the Klutz book (it geared towards teens but I bought the knitting one and loved it) called Quilting. Anyway, have fun!!

Answer 10

Ask around to see if there is a quilt store or quilt guild in your area. Most quilters are happy to get another convert hooked!