Beginner quilter needs advice from all you experts!!!

[dixie&trixie]

Hi everyone! I am very interested in quilting and would like to get some advice on where and how to start. I dont even know how to properly square a square!! Please help

 

[dixie&trixie]

No help???!!! Im shocked

 

[baustin]

There are many books out there with patterns for beginners and you tube has a lot. Your local quilt shop probably has beginners classes. I like to watch Public Broadcasting on Tv on Sat. here in CA. There are several quilting shows on there. Lots of luck. Before anyone can help you need to start a block even if it's only a 9 patch (three blocks across and 3 blocks down) and you'll need a cutting board and rotary cutter and ruler to start. When I first started to quilt 25 years ago they didn't have rotary cutters then, you just used scissors. Lots of luck.

 

[Chinchilla2]

dixie&trixie :

Hi everyone! I am very interested in quilting and would like to get some advice on where and how to start. I dont even know how to properly square a square!! Please help

The first thing I would do would be to practice my stitch size. I do everything from piecing to binding by hand. Get some fabric scraps, broadcloth works well, and a sharp needle and practice getting 8 to 10 stitches in per inch without using a running stitch. This means each individual stitch has to go in, pull the thread through, push the needle back through, pull the thread, etc. so the material doesn't gather up. Once you get where you can stitch together two 4inch lengths of material without one piece of material winding up a little longer than the other, you will be good to go on actual piecing. I know I stitched a lot of 4inch sections until my grandmother finally decided I was neat enough to start actually doing something worthwhile, like cutting more squares

Still not quite sure why I had to cut all those squares since when she passed away 20 years later, all those dinky squares were STILL in the bag where she stored them.​

 

[ginbart]

Give us quilters some time to wake up.

Any questions you have leave them here and some of us smart quilters will help you.

http://www.ideas-for-quilting.com/easymachinepiecing.html

http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/forum.php

http://www.quiltingboard.com/

I hope this helps. There used to be shows on TV for Quilting, but I guess not enought people were watching.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Quote:
Well, ginbart beat me to the draw. This one that she posted in my fav. http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/forum.php ......Missouri Quilt has lots and lots of tutorials for beginners. Awesome!!!!!

 

[TinyChickenLady]

I started quilting after I read Quilting for Dummies

I didn't understand a single word anyone was saying until I read that book! Best $20 I ever spent. I still refer back to it when I'm working on projects.
Happy quilting!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Check out your local library for books on Quilting.
Stop at the local quilt shop and talk to the ladies there, most of them are Quiltaholics and work for fabric (spend all of their paychecks at the store).

My advice would be to start small. My first quilt was a twin size log cabin and nearly did me in. Try a simple wall sampler first. Find one really neat printed fabric that you love and have one of the staff help to find coordinating fabrics - but only buy stuff you like. If you don't like it, you won't sew it!

Are you wanting to hand quilt or machine quilt?

 

[sunrise farms]

I agree with all the above!!...and hold on..the addiction is as bad as "the chicken" addiction!!..Ive been quilting for 30+ yrs..never have I regretted it and I have made some wonderful quilting friends..(Acre & ginbart!!..Luna..and the list goes on and on)..

Advise: try hand piecing even IF you end up being a machine piecer..and measure measure and measure again..neeedles and fabric quality will become very important..so if you can start with the best you can..lots of people on here and other sites are willing to help..just ask.

Also if it is available take a beginners class..in store or online.

 

[dixie&trixie]

Thanks everyone. I do have a small quilting store here in town. I'll check it out. I plan on machine sewing since I have little to no patience for hand sewing. What items are a must to purchase?