BYC SEWING/QUILTING CLUB

[speckledhen]

Hi, what do you think the best (and cheap) way to begin quilting? My local fabric and craft store doesn't have beginners kits. Should I use felt or something like that? Tips are much appreciated as I've just begun sowing this summer.

Honestly, you don't need a kit. The best way is learn to cut squares and sew them together, put a border around them and do it that way. Simple, simple. Fabric isn't cheap, but you can get decent fabric at Walmart (the ones that still have fabric depts) and you may know folks who have some cotton fabric they would donate or sell to you cheaper than in the stores. My advice is to only use 100% cotton fabric and just start with squares of different colors. That makes a fine quilt!

This was the second quilt I ever made back in the 80's, hand pieced and hand quilted, didn't own a machine. The first was a churn dash in navy and maroon for my son's twin bed, but I must not have a photo of it. They were both full of mistakes, but quilts don't need to be perfect to be loved or to be beautiful.


First quilt, I found it!

 

[cutechick53]

@speckledhen Those quilts are beautiful! I have a patch quilt that my great-grandmother made in the mid 40's, truly beautiful. I will have to use the fabric that I have "stashed" lol!

 

[speckledhen]

@speckledhen Those quilts are beautiful! I have a patch quilt that my great-grandmother made in the mid 40's, truly beautiful. I will have to use the fabric that I have "stashed" lol!

Naturally, old time quilts were made with whatever was available. That's partly why it's called "patchwork". I have some my grandmothers and my DH's grandmother made out of 100% polyester fabrics that are tattered and worn so they are not used now. Quilts tend to wear better if you don't mix fabric types and I think the 100% cotton ones wear better than the poly blends that fray easier.

Whatever you do, just have fun and show us what you make!

 

[Kassaundra]

I think a really awesome place to get less expensive fabrics is Goodwill type stores, back in the home décor section, they have curtains and sheets and plain ole fabrics, many of them cotton or cotton blends.

There are awesome tutorials online, look over pictures of blocks find one that speaks to you and do a search for tutorials and just jump in. Especially if you are starting w/ inexpensive fabrics you will feel more free to just jump in. (and by inexpensive I mean not costing a lot, not cheap fabric)

 

[Kassaundra]

You can tell a cotton fabric you a not buying in a fabric store w/ a bolt that tells you it is cotton by bringing a lighter. Find a small thread from the fabric and to a quick touch to the lighter, if is dissolves into ash it is cotton, if it does any "melting" at all it is a poly blend.



FYI, don't let the sales lady see you do it they tend to over react!!!!!

And seriously is just ONE thread.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Exactly right. Whatever you think you save by buying cheap fabric (badly made and/or thin), you will get back in headaches and lack of staying power, trust me on this. That is why I love to buy at www.thousandsofbolts.com when I can. Their fabrics are cheaper than Walmart prices and they will always be good quality quilter's cotton. I've never been disappointed in the quality of anything I got there. Their sales are awesome. Last sale, I got yards of fabric for between $2.95 and $4.95/yd, same fabrics you'd pay over $10/yd for in quilt shops. NanaKat I think was the one who turned me on to this online source.

 

[Kassaundra]

I'll have to check that out Speckled hen, and I agree 1000% from personal horror stories of using cheaply made fabrics.

 

[sunflour]

Hi, what do you think the best (and cheap) way to begin quilting? My local fabric and craft store doesn't have beginners kits. Should I use felt or something like that? Tips are much appreciated as I've just begun sowing this summer.

If you can get Singers older book on quilting by machine it's a good place to start, that's how I learned….but I do it all on machine, none except hemming the binders by hand. If you have a "friends of the library" sale or a used book store, you can get the book really cheap. I would use only cotton and not felt. If you have old sheets, even mixed fabrics, use them as the back piece. Try worn out shirts , clothes, they can look great.

 

[sunflour]

If y'all have a Joann's in your area, they do have a sale on great quilt fabrics now.

 

[cutechick53]

@sunflour , thanks! I have the quilt made my great-grandma that is made of old shirts... I will have to go through my stuffed closet!