People seem to make the most beautiful quilts, I wish I could. Does anyone have suggestions on getting started? Where to get ideas, tools needed, using machines, etc. Is it very difficult?

Come up with a person who you would like to do a quilt for, or a favourtie theme of your own, such as flowers or chooks, who knows. Then do basic blocks alternated with prints to match. That's what I am doing for my 3 yr old son. He loves trucks, tractors, trains, motorbikes, etc. I took him to the quilters shop and he went about picking fat 1/4s that he liked and then we looked through emblibrary.com and he got all excited about designs he liked. I'm just going to keep it simple, like a checkerboard design (does that have a technical name). What's most important is that my son and I did it together so it will be special no matter how simple it is. Have a go, as long as it is yours and from the heart, it can't be wrong.

1 comment

by libster2896 03 Apr 2008

That's alternated embroidered blocks with printed fabrics.

Sharon Schambers has excellent free tutorials. http://www.sharonschambernetwork.... Here is a great link for teaching videos for the beginner...free... http://www.quilterstv.com/ My grandmother taught me way back when. I have been teaching my grand daughter. It's not hard even children can do it. Enjoy

z, classes at your local fabric store or where you bought your machine.

I started with squares that was relatively easy you make enough squares for the size you want. Another way for a child start with cot centre, and make it larger using squares, and strips of designs to make the right size. I have not done anything too elaborate but my children are pleased with their quilts, because I made them!!

z43mak, now you don't have any excuse *not* to make a quilt, haha!!! You've been given plenty of good advice, sweetie, so here's some hugs and a flower for you, while you plan that first quilt - my advice is to *keep-it-simple sweetie*!

The easiest way for me since I am a "show me" person, it was extremely helpful to go to my quilt shop and take lessons when I first started. If you are not near one, then by all means read whats on the internet and watch the programs listed. I will also give you the title of a book by Marianne Fons and Liz Porter which covers making a quilt from beginning to end and everything in between. "Quilter's Complete Guide" from Leisure Arts. Go for it, I promise you will NOT be sorry. It lets you leave a legacy for your family and friends. ;)

I found joining a local quilt group was the easiest way, they members are usually very friendly and helpful

z43mak, I was just at Emb. Library. On the left hand side of the site is a link for projects. In the quiliting sections they have several links that you may want to try.

2 comments

by clawton 01 Apr 2008

They have directions of all sorts.

by letvia 02 Apr 2008

flower

I found www.quilterscache.com very helpful, there's an endless amount of blocks to learn to do there and lovely ideas. If you never made a quilt I suggest you make a small one with for example four blocks and use it as a wall hanging. In my case I wouldn't live without my cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler. Thats much easier than scissors and one quickly learns to handle them. experiment on scraps of fabric first to learn how to handle the machine best for quilting unless you'd like to do it by hand in which case you'd need a quilting hoop and good quilting needles and thread.

1 comment

by anna25775 01 Apr 2008

and flowers for you of course, go ahead and good luck girl!

GO TO ..http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_ql...

OR http://www.suzannesquilts.com/hgt... for SIMPLY QUILTS ONLINE

Hi..All you need to make a quilt is...Fabric(just scraps will do)needle and thread(sewing machine will be faster but not necessary)time,patience,and love...Sometimes the fabric inspires and sometimes a design inspires and you find the fabric...start with a small Knee or baby quilt and always remember it is YOUR quilt and perfection is the love of making it..Not whether all the lines are straight or all the corners meet perfectly..Simply Quilts is worth watching if you get it on TV because you get a lot of different peoples ways of making a quilt.Cheers Dianne

I believe that Embroidery Library also has some help in that area.

Don't look at me girl. I did things the way "normal/average" people don't. I designed my own blocks and went from there, having no previous experience or teachings of any kind. Check your local library even and take out some books for a few weeks. Try to start with something more simple like squares (9 Patch)or wider strips (Rail Fence) designs. *4U

check your local t.v. quide for your pbs station they have weekly quilting shows to see if you're interested and the types of machines are endless. For now check out quilterstv.com they have actual t.v. shows you can watch and tells you exactly what you need to get started. Have fun but be careful, quilting, embroidery machines and this web site are very very addictive! but we all love it!

z43mak Go to www.quilterscache.com I think you'll find some help there as well as free block designs.
You can also try About.com:quilting