New Quilter advice needed.
Cher
After reading these messages for several weeks, I decided to pull out my
sewing machine from where it had been stored for the three years since
moving here.....Only to find I didnt have a manual for it.....Eventually
with the help of others I managed to track down my manual and buy it. I was
amazed at what the machine could do, I'd bought it as a reconditioned one a
few years before moving... My aim at the time, to replace my aged and
tiried singer, and to use this one for the odd dressmaking jobs etc.
but..........
Then I got hooked into this ng, and before long I was making my first mini
quilt.. I have several large pieces of cotton/polyester bits, so decided
to give it a try.
Now these are only practise ones and I ended up doing two, one for each
pouffe stool, as my cat likes to sit on them. I found my second one not
quite so good as the first one, where the actual quilt is concerned, I think
I did the triangles too small on the second one, but on the other first
quilt I had tried to embroider over the triangles, before the batting and
backing, and didn't lke that effect either. However I am nearly finished
with another one, for my newest grand baby to lie on...when she is on the
floor.
my simple pattern is only two triangle pieces put together to make a square
and then squares joined into strips and strips joined together....nothing
much at all, but I do so like the look of them. I actually piped an edge
on the second one.
What would be my next step, as I would dearly love to make a bed throw,
single bed(3') working up to double(kingsize 5') ... or is this too early in
my training to do this.. I am eagerly buying mini quilting mags and looking
enviously at them all.
Kind regards.....cher in South West UK
other fibre hobbies include
spinning and weaving
hand and machine knitting
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Musicmaker
that're too hard! In my opinion, all those half square triangles you've
described are a lot harder than some of the quilts you could be making! Why
don't you try your hand at making quilt blocks - squares of varying
complexity - and then putting them together in strips and putting the strips
together into quilts? And why stick to minis? Minis are often harder to
work with. I say go for it - find a pattern you like and do it. A quilter
friend of mine often makes a single block of something she's found in a
magazine before she commits to making more of it - she then decides if she
likes it - would she change any of the colors - etc.
--
Musicmaker
making music with sound and color
http://photos.yahoo.com/cbet_99
http://www.one-eleven.net/~music/
Cher <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:av6jvt$2tb$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
Marijke
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:av6jvt$2tb$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> What would be my next step, as I would dearly love to make a bed throw,
> single bed(3') working up to double(kingsize 5') ... or is this too early
in
> my training to do this.. I am eagerly buying mini quilting mags and
looking
> enviously at them all.
>
Welcome!
My very first quilt was a queen sized Irish chain. What a disaster that was.
LOL I did use it for several years though because I was quite proud of the
fact that I'd even done it. My next few quilts were for my kids so they were
smaller. Not as small as lap sized but not as big as twin sized. Then, I
hit on the perfect size (for me) for learning - baby quilt! I was pregnant
with child number three and felt that *had* to have something new so I made
him a beautiful, heavily quilted quilt. The pattern was nothing fancy, just
squares pieced together but the fun was the actual quilting.
I'm now teaching a couple of friends how to quilt and I have recommended
that they either make a wall hanging or a lap quilt for the couch. I find
that this way, the project isn't so big that it will take forever to
complete which can be very discouraging for a new quilter.
I am entirely self taught. My first quilts came from those "quilt in a
weekend" type books by Leslie someone-or-other. Very simple patterns (Ohio
squares, fence rails, etc). I stayed away from magazines at first because
the patterns looked so intimidating to me.
Anyway, all this to say, do what feels right for you but I would recommend
small for a first "real" project although it's a matter of do as I say, not
as I did!
--
Marijke
in Montreal
To see some of my quilts, go to http://photos.yahoo.com/sesesi and click on
"my quilts."
Kate Dicey
Hi there Cher!
>
> Hi all..
> After reading these messages for several weeks, I decided to pull out my
> sewing machine from where it had been stored for the three years since
> moving here.....Only to find I didnt have a manual for it.....Eventually
> with the help of others I managed to track down my manual and buy it. I was
> amazed at what the machine could do, I'd bought it as a reconditioned one a
> few years before moving... My aim at the time, to replace my aged and
> tiried singer, and to use this one for the odd dressmaking jobs etc.
> but..........
Hehehehe! We all have brilliant intentions... Life gets in the way!
>
> Then I got hooked into this ng, and before long I was making my first mini
> quilt.. I have several large pieces of cotton/polyester bits, so decided
> to give it a try.
>
> Now these are only practise ones and I ended up doing two, one for each
> pouffe stool, as my cat likes to sit on them. I found my second one not
> quite so good as the first one, where the actual quilt is concerned, I think
> I did the triangles too small on the second one, but on the other first
> quilt I had tried to embroider over the triangles, before the batting and
> backing, and didn't lke that effect either. However I am nearly finished
> with another one, for my newest grand baby to lie on...when she is on the
> floor.
These sound great!
>
> my simple pattern is only two triangle pieces put together to make a square
> and then squares joined into strips and strips joined together....nothing
> much at all, but I do so like the look of them. I actually piped an edge
> on the second one.
I also love triangles! Simple triangles can make very good over-all
patterns. Piped edges sounds tres posh!
>
> What would be my next step, as I would dearly love to make a bed throw,
> single bed(3') working up to double(kingsize 5') ... or is this too early in
> my training to do this.. I am eagerly buying mini quilting mags and looking
> enviously at them all.
Stop buying mini-quilt mags! ;D I have made a few small quilts, but
the second 'real' quilt I made was a space Quilt for my son: you can see
them on my web site - URL below! I plan to make a few BIG quilts soon:
at least three double/king sized quilts. I started quilting a year ago,
so I'm not very experienced yet: being a beginner is no bar to size!
Start with what you are comfortable with for now and work up!
>
> Kind regards.....cher in South West UK
>
I'm on top of the North Downs, in Kent! The 'bottom right' as opposed to
the 'bottom left' of the land!
--
Kate XXXXXX
Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons!
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
Patti
I live in Shropshire, by the way.
Once you have had practice, and used up all your poly cotton pieces, try
all cotton fabric, and you will find it even easier to work with - it
goes together well and presses without little puckers!
If your first pieces were triangles, you have conquered one of the
'difficult' things - working with bias grain edges. So you're doing
really well.
Before you buy any fabric, or take any decision on what you want to do
as a next 'proper' project (rather than what you described as practice
pieces), perhaps you should get yourself a couple of copies of British
Patchwork and Quilt Magazine, also Popular Patchwork. P & Q is usually
only available from quilt shops; and PP can often be bought in large
branches of WH Smith. I suggest having a look at these as well as the
mini mags to give you a wider range of options just at first.
Then perhaps a trip to the Library, to see if they have any beginners
books (before you actually buy any!). Enquire about classes, if you
have a local quilt shop?
Then off you go and have a try at your first bed quilt, if that is what
you want. I would start with a single though! This will still be quilt
large, when you take into account the overhanging sides and bottom.
This is a lovely group to be working with, and you'll get a lot of info.
here + comradeship.
It is a wonderful craft to be involved in. Once you have been to a
quilt show, you won't look back. There is now a regular one in Exeter.
If you are interested, I'll try to find the date - I know the dates were
published in a magazine I have seen fairly recently.
.
In article <av6jvt$2tb$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk>, Cher
<ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>Hi all..
>
>Then I got hooked into this ng, and before long I was making my first mini
>quilt.. I have several large pieces of cotton/polyester bits, so decided
>to give it a try.
snipped a bit
>
>Now these are only practise ones and I ended up doing two, one for each
>pouffe stool, as my cat likes to sit on them. I found my second one not
>quite so good as the first one, where the actual quilt is concerned, I think
>I did the triangles too small on the second one, but on the other first
>quilt I had tried to embroider over the triangles, before the batting and
>backing, and didn't lke that effect either. However I am nearly finished
>with another one, for my newest grand baby to lie on...when she is on the
>floor.
>
>my simple pattern is only two triangle pieces put together to make a square
>and then squares joined into strips and strips joined together....nothing
>much at all, but I do so like the look of them. I actually piped an edge
>on the second one.
>
>What would be my next step, as I would dearly love to make a bed throw,
>single bed(3') working up to double(kingsize 5') ... or is this too early in
>my training to do this.. I am eagerly buying mini quilting mags and looking
>enviously at them all.
>
>Kind regards.....cher in South West UK
>other fibre hobbies include
>spinning and weaving
>hand and machine knitting
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill
Debbi
My first quilt was a twin size Split Rail Fence for my daughter. I not only
had never quilted before, but had not touched a sewing machine since I was
in HS where I took a home economics sewing class and refused to wear any
clothes they had me wear. I was immediately addicted to quilting and have
now made over the last 4 years, quilts for every bed in the house. For my
own bed, I am handquilting a queen size whole cloth-- talk about
handquilting practice. I started it in July, plan to be done by June, 2004.
Have a great time with the quilting. Remember it is ADDICTING.
Debbi in SO CA
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:av6jvt$2tb$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
Roberta Zollner
bias edges in your half-square triangles. You might benefit from a basic
quilting "textbook" such as the Fons & Porter "Quilter's Complete Guide".
IME, we tend to finish projects we have a use for. So if you want a bed
cover, go right ahead! If you still like your HST squares, try making them
in blocks of 16 (4 X 4). If you keep a light/dark contrast, you'll see
stars, pinwheels..... the possibilities are endless. 16 3.5" squares will
give you a 12.5" block. If you make 30 of these (5 across and 6 down),
you'll cover a double bed.
Roberta in D
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:av6jvt$2tb$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
j.
u'll love it here and get all the advice you ever wanted and then
some....its the bestest place on the internet, bar none!!!!
iagree with all Roberta and the others have said and oh yea, dont forget you
can also make 'mock flying geese' with HSTs, lol. though i'm still kinda
partial to the real ones and 3D ones and 4 at a time ones and take em anyway
you can get em ones.
snort, sorry, crazy days of summer getting to my brain i think.
:D
j.
*
"Roberta Zollner" wrote in message ...
Kathy Applebaum
> snort, sorry, crazy days of summer getting to my brain i think.
Maybe it's cuz the blood rushes to your head, what with you folks in the
southern hemisphere being upside down and all. ;)
--
Kathy Applebaum (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
mailto:Kat...@NOSPAM-KayneyQuilting.com
remove the obvious to reply
j.
magee. geez, try to splain some sillyness and i'm getting bugged cuz the
water goes down the drain in the opposite direction fron up north, well
makes sense it would doesnt it?
j.
*
eeeeeeeek, eyes gettin' worse, eh.
"Kathy Applebaum" <Kat...@NOSPAM-KayneyQuilting.com> wrote in message
news:1fo9o0x.slfg3bulr9pqN%Kat...@NOSPAM-KayneyQuilting.com...
RMcC
Rose, whose feet are well on their way to webbing on the wet west coast of
B.C.
"Kathy Applebaum" <Kat...@NOSPAM-KayneyQuilting.com> wrote in message
news:1fo9o0x.slfg3bulr9pqN%Kat...@NOSPAM-KayneyQuilting.com...
Cher
are the easiest, but I may well try squares. I am not a novice machinist,
having over the years made tons of clothes for my family. So I didn't
even think of the triangles as being on the bias.. which of course they
are. I just used a set square and drew a triangle to the size I wanted,
with enough for a seam.
They took just a whole day to complete each mini, I used a white padding
fibre, and pinned this onto the reverse of the quilt, then I made a bias
binding and pinned and sewing that altogether, the material for the reverse
side of the quilt I stitched with teeny stitches by hand.
In the past I have made a three piece suite loose covers, so piping is
something else I learned early in life...LOL. I also spin and weave, so I
think that I have a good eye for colour, but never enough hours in the
day...{g}.
the baby mat is finished and gone to it's destination, and my daughter is
well pleased with it, as what I did was put a waterproof material inside the
back material, and attached handles to the underside as well, so that all
she has to do is to pick it all up toys and all, and drop it off in the
nursery when not in use it hangs behind the door if she wants.. Oh I did it
in pastel blues pinks and lemons with the odd mint green, it has a border
around it of lemon, with a bottle green thin bias edging ...
again my thanks to all.....Oh by the way I once made a hand stitched one in
teeny 8sided discs, gosh that took over a year to complete I just kept
adding bits from everything I had sewn, that was suitable, making circle
blocks, then I topped stitched the lot in herringbone stitch.....I swore
never again, but the darn thing is still going strong...My mother has it on
a guest bed!
I'll let you know how I get on with it all, if anyone has any books that
they could let me have the ISBN of I'd be grateful.
Many thanks......cher
Roberta Zollner
"1001 Patchwork Designs" by Maggie Malone ISBN0-8069-7604-7 (softcover)
If you want anything more specific, let us know.
Roberta in D
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:avhcd4$bn3$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
Cher
bookshop a ring tomorrow and see if they can get at least one of
them...Thanks.
Anything newish for new quilters will do... I have the Sewing Bible, by
singer this is years old, but I wonder if there is a similar book for
quilters.....anyone know????
cheers......cher
Roberta Zollner <rl.zo...@gmx.net> wrote in message
news:3e1c...@news.scardovi.com...
Marcella Tracy Peek
Go to http://www.ctpub.com
choose the button at the top of the page that says "new releases"
The first book you should see is called "All About Quilting from A to Z"
It's a compilation of articles from several quilting magazines. It
might be the kind of thing you are looking for. And, you can order from
the site if the bookshops near you don't carry it.
marcella
In article <avi0l4$n6v$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>,
Elena
Singer, The Quilting Bible
ISBN 0-86573-200-0
Just as good a quality as their other reference books. ( kinda expensive
too)
In their Sewing Reference Library, Singer also put out:
Quilted Projects & Garments
ISBN 0-86573-301-5
There's a lot of good books out there. rctq'ers will know them all. LOL
Good hunting!
Elena
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:avi0l4$n6v$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
Roberta Zollner
should have no trouble getting it.
Roberta in D
"Cher" <ch...@criley49.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:avi0l4$n6v$1...@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk...
Cher
Porter Quilters Complete Guide.. and also, All about Quilting from A-Z
thanks for this help and I am pleased about the recent news of the Quilting
Bible, and will order that one tomorrow..
I've started a pattern for a quilt.. Just in the paper pattern stage at the
moment, but some large triangles, that maybe could be put together as a
square, in a cream and machine embroidered, with some smaller triangles and
oblongs etc around each patch.. I am working on the idea from the Jan/Feb
No 349 issue of Quilters newsletter magazine, on page 26..
I have enough material, but will change the colours I think... It is a
start, however long it takes..LOL. I'll let you know how it goes. no doubt
be screaming for help before too long..{g}.
Thanks again for your help..
cheers...........cher