Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started with Quilting

Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started with Quilting photo 4

How to Start Quilting: A Beginner’s Guide

Quilting can be an incredibly rewarding and relaxing hobby. As a beginner, just getting started with quilting can feel a bit intimidating. From picking fabrics and supplies to learning techniques, there’s a lot to take in. But with a little guidance, anyone can learn how to make beautiful quilts. Here’s my comprehensive guide on how to start quilting for total beginners.

Supplies You’ll Need

Before you start stitching, you’ll want to stock up on a few quilting essentials:

  1. Fabric: Focus on buying good quality 100% cotton. You’ll want a variety, including solids, prints, batiks, etc. Get more than you think you’ll need!
  2. Tools: At minimum you’ll need a rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing cutting mat for accuracy.
  3. Thread: 50wt cotton covered polyester thread is versatile for piecing and quilting.
  4. Sewing machine: You don’t need anything fancy, just a basic model for straight stitching and zigzag.
  5. Needles, pins, scissors: These sewing room staples will come in handy!

From my own experience as a beginner, having the right quilting supplies makes the whole process so much easier and enjoyable. Investing in good tools pays off with better results. Don’t try to cut corners here with cheap fabric or flimsy scissors – you’ll regret it later!

Choosing Fabric for Your First Quilt

I remember standing in front of the huge fabric wall at my local quilt shop, totally overwhelmed by choices when making my first quilt. Keep these tips in mind to make it easier:

  • Stick with 100% cotton – it’s easier to work with as a beginner.
  • Choose quality fabric over quantity – a few yards of nice fabric is better than lots of cheap fabric.
  • Pick a simpler quilt pattern so you don’t need tonnes of different fabrics.
  • Solid colors and basic prints are great for first projects.
  • Buy a bit more fabric than the pattern calls for just in case.

If you’re not sure of your color choices, ask a salesperson for some advice to match colors and patterns well. Don’t stress if it’s not perfect! Half the fun with quilting is learning as you go.

Quilting Techniques to Learn

Now for the fun part – learning how to quilt! Here are some beginner techniques to start off with:

  1. Rotary cutting: Properly using a rotary cutter takes practice but it’s essential for accurate cuts.
  2. Sewing accurate seams: Perfecting 1⁄4” seams will improve the quality of your piecing.
  3. Pressing: Press fabric after every seam for flat blocks. Be mindful not to stretch or distort shapes.
  4. Piecing together a quilt top: First create individual block units, then join them to assemble the quilt top.
  5. Layering and basting: Properly layering the quilt top, batting and backing keeps everything aligned and prevents shifting.

Don’t expect perfection with your first quilt! Making mistakes is all part of the journey with quilting. Finding ways to fix mistakes actually builds your skills. Looking back at my first wobbly quilt now makes me laugh because I learned so much along the way. Now I absolutely love the sense of satisfaction from creating something beautiful with my own two hands.

Choosing Your First Quilt Pattern

As a beginner quilter, start with simpler patterns first before tackling more complex quilts:

  • Baby and lap quilts: Great small sizes to practice on.
  • Block quilts: Repeating a simple block unit.
  • Rebar or strip quilts: Joining strips together.
  • Jelly roll quilts:Made using precut fabric strips.

I suggest picking an easier pattern that still excites your creativity. Don’t pick a pattern just because it looks quick, or you won’t feel motivated to finish it. Trust me, from personal experience you don’t want a half-finished quilt lurking in your closet for years!

Should You Make Quilt Blocks Individually or Chain Piece?

When it comes to assembling your quilt top, is it best to create blocks one by one? Or keep sewing them all together in a process called chain piecing? As a beginner, try both ways!

Chain piecing helps speed up the assembly by not cutting threads between blocks. But some beginners may find this process confusing at first. And if one measurement is off, it impacts all the other chained blocks.

Whereas sewing quilt blocks individually may be slower, but allows you to focus on accuracy without worrying about messing up what comes next. It also makes it easier to customise or substitute blocks within the same quilt.

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From my own quilting, I chain piece simple repeated blocks now that I’m comfortable with getting accurate seam allowances. But for trickier blocks, or when creating different variations, I’ll sew them individually. See what method works better for you!

How to Quilt Your Project

You have a few options when it comes to finishing your quilt with quilting:

  1. Hand quilting: Uses a needle and thread to stitch patterns across the quilt layers. Relaxing but very time consuming for most quilts.
  2. Machine quilting: Uses a home sewing machine to stitch the quilting designs. Faster than hand quilting but can be tricky learning proper machine technique.
  3. Longarm quilting services: Pay an expert quilter at a longarm shop to finish quilting it for you. Convenient but can get pricey for larger quilts.

As a total beginner to quilting, start simple – just do straight line quilting on your domestic machine about 1 inch apart across the whole quilt. This may not be fancy, but it finishes your first quilt! After that you can experiment with free motion quilting and different decorative patterns.

Get Connected with Other Quilters

One of the best parts about quilting is the amazing community behind it. Everyone is so willing to share skills and encouragement. Here’s a few ways for newbies to find quilting friends:

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  • Check for a local quilt guild you can join for meetings and classes
  • Follow quilters on social media for inspiration
  • Participate in online quilting groups and message boards
  • Sew along with quilting patterns that have Facebook user groups

As a beginner it was so invaluable to connect in person with other quilters through my local guild. I learned so much about piecing, quilting and binding by getting advice from the pros. It really streamlined the learning process rather than figuring it all out alone through trial and error! Plus, I’ve made wonderful friendships in the quilting community over the years.

Time to Begin Your Quilting Journey

Let all these beginner tips instill excitement rather than overwhelm as you start your quilting adventure! Remember that all great quilters started from humble beginnings. Allow yourself permission to be imperfect while developing skills over time. Most importantly, enjoy the creative process and sense of pride in crafting something with your own two hands.
Happy quilting! Let me know if you have any other questions – I’m always happy to help out a fellow newbie quilter!

Tips for Beginning Quilters
Tip Details
Start with basic patterns Try simple patchwork or rail fence patterns before attempting complex designs
Choose beginner-friendly fabrics Cotton quilting fabrics are easier to work with than slippery satins or delicate silks
Invest in essential tools A good rotary cutter, ruler, and self-healing mat will make cutting fabric easier
Don’t scrimp on batting Quality cotton or wool batting provides better warmth and durability
Learn key techniques Practice skills like precise cutting, pinning, and pressing seams before assembling a quilt
Start small Try making a baby quilt, wall hanging, or placemats before tackling a bed-sized quilt
Join a quilting group Connecting with other quilters provides community support, inspiration, and advice

FAQ

How do I get started with quilting?

  1. First up, decide what kind of quilting project you want to start with. A simple patchwork quilt or wall hanging is great for beginners. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try something a bit more complex.
  2. Next, gather your fabric and supplies. You’ll need fabric for the quilt top, batting, backing material, thread, needles, pins, scissors, a ruler and some basic quilting tools. Don’t go overboard buying stuff though – start small.
  3. Then, find a beginner quilting pattern you like. There are tons of easy quilting patterns available for free online. Pick one that uses basic shapes and doesn’t have too many pieces.
  4. Once you’ve chosen your pattern, wash and iron your fabrics so they are wrinkle-free and ready to cut. Make sure to pre-wash any fabrics that may shrink.
  5. Next up, it’s time to cut out your quilt pieces according to the dimensions given in the pattern. An acrylic quilting ruler and rotary cutter will help get nice, accurate cuts.
  6. Now sew your quilt top together by stitching the cut pieces into rows. Pin pieces together to hold them in place as you sew. Then join the rows to form the quilt top. Go slowly and be patient with yourself!
  7. After that, you’ll make a “quilt sandwich” with the batting and backing and finally stitch everything together. There’s tons of tutorials online showing exactly how to do this.
  8. Finally, add your binding to finish off the raw quilt edges neatly. Et voila, you have a completed quilt! Nice job!

Level up by trying more complex patterns or experimenting with different techniques as you build confidence. But most importantly, have fun with it!