Originally Posted by
Peckish
The bummer part about being a beginner is you don't know what you don't know. I agree with the others, this isn't the best project to start with. All those triangles have bias edges, which will warp and stretch. It will be difficult to match the blocks up, and you will pull every single hair out and and throw the top in the corner and pout. Ask me how I know.
When I started, I started with a nine patch, which can be quite lovely.....you can make an I Spy quilt with a nine patch for a baby (I did) and I love half square triangles. Never have had a problem with them and you can make so many different designs with just the 1/2 squares. I recommend the fabric pen that disappears after you get through sewing on the lines. I love cutting the dog ears. I save those in little apothecary jars. Have filled a lot. You can make as beautiful a quilt as you like without having to do all the intricate designs. There are some I would love to do and I have been quilting for over 25 years now, and I feel best and most confident (especially with a gift quilt) making the ones I do the best - Another good one is a Sampler (my specialty). You get all kinds of squares, rectangles, half square triangles, 1/4 square triangles (which is just a half square cut in half to make another triangle. That's when the fun comes in. When it isn't fun, then there just is no point. And I have fun!!!!! Check Quilters Cache, the easiest and most fun quilt to make, I think, is Floating Stars. Check it out. You sew two squares on to a rectangle, cut it at an angle and you do about 1,000,000 of those and it looks like an optical illusion. That quilt is super easy and the reward is unbelievable when it is done. Have done several of them. I use the grocery bag way of doing it. One little square is dark fabric and one little square a light fabric - dark fabric - different colors (print or solid) are cut into squares and put in one grocery bag - do same with light fabric - put in the other grocery bag. When you are sewing the block together you have a light side and a dark side to the rectangle and it all falls into place. Good luck to you. Have fun! Actually, the tree is down, the house is back to normal, I am getting out my audio book and I am going to start putting together a quilt I started before Christmas. Very excited about today. Edie