Okay you guys....breathe deep!!:)Here's what I want you to do...just follow me...forget where you have been or done at this moment...you will get this...and, you will LOVE it!! It really is so much fun and when you master it (in minutes!) you will all of the sudden realize how easy it was in the first place. How do I know this??Because I've been there too!! Here we go..go to: http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQuiltingPages/startquiltingthree.html and print off this block...heck, print off 4 of them...you might as well make a pillow top:))And, use your regular printing paper...it is fine.
Now...figure out your basic 2 colors for this simple square in a square...nothing else. Decide on your center color first...let's say the center is blue...always a deep blue, that is what I like...:0)...hold your paper w/lines looking at your eyes...not the back of paper...you are to see only the lines in this paper at all times...if you have a window in this room...hold paper w/lines in front of your face...w/light behind paper...then hold your blue fabric behind this paper...you will see in the light that you are waaaay over the lines...that is fine(You will work on cleaning up that later)...and, if you peek around to the backside of this paper...you are looking at the correct side of this blue fabric (not the underside/or wrong side of fabric)Now, while you are holding this paper up, seeing a bit of light thru it ,seeing that #1 blue fabric over the lines (perfect so far!)(use a lamp if you don't have a window)lay next fabric face down (now right sides together) of the fabric you would use inthe number 2 fabric we'll say is yellow....all you care about right now...is this....to cover your 1 lines, (extending over it's square lines) and now at least 1/4"(more is fine)over your #2 line. So, think....2 fabrics together now, extending over the line between your 1 and 2 line....carefully set this down to sew under presser foot...once in position and ready to sew, I drop my presser foot to hold in place for me. Now...most IMPORTANT....take your stitch length waaaay down. I keep mine at about 1.5. This will make smaller stitches...and, at the same time perforating your paper....so, when ALL done...paper will rip easily. Sew on that line between your 1&2....when done...I always double check that when fabric is flipped over, it (yellow)covers now over all of the the 2 lines all the way around....I press fabric down, so you are now looking at 2 right sides of fabric sewn together,pressed...then I flip it back over.....and,cut what would have been a 1/4" between the two to clean it up on the underside. Make sense?? Now, lay your #3 fabric over #2, right sides together make sure you are over now between your 2and3 lines 1/4"...And, you continue until all are done in the same way as above. If you want, print this....sew this w/this to follow instructions. It is fun...don't give up. Most of all, know you aren't silly for not necessarily understanding at first...just keep trying. Quilters are very smart people!! And, you all are! Now, here's something to laugh about....I taught myself after someone verbally told me how to...only I sewed my block w/lines down the whole time I sewed...I just couldn't understand how this is a good thing....then I had my 'aha' moment and realized I had just sewed it upside down:))But, not until the block was done:))LOL You will get this...don't give up...:))Sometimes people go for a too hard of a block to learn on...go simple til you master it. It is no different then fixing your hair in a mirror....it's the same thinking. No question is silly...and, for some, starting out, they might use a piece of double sided tape to hold only the first fabric down in place so it won't slide on them till they get the hang of it. Put all other glues, etc away:))Keep us posted...and, I hope this makes sense...or I will try again...Skeat