New in Illinois
05-24-2020, 08:07 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 7
New in Illinois
Hi, I was a non-sewer running a mask making group in my town. I caught the sewing bug when I couldn't get elastic for our group and started to make continuous bias tape for our sewers. Now I am being overrun with scraps, which I can not throw away and have decided to make a quilt from the mask scraps. So I am as basic and as new as you can get. Loving all the information you all have in these pages. Would love any suggestions that you wish you had known before you started your first quilt. Thanks and excited to get to know you all. Beth
05-25-2020, 04:11 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,166
Welcome aboard! I'm here in Seattle and have done a lot of mask making.
First thing, is quilting is really not all that complicated to start with. We take two pieces of fabric and put them together, then put those with the next. I am self taught, I started when I was a senior in High School (some 40 years ago now). Typically we use a 1/4" seam allowance, the big thing is that you learn that and are consistent. It seemed so small when I started, being used to a huge garment 7/8ths allowance. I'd just cut your scraps into a consistent size/shape and start sewing them together. Keep your stitches fairly small, most machines with a default stitch are too large (so my Bernina defaults to something like 2.25 but I use around 1.8 for quilting). You should never be able to easily pull apart entire stitches from the end seam.
The worst thing that happens is you learn something and make something warm/comfortable for someone or at least the dog
PS: My neighbor has really enjoyed making masks for his family with the vintage machine I loaned him. He's a construction guy who just had a shoulder repaired and this mask making is giving him ideas that maybe he can make drapes or other commercial sewing and/or may have a new hobby himself!
First thing, is quilting is really not all that complicated to start with. We take two pieces of fabric and put them together, then put those with the next. I am self taught, I started when I was a senior in High School (some 40 years ago now). Typically we use a 1/4" seam allowance, the big thing is that you learn that and are consistent. It seemed so small when I started, being used to a huge garment 7/8ths allowance. I'd just cut your scraps into a consistent size/shape and start sewing them together. Keep your stitches fairly small, most machines with a default stitch are too large (so my Bernina defaults to something like 2.25 but I use around 1.8 for quilting). You should never be able to easily pull apart entire stitches from the end seam.
The worst thing that happens is you learn something and make something warm/comfortable for someone or at least the dog
PS: My neighbor has really enjoyed making masks for his family with the vintage machine I loaned him. He's a construction guy who just had a shoulder repaired and this mask making is giving him ideas that maybe he can make drapes or other commercial sewing and/or may have a new hobby himself!
05-26-2020, 07:11 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
Welcome to the QB Beth! This is a great place for new quilters to learn. Hopefully your scraps are a good size to begin with. Do you have a cutting mat, acrylic ruler and rotary cutter to begin with. A great beginner quilt is 4-5" squares that you can sew together to make your quilt. Another things I would suggest are some of the beginner books from Quilt In A Day. www.quiltinaday.com. Eleanor Burns does a great job for beginners. She provides great instructions for a beginner to make a beautiful and stylish quilt. I began my quilting experience with a blank canvas, like you, with Quilt in a Day. There are 2 must when learning to quilt. Squaring up the pieces to your block and pressing your pieces to one side. This will provide you a nice looking block every time. I am sure others will jump in here with great ideas. Again welcome to the QB there is so much here and jump right in.
05-26-2020, 11:46 AM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,546
Welcome from Texas. You will be glad you joined this quilting board & I'm so happy to hear you got interested in quilting after making face masks for those in need. We love pictures & want to see what you make.
- When I made my first quilt I used a single layer of fabric for my binding. Guess what? That was the first thing on my quilt to start falling apart after several years of use & washing.
- Don't be hard on yourself & dwell over every little mistake you make. Things will get better as you progress.
- Don't point out your mistakes to others (unless it to a more experienced quilter who you are trying to learn from). More than likely those who you show or give the quilt to will never notice them & when you gift a quilt to someone they are so happy to receive it that they don't give a hoot if there are mistakes in it. They love it for what it is....a quilt made with love just for them.
- Have fun! This is a hobby for you...not a profession. Enjoy the entire procedure of quilt making & don't stress over it.
