I had sewed garments all my life. My first quilt was a Just Can't Cut it. It is a very beginner friendly quilt. You only have to match the corners where the pieced and solid blocks meet.

I didn't buy the pattern. I looked at the pattern and the finished size and figured out that is was a 12" finished block. Therefore, the 12" pieced block would be 2 pieces cut 6 1/2 square and the other half of the block would be 3 fabrics cut 6 1/2 x 4 1/2. The hardest thing was figuring out where to place the fabrics. I made it with WM fabrics. I didn't want to waste any money on "good" fabrics. 30 washings or more later, it is still going strong. The one thing I would have done differently would be to have made the outside border wider. I had the material, just didn't see the need.

Welcome to the board! You've come to the best place for ideas to help you get started. Just remember that you can get some of your best material from garage/estate sales. Crazy quilts are a good way to get started since the materials can very. Strip scrap quilts are also great. This board is like an encyclopedia of all things sewing/quilting. Just have fun.

Welcome to the board and the exciting world of quilting. Looks like others have some great advice on patterns and things to buy and I completely agree with the be sure to start something you like its so much easier to finish it.

I would only add that if your machine has just been sitting for quit awhile, before you actually start sewing get the manual out and follow the directions to give it a good cleaning and oil it if your manual recommends it. Start with a fresh needle too. If you are not comfortable doing it on your own you can call around to sewing and vac stores, or quilt shops to give it a good cleaning and tune up.

I hope you start small and work your way to learn as you go-pillow top,small wall hanging or place mats,pot holders,candle mats are all nice small items to practice on.Try going to you tube and search the many sewing demos from beginner to advanced.

I am a self taught quilter. I started small. VERY SMALL. I made a bunch of different pot holders. With one 9" pot holder I learned: piecing, sandwiching, quilting and binding. The WHOLE quilt in 9". Lots of people got pot holders for christmas that year :)

You can find scads of different and FREE 9" (or larger) block patters on

http://quilterscache.com/QuiltBlocksGalore.html

Wow! Thanks for all the responses and good ideas. Potholders and shopping bags sound small enough for my first projects. Also, the suggestions the specifics of rulers will help my selection process. Thanks again.

You've already got your best tool, this Quilt Board! I would also suggest that you make friends with your LQS. If you can take a quilting class there instead of Joanne's. IMHO Welcome from Colorado :wave:

hi Tiki and welcome.
you are obviously ahead of where I was when I started. I did not even own nor had ever touched a sewing machine!
the lady at the sewing machine shop had to orient me to machine basics...lol.
I know you said you didn't want to start big, but I did a BOM (block of the month) at Hancock fabrics. I learned something new each month and didn't have a big investment in fabric. just an idea for ya

Hi from Ohio!

Welcome from OHIO! It sounds like you have been given a great list of things to start with.