DOTTYMO

Welcome to the site from uk.I sew in my small caravan. The sewing machine sits on a small table ,the fold up type. The suggestions on these sites saying left corner etc are giving the very best place they say.
As you have read on this site it is a sea saw of ideas some contradicting each other. If you have a sewing machine go for it. Table runners small and easy is the rail fence.

pdcakm

[QUOTE=Nammie to 7;6250087]Welcome to the world of quilting!! I highly recommend the Harriet Hargrave series of books called Quilter's Academy

i also recommend this book. she came to our guild and did a presentation and class. her book is wonderful for beginning. check out the library if you don't want to buy. used book stores are also good for quilting books.

there are also several online beginner classes available through craftsy (watch for their sales) and annies.

if you can afford to take classes at your local quilt shop that is wonderful but not mandatory. if you can get up the gumption, just do it. you will make mistakes but you will learn from each of them.

remember that there are people out there who will tell you there is only one way to do things. don't believe it. most of us do not have long arm machines for quilting and still manage to make very respectable quilts.

best of luck.

QM

Welcome to the world of quilting. I made my first 100 or so quilts without a specialized machine. A walking foot makes a huge difference. If Viking says they don't have one for that machine, check the web. I think the left hand side thing is nonsense, although I PREFER to have the left side open, so the quilt can drape there. When I moved to my current community in 2000, my new neighbor informed me that I was now a quilter. The guild she dragged me to was a great help to me. 500+ quilts later, I am firmly 'hooked'. There are also huge numbers of good videos on youtube. PBS has Fons and Porter's love of quilting, if you get that. I get a lot of benefit from QuiltPro quilt design software, which is easy to use and very flexible. Any question you have, ASK!!! Someone here will help. Quilting is not monolithic. There are many ways to do almost everything. There are a great many styles and methods. A rotary cutter, mat and ruler do help, but even those are not essential. "Everyone" agrees on pure cotton fabric and 1/4" seam allowances, but there are truly no quilt police. Do not use cheap thread. It will only cause you grief, as your machine will lint up very quickly. My local library has a great many books on quilting, with lots of fine pictures. Those helped me.

Reb

I have heard that many renowned quilters started out just the way you are. Some didn't even use a patern and just went for it. As to hand piecing and quilting Google Jinny Beyer. Her quilts are made entirely by hand. I tied my first quilt(s), not sure how many because I did not take pictures! I agree, just do it! I'll also reitterate: if you have any questions this Board is fantastic! Check out how to include a picture with your question for specific help on your project. Just enjoy the process, don't be hard on yourself and have fun! Welcome to the Board and the wonderful quilting community.

tessagin

Everything you've been told not to do, go ahead and do it. First time I got the machine out, I sat it on top of a TV tray. It just fit. I was sewing in my living room in front of the tv. Made a bunch of placemats for Christmas gifts. There are also videos on YouTube for beginners. have fun.

GrannieAnnie

You've got the desire +
You've got a sewing machine +2
You've got a flat surface for your machine +3
You already know sewing basics! +4

One thing you need to do is to be able to separate MUST HAVE/DO from WOULD BE NICE

IMO, you are ready to go.

GrannieAnnie

If I sew in front of the TV, I use a tray table, too.

GailG

Welcome to the board and may you have many many hours of pleasure creating quilts or quilted items for your home. I echo all of the advice shared with you. Just dive in and get started. There are so many tutorials that you can use for help and inspiration. And of course, you can come here and someone (or many) will be right there for you. Keep us posted on your progress.

NJ Quilter

Welcome from another self-taught quilter. I have hand-pieced quilts; I have machine pieced quilts on my little featherweight machine; I have machine pieced quilts on a couple of other machines that I own. I hand quilt most of my quilts and they are holding up just fine, thank you. My machine is set up on a little table that is about 18" deep by about 3 ft. wide. It's where I do all my piecing and the little machine quilting that I do. I have a reasonably large cutting surface that I also use for pressing/ironing simply by folding up towels on the top of it. My first quilted project was a table runner to see if I could manage and/or enjoy the cutting/piecing side of quilting. I drew lines on fabric and cut the pieces with scissors. It turned out just fine. Cutting mat and rotary cutter made cutting out the pieces for a double irish chain quilt (my first 'real' quilt) far easier and much more enjoyable.

I have sewn and/or done some form of needlework all of my life. Love hand work. The reason I enjoy quilting so much is that I can enjoy the machine piecing part as well as having the hand quilting to satisfy my hand-work fix. Do that while I'm watching TV with the hubby in the evenings.

As someone else mentioned, check out your local library for not only quilting instruction books, but also for different patterns. They are a wealth of information for you. Find a quilt pattern that you LIKE. You are more inclined to finish something that you want than just something to see if you can do it. If you have a local quilt shop (LQS) near to you, they, too can be a tremendous resource for you. I also know of a group of quilters that meet casually but regularly at our local library that are always open to new folks joining them. Or possibly your church. E Quilters are everywhere and most are very eager to pass on their knowledge to new, aspiring quilters. If you run into the quilt police in your travels - run in the opposite direction!

Enjoy the process. It's supposed to be fun and relaxing, not a race to the finish.

QuiltnNan

i echo all of the good advice previously posted and welcome you to the QB. happy quilting