SusieQOH

Welcome to the board! I love the fabrics you chose. You have a good eye.
You've received lots of help so far. The only thing I can add is Jenny Doan (Missouri Star Quilt Company)
She has wonderful tutorials and is my favorite quilter out there.
There are others too though. Youtube is a wealth of quilty videos!
Can't wait to see what you make

Geri B

Re: prewashing fabric-If you are just worried about certain colors bleeding, just cut a small piece off, put in a container of hot water and see if it bleeds color, then put on a piece of paper towel to dry ans see if it leaves any color on paper....... I am not a prewashed, but do "Test" any questionable fab this way.....btw, if it bleeds, I don't use it! Just me. But if you plan on prewashing, I think all to be used should be washed, this way shrinkage is balanced....that's what I gave read anyway, since I don't.......
you mentioned your mom has Quilts, has she made them? If, so, she will be a great mentor for you.......

carolynjo

Good luck on your new venture. I am a self-taught quilter and it has been a wonderful adventure.

Little Lulu

Welcome to the art of quilting. I am a fairly new at this; however, I finished 2 crib quilts for twin great-nephews and have cut out 3 more quilts. The pattern you have shown would have been too much for me as a beginner, but go for it if you feel confident. I did the Yellow Brick Road pattern for my first quilts. It was all squares and triangles. You Tube is a "God-send" for learning quilting (really anything for that matter). I also LOVE the Missouri Star Quilt (go to Community and then click on tutorials) and the Craftsy tutorials. The Quilting Board is GREAT for getting help, advise and recommendations. Check them all out. I do not pre-wash my fabric - this is based on many comments on the Quilting Board. ENJOY the process!!!! WELCOME!

klswift

Welcome! First, foremost and so very important - take a day and play with your machine. You can either play or practice making a 'throwaway' block. The important thing is to get the feel of it. You don't need fancy, some of the best quilters use some really, really old machines. If you make some sample blocks, store then and later put them on the front of tote bags as gifts. Second, think of your quilt in stages so as not to be overwhelmed by the whole project. Each time you finish a section (cutting, finishing a block, sashing a row, etc) congratulate yourself. We thrive on a little back patting! Third - AND VERY IMPORTANT - if you get to a part that just doesn't want to work - STOP. Go away, have a glass of wine or a cup of tea, stop thinking about it. Once you return, you will probably get right through the problem. If you try to push through it, you will not finish the top. All of us have that one (or more) UFOs in our closet that we will never finish because they stopped being fun and became work. And, the reason we quilt is to have fun, to use that creative part of our brains and to feel good. There is no better feeling in the world than to see that smile on the face of someone you have given a quilt to.

Lee in Richmond

I agree that you have chosen difficult patterns to learn on. If an early project does not go well, would it discourage you from going on and trying something else? If you feel that it might, I encourage you to pick something more along the lines of patchwork to begin on. In fact, I think a sampler quilt, with narrow sashing, is a very good way to experiment with technique and color. Good luck, whatever you decide!

sewbizgirl

Welcome... you will learn more by just jumping in and 'doing', than any other way. Just remember it's not rocket science. There are many ways to do everything and you will find the way that works for you.

By the way, you are not allowed to post pictures of copyrighted material here. You can post your fabric, your work, just not the actual copyrighted pages of a book or pattern. Just telling you so you won't be surprised when quiltnnan comes along and deletes your pictures.

chris_quilts

Welcome. When you begin sewing, put in a new needle. Then, every 8 hrs or so of sewing, change it. Needles are not a huge expense but make a huge difference. Also, if using a rotary cutter, change your blade if it seems dull. It will help your cutting mat last longer & easier on your wrist/cutting arm. Rotary blades are expensive but so are cutting mats & carpal tunnel surgery.

red-warrior

I found a fabric store about an hour away that offered a wonderful beginner quilting class. I learned so much and met some wonderful people in the class. It also helped me finish the quilt quicker than I would have on my own. They may
even offer a class that you like the quilt they picked for your lovely material! Good luck and please post when you get your quilts done!

Dolphyngyrl

You don't need to wash fabric unless it's your preference. For keeping layers together all you need is a walking foot. All you need is a basic machine that can straight stitch.