Perfecting the art of quilting
11-27-2012, 08:58 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Allen Park, MI
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by jcrow
I've been quilting since 1992, but only seriously about 2 1/2 years. I consider myself an experienced beginner also. I shy away from hard quilts because of my fear that I won't be able to make them. But I have made some hard ones and I didn't know they were hard until a while after I finished them. I am amazed at some of the quilts I made. I think I have digressed. Some of the quilts I made a couple of years ago, I'm afraid to tackle now. I think I didn't know any better when I did the challenging quilts and I did them fine. Now, I know they are hard and won't do them. Isn't that crazy?
Before if I liked the quilt, I'd make it. Now, I look at it with a different perspective. If it looks hard, I won't do it. But I've done those hard quilts before, so why do I think I can't do them now? Like I said, it's crazy that I'm digressing.
I need to challenge myself, also. I get so bored with some of the quilts I'm making. They are too easy. I think I need the challenge so I'll keep quilting. But, I've seen pictures of some of the quilts here on the board and feel less than because I don't think I could make them. I try not to look at the "Pictures" section too much because I get depressed. I should be doing more challenging quilts than I'm allowing myself to do and it's lowering my self esteem when it comes to quilting. I should be more than an experienced beginner, I should be advanced, but it's my fear that won't allow me to do the harder quilts. And I know I can do them deep inside...it's fear that's keeping me from doing them. I've seen beginner's do very hard quilts because they are fearless, like I use to be. Before I knew better.
Before if I liked the quilt, I'd make it. Now, I look at it with a different perspective. If it looks hard, I won't do it. But I've done those hard quilts before, so why do I think I can't do them now? Like I said, it's crazy that I'm digressing.
I need to challenge myself, also. I get so bored with some of the quilts I'm making. They are too easy. I think I need the challenge so I'll keep quilting. But, I've seen pictures of some of the quilts here on the board and feel less than because I don't think I could make them. I try not to look at the "Pictures" section too much because I get depressed. I should be doing more challenging quilts than I'm allowing myself to do and it's lowering my self esteem when it comes to quilting. I should be more than an experienced beginner, I should be advanced, but it's my fear that won't allow me to do the harder quilts. And I know I can do them deep inside...it's fear that's keeping me from doing them. I've seen beginner's do very hard quilts because they are fearless, like I use to be. Before I knew better.
Wow! I SO understand this. When I first started quilting, I wasn't afraid of anything! In fact, my very first one I completed had applique! I didn't know I was supposed to be afraid of it! The more I learned, the less confident I felt...for a while. It still creeps up on me sometimes and I have to remind myself that I CAN do it, it'll never be perfect, but it will BE. And I enjoy doing it. Those things are what count. I am still trying to hone my skills, probably always will be, but I'd not shy away from something that was "hard" just becuase it was hard. One bite at a time gets it done.
To the OP - you should have absolutely no problem putting together and quilting many of the traditional (and many "modern") quilt patterns - you obviously know your way around a sewing machine. Rotary cutting might be new, 1/4 seams might be new, but these shouldn't be a problem. I'd probably advise you to start with something smallish - twin or smaller - pick fabrics you really love, and jump in. Have fun. I still learning at least one new thing with every quilt I make (many times more than one thing!).
11-27-2012, 09:01 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Allen Park, MI
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by topstitch
I have quilts done by my grandmother over a 50 year span. You can practically see her age. Her first quilts were those of a novice. The ones done after 10 or so years are soooo close to perfect and they continue that way until the last 7 or 8 years that she quilted. Those that she did at the end of her quilting, show her stiff and painful fingers and her very poor eye sight. I love these last quilts the most. She never knew that they were so imperfect and to me they are her finest quilts ever.
11-27-2012, 10:33 AM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: DC area
Posts: 417
2.5 years of constant leaping over proverbial hurdles. I know what to do, how to do it and do not experience nerves and lack of confidence. I just came off some medicine about 15 days ago that took my creativity away! This morning finally it was activated and I completed adding 2 borders and making a backing so that I could run out by 9:15 to the LAQers. My beginning years were quilt busy as I tried out new ideas.
11-27-2012, 11:33 AM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Pe Ell, Washington
Posts: 2,512
You know every person you talk to will have a different answer, the important things to remember Accuracy in cutting, and sewing, precision in pressing. I have seen first time quilters make incredibly beautiful quilts and I have seen some that have been quilting for years make quilts that well needed help, Those three little things will take you far in quilting then if you can have someone to give you pointers on borders (I always measure through the middle then tear them the length of the fabric then divide quilt and border into fourths or eights and pin together) Binding is the biggest issue that can take the longest time to perfect. Because it is easily seen it is the first thing to judge the quality of the quilt. There are some very good tips on binding here just search or maybe someone else will chime in with the answer.
11-27-2012, 11:34 AM
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,369
Originally Posted by Dina
Okay, I will never say my skills are perfect or even close to it, but I am pretty comfortable with many quilting patterns now. My points are good, which is something I worked hard at. I have been quilting for 3 years. I consider myself an experienced beginner. The best I can say is that the more you do it, the more confident you get. Don't be hard on yourself if something isn't perfect. 
Dina
Dina
11-27-2012, 11:52 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Richmond, TX
Posts: 439
You know these pages are filled with sisters. We all seem to be overwhelmed, and lacking confidence frequently. I recently joined a bee and the quilt guild. I love the ladies, but I can easily be intimidated by their mastery. My next door neighbor visits and thinks I am some kind of quilting/savant (Hah!), but it is all perspective. She taught herself to sew. I am an ADD quilter. I jump around from concept to concept-partly because I too get bored. I am on applique (needle turn) now-a-days, and can see I have a long way to go. I can turn out a quilt that looks good to most folks, but to an appliquer (?) I look young in experience (wish that was physical!).
11-27-2012, 04:34 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,560
I've been quilting since July 2010. I started with an Eleanor Burns pattern, then started looking at blocks I liked & putting them into quilts. About the 3rd one I did was Dresden Star. I was told it was beyond my expertise. That annoyed me, so to show them I could do it, I did!! I made the block into a lovely tote bag for a granddaughter & filled it with fabric scraps, home-made kits, & little sewing treasures. Last month I taught that granddaughter to make hair scrunchies & sent her her first real sewing machine! She's looking to make a t-shirt quilt. Most of my friends who have seen my work, say I do pretty good for being mostly self taught. I have a wonderful go-to friend from here for back up when I quilt myself into a corner which I've been doing less often lately thankfully. I'm pretty confident now. I took a free course from Craftsy and learned to paper piece this year & it's given me a lot more confidence.
11-27-2012, 06:23 PM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: League City, Texas, USA
Posts: 625
I managed my first quilt from reading library books and watching Missouri Star Quilt Co tutorials on YouTube. Oh, yes, and with a little help in choosing how much fabric to buy from my LQS. That's also where I learned about rotary cutters and self healing mats, etc. I machine pieced and hand quilted it. I think I did a passable job. My Avatar is of that first quilt. Then I decided to take a quilting class. It was actually a piecing class and did I learn a lot. I wish I had taken the class before, and it would have made things much easier on the first quilt. So, if I was you, that is what I would do. Besides, a quilting class is so much fun. Mainly just keep trying new things, keep learning and take time to enjoy the process.
11-27-2012, 06:27 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Keller, TX
Posts: 7,417
Welcome from Texas! Quilting is very different from dressmaking as I have come to find out. I love quilting but am far from perfect after 7 years. I think I was more successful at clothes making but my passion is for quilting. You will learn so much here.
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