Advice to a new quilter -
 

Some of the things I wish someone had told me - before I learned for myself!

Make a few quilts before offering to make one for everyone I know.

Learn to say "no" if/when someone asks for a quilt - or to mend something - or to replace a zipper.

Learn to value my work and time - even for gifts - and how to calculate replacement cost of materials used - if someone balks at a suggested price - suggest they buy it "ready-made"

It is easier - and less expensive in the long run - to work with good quality materials (regardless of where they were purchased) than to work with poor quality materials.

Recycling is fine - but trying to use a warped blanket for batting does not work out well (the neighbor lady did this - I tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined - it did not work out well!)

It is easier to make mistakes when one is very tired.

Stashes and extra supplies are a mixed blessing. It's nice to have stuff on hand - but it is money tied up in inventory. And space taken. I think - in hindsight - those that buy for one project at a time- even at "regular prices" and have basic tools probably spent a lot less money over-all than I have over the years.

(I do enjoy going through my stuff - but - I do have more stuff than necessary!)

It is okay to change my mind about original choices.

The patterns/directions sometimes have errors in them.


Anything you had to learn the hard way?

Fabric that I was given or bought that I didn't like then, rarely "grows on me." I know what colors and patterns sing to me, and which ones don't. It's better to spend a little more than to take what I don't really like on the cheap .

A cutting table the right height is something I waited too long to discover.

Ditto for a sewing table at the right height.

Be carful when explaining to some people how to do something, they go round the room and ask everyone then come back and tell you, that you were wrong.
there are more than one way to do some things.

Be careful who you loan your notions to.

never say I have that fabric to the person running short, then realise you love the fabric and don't want to give away.

Find a group of beautiful quilters who love quilting as much as this site does. Be aware of the critical group who distroy your passion.

There truly is a difference between the fabrics & threads you can buy at JAF/HL versus the ones you can buy at LQS.

Just because the batting instructions state that it CAN be quilted up to 10" apart, doesn't mean that the quilt will hold up with that little quilting (it means the batting will).

Universal needles do not actually sew everything. You need to buy different needles for different types of sewing & you need to match the needle to the thread.

And, most of all, I have learned I need to stand up for myself! There are too many people out there (including some who -- shockingly -- work in quilt shops!) who believe that unlike cooks, maids, electricians, sales clerks, doctors & lawyers, quilters should never get paid for our work. Beyond that, there are others who undervalue (or worse, devalue) our work ... expecting that we should work for $1/hour so they can have beautiful, functional pieces of art. And finally, there are those who don't consider quilting to be an art or a business, much less both at the same time. So I have learned a bit too slowly to stand up for myself, my art & my business. I have learned to fearlessly explain what goes into my craft -- the cost of supplies, the number of stitches, the hundreds of hours, the classes, the lessons learned through experience, professional appraisals & so forth. I have learned to explain how I developed a business plan, established necessary inventory, marketed my business, filed (and continue to file) required paperwork with the government, and meet with my business adviser, attorney & accountant like any other reputable business owner. I pay taxes &, yes, quilting is a real business and I am proud to earn above minimum wage like any other hardworking American. I wish I knew that with those first commissioned quilts I took on. So much work preparing fabric that customers swore was in good condition, but was actually riddled with holes ... all for a measly $50 + cost of fabric/batting. The thread, pins, needles, wear & tear on my machine, starch, laundry detergent, electricity & so forth ran through half of that $50 and all the mending took me 8 hours, and then I had the time needed to sew & quilt. I ended up making about $1.50/hour. Now I count all those items when calculating cost & would never do another custom quilt using a client's fabric without first inspecting the fabric in person & doing a burn test on it to determine the fiber content.

Ah well, live & learn. And then go quilting. :cool:

I had to smile to myself as I read these posts. When I announced on Facebook I was going to try quilting, I got a reply back from a friend that I could make a baby quilt as my practice piece for a friend of hers. She offered $10 towards the materials. I declined.

It's OK to stop working on a project if you absolutely hate it. It is not a crime or a sin to throw it away. You need not feel obligated to finish it for charity or for pets. Your time is valuable.

That fabric that is too ugly to pay half price for is still too ugly if someone is giving it to you for free. Be selective.

Don't be afraid to cut into the most beautiful fabric you own. It becomes more beautiful incorporated into a quilt that you or someone you love uses and is visible. And next month, or very soon, you are going to find even more beautiful fabric.

Love all of the hints. I am not afraid to toss a started quilt if I don't love it or if it doesn't work well for me. I do buy good fabric and I have a way to large stash. I sometimes go through and clean out fabric I won't ever use. It goes to a church group that does quilts for homeless or abused women.

When I start making mistakes I stop sewing for the day. I notice I personally decide I want to get the quilt finished and I start hurrying. That is when I have to take it all apart and do it over. Thus my rule to myself is "Stop now! You can sew in the morning!"

I don't remember anything being THAT difficult as I learned to quilt. It is a learning process and a hobby to enjoy.

A wooden TV tray does not make a good sewing table and learning to free motion quilt on said TV tray makes for very interesting, but not necessarily nice looking quilting.

So much wisdom here! I don't get out to classes, guilds and such, so the only quilting contact I have is with the ladies at my LQS. I feel so fortunate that they are kind, encouraging, fun-loving ladies. I always have some good laughs when I'm there.