You might take a look at www.quiltville.com. She has some really great patterns. I'm particularly thinking of the one called "Bricks and Stepping Stones". Very scrappy, very easy, can be made any size, very easy instructions.

Just a tip: Depending on the pattern, and the size of pieces you need, it can be cheaper to buy a 1/4 year of fabric from the bolt, instead of a fat quarter. Check it out before you spend!

Welcome Becky,

For the cost of a magazine subscription or a book (about $24 a year) you can join QNN on the web. I joined and I am thrilled with it. I too am a novice quilter. They have beginning quilting video's, Eleanor BUrns, and many others. You can watch them any time it is convenient...as well as rewatching them. FOR ME, it is well worth the money. If you start with the beginner quilting videos it takes you through step by step, choosing fabric, cutting, sewing etc. There are videos on binding and quilting. IT IS GREAT. Also You tube has great tutorials. But I love QNN. They also have tons of FREE patterns and ideas.


http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/tpc/ERA_032909_ARS

Margie

OOOPS gave you the site to support animals, breast cancer, literacy, rain forest, childrens health by clicking each day...good site but wrong one SORRY.

Here is the correct site for Qnn, if you are interested...you can view sample video too.

http://www.qnntv.com/aspx/qnn/default.aspx

Margie

Hello!
I agree, you should check out a library. You may think you want something simple, but if you find an all-around quilting book (what I'd call a comprehensive book), you will be glad you spent the money, because it will contain many shortcuts, pointers, probably even the reasoning behind why certain things were done one way, and are now done another way. A good book would also cover (at least the basics) of both hand and machine techniques.
If you have any quilting friends, look through some of their books before buying.
If you have any sort of fabric store nearby, chances are you can browse books before you buy. My local JoAnn's has the books located with the sewing patterns, so there are tables and chairs right there to make it even more convenient.
Also, check the news stands, even in your local grocery. At least some quilting magazines include the basics in every issue.
If you are crafty, and don't normally have trouble with printed instructions, I imagine you wouldn't have any trouble with many types of blocks. Box in a Box is fun, Log cabin is pretty easy too. You could have a lot of fun with Flying geese, especially if you think outside the box with your colors. There's an eight pointed star (is that what it's called?) that is very common, I would think you could even handle that, given good instructions!
Good luck! We'll be waiting to hear if you get the addiction we all seem to have!

I have been a quilter for over 25 years and find Fons Porter books good as well as thimbleberry books. Check them out at the library or many book stores carry them. I have over 100 books and still use these as reference and they have some great beginner projects.

Just wanted to say "thank you" again. I got so many great and helpful responses, and I think I will probably end up using more than one of them at some point in the near future.

For my first project, though: I went back and forth on whether I should do a small project or a quilt, and my heart won out over my head (I decided to go with a quilt). I got a lot of votes for nine-patch, so I went looking for an unintimidating looking nine-patch pattern. Here's what I found:

http://www.quickquilts.com/patterns/...s.html?idx=271

I would do it without the applique, to keep it simple.

Unfortunately all the diagram links on that page are broken, so I'm going to need to find a back issue if I decide to do this quilt. Would love to know some opinions, first!

Thanks!!!

Becki

I did one with a heart appliqued in the alternating squares. I loved the way it turned out.

http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/f...ts_closeup.jpg

But I made one where I alternated the 9-patch with a coordinating fabric square. That was pretty too.

BTW: are you planning to use strip piecing? That makes the 9-patch easier than cutting out each square.

U R Rough and Ready girl, right? If you run into a snag, give a shout. Maybe I could come to the rescue. You are not that far away.

9 patch with a snowball sq. make a very interesting pattern.
I like Billi Lauders way of doing nine patchs.
She is on http://quilterstv.com

GiddyUpGo: What I would suggest is check out quilt sites and look at all the FREE patterns and tutorial instructions that are offered on the Internet before you invest in lots of books. Two great sites are: quilterscache.com and Quiltbus.com . When looking at patterns sometimes they'll have a rating of 1 Thimble (easy) to 4 Thimble which is very advanced. The Rail Fence is a great, easy and quick pattern that really jazzed me up when I first started because the blocks are easy and in not time at all you have a finished quilt! Nothing like a finished quilt to get the creative juices flowing and the desire to do another.

If you want a great book, Elinor Burns' "Quilt In A Day" is a good one.

Make sure and post pictures of your quilt and get all the Ohhhs and Ahhhs and Good Jobs on your hard (easy) work.

Welcome to the board. You'll learn a ton here.
[b]

Quiltbug suggested magazines and books as an excellent way to learn about quilting. This is a GREAT idea...I've gotten a ton of quilt magazines and BOOKs at our local St. Vincent dePaul for almost nothing. You might find exactly what you need there for a quarter! Check it out. I've also found some wonderful fabric at this store for about $1 a yard. Since I learned of this potential resource, I can't go by our SVdP store without stopping in to see what treasures they have.

Welcome - I think the nine-patch is one of the easiest. The disappearing 9 patch is very easy too!

Anything from Eleanor Burns is very simple but looks great! Check out her books. And welcome to an addition!

If you are totally new at quilting I suggest trying an Elenor Burns "Quilt in a Day" book of some kind. She gives step by step instructions to complete the quilt and are quite a lot of hints to help in any project. Very good for beginners. Check out her web site

The book I have used for 30yrs of quilting is Fons and Porter Quilter,s Complete Guide. My friend just purchased from Amazon Usually very good service Good Luck and welcome to the quilting world

A nine patch is the way to go. They are easy and they teach you to match corners. and you can separate each block with a white block to make it go together faster. I took a sampler class for my second quilt and I learned so many things and different methods, but you can just dive into some of the simpler quilts on your own and do fine. Be sure to read the directions through and then maybe make a practice block of what ever you decide.
Another good one is Warm Wishes, google it for the directions. Good luck and have fun.

Hi Becki, welcome aboard. You might find something you like at "www.quilterscache.com/QuiltBlocksGalore.html". I think this is a great site. :) Liz

There is a website that is called "Teacher's Pet" they have a wondeful begginer pattern called "take 3" or there is one called "take 5" The idea is you take 3 fabrics or 5 fabrics and make an easy quilt. I have made several of these for gifts. They are great !

Web site for teachers pet: http://www.the-teachers-pet.com

Hey there,
Try the turning twenty books or any of the fat quarter friendly books until you figure out how big ya wanna go and how much fabric you wanna buy. Picking out fabric becomes addicting!!! Good Luck!!!

My first quilt was crazy circles using the drunkards path templates!!! But I am just crazy like that! LOL :lol:

LOL

Nothing like jumping in the deep end is there! ;-)

I did the same with a stained glass quilt.... my first ever was a very complex design I drew myself. Looks stunning, but was hard work!

Awesome! I would love to see that! I am hoping to learn how to use the heat and bond to do some large applique of elk and moose. I took a hand applique class, Celtic knot. Made our own bias strips. I really enjoyed it. Umm it's not done. The boys knocked the basket over in the car and spilled soda pop on it before I finished it. Oh well. No biggie! At least I know how to do it. What I want to learn is the pretty hand stitches to embellish a Sun Bonnet Sue. I worked in an office administering chemo. One of my patients wives was a quilter and she had brought in her Sue quilt. OMG! She did it all by hand and it was just gorgeous. I couldn't sneak it out to my car though darn it!

hi Becki;
I am also a beginning quilter. I have several great grand-children & have been making quilts for them. I have made princess quilts for the girls & different boy themes, including race cars. |I get fabric that has the theme I want & fussy-cut out the sections to the dimensions I want. I then do log cabin squares using the colors in my main theme. I alternate them until I find a pattern I like. Much easier than I make it sound. I also found a pattern for shining star quilts that I love. It is very easy & uses 1/2 square triangles. Color combinations are unlimited & they are so easy & quick. Hope this helps.

Peggy/granny(13 great-grands)

Horses or cars in the FABRIC would be your best bet - in a pattern like 4-patch or 9-patch like others have suggested.

Hi giddyup I am new also & have a perfect patern for you! It is in the Fons & Porter's easy quilts you can get it online a Fons & Porter's website or I believe at books a million! There is one for a girl real cute & one for a boy cute & easy! Good luck! :D

Fons and Porter is great.

I just got an email from Clotilde featuring this quilt, and I think it's adorable! It's smaller than a twin size, but I bet it wouln't be hard to make bigger., and it's rated for a beginner.

http://www.e-patternscentral.com/det...source=EUDE1EA

deetee: I Googled but didn't get anything except a teacher's union-type site. Can you be more specific about the e-mail name/address? I'd be very interested in taking a look at the Take 3 or Take 5 quilt block. Thank you.

Hi Becki;
This is a follow-up to my recent tips. I found the web site for the Shining Star Quilt & other patterns. It is www.calicocarriage.com. They also have a kit you can purchase.
Also, if you get a new machine ,make sure it has a needle down feature on it & if it does not have a 1/4 inch attachment ,it is well worth it to purchase one.


Peggy

Hi - if you have not found a pattern yet, a very simple one is the friendship star - it is a center square block with half square triangles - it is great to use as a larger block pattern and it can be used to highlight printed fabric - I used it with fish fabric for the stars and blue for the background -- looked like an aquarium! quilterscache.com is an excellant place to go for patterns.