It's a waiting game of sorts with them. Their latest offering didn't include the sewing or quilting classes! Hopefully we'll see something crop up during their 12 Days of Christmas promotion. $14.99 can't be beat. ;)

Someone mentioned her earlier and I visited the site. I also checked to see if my library carried her books. They had a couple. I'm glad you brought up the colors. Sometimes it's hard to divorce what you see from the fabric you have in mind. I'm uncertain why that happens for me with quilts. I don't have the same issue with garments.

I picked up all the free quilting classes as they've become available. Maybe I was destined to be here. How long did it take you to finish your blocks? Thanks for the suggestions. I've seen a few samplers and they're quite cute.

This is such a rabbit's hole. Pretty soon I'll be asking about applique! :thumbup:

Thank you for sharing your method. How many blocks do your students make? Are they combined for a smaller project or a quilt instead?

That's the beauty of asking questions. You get unexpected answers. I always assumed that the table runners were simply blocks combined. That's how they appeared in the books. Instructions aside of course.

Your suggestion about seeing the item every day is very apropos. I'm visually astute, although that isn't my method of learning. I would notice the imperfections and other nuances that an untrained eye might miss. Not because I'm expert. I've gleaned that from art and photography. It's not the lack of experience that's really the culprit. It's the omission of visualization. I can see other things in my mind quite clearly. But that hasn't happened with quilting as of yet. I don't see it right now. And for me that's half the battle.

But I will. I'm still getting my head around the techniques. It will come together. Thank you. That's just what I needed to hear. :o

What a surprise. I'll be in the vicinity next year. Do you know when the boot camp will take place? Do they long arm your quilt or do you learn to do so yourself? If you've taken the class three times it must be great. Congrats!

That's a wonderful lesson plan. Thank you for explaining each project's purpose. I'm very technique driven and developing skills which build upon the other is ideal. Admittedly I'm smiling. You've all be very kind! :)

I've seen this but I never knew what it was called! Thank you for the recommendation. I'll be overrun with quilts in due time!

More importantly, thank you for your kind words. You've all been so nice. It's very unexpected. I've found the right community and that's a blessing. I can't wait to share my new creations with you all. :)

Welcome to quilting! Have you checked the other patterns available on that web site? Scroll down & on the left side you will see 3 earlier quilts that have a shabby chic look & look to be easier. I have printed them out for future projects.
Enjoy!

do a simple log cabin or 5 inch square pattern lots are available for free. Also check out craftsy for free classes and low cost classes. Enjoy the process. don't worry about being perfect.

Welcome! New quilters create a happy buzz around here!

Has anyone suggested you a buy a safety glove to wear when rotary cutting? I bought the NoCry glove off Amazon and really like it. It actually comes as a pair.

I concur with everyone who said take a class in person. The instant answers to your questions, the ability to learn the "why" behind the "what" as you go, the thrill of finishing a project from fabric selection to sandwiching to binding are all worth the class fee and time. We made a sampler quilt (small lap size) at ours, using Alex Andersen's book called Start Quilting. Several blocks with some repeats gave us practice but we weren't bored.

Be sure to iron large pieces and press smaller ones. I skipped that as a beginner and regretted it. Wash your fabric with Color Catchers to prevent colors from running. It could be heartbreaking to find out after the whole thing is done. It's a never ending debate among quilters --ad nauseum;) but I highly recommend it .

As for starting out "easy" vs "challenging" you wouldn't believe how many of us didn't know the difference before jumping into our first quilt! My very first was 20 years ago when I taught myself(poorly, long before a class that I mentioned or YouTube!!). It had lots of triangles in a basket pattern with heart applique. I didn't know it wasn't "beginner" stuff.
But I would say that it took me 4 years !

Anyway, enjoy the ride. Quilting is more of an obsession than a hobby!

Yes, I have all the projects and a few of the books as well. I'll have a second look at the three quilts you mentioned. Thanks for the suggestion.

No, that hasn't been suggested. I'm comfortable working with sharp objects. The addition of a glove would not be comfortable. It's a matter of feel for me.

Thank you for the reminder about ironing. I inquired about color catchers in the past and have a DIY natural version for future use.

I agree with you about easy vs difficult. I assumed the two items I'd selected were easy! I chalk that up to the adventurous beginner's spirit.

Yellow Brick Road is easy enough for a beginner. http://quiltville.blogspot.com/ has many free patterns that are easy.
The first quilt is "Crayon Box", a free Bonnie Hunter pattern, her blog is the link above.

The second quilt picture is called "Cart Wheels", a free pattern from Moda bakeshop dot com
I quilt all of my quilts using a domestic machine, I have 2 Pfaffs, Quilt Expression 4.2 and 1222e.
Sharon in Texas

Sharon, thank you for sharing the links and images. You've done quite a lot! How many quilts do you finish each year?

I'd be careful with project #2- round pieces are hard to get right. I am a dive-in kind of girl, so I encourage you to dive in too. I would try something like a lap throw first though. I always use recycled fabrics, so cost isn't a factor. If you are buying new fabric, you might want to go small at first. It costs less and you'll learn just as much.

I agree with Super Member - Missouri Star Quilt Company youtube tutorials - wonderful and encouraging. I've not made too many quilts but Jenny at Missouri Star will encourage you and inspire you - at least that's what I felt like when I watched her tutorials. I am now working on the layer cake tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt tutorial on youtube which has big blocks and a good start for me to make something bigger. Hope you enjoy and try it as well.

make an easy 4 patch with a solid block between each 4 patch. using 3.5 inch strips. X's WOF. lap size or twin size to begin with. then take the 3 layers and have a long arm quliltr do a panogram . get one done, and you will be hooked.

I just want to add the benefit of a class at LQS or joining a guild. You can ask questions and get answered right then. But mostly if you think you are doing something right the internet will not tell you that it is wrong. You may find that out too late and get frustrated Or you will find the hard way of doing something when there are always options for easier ways to accomplish the same task

SarahBethie,
I'm happy to share my quilts and the links with others. I often make 2 quilts at a time, leaders and enders technique makes it possible. That is explained on quiltville.com too. Take a beginner quilting class if possible, it helps a lot.
I finish 10-20 a year almost all charity quilts. I've probably made 300 or more over the years. I've been quilting for almost 30 years.
Sharon in Texas

The glove may not be the most comfortable, but many a quilter can tell you their horror stories about how their cutter slipped--and the cut, the blood, the trip to the urgent care, the pain, did I mention the blood? Just fair warning. I don't always wear mine, either, but someone said it's a bit like playing Russian roulette.

I appreciate the warning and believe you're wise to provide it. But my creative endeavors include knives and power tools. The rotary cutter is much safer.

So, after all this wise advice we have offered, have you taken rotary cutter and ruler in hand and reshape a few pieces of fabric, then sewed them together to get a "block"? One can read, research, save, file, and accumulate all sorts of information, ideas, etc., but then roll up your sleeves and "just try"....that's what it's all about.....satisfy that curiousity.

I'm not that kind of hobbyist. And unlike sewing, for me, quilting is an aesthetic exercise. That's probably the largest stumbling block I've had to overcome, though I wasn't aware of its existence. The visual divorce that's commonplace in sewing is wholly absent. If I don't like what I see I will be put off. I can't explain why that's the case.

I've also taken a sustainable approach and prefer natural fabrics. That's another consideration I didn't know going in. Research has enabled me to discover the look I liked, secure the materials I lacked, and sign up for a couple of classes. I made a fabric run yesterday and it was very productive. Is that progress by most people's standards? I don't know. But then again I'm desiring to create items that will fit into to a larger color scheme and decor.

I've found a lap quilt and wall hanging that are very appealing. They're simple projects that a beginner can handle. And I'm happy to report that I've discovered five additional examples that I've added to my to-do list. It's been time well spent. :)