Beginner Project Suggestions
 

I've outfitted my space with lots of goodies and I'm ready to take on my first project. I have several books from the library for ideas but it always helps to ask the experts.

I prefer simple patterns but I'm uncertain what they're called. Here's a couple of examples: 1 and 2.

I think a table runner and lap quilt would be ideal beginnings. But a larger quilt is my long term goal.

I'd appreciate first timer advice. The sort of things you wish you knew starting out. And if there's specifics regarding fabric or projects, please feel free to share. Thank you!

So happy to hear that another person is starting this wonderful hobby of quilting. When I started-I took a 6 wk class at a local quilt shop. They helped me with fabric colors and some good tips. This was a different block every week and the classes taught me a lot. After that I read and researched and bought quilt books to study and as time goes on it gets better and better. So I might suggest you take a couple of classes (if possible) at a local quilt shop. You can also learn a lot from joining a quilt guild. So many quilters are very willing to help and suggest different processes. Good luck and I am sure you will be hooked on quilting soon. This board has wonderful and helpful members that will go out of their way to help you.

Hi Sarah, Both your examples are gorgeous. You don't mention if you have previous general sewing experience. Example 2 has curved seams. They could be tricky for a new sewer, and are also time-consuming.

I started out with table runners to build up my confidence and to see the finished result quickly. But that's me.

As far as general advice is concerned, precise measuring is of utmost importance, as is the 1/4 in. seam!

I'm sure you'll get lots of good information from other quilters on this site.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted!

I agree with Jordan. I'm a wearable artist who is getting into quilting. I've been piecing for year for my wearables and the quilt classes I took at my local quilt store have been invaluable to me. While the ladies here are very helpful, having hands on help in a class is the best. Plus you will have real life people to contact for help and inspiration.

Joining a guild is also good. I get lots of inspiration from seeing what others are working on. Plus many guilds have workshops you can attend.

I took a class for a table runner & then bought fabric for an over sized queen quilt!
The pattern was Yellow Brick Road. To this day, I don't think the cutting directions are all that clear for a beginner, but I sure learned a lot & love the quilt! I also quilted it on my Brother - I just rolled it & rolled it to fit thru the throat doing many rows of waves. There are many patterns where you don't have to match seams & those are good for beginners. Classes are fun & most LQS's offer them. Missouri Star Quilt Company has many tutorials on UTube & Jenny is delightful! This board is outstanding for ideas & help. You have yourself a great time sewing!

If at all possible, I always recommend taking a beginner's class at a local quilt shop, school or church. This will teach you proper ways for cutting, pressing and sewing a 1/4" seam. All are important for a successful project. The added benefit is that you will have an instructor to ask if you get stuck. I had an extensive sewing background and am glad that I took the class. I don't want to discourage you, but the 2 patterns you refer to in your post may present a challenge. The triangles will all have bias edges and may pull out of shape with handling. Also, her instruction to let the tips overhang and 'equal amount' is good, but I made a similar pattern and had a difficult time keeping them aligned. The other pattern has curved piecing, and the curve is quite tight, which may cause difficulties. You may want to look at a pattern based on squares for a first go. If you do want to go forward with one of your example quilts, I would go with the triangles. Starch the fabric well to avoid stretching the bias, and only cut a few pieces then sew to see how it goes before cutting all your fabric.

Thank you Jordan.

We have a few quilt shops here and I'll check them out. I also have access to Craftsy courses and have learned quite a lot that way. Though my preference is for in-person instruction. I'll double check the quilt guild. Thanks for the suggestions.

I agree with Jordan and cashs_mom. I started with a six week beginner class at a quilt shop and it was the best thing I could have done. I hope you will take this advice. If you aren't able to do that for some reason, the next best thing would be a good book on beginner quilting. These are available on Amazon or your local library can help you find one. Although the pictures you shared are very cute, modern looking quilts, imho, they would both be more for an experienced quilter. Triangles as pictured and circles can be kind of tricky to work with. Maybe you could do them just fine, but I would hate to see you get discouraged by a difficult pattern.

Thanks Patricia. That's one of the reasons I posed the question. I didn't notice the curved seams and the time investment. I think the other is a more feasible option for a first quilt. Block squares are also appealing. I don't mind a project that takes awhile but smaller investments will build my confidence as you've mentioned.

You've picked gorgeous quilts, but as the other posters have said, they're not the easiest with which to start. Take a look at Jenny Doan's videos on YouTube and try something based on squares so you won't be discouraged by the difficulties presented by diagonals and tight circles. Welcome to a great creative outlet - be sure to post your progress!

Please don't apologize! I'm glad you spoke honestly. They're obviously not geared for a beginner. But now I have two projects to put on my to-do list that I'll look forward to making. I'm not disappointed. If anything, I'm more encouraged to build up my skills and enjoy the process along the way.

I have a pattern based on squares. I like that look. Thank you for your help! :)

There's one lone source for quilting classes in my area. It isn't surprising. Knitting commands a bigger draw. I may start with Craftsy until I'm able to take them at a different location in the spring. I'll be in a huge crafting community and that will make a difference. Thank you. :)

I'm relatively new to quilting. The hard part of quilting is cutting your fabric accurately and sewing a 1/4" seam consistently. To get the seams to match, you have to do both.

The first time you cut out a quilt, the ruler slides just a bit. Then your machine pulls a little one way or the other. For some reason, the squares just don't come out the same size. They just don't meet correctly. Therefore the seams won't match exactly. For that reason, everyone is encouraging you to pick a pattern that doesn't require too many seams to match. I also would suggest you just make a lap quilt (or a baby quilt) as finishing your first project will make you want to go to the next one.

I would suggest a rail fence:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/53996852@N03/5061111510

Or, maybe a brick road as someone else suggested:
http://www.quilterscache.com/R/RailFenceBlock.html

I made a disappearing 9 patch for my first quilt. I did not take a class. Unfortunately, my local quilt shop really put the hard sell on me on the class. They were making a wall hanging which I had no interest in making. So I went off on my own. Fortunately, I had sewed a lot of clothing as a young person, so I was familiar with sewing. I watched a lot of youtube videos, the ladies on the quilting forum at Gardenweb helped me and another local quilt shop helped as well. I think the class would have made it easier, though.

bkay

I succeeded, however:

YouTube - Missouri star quilt company - many, many easy project using precuts...the company is a great source with reasonable prices....look into that as a starting point. Another good teacher with tutes on YouTube is Eleanor Burns of quilt in a day...her books are well illustrated and directions are complete and easy to follow.......

I agree with Tartan -- Warm Wishes is a great way to start.

My sister just took up quilting. She had done no sewing at all since a bad high school experience. She went on a retreat with me. First she did a 36 x 36 service project quilt that was just squares and a border. Then she did a Warm Wishes 36x36 service quilt where she chose the fabrics. Everything was very successful; she is hooked; I am thrilled.

I agree with the taking an "in person" class, but I'm going to disagree with people discouraging you from doing anything but squares & "easy." I took beginning, intermediate and advanced classes with a VERY challenging teacher who wanted us to learn lots of skills & techniques. I hadn't sewn in 30 years. We did a crib-sized sampler quilt that had lots of difficult techniques, including triangles, templates, flying geese, hand applique, curved seams and Y-seams. If you love it and can sew you can do it. I might not start with circles though:)

Warm wishes is an easy pattern. Another is disappearing nine patch. It can look so complicated but is quite easy. Putting different pro to together gives your quilt more interest. Use different size prints, small medium large and tone on tone

I started my GDIL (age 27, limited experience at a sewing machine) on potholders. She did the one made from 6 pieces of 9" square fabric and requires no handwork. I'm not sure what they are called but super easy. She had 2 pair made for gifts quickly and left here with a huge feeling of accomplishment. We'll work into placemats or a table runner next.

I agree with you bkay. Disappearing 9 Patch is a great pattern to start with. There are so many things you can do with it.

Welcome from NJ! While I agree with most others that the patterns you have initially chosen can be challenging, I'm also of the belief that you should make something you like! Out of those 2, I would probably start with the triangle one despite the bias edges - starch is your friend! Unless you have a garment construction background the curves on the other quilt might be more of a challenge than you are currently ready.

I also agree with starting with a baby or lap-sized quilt to start so as to not be overwhelmed with sheer size of your project.

Personally, I would not recommend starting with pre-cuts as they can have their own set of challenges in addition to not gaining the learning/experience of cutting fabric in general. Then again, I'm just not a fan of pre-cuts but have used them when expedient. I prefer yardage and cutting to size as needed.

Yes, rulers will slip. Get some rubbery stick-on dots for your rulers. Put one in each corner. Works a charm. They can usually be picked up reasonably at your local hardware store or JoAnn's also carries them. Well worth the investment.

Best advice I can offer beyond the above - when purchasing rulers, purchase all the same brand. If you are going to go with the triangle quilt as your first project, you'll probably need a Creative Grids triangle ruler. If that is what is recommended - then purchase all of your other basic rulers in the same brand as they tend to measure differently among brands. You'll progress and flow as time passes but at least start out with a couple of basic of the same. Or at least use the same brand throughout a single project.

Remember this is supposed to be fun. Just enjoy the process and forget the race!

bkay, You did a wonderful job! You should be proud of yourself. Thank you for the links. I'll check them out. :)

Thank you Geri. I'm familiar with MSQC and aware of their YouTube channel. But it sounds like I need to do some binge viewing! As for Eleanor Burns, thank you for the recommendation.

Thank you for the vote of confidence. I concur that the circles are more daunting after a second look. ;)

I'm not put off by a challenge. It's really a matter of perspective and recognition that more difficult projects will take a wee bit longer. That's all.

I really appreciate the quilt design names. It helps a great deal when I'm researching. Thank you for the recommendations.

Truth be told, I had no interest in quilting until I came upon her designs. I can't explain it. The aesthetic is definitely appealing, but there's something else. I just like them. And I could see them in my home. I think that's important.

I believe the smaller size will be much easier to navigate.

I picked up several Omnigrip rulers last week of various sizes (both small and large) along with 3 Olfa rotary cutters. I already had a very large cutting mat. The rulers felt quite solid and that was the selling point. They were on sale and I had a $50 coupon. It was quite a deal.

Thank you for the encouraging words. :)

Hi newbie, glad you are getting into this quilting thing. There is a lot to learn when you first start. From folding and cutting the fabric, to proper pressing, sewing a consistent 1/4" seam, matching points....the list goes on. When you combine all of this with a difficult pattern it can be overwhelming. I would recommend that you start with a pattern that has squares (or rectangles). The DP9 or Disappearing 9-patch is still one of my go-to patterns. It goes fast and you can get great results with good fabric selection.

Pictures of your proposed projects aren't showing up on my end so have no comment on those. If you have no experience, I suggest a 4 patch or 9 patch with alternating plain squares and keep your project small so you don't become overwhelmed. Rail Fence is another easy one. Love the Warm Wishes, too. But keep your first projects simple until you get familiar with 1/4" seams, etc. Do find someone who has experience and some expectation of "perfection" to help you through the beginning stages. Learn how to match seams, have points on stars--that sort of thing. You won't be sorry later as your finished projects will look better.

Once you get the hang of it--try making pinwheels or a Friendship Star using half square triangles. Those are fun, too.

Welcome to the QB Sarah...it sounds like you've found a lot of resources already including Craftsy. I have purchased several classes over the years which have helped me in my quilting journey. Turning Twenty was one of my first projects and I think Yellow Brick Road is also an easy pattern for a lap or throw size. Just remember to enjoy the ride. : )

For a beginner, you can't beat the Craftsy.com classes, most of all for the reason, once you pay for a class, it is yours forever, you can go back over and over as many times as necessary. When learning closing the binding ends, I literally replayed it 10 seconds at a time over and over, but by gosh, I got it. Be sure you select a beginners class and never pay full price, in time they ALWAYS come on sale, usually not all at the same time, so watch for the one you want. Good luck, you will love it.

You could try the Elenore Burns patterns. Her site is called quiltinaday.com She also has free videos to watch to help you through the quilt if you get stuck. But, her patterns are so straight forward the way they are written, even novices can get through most of them with very little trouble. My first, years ago, was a log cabin in a day.

Just use your colors that the picture links in you first post shows and you will love them just as much.

Go right to Craftsy (online classes) and sign up for Amy Gibsons 2012 block of the month. You'll make about 20 different 12" blocks using different techniques. She walks you through each block. You can make a table runner from it or turn it into a big quilt at the end. Bite sized chunks that you can complete easily. I had a sense of accomplishment after each block. I'm now putting them together for a bigger quilt. You don't have to do all the blocks. Best of all this class is free, geared towards beginners, and will show you which techniques you prefer to explore further.
https://www.craftsy.com/quilting/cla...nth-2012/35549

After that if you want to learn how to free motion quilt you can purchase the associated Leah Day class which shows you how to quilt each of those blocks. Wait for a sale to purchase this class. Craftsy always has sales.

Both of your examples are great, but, I would start with something even easier so you can get your 1/4" seam practice. I often start my students with a split rail pattern. You can do a 3 or 5 strip and make then any width you would like. I usually start with 3 strips and cut them 2 1/2" each. This gives you a lot of practice with the seams and also gives you some 'fudge' room if they aren't perfect. You cut your blocks according to how wide your finished strip set is and you can trim a tiny bit from the edges without it being noticed. Perfect will come with practice! It is also a quick pattern because when you sew the strip and cut it - boom - you have a whole bunch of blocks done. Then, by laying them out, you don't have lots of seams or points to match. You have lots of options because you could add sashing and cornerstones along with your borders or keep it very simple with no borders and 'birth it'. Then most important thing, no matter what pattern or size you make, is to have fun. Welcome to the quilting community.

I suggest that you try (3) six or nine patches and sew them together to make a table runner (using klswift's above method) Finish it completely and use it on your kitchen table so that you have to move it to eat. This ensures that you'll have to look at it every day (clever, right?) You will have chosen fabrics that you thought "went together" -
tried out the rotary cutter with simple lines, attempted 1/4" seams and matching corners and completed your first quilting project without too much trauma. I think it's really important that you successfully complete a small project before you go on to a larger one. Welcome, you're going to love this trip!!!

I took a beginner course and loved it so much that I took it 3 times and learned more each time! Jackie Lynn's Fabric in Rochester,NY offers a 3 day beginner make a lap quilt and long arm it for $75 and it includes lunch each day. If you live a driving distance from it, I recommend it highly! They also offer boot camp 2 & 3 to expand your piecing and long arm skills that I hope to take soon.
As far as patterns go ,look for one to start with that does not have a lot of seams to match.

I recently started working with a beginner too. Our first project was a jelly roll race quilt. Get VERY USED TO THE 1/4" SEAM! it also quickly becomes a nice lap quilt.

Our second project was a log cabin baby quilt, to get used to rotary cutting and chain piecing... then moved on to a simple half square triangle pattern like a churn dash or a quarter square triangle Ohio star block, matching abutting seams... Those we did as a a baby quilt and table runners, just to get and practice some skills. After that she felt comfortable tackling more challenging patterns.

YouTube is awesome! Missouri Star is my favorite! Jenny is the reason I quilt!! I love the Mary Fonz Quilty videos too - very geared toward the beginner quilter. She also talks about color and fabric choice.

,,both of the patterns you have chosen are beautiful, but could be quite challenging as a first ever quilter. You can do one of them , but my two cents worth is to try an even easier pattern as you first table runner just to get used to the process and learn the skills for a beginner. The easiest quilt with the best primary skill builder is an Irish Chain quilt. (Irish Chain quilt patterns are free all over the 'net) Nine parches and solid squares alternating makes a pretty two color table runner, then I would try one of your patterns to learn even more skills. Both offer nice skill building lessons for a beginner. Just be patient with you while you learn a new obsession. Welcome to the club and remember, if we can ride by on a fast horse and it looks good, it is good. No judges or quilt police here. If you need help, come to us.

Thank you for the suggestions. I don't believe 4 patch has been mentioned and that's another worth exploring as is Friendship Star.

Truth be told, sewing isn't very daunting. Golf and photography elicit more frustration and I was largely self-taught in each. This is more relaxing. I suppose my penchant for pretty things plays a part. :)

Thank you for the Craftsy feedback. It's a great resource especially for those who don't have a thriving craft community. I like the convenience factor and the ability to remain happily settled when winter arrives. Is there a particular class you enjoyed?