Brand new quilter needing elementary advice!
 

Hi everyone- I just started quilting recently. I used to sew with my mom when I was a kid, but only clothing. I have a quilt picked out as my first quilt that I'm going to make, and I already have all the fabric for it... But I'm already stuck. I know this seems like a very elementary question, but I just need some good tips. I need to cut out 112 pieces of my white fabric for the background, but I can't figure out the best way to cut my fabric! I mean, I can cut 112 pieces individually, but that sounds awful! I can't figure out the best way to fold my fabric to minimize cutting time. I just feel like every time I fold my fabric I'm going to cut it wrong!
Any advice would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance! :)

Do you have a rotary cutter and mat? What pattern are you making ? that would make it easier to explain. I would not cut all the background pieces at once , just in case a mistake is made in figuring. I usually cut enough for a block or a row, and sew together ; to make sure everything is right. Good luck on your first project.

Yes, I do have a rotary cutter and a mat, and two different sized rulers. This is the pattern I'm making:http://www.freshlemonsquilts.com/?p=1016
It seems like it shouldn't be too bad for a beginner!
Thank you for the advice! Cutting 112 pieces in a row seemed so overwhelming! Just cutting enough for one row seems like a much better Idea!

When I started quilting, I would only cut two folds of fabric at a time, however with a good rotary blade four is ok. Fold your fabric in half, line it up on the cutting mat, I cut a small strip off to even it out if needed, then cut 6.5 inches (if I read pattern right) turn fabric,then cut 3.5. If folded in half, each piece yields two, it's still 51 cuts to make. Or fold fabric into four then just go for it. I hope this helps.

Also, welcome to quilting :-)

Thank you so much! I think I understand what you're getting at. Folding the fabric just makes me feel like I'm going to make a snowflake out of my fabric, ha! You're right, I really should just go for it. Much appreciated!
Also, thanks for the welcome! :-)

hi Betsyjohnson-

I'm betsey Karl! be brave and go cut! I also want to thank you for the link to the quilt--i have been looking for a rainbow baby quilt to make, and thanks to you, i found it!

Betsey

Welcome Betsy!! That's a great looking pattern you selected. I would probably cut one color at a time (like all the yellow squares). Since you need 2 of the white rectangles per block, that would keep you from having to cut all those rectangles at once. Another way to do it is to cut a 6.5" strip like Trif said, and cut all the 3.5" strips you can from that one strip and make a set of blocks, then cut another strip and make another set of blocks.

I do my cutting in a bit of an assembly line. For a color, I would cut all the 6.5" strips/blocks for one color block and then cut the the 3.5" size. The reason is I would place a piece of blue painters tape down the length of the ruler to mark the 6.5" (I have a ruler that is 8" wide) or 3.5" width (I indicate the edge of the tape to use as a guide with an arrow since I have been known to let my mind wander when cutting). That way you can see where to line up the cut edge easily (and nothing is as frustrating as cutting the wrong width and messing up a strip of fabric).

Have fun -- can't wait to see how you do!

Welcome from Canton, GA. Love the pattern, can't wait to see your quilt - good luck!

What a lovely pattern! You can strip-piece these as QuiltnLady describes. It will be so much easier and far less boring for you.

When I have a big project, I usually cut as I go. I cut a batch of blocks and start sewing. Then if everything is turning out ok, I move forward, often continuing the practice of cutting in batches.

I would definitely recommend washing the fabric before starting. Especially with a white background, any color bleeding wouldn't be fun to discover after the quilt is finished.

Enjoy!

Dayle

I get bored with cutting 100 or more pieces so I cut a few strips and sew, then go back and cut a few more strips, then sew again. Other people cut everything at once and then sew. I would recommend washing everything first, as Dayle suggested. And, whatever you do..... enjoy the process. Welcome to the joy of quilting.

definitely prewash all fabrics to help prevent bleeds and get rid of leftover chemicals used during manufacturing processes......actually cutting 112 pieces all at once won't be that bad....since they are all the same size, you can fold your fabric lengthwise so you have the selvages together then fold once more so you have 4 layers (being very careful when folding to get a crisp fold, I use a ruler)....you can cut either the 6.5" or 3.5" and then cut the other dimension....it will go quite fast....cutting a 6.5" strip will yield approx. 10 3.5" pieces and if you lay 2 strips on top of each other you will reduce your cutting time by half!

I would aso suggest strip cutting and washing fabric. Good luck and post us a pic when finished would love to see your finished quilt. Have fun and welcome fom Southern CA.

What I saw was a variation of the disappearing nine patch. A nine patch is an ideal block to begin with and an ideal block to do with chain piecing. Each row of the 9 patch can be stitched from a strip then cut into the 3 squares across. Then each 9 patch can be cut to make what you'll be using.

Since most here are not recommending strip piecing, I'm going to assume I saw the wrong quilt block. Can you tell me the name of the quilt itself?

Glad you are with us. Not an answer to your particular question but having been there many years ago I would like to say that if you get frustrated you can buy something precut so as to concentrate on your sewing rather than trying to make your first pieces fit together easily, or you might find someone with an accuquilt cutter to cut you some pieces. There are so many ways to do things and as you learn you will see them all. Enjoy yourself and don't hesitate to ask. These fine people here will share what they know with you willingly. They're great. Enjoy!

Welcome from NE Ohio.

Welcome from New Hampshire
And, thanks for the link - makes a great summer quilt, easy to enlarge.

I agree with those who said - cut one block and sew it up, to make sure it's working, before you cut alot

Teacher Judy Martin recommends cutting the strips lengthwise also. There is less stretch in the lengthwise grain and should make your piecing more accurate. I have recently started cutting this way. If fabric length is too long we subdivide it into a practical size for the length of blocks we are going to cut.

that's a lovely quilt and the instructions for keeping the blocks organized seems great. be sure to ask any questions you run into.... we're more than happy to help, no matter how elementary :)

Thank you everyone for all the amazing advice! I'm really seeing how everyone has a different style. I've got a lot of new ideas on how to start this! I know it's a big quilt for my first quilt- but I like a challenge! I think doing it block by block is an excellent idea! I also cut out a bunch of the smaller colored blocks, just to have them for later. I really appreciate everyone's feedback!

The name of the quilt is Kaleidescopic Kites :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZdgpQ49xGM

There are some really good videos on youtube that show how to cut fabric and for beginners.

Love the pattern! Looks like it will be fairly quick and easy, even for a beginner. And any time you run into difficulties, all of us are just a question away.

And you can count on a variety of answers! :D

I totally agree - a picture is worth a thousand words. Like having a teacher at your fingertips. If you don't understand one there is always another.

Love the quilt you picked out! Everyone less has given you their ideas. Just have fun. Don't rush!

OK, my elementary advice is to stop! Go to YouTube and find beginning quilting and watch everyone you can. Especially if it teaches you how to use the rulers and rotary cutters. Quilting is different from other sewing. Your quilt pattern you chose is adoreable and will be simple to make and teach you a lot in the process. You will be cutting 6.5 strips and 3.5" strips, but you have to learn how to hold the ruler and cutter to get correct widths. Also you must practice the 1/4" seam - seems simple yes? Not so simple, it is the one thing that is the hardest to master - believe it or not. You need to learn to crawl before you walk. Also, quilting books - go to the library. I needed a beginner quilt class, for some reason I need to see it. Using the rulers is also different and you need to learn to do it right or you pick up bad habits - ask me how I know that? I was also a clothing sewer when I started. Anyway, enjoy, and take your time.

That does look like a great pattern to start out with as a beginner. The most challenging part, I think, will be the quilt assembly. Since there are so many different blocks, and the order of assembly is so important. I'd suggest you pin little pieces of paper to each block as you finish it, with the letter written on the paper.

What a great pattern! I'm going to go back and play on that site, since I've never run across it before. I agree with the others; take it slow and easy, cut a little at a time, and you'll be fine.

I would strip piece the blocks. You may not know how to do this, but it saves a lot of time. Cut 6.5" strips of the dark and 3.5" of the white. Sew them together, then cut with a rotary cutter into 6.5" pieces. Cut 3.5" strips of the light fabric and 6.5" strips of the white. Sew together, then cut into 3.5" pieces. Then you would sew these two sections together. Just have to keep up with how many of each color you need. Welcome to the Quilting World!!

Welcome Betsy. Your pattern looks just right for a beginner. In addition to some really fine advice others have written, I would recommend going to the library and raiding the quilting books. You need a good basic book that shows lots of how-tos. Check out what your library has and then purchase one or two that seem to make the most sense to you. And keep coming back here. We are all full of advice.

You have been given lots of good advice. I will add another piece of advise. If you starch your fabric (I STARCH VERY stiff, like a board) your fabric will stay in shape and I believe you'll see the difference in working with starch versus without starch. Good luck.

Good luck, the pattern lay out looks OK, but I never do a whole quilt cutting at first, do enough for one or 2 blocks only. This allows me to see if I realy want to do the whole thing and to check for my cutting quality.

As the teacher of the Learn To Quilt series at my LQS, I can't encourage you enough to take a beginner's quilting class. It will save you lots of time and money in the long run, plus it will prevent you from developing bad habits (like not closing the rotary cutter "safety" after each cut!). You can also purchase beginner's quilt books. Alex Anderson has a very elementary one, and Harriet Hargrave has a series of 4 which are more detailed. Take advantage of all the resources that are out there! Good luck.

My advice is to either take a basic quilting class from your local quilt shop or you could go to youtube.com and type in "beginning quilting instructions" There are many videos you can watch and get some good tips. It is like having you own personnal instructor. Eventually, you will be quilting and use the best tips suitted for yourself.

I haven't read all of the posts yet, but I don't want to lose my trend of thought. So please forgive me if I repeat anything someone else has said. That picture looks like a D9P (disappearing nine patch)to me. You can google D9P and find great tutorials on the block. It's one of my favorite blocks....so many ways to make variations. And as someone said, a great block to start with. And yes, I do cut as I go. First one block at a time and after I'm sure I've got the block right, then I cut a row at a time -- never the whole quilt. I've cut the whole thing before and found that I over cut so much then I had to find things to make with what I had already cut. I'd rather have my leftovers in one piece. Good luck. Let us see it after you've go the top together.

Brand new quilter: If you don't have a "mentor" close by that can come over and help you, go to your LQS and take a rotary cutting class. I struggled for three years trying to learn how to correctly cut my quilt pieces and things weren't ever as good as I wanted them to be. After I took a class, things began to fall in place. There are also many many tools out there you can buy that quilters have designed to help cut certain patterns. Those are all good and I own some but there is nothing like being able to cut with a standard mat, rotary cutter and basic ruler.

Reading through the pattern, this looks like a disappearing Nine Patch quilt, but since you are new to quilting, cutting as you go, and making the block would be more practice for you. I would also make just one block, as I do for all my quilts, just to see how it goes for you. I always buy extra fabric just for those "goofs". I also make my practice block out of different fabric so as not to waste the new. You can pretty much tell how it's going to turn out, and whether you'll like it or not.
Thanks so much for the link...she has great quilts!

Of course, I didn't read through all the posts, and wrote my post before I did. Of course, several people before me spied the D9P...you got my 2-cents worth anyway! LOL

Welcome to quilting, Betsy! I love your pattern. I believe this is also called "Hanky Panky" in another pattern, isn't it? We actually worked on this one today in my quilt guild.

One of the best websites I use for help is http://quilting.about.com/bio/Janet-...18651.htm?nl=1
I find Janet Wickell's instructions to be simple and easy to understand. Plus, she's great about answering you if you email her with questions. She's also on Facebook!