Make a Nine Patch or a strip quilt. Thats what I have started with. I love the strip piecing.. Its just grab a piece of material and sew it to another piece then square it up after you get the block as large as you want it. I don't sweat it or see how many quilts I can make in a day. I don't see the enjoyment in making a competition out making quilts. I sew because I like to.

Annette

Aw, dont be discouraged! You just need to find an easy one, and start! Hugs!

Don't be discouraged.

I finally found measurements for just what you need! Simple, simple "Turning Twenty" pattern. Just pick several pretty fabrics that YOU like and cut into squares and rectangles. 8.5x8.5 inch, 4.5x8.5 inch, and 4.5x12.5 inch. Some of each size in each fabric. Mix therm all in different ways and sew together in 12 in blocks. It's one I've wanted to do for a long while. Simple and easy and fun to do. You can border it narrow, wide, or pieced as you choose OR simply put on a binding. It can be small or large, square or rectangular, any fabrics you like. You can't miss with this one. Go to the search function here on the board and put in turning twenty. You'll find this is the most simple one, good for beginners and veterans as well!! :thumbup:

A nine patch can be easily done with strip quilting-it's what I do for cancer patient lap quilts because I can make them so fast. Triangulations is fabulous for make half square triangles! Just print the pattern, pin to 2 fabrics right sides together, stitch on the stitching line, cut on the cutting line & voila! lots of perfect half square triangles. The triangulations 3.0 also has flying geese but I haven't gotten it yet.

Please jump right in. Once you get a few squares together and see how pretty they look, you will begin to feel better. I've been quilting over 30 years and every time I go to a quilt show, especialy a large one, I come out feeling somewhat discouraged. Guess it is part of the process. Do what you like, do the best you can and enjoy it!

I've done several Yellow Brick Road quilts that are my favorite. Warm Wishes and D9p are great ones too. And they are pretty. The one in my avatar is a Bento Box and it was easy. All, but the YBR, you can find on the internet. That's how I found mine. Do one and you'll be hooked.

Don't give up! Here is an easy quilt that I made for my grandson.
for full sized bed, Cut 128 oblong patches5 1/2 x 10 1/2" and 14squares 5 1/2" using the materials of your choice, kind of like a scrappy quilt. every other row in the pattern will require a 5 1/2" square at each end of quilt. Goes together really quickly.

Please, please don't be discouraged! And don't go buy one of those "made in China" quilts either. You will be much happier with something you make even when working on something simple in the beginning. We all had to start somewhere and work our way up. Some of the ones you see on this forum are made by people who have been sewing/quilting for many years or have degrees in Art. Plus, even those who have sewn for a while make a mistake now and then. You need to just start! I saw a quilt on Pottery Barn that was just large squares sewn together but the fabric was so beautiful that I fell in love with the quilt and I also like the simple way it was quilted. I will be using that idea soon even though I have been quilting for some time. Also, don't discount finding a quilting buddy or a guild or small quilt group to join. Check JoAnn's if you have one nearby. Good luck and enjoy the photos of quilts on this site but just take one step at a time and work your way up to something more complicated. PS: I see where you want to do a quilt using shirts. Someone sent you a link that shows what you can do with them. Cut simple squares and sew them together. This would be a great way to start your foray into quilting. Seriously, clear your brain and just start cutting and sewing. A lot of us started that way.

Awww - don't give up! I know exactly how you feel. I joined a Quilt Club (note - NOT a Guild) and after months of going, I finally figured out why I was not getting excited about quilting. These ladies were good and they had no intention of sharing their wisdom with anyone....Left the club, joined a local Guild and my, what a difference. Encouragement like you cannot believe. I too was overwhelmed by the intricate patterns and the like. As one of the Guild ladies told me - we are NOT born quilters, we grow into quilters.

So grow - make that 4 patch quilt - go to Quilterscache.com and look for easy blocks to make. Make a sample quilt with blocks of the same size.

You CAN do it!!! And once that quilt top is done, you'll be hooked but good.

So many neat ideas! Who knew a nine patch could be made in so many ways! Never give up! I have done some really quick baby quilts before. Two pieces of fabric sewn together and binding put on and then tied it. They were impressed! LOL....simple is beautiful to!

Someone mentioned quilter's cache. I use that a lot, and they have some very easy patterns. When I am stressed out and supposed to make something for someone and don't have much time, I go to one of their patterns with 1 star. Try a 9-patch, 4 patch; both very easy.
Carol Doak's book "My first quilt book," is a good one, as she shows basic skills in easy steps, and it has easy projects in it. There are some projects in her book I still want to make.
Hope everyone's ideas on this help you! It is easy to get discouraged, but don't. There is lots of fun and satisfaction in quilting!!
Mariah.

Go to Quilt Blocks Galore...........there lots of free blocks. I use them alot.

Please don't be discouraged. I think almost all of us have felt like we just couldn't get it right no matter how hard we tried. But we kept trying and one day we surprised ourselves. Our seams did match perfectly (or almost anyway). Nobody is going to judge you as harshly as you judge yourself. Just remember, accuracy in cutting and stitching are your best friends in quilting. It helps me to use a square the same size of my intended fabric squares (usually 3 1/2 inches) to make sure all of my squares actually are 3 1/2 inches. You can cut a square from an empty cereal box to use to measure your fabric squares to make sure they really are the size you intended. This works well for measuring completed blocks as well. I have a 3 1/2 inch ruler that I use to measure squares, but a cereal box would work. I've added rulers over time, as I could afford them. I bought the 3 1/2 inch ruler on the recommendation of a LQS owner who is also a friend. It has saved me much frustration over the past year and has probably saved several quilts from my UFO box. Please don't give up. Remember, you have friends here willing to listen and help. Happy quilting!

We were all 1st timers when we started quilting. Try a four patch or strings, they make pretty quilts. Whatever you do, don't give up. You'll be posting pis before you know it. :D

I intended to type pics. NO JOKES, PLEASE!!!

Don't give up. We all get discourage, but don't let it defeat you. I sometimes just pick some fabric I like and cut it into squares and sew them together how I want them. Anyone can do it. It gets your imagination going and no one is telling you how it should turn out. I have been quilting for years but I am no wheres near as good as some. I do not care. I do it for the fun of it. Don't make it so hard, make it fun.

Hi there! Can't wait to hear what you have chosen to do. There have been so many ideas shared here I'd have a hard time deciding on just one! I think someone mentioned seeing a quilt in a catalog made of just large squares and beautiful fabric. Believe me, I have seen some of those and they are gorgeous. But they would super easy to make. Choose an assortment of fabrics that you really like (some are already cut in 10 1/2 inch squares of coordinating fabrics), lay them out on a flannel-backed tablecloth in an arrangement you really like (take a photo that you can refer back to) and start sewing them together in rows across. Press the seams for alternating rows in opposite directions (they will nest together better at the corners). Then sew the rows together. PM me back for completing the quilt. Happy quilting! We are all here for you.

Don't bog yourself down with details! Don't start with anything that has a name! LOL. I can't tell you how many beautiful quilts I've seen with the quilter just using left over pieces .... buy a pack of charm squares, or cut simple squares from whatever fabric you have...set them in rows using light/dark alternating colors. No matter what you put together, it will look great. Make a doll quilt first, and experiment with adding borders. Three inch squares make a great doll quilt, and the doll doesn't care what colors you use.
Keep it simple and you will graduate to more intricate stuff later. Good luck. Don't buy a quilt...take a good look at the messy, large stitching, cheap fabrics, non colorfast materials. Save that money to buy a good beginner book that will explain terms, techniques, etc. in basic language and with good pictures. Some "beginner" books assume you know the lingo! The first one I bought 11 years ago is "Quick and Easy Scrap Quilts" published by Leisure Arts. I wore it out and had it spiral bound about 2 years ago. I still refer to it more than any other book.
Didn't mean to ramble on so...sorry. And again good luck.

please do not be discouraged, I have so many ideas from this board I will have to live to be a thousand years old hehe. there are tons of simple blocks out there that are very easy and fun. hang in there

If you just want squares, you could start out with just cutting the size squares of different matching fabrics you want to use and sew them together with maybe a border around each square to set each square apart. That is probably the simplest way, or just sew them all together in rows and then together row by row and put a solid border around the finished quilt squares. That would be a start.

Please do not be discouraged. Quilting is REALLY FUN AND EASY. Look for an easy pattern and don't think you can't, THINK I CAN.

Turning twenty is an easy quilt and turns out very nice. I have made several. Fast and furious is another that I really like for something quick. You can sent me a pm and I can tell you how to make the fast and furious. Uses only 3 fabrics.

try a 4 patch or a 9 patch pattern

I generally do things because I want the challenge of it. AND I know that if I get stuck I can come here to ask how to fix it.

Just pick one pattern & go for it. Nine-patch is an easy start.

My first quilt was 5in blocks cut from different fabric. I did 8 squares by 10 and I tyed it. Fast and easy

Hey Sis, just cut out some squares...any color...all the same size and piece them together. You'll have a quilt in no time. I've never used a pattern when making my quilts. Just whatever comes to my mind. It's all beautiful and an expression of who I am. Find your inner creativity. You can do it!

Don't get too discouraged my advice would be quit watching all the videos and get a simple rag quilt pattern they are the easiest and most forgiving if you make a mistake. That is my opinion anyway.
Good luck let us know how it goes.

I agree, DO NOT be discouraged!!! There are a lot of just square ideas out there for free!! An easy one is to sew strips of fabrics (all the same width) together. then cut them going across the strips so that you not have strips of blocks. then sew these strips together (moving 1 or 2 blocks down so that you do not have the same color next to each other) Viola!! You have a quilt with simple blocks!!

Hi. I understand the feeling of being overwhelmed. I have a ton of books and patterns and just want to be able to sit down and do them! However it's daunting. It's seems a violation somehow to cut the material and not be sure I know exactly what I'm doing. I took several free classes through our senior's college on different aspects of quilting. We covered using the rotary cutter, cutting techniques for different shapes etc. It was what I had read but made more sense in the context of a class. One session we tried out different quilting methods and I learned I need a lot more practice in free motion quilting before I try that on something I've worked so hard on.
I also joined the Quilter's Guild in our town. There are many talented people who are wonderful in giving help to us newbies. Right now I have my first quilt on the sewing machine and am doing stitch in a ditch outline quilting. I know what I need to do in order to put the binding on and if I get into trouble I can always call one of my new friends.
Good luck.
Katherine

Here's one I made using only squares. It was relatively easy to do, and it was tied.

this is a simple top, nothing but squares so you only need to piece.
For someone who is really new to sewing, though, this could be quite intimidating. Maybe a beginner class is a better suggestion, or find someone who sews and has made a quilt for some 1 on 1 support.

Don' be discouraged. Many of us have been quilting all our lives and we all had to learn, just like you. Here is a site where you can learn everything you need to know, all the techniques step by step, and find free patterns too: http://www.quilting.about.com. I use it all the time for a refresher course when I forget how to do something. Have fun!

Don't give up! Another easy quilt with "just squares" is a single or double irish chain, and it goes together fairly quickly. Even a 4-patch or 9-patch came be beautiful.
And don't worry about anyone else's work. They were once beginners, too.

Try www.overallquilter.com

I made the Squares on Point quilt, only using 8 1/2 squares and wider borders using the same directions but ended up with a bigger quilt. The pattern is very easy and quick. This site is an online store only.

Good luck! Char

I am rather a newbie to quilting. I have been doing them for about 2 years. I just see what I would think is an easy pattern, I tell DH what I would like to do. He drafts my pattern and off I go. I only do squares and once I did a half square. Don't feel discouraged, there are days I feel that way too. I may have liked the fabric or pattern one day and not the next. I stick with it and glad I do. I enjoy what I do, that's all that matters to me. Others in this group have far more experience then I do, I love their quits, but, they too started somewhere

When I first started quilting I loved Eleanor Burns - Quilt in a Day, check it out the log cabin pattern is really easy. I also got really discouraged in the beginning, I tried a pattern out of a quilting magazine and it was a misprint. I didn't know it until I took the pattern and all my pieces to my mom and begged for help. She took them to her quilting guild and they all tried to help. That's when we found out the pattern was misprinted. I was ready to never quilt again, three years now and I love it. So look up quiltinaday.com and good luck.