Iwant to quilt. I started a quilt and put it aside as i read a book on making squares and i was off track. Now i have started just a block. i cannot afford the classes in my area and do not have any friends that do crafts. What is with all of this ironing seams this way and that? i read the board every day.

Welcome to the board, ironing is very important, you want to iron seams that are to be joined in opposite directions so they will nest together with out having a large bump where they join.

I think making sure your seams are facing a cerain direction helps to reduce the bulk as your quilt is assembled.

First of all, try going on line to get some classes or demonstrations for quilting. You could also check with churches in your area for any quilt groups that help quilting newbies. There may also be quilt groups through senior groups. Second, the ironing of the seams helps with the ease of putting the block and quilt top together. You iron opposite so the seams are opposing when you put the block together to avoid a bump. Your piecing looks much better if the bump/bulk of the seams are even. Make sense??? I see that your location is in hiding, if you were in my area, I would be very happy to help you get started. So is you are in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, pm me. I'll get you started.

Look in the classifieds for a recent offering of Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!! It was one of my early instructional books and I still use it. Might be free, will be a bargain, for sure. You press the seam allowances to one side, usually toward the darker fabric, but also so that when seam allowances meet, they go in opposite directions and nest snuggly. Almost forgot...WELCOME! And don't get too discouraged. The learning curve us shorter than ever, look for YouTube tutorials and videos. Lots if freebies on this site. I post giveaways fairly often. Declutters my studio, puts my unused items to use, rectifies wasted purchases, and hopefully "pays it forward" for all the blessings I've received from other quilters.

Go to Quilters Cache:
http://www.quilterscache.com/H/howtolinks.html

and click on Pressing Info From Marsha.

There's lots of neat info links to help answer some of your questions, some even before you think to ask!

It sounds to me like you are on your way to making a great quilt. Welcome from Washington.

Welcome to the board. There are lots of free stuff online showing you how to get started. Check out you tube and e-how for various videos. This board is also full of wonderful people who are happy to share their experience with you. Don't let your discouragement get you down, we've all been there. Just keep practicing and working at it if you enjoy it.

There are so many video tutorials on line that are free. Many of them on youtube. Connecting threads.com also have great free video tutorials on their website. Go to google, put in how to join a quilting square seam and you will get several options. Good luck, it's important to listen to people with experience. WHen I started quilting, I thought some of the advice was un important, but I learned the hard way . Also, your library will have quilting books you can borrow

Don't be discouraged! Think of this as a project that's going to take a month or two and just relax and enjoy the steps along the way.

If you get a book that has just one quilt in it and follow it from start to finish, you aren't going to get taken in different directions with conflicting ideas.

Eleanor Burns is really good for writing books like this. Her Orion's Star book has a single block type - a star in a log cabin block, but it has a lot of different layouts and color suggestions. You'll learn how to make flying geese, stars and log cabins, then you'll learn how to put them all together, add borders, baste and quilt your quilt, put on a binding, etc.

Don't think of it as ironing - ironing is hot, sweaty, back-aching drudgery! :mrgreen: Think of pressing as a sewing step, because pressing the seam allowances will help you sew more accurately, giving you a more attractive block and one that is easier to incorporate into a quilt top.

Have fun with it! :)

Welcome from Maryland! Like you, I am self-taught. I learned a little from a book but mostly from trial and error. I say don't stress about the seams; if they're a problem in the block you're working on you're going to see it, and see why, and all this stuff about pressing your seams will suddenly "click" and you'll be able to fix it. I think that's the best way to learn sometimes.

Read all you can, watch all the tutorials you can, but don't forget to sit down and just do it Even the things you try that don't work are invaluable experiences - ask me how I know. ;)

You can do it!

Hello and Welcome from Mesa, Arizona! You will learn a lot here just reading the posts and checking out the tutorials. These people here are soooooo smart and talented! I have learned a lot here myself and I learn something new everyday from these posts. Enjoy!

Keep going, do you have lending library`s in the states? If so you could borrow quilting books. Buy a good quilt magazine. Keep coming on here. :)

When I first started quilting (I'd sewen forever) I purchased a book by Fons and Porter "Complete Guide to Quilting." Very informative book.

One thought I did have was to google or whatever you use to find quilting guilds in your area. You actually may be surprised what is right around the corner from you.

do you have a friend who might be interested. I had great fun learning with a friend that started with me. Then when I moved a wonderful woman came to my rescue ! We meet once a week as able and just enjoy fellowship and I have learned so much from and with her. Also, here so get a cup of ......and read through and enjoy. relax and enjoy ! relax and enjoy ! did I say relax and enjoy ?! Welcome from sunny florida

I can't see where you live, but if you're near me I'd be willing to help you get started. There may be other as well.

Our library has a lot of Eleanor Burns videos. She explains many different techniques on them, and they are free to borrow :D:D:D

I learned by checking out books on quilting from the library. Later on I was able to take classes, but the books really helped me get started. Nowadays there are many free online videos that are helpful too. Youtube is a great resource.

Here's the first of two videos for Eleanor Burns' Orion's Star quilt that I wrote about in my first post:
http://quiltinaday.com/theater/3100/3106.html

Here's the second:
http://quiltinaday.com/theater/3100/3107.html

A lot of the Quilt in a Day videos are on her site:
http://quiltinaday.com/theater/library.html

Tutty,
i'm just wondering what part of Florida you are in? We are in Largo Florida (near Clearwater) for the winter...would love to have a local quilter to chat with. I am pretty much a beginner. i have only made two quilts with charm packs and cross hatch quilting. I have a steep learning curve ahead of me!
Audrey :)

Welcome to this quilting talk show. We show and teach and learn.

First of all, starch and iron your fabric. Then cut. If your block ends do not match precisely, then shift them to the center of the joining block. Or else put sashing between them. Make an entire lap robe like that, I'll bet it will be eye catching. Have dramatic colors. Use whatever you have, old sheets, new materials, old cotton dresses or men's shirts. Our Grandmothers and Mothers used every thing that came in grabbing reach of their busy hands, and made lovely quilts with them. Then when you feel more in control of your sewing machine you can start on the fabulously intricate and lovely many pieced ones that are shown all the time on this forum.
From blocks then you can to to the Disappearing Nine Patch, and from there, anywhere you want to go.

Agree with everyone here, esp. the online resources. Look at as many YouTube videos as you can, check out basic quilting books from the library, etc... don't let something you can figure out with a few simple skills in place discourage you!!

pressing the seams with iron or finger pressing helps when you are sewing the blocks together. Sounds like you need to put down the book and just jump in and do it.

there is a book Quilting for dummys i refur to it quite often

Thanksfor the info on pressing squares etc

I haven't been into Quilters Cachefor quite awile. I know
she has such very good and helpful information. :thumbup:

welcome! my library had somegood videos, maybe yours does!

Welcome! I was taught to sew back when I was in high school, but have only picked it up again in the last few years.

I made a list for myself of all the places I find tutorials, because i can never remember where I saw stuff, but most of these bloggers, give step by step, photo directions of each thing they do. This is how I have improved my skills.

http://alimaui.blogspot.com/p/my-fav...tutorials.html

Carhop mentiones the book "Quilting for Dummies". Google "Quilting for Dummies.pdf". I got mine free somehere years ago, forgot where, but I have it in my files. I can e-mail the file to you if you post (Private Messages, maybe?) your e-mail address. The book is very clear and does cover the basics to get started, no too fancy stuff to mess your head up! Let me know, I read this board every morning (my time zone is in Europe).

Go to youtube.com and enter "quilting" in the search box. You will find lots of tutorials and ideas there.

If you go to http://quiltinaday.com/theater/2300/2301.html you can watch Eleanor Burns show you all kinds of techniques for different blocks. She has lots of easy to follow videos that will help.

you can also try youtube. I use them a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...beginners&aq=0

Check your local library for quilting books. It would be nice if you could find another beginner. Talk to your local fabric shop, they may know of a new quilter and can put you in contact. It is always nice to learn with someone and the board is always here to help you.

If you are in Virginia, within 50+75 miles of Danville, I will help you. I teach begining quilt classes.

Or there are thousands of Youtube videos to see demonstrations on quilting.

You iron your seams to reduce the bulk when you put the block together, nice smooth fit is what your looking for.

I tell my students, Cut Well, Sew a Constistant 1/4" seam, or as close as you can get, first, but consistant (you get better as you go), and Iron well, these are the most important things to remember

I know how you feel, and I expect a large percentage of quilters do as we all have gone thro' this stage. Don't worry about money for classes as all the help you need is FREE on the web. The ladies here will help and have already given some links, here is another good one that helped me a lot when I started. http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.ne...ingLessons.htm

If you need to know anything ask here and "Google" it you will be amazed how much info is out there, happy quilting.

May I just add one thing, remember when Iron in quilting is mentioned you don't :roll: you in fact PRESS, never Iron as in ironing clothes as that can and will distort you seams and fabric, just press.

Try not to be discouraged. The more you experiment, the more you learn. As the others have said, lots of stuff on the internet to watch and learn from. The pressing part becomes second nature after a while. Welcome and hang in there!!

Hi, I am new to quilting as well..I tried the patch one and got discouraged as well, so I started a string quilt which seems to be so much easier at least to me :wink: I have been hand sewing it and enjoying every minute of it..I do look forward to when I can start a patch quilt..Because one day I will get the hang of it :D

I would check out your local quilt shop. My LQS has a free bee that meets weekly. People bring whatever they are working on. I love it because I can sew without distraction and I get to see what others are working on. I have learned a lot from the other ladies. Really enjoy the "show and tell" aspect of it all. You can find a lot of info about classes/bees at the LQS online as well. Good luck! Don't give up. Quilting is SO much fun!

I total agree with a few of the other posters....go to Quilters Cache, sit down and click away!! It will take you days to go through all the neat stuff on the site and in time....NOT OVERNIGHT....you will come away with a great understanding of the BASICS. Do not try to get ahead of yourself but concnetrate on the very simple things....laying out your fabric, using the rulers and rotary cutters to cut a simple straight line ( do this practice on cheap fabric from the thrift stores, old shirts, dollar stuff from Walmat....you will make mistakes and it is better to make those mistakes on cheap stuff rather than your TEN DOLLAR a yard stuff!!!! You can make very simple mug mats or place mats in the beginning....an afternoon project that will give you a great sence of accomplishment.....even those beginnger practice blocks can become a mug mat!! Too many beginners want to make a big size quilt for their first project but a human baby must learn to walk before he can run in the Olympics....same goes for quilting!!

Jodi in Leavenworth

Hi. and welcome. I hate to tell you this but, I never iron my seams. I piece by hand and I just let them go the way they naturally go. Machine piecing may be different, I don't know. But, I have always been told to lay your seam on the side that has the darkest fabric so that the seam doesn't show through. One quilter says one thing and another says another. that's why I just let them fall where they may. I don't guess my stuff is too lumpy or bumpy. Nobody can see the underneath of your quilt after its done anyway, so....... Just let it flow!!! You'll do okay.

I also am self taught. I learned from looking around on line. My first quilt was a block of the month offered free. If I can do it anyone (almost) can. I am disabled in a wheelchair and do not have use of my right side. I give quilts as gifts they come out so well. Not giving up is a key ingredient. Relax, let the errors become a lesson and plug on. If you really want to learn this craft, you will. I found that bigger pieces and blocks were easier.