first project idea's or pattern needed
 

hello all, i am just starting out learning how to quilt/sew etc. I'm looking for a good starting project something small to just find my feet so to speak maybe a place mat or pot holder or something? i got a machine for Christmas and went to Joann fabrics today (omg i am so excited to start). i intended to just get supplies today but i ended up finding and falling in love with a fabric ( and it was 40% off lol )the picture below it's the pink, the black underneath it is just one that looked like it went with it :o so i guess I'm looking for idea's on what to make and maybe if anyone has a pattern to share or maybe a link on where to find a free or cheep pattern? thanks so much! ----Heather
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You could do a disappearing 4 patch. Or if you have one more fabric to add to this you could do a disappearing 9 patch. These are quite easy but look more complicated when finished. I would start with just a lap size quilt so you don't overwhelm yourself. There are probably tutes in the tutorial section. Beautiful fabric choices. Welcome to quilting. I sure hope you enjoy your first experience.

i suggest you go back to Joann's and get a very basic beginners quilting book. Instructions in print will be helpful to get you started.

Welcome to quilting. My first was a 9 patch, which worked well for me. I agree about a lap sized project to start with. You cold browse www. quilterscache.com for more ideas.

My first quilt was a 9 patch, too, but the other suggestions here are good, too. Disappearing 9 patch would work with 2 fabrics.

thanks, i just need to find a pattern now

Irish chain is a great pattern to start with. You can use just 2 fabrics and no complicated techniques are involved. I love the look of the Irish chain. I have made at least 5 of them and they all look different.

Most of the fabric makers have free patterns like moda. Just google free quilt patterns. Definitely a class or two would help as well. Good luck and welcome to QB.

Welcome aboard.
I guess I'm a cheapskate when it comes to books. I love to read but I hate to pay full retail for the priveledge.
Your local library is an excellent resource for quilt books and magazines. If you prefer to own them try your local thrift stores. It's rare when I can't find at least one book on sewing or quilting in one. They're usually a bit older but it doesn't really matter. Many quilt patterns have been around for years anyway. You can occasionally find some good fabrics in the thrift stores as well.
Rodney

Hello and welcome.....I'm with Rodney...never overlook thrift stores and libraries for quilting resources. Maybe a tablerunner would be a good starting point. Anyway keep us posted and sing out if you hit a problem..there's always a helping hand here on the QB.

Look in Amazon for kindle books.also watch some utubes and you can get free online patterns.
I purchased Lynne Edwards first book. She makes a selection of different blocks with fantastic instructions. I did mine by hand but you can convert to machine. There are plenty of pictures. Found her first easier than later ones.

The easiest quilt pattern I have used was an single Irish chain. Half of the blocks are pieced 9 patch, the rest are just plain squares. The double Irish chain looks cool too, but it is a little more difficult as a beginner. IMHO try "googling single Irish chain.

I would start with MSQCo"s youtube videos and Craftsys free BOM.

Another great place to start is Quilter's Cache. She has tons of block patterns and some are very easy. Good luck on your first project and remember it is addictive. lol
Sue

Agree completely and let me add...cutting mat, rotary cutter, a few rulers......also many tutes on YouTube to give you visual lessons.......like Missouri star quilt company

Use the KISS theory to begin with!!!!!

Your fabric is beautiful! I think a single irish chain pattern would really show it off nicely...and it's a very easy pattern. Here is a good tutorial for that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHfIXnk_W4A

Another possibility is a Disappearing 4-patch. Here's a good tutorial for that: http://video.fonsandporter.com/video...r-patch-quilt/

When I first started quilting, I bought books, but I found that I prefer online tutorials whenever they are available. Good luck, and there are a lot of people here who are willing to help if you have questions!

you know for some reason i didnt even think of the library lol thanks!

I would suggest maybe a couple of classes at a LQS. That is how I started out and got hooked into quilting! I took a class for a sampler quilt every Saturday for 6 weeks. You can learn many different blocks to make and alot of helpful hints from other ladies too. Also, the people on this QB are so helpful and willing to give suggestions or help you find anything you ask for. I have been very fortunate in getting help.

hrmom26, you are going to love quilting! All the advice is good. Do get a cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler. A major key to success and minimal stress is accurate cutting. These tools make it very easy (sign up for Joann's coupons and use one for the ruler, mat or cutter...the mat and cutter are often on sale too). I think you are on the right path thinking a small project before the lap size quilt suggested by others. A table mat or runner would be a good start...make three or four blocks of your choice and then join them. Choose a backing and small piece of batting. Quilt by sewing through all layers in straight lines following the lines in the blocks. Cut the edges cleanly and square up the mat/runner. Then find a youtube video to show how to bind the mat/runner. This will give you experience in all skills need to make that first lap quilt!

Welcome, from Texas!

Pretty fabric! If you're looking for something small, how about a few mug rugs? They're slightly bigger than pot holders but smaller than place mats. You can make several, improving your skills, with each. Think of them as practice mini-quilts. :)

Google easy free quilt patterns and you will find a lot that will work for you. That's what I did 4 years ago, and I was hooked! Well, I also took a beginning quilting class that my sister taught. Guess that helped a lot too. :)

And use this board. Every time I ran into a problem, I would post a question and got an immediate answer. For example, I even had a question the first time I changed a blade in my rotary cutter...."Do you wipe off the oil or whatever that is on the blade before you put the new blade in?" and got an immediate answer from fellow quilters here.

The quilt on my avatar is one of the easy free quilt patterns I found when I googled. I think it was the third quilt I made.

Dina

Eleanor Burns Quilt In a Day books are sold at JAF. There is a book published by QIAD called Lover's Knot Placemats by Cynthia Martin. It is a simple pattern and you will learn a lot of basic quilting skills in making them. If you make a potholder, I might suggest getting some of the Insul Bright that is also sold at JAF (located in the batting section). It is a heat resistance batting. Good Luck.

I took a beginning quilting class in adult education and have never regretted it. There is nothing like having an instructor on site to guide you and give you helpful hints in the basic information you will always need. Even if you have to pay for this class, the hands on experience will be priceless.

well i got started today. i think i spent more time cutting and measuring than anything else. i can see why in the tutorial videos they always use charm packs and jelly rolls soooo much easier lol than cutting down from yard size fabric or for me it would anyway. i started a disappearing 9 patch quilt i'm not so sure it looks as good with the fabrics i've chosen or not and when i was on the last step (of arranging the blocks the way you want after cutting the big 9" block in half twice) i accidentally cut into a square i wasn't suppose to so that one was useless. i made all my mistakes today i think, i sewed a crocked line first, lost my thread and realized i threaded the machine wrong, cut my squares 6 inches by mistake then cut them crocked, then finally got it right, my sewing was to fast then to slow then i finally got it right, but near the end i was getting it. i am wondering if the 9" would look better using more kinds of fabric thou.

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I am glad you got started. Don't worry about the small mistakes. I still cut pieces the wrong size or crooked and still don't always have a 1/4 inch seam. I think your colors are beautiful. I know there are several designs you can make out of a D9P, so I may be wrong, but I don't think you have your four pieces lined up quite right. I am not experienced enough to know how to tell you what to do though.

I am going to include a picture of a D9P quilt I made with 3 fabrics. Maybe it will explain what I can't. I sure love your fabric!! ....okay, I couldn't find the picture I was looking for, but here are three examples I have made. I guess I used the same layout for all 3, two are small quilts I made for my cat and the other is a close up of a larger quilt I made. (I can't find a picture of the whole quilt.)

Dina

Here is the picture I tried to find earlier....in case any of this helps. :)

Dina

that does help i like the way yours line up better!! thanks so much

When I started out, I used the Quilter's Academy; A Skill-Building Course in Quiltmaking. It has 4 volumes: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. I loved it because it started with basic skills, and kept using those same skills as it added more complex skills. So it built your skills and allowed you to practice the ones you've learned. It is a fantastic series for a Newbie!

Oh, and it's by Harriet Hargrave and Carrie Hargrave. I found it on eBay for cheap. It's also on Albris, for a reasonable cost, and I've seen it on Amazon. But if I were you, I see if the library has any of the books so you could get a taste of what they're like before you buy.

I think your fabric choices look perfect ! And for your first time, you have had less " learned lessons " ( I don't like mistakes so that sounds better ) than I did my first time around ! Just remember, take your time. Its not a race, and you always win =]

Hi Hrmom 26. I'm sure you will find all the help and patterns you will need here on the forum,there is a vast fount of skill and knowledge here.One thing I would suggest, don't buy too many books, rulers etc at once believe me I speak from experience! Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting it can be a lifetime of discovery.Love Letty

Go to You Tube and type in 10 minute table runner tutorial. You can find 3 or 4 variations of this tutorial, and this is a very quick and easy project, you can use both pieces of your new fabric. If you are totally new to sewing, then a quick note when you are cutting the width of the fabric, normally that means that the selvages are folded together and you are cutting from selvage to selvage, and the length is along the selvage strips. Most fabrics are usually 44-45" wide.
The selvage is the part of the fabric, that has been finished with often times white or the listing of the manfg. label and sometimes colored dots ( it is not the cut edge that you have on each end of your fabric when you purchase it.) When you are purchasing fab. the clerk will measure the length along the selvage edge- if you are having someone cut the fabric that knows what they are doing. I hope this makes sense and helps you a bit.
Several have mentioned that you should purchase a rotary cuter, ruler and mat- definitely, Word of caution, please be careful and safe when using your rotary cutter, they are very sharp and you can get cut easily- When I started using mine many many years ago I started out locking it or returning the blade to the non cutting position after each cut I made, so as not to get cut when picking the cutter up, and for others who may be around- especially children. I still follow that today.
Welcome to the fun and wonderful world of sewing and quilting - Have fun and show us your finished project.

Go to Missouri Star Quilting Company and view the free tutorials. There are many easy patterns you could use to make a block or two to get your feet wet.

There are wonderful video classes available. Missouri Star has so many to choose from. I think many pf Jenny Doan's concepts are great for a beginner because they are quick. Her methods are quick and easy. I think starting with small projects is just good for success and it allows you to start quilting techniques as well as piecing early. You learn them in a hand in hand fashion on projects easy to handle and not have to deal with 'bulky stuff' before you are equipped to handle it. Craftsy classes are great as is YouTube. Start a file of interesting ideas and keep s notebook of techniques to refer to. Don't expect perfection to start with and plan to learn from each experience. Quilting as a hobby or moving to competition is a great experience. Enjoy every step along the path; lots of us will walk along with you.

You will find google is your best friend. Try "free quilt patterns" or "beginner free quilt patterns". You will find lots!

new/easy pattern/new quilter
 

I suggest a 9 patch using the pink print in the corners and the black for the other 5 squares.
This will give you lots of practice on matching seams which is the first basic of quilting. Also 1/4" seams always.
I finally found 1/4" seams so important--after 72 yrs of quilting.LOL. Do it right to start and never look back.
(You could also go on to the DP9 after you get all the 9 patches sewed if you want to see something different, kinda confusing and lots of fun!
Phyllis
84 yrs in Oregon
72 yrs quilting

I made a pair of 9 patch pot holders....That got me started quilting...

Love the pink fabric, you could do a very basic 9-patch with 2 colors, then the pink as a square, it would be very pretty. I agree with Holice, go back to JoAnn's and get a beginner's quilting book. Carol Doak has one - "Your first Quilt Book, or it should be." I've taken classes with her and she's a good teacher. But I would also ask the people at JoAnn's to recommend a good beginner's book.

I have the black piece it washes beautiful, looks like velvet.
all I can say is just jump in and have fun, Even mistakes can be beautiful.

Welcome to the QB! I agree with Gerbie, you can find simple table runner patterns on line and you'll get immediate satisfaction of completing a smaller project. Your fabrics would make a pretty runner.