Most folding tables aren't really sturdy enough, very few card tables are sturdy enough, and plenty of people could be great quilters if their machine wasn't bucking up and down like a bronco! Some are ok, the office level heavy weight ones are essentially permanent when set up, but can still be folded down.

Something like a pre-cut shelf board can be enough extra stabilizer for a lighter card table, and it will be flat when the rest of it is folded down.

My current sewing table is the short return from a computer desk combo. It is office weight and pretty sturdy but even so my heavy machine likes that shelf board even if my lightweight machine doesn't notice or need it (it was so lightweight I finally used blue tape to keep it where I wanted it). We got it from Craig's list, it came disassembled, still heavy and awkward as heck, but doable.

If you do go for a folding table, get one that has a top that does not "give" - DH bought one for me that is plastic and it "gives" when I cut - so then my cuts are off.

If you're willing to think outside the box, keep your eyes peeled for creative solutions, you might get something awesome. My son bought a solid wood door from a 2nd hand remodeling store (kind of like a Habitat for Humanity ReStore). He put one end on a 2-drawer filing cabinet, the other end on an iron base from a back yard patio set. The whole setup is solid and firm, and I think he paid $25 for all of it.

Here's my new sewing table.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The work table that should be more than sturdy enough for my sewing needs. I was totally surprised when my total, supposedly about $175, ended up being a little over $20.

The table has enough room for the sewing machine, a place to cut, and hopefully enough room on the end for a place to do ironing. And it fits perfectly in the area below my bedroom window. I can get my machine off of my kitchen table. Yippie!
In addition, after browsing about looking at peoples sewing rooms, it looks like the empty bookshelves right next to where this table will go, will be perfect for holding my fabric, and little containers of this and that.

So I think I've solved my sewing area problems for very little money. I just never thought of bookshelves for storing fabrics and other things.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe I read the ad incorrectly - but I'm understanding that there would be six payments of $26.61 plus shipping and handling?

Looks like it would be a nice table, though.

That's if you use their Amazon store card. I used my own visa debit for this purchase.

Heck of a deal then!

Looks like a great table! I have a small ikea computer desk that I use for both quilting and cutting. I use to use the back of an old painting on my bed to iron/press. I've upgraded to a cheap ironing board but sometimes you just have to make it work!

When you look at patterns I would actually recommend you not try that "beginner" quilt on page 3 right now. It's a sampler and you have to learn A LOT on each block and they are more complicated then you might think, I would have gotten very frustrated and quit if a sampler was my first quilt. And any quilt that has triangles, run away!!! I would recommend a simple quilt where it's mostly one block. As you make each block you will become more and more confident in your sewing. I would recommend one of the two following videos as they are more simple and have a full video on how to make the top. They are both jelly roll quilts so you can use your fabric rather than needing to buy some more. And Also, when learning to piece accurately, if you pick fabric that is more busy, or lots of similar colours you can hide mismatched points better as you are learning, ask me how I know lol

I'd also recommend making half the size to make it less overwhelming.

https://quiltingtutorials.com/tutori...ilt-with-jenny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHfIXnk_W4A

Go easy on yourself and try to have fun! For what it's worth I have never washed/dried any fabric and have great success in my quilts.

Both videos were great. Both seem to be fairly simple. But right now I do not have any white solid for placing between. I would have to purchase that. I agree that doing a smaller one, say 40x40 would be the best way to start. Doing a small one means I could do a second small one.

You don't have to put white in between at all! Just a contracting colour. If you have a lot of green for example you could use that, or use all lighter colours and use dark for the rest. The best part of making a quilt is you get to make it your own!

Right now I'm limited to the jellyroll and those botched squares. I'm using them to learn how to sew the scant 1/4 inch seam. I haven't even tried bias sewing. Need to get the basic seam down right now.

I will wait until the middle of next month to get more fabric before I attempt anything resembling a quilt. Right now I am making squares.

One reason for waiting is I am paying off the sewing machine, and that leaves nothing, or very little. I'll just keeping purchasing what I can, like the table I got for almost nothing. Next up are a good pair of scissors, a fat fabric marking and cutting ruler, and other little things that are needed in the kit.

Here's another of my blocks (#2). I still have a little wiggle in things, but am getting closer.

Your block looks great. I love the colors.

osewme, Thank you very much. Things are really slow, as I just came up with the idea of surrounding the original botched blocks with the new jelly roll strips. Takes a lot of time to measure things exactly

I just made my second block, then put the two together. Tomorrow I will try do double my productions between all the other things going on in my life. Still am having difficulty keeping a straight line, so my blocks are not going together without a little jostling

Maybe tomorrow things will improve.

And I cannot seem to get rid of the wrinkles from the fabric washing. I pressed things, but those wrinkles don't seem to want to disappear.

Your blocks are beautiful and look well sewn! I especially like the floral prints. A block a day and you'll be done before the months out.

Is your iron a good quality iron with a steam blast? I find it helps to get the worse wrinkles out. My first iron was $10 and didn't get anything out. lol

lizzie3, Thanks for the tip about the steam. I purchased a Black and Decker steam iron, so it should do the job. Just didn't press the steam button but once, and that blew out some pretty hot steam that got my fingers. Guess I might need to wear gloves when pushing the steam function button.

I did four blocks today, and squared them up to make sure they were uniform size. Really only took very tiny bits off the sides. I hae six of these blocks sewn together in a strip. I will be trying to do six tomorrow. I've already picked out the center blocks and the colours to border them. Some are fairly difficult, as they only have two central block colours.

Will post another picture when I get a four by six done.

I have purchased several times from Connecting Threads, although I have not purchased any pre-cuts or kits. I like to cut my own fabric; if it doesn't turn out, then it is my fault. I have been pleased with both the fabric and customer service from them.
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Dee1245, Yes, I now, based particularly on customer service, shop with "Connecting Threads" I like the fact they have pretty much everything needed to make quilts.

After watching a lot more videos, I learned I need a lot more accessories (notions?) for working with the blocks create. Apparently most people aren't perfect sewing their fabrics together, so careful trimming of those blocks before the next sewing is a must.

The current set of blocks I am creating are just waiting on the 7.5 inch square cutting template. Once those are all trimmed to exactly 7.5 inches, I can sew in the next step. Might not be exactly what is the way it is supposed to go, but it should ensure everything matches up

There sure is a lot to learn about sewing on a machine, and quilting.

This morning I tried to change the bobbin, and ran into two hours of frustration. I tried everything, but change the needle. When I changed the needle, all the problems disappeared. Seems the needle only lasted for that one bobbin full of thread. Now I see why some suggested I purchase a 100 pack of the most used needles.

I also finished my 36th block. So I have a stack of them I need to trim even on all sides, as some of my strips were not measured the best. Thanks goodness 90 percent of the length problems are being too long. I had to resew a few strips due to their shortness, though they were only less than 1/16 short; still usable.

Last thing discovered is that I noticed that my sew line was straighter when I placed my left hand firmly on the material being fed through the needle. If I didn't, the fabric feed dogs tended to make the fabric wobble back and forth. So, with my right fingers holding light tension on the fabric, and left stabilising the fabric to the left of the needle, the fabric feed was more accurate.

Right now I am still waiting on a neutral fabric I can use between the blocks. That's the problem when you don't have a stash. :-)

I just finished trying to true up all the blocks I created. Out of 36 blocks, I probably had six that might have passed the experienced quilters standards. Those six were the only truly square, and properly sized blocks. I ended up truing one side, then adjusting one side, and cutting that. Once I had two trued sides, I was able to remove 1/8 inch or less from the other two sides to get the remaining blocks the same size.

Orientation of the strips within those blocks is a tiny bit off because I apparently cannot sew straight. So much for my thinking I had found the proper way to hold the fabric while putting it through the sewing machine.

Looks like I will have to create another dozen or so blocks to ensure I have enough of the correct size to finish my small quilt front

Not sure why I cannot manage to create square blocks like most quilters. Could be bad lighting, or just my poor eyesight, or a combination of both, as well as still not knowing how to feed the fabric through the machine. Will keep trying. Maybe something will dawn on me, and I will get things going correctly.https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/redface.png

Caley, a needle should last through more than one bobbin, the "rule of thumb" is after every quilt or something like 8 hours of sewing. I'll be honest, the only time I change my needle is when it starts "popping" or when I need a different size, then I'll change and then put the old needle back in after I'm done with the different sized needle I switched too, or on the occasion when I have the single hole needle plate on and do a zig zag, thus the needle breaks.

I'm assuming you don't have a 1/4" foot yet, but you can make a "hill" out of painter's tape and line up your fabric next to that.

pocoellie, I've tried everything from a popsicle stick held down with carpet tape, to painters tape, and I do have a 1/4 inch foot. Nothing seems to work for me. I think I need that lower table to help me see things better. Right now I am using my kitchen table which is a tall, tavern type table. And the lighting is not very good.. So, I think having that new sewing table in front of the window and getting a bright lamp will possibly help.

Of course, it might just be I don't have an aptitude for sewing. But I tend to be stubborn, and will just keep grinding away.. Like I said earlier, maybe something will dawn on me, as to what I need to do to do things correctly.. Sure wish I could take a sewing class to learn how to feed fabric through a machine. But there isn't anything, even when there isn't a Flue problem.

Adjusting the squareness and size of the blocks to uniformity was the only thing I could come up with, short of taking everything apart.

Will make another dozen blocks tomorrow, and then hope I have enough good ones for the 42 I think I will need. Then all I have to do is wait until I have money to purchase a neutral colour for the fabric that goes between the blocks, and surrounds everything.

My index cards are lines at 1/4 inch intervals. I use them to check to see where the needle hits/penetrates in conjunction with where the edge of my presser foot is.

Way back when, when a 5/8 inch seam allowance was "standard" - and the presser foot had a wide side (away from the edge of the fabric) and a skinny side - the edge of the presser foot was usually over 3/8 inch away from the edge of the fabric. At first, I think I drew lines on the fabric for where I was supposed to stitch - and sometimes I still do that - using something that will be easily removable or not show later - to see how I was supposed to "line up" with the edge of the fabric.

To a certain extent, sewing a seam is a bit like driving a car in the proper lane. After a while, one just knows where one should be.

bearisgray, I just tried that, and it helped a little. I've adjusted the stitch speed way down so that I feel I am in control, instead of the machine.

Unfortunately, when I used the index card to check how the foot and material line up, I must have snagged the little auto threader point. That no longer works now. So I am having to do it the old fashioned way, thread the needle by eye.

Regardless of some improvement, I am still having to trim the blocks I create down, so they are both square and the same size.

I promised a photo of my quilt blocks. There are 48 of them here in this photo. But they aren't arranged in any manner; just placed down on the carpet as they came off the stack. Like I've said earlier, they need something between each block.

Would a white trim around each work? I think I have some white on the way from "Connecting Threads" I also purchased five yards of a colour Walmart listed as Pansy Purple. Right now I don't have money to purchase any more fabric.

The hard part is going to be figuring out just how to arrange things before I finally get down to sewing things together.

The blocks look pretty together "as is" - I do not think they need anything more between them.
They look like you did a nice job on the blocks.

If the size is as big as you want it, if it were mine, I would skip the border and just put a binding on it.

If you are able to take pictures of an arrangement you like - it helps in a couple of ways -

1) It helps to remember how to put it back together

2) It helps to spot something that looks "off" -

I love it just the way it is! It's very pretty!
Question - are you wanting to add white to it for aesthetic reasons, or because you want the quilt to be larger? Or some other reason?

I have no experience with quilting. So I have watched a lot of videos, and a lot of them have the blocks surrounded by a neutral colour, or something that compliments the chosen colours.

This is just a bunch of those botched squares I purchased off of Amazon that I recycled, and surrounded with jelly roll strips. I've not a clue why I came up with this pattern. I just sat down and puzzled out the strip lengths, one of 3.5 inches, two of 5.5 inches, and the last of 7.5 inches. Seems to have worked out fairly well. I tried to match the center block colours as well as I could, but the jelly roll I have didn't give a whole lot of variety that matched the center block colours.

So, the view from two of you is that I don't need to use a 1 inch border to separate all the blocks. As for increasing the size, I can always create some more blocks, if the piece doesn't need those borders. I guess some kind of border around the whole bunch of blocks is probably needed, or is it?

Still trying to learn. BTW, I never mentioned I'm partially colour blind, did I? I tend to see basic colours, but it's very difficult to separate similar shades of the same colour, unless there is a significant difference. So bear with me if I mess up the colour combinations.

Caley, I agree with bearisgray. The blocks look great just the way they are. Sometimes, blocks need sashing and sometimes they don't. Just like sometimes a top needs a border and sometimes not. On another subject, are there any thrift stores near you? It's truly amazing what you can find there. I found a 12"x18" June Tailor Shape Cut ruler one time for $3.00, a Omnigrid 6"x24" ruler, still had the wrapping around it, for $.50., along with many other things, fabric also.

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I don't know what kind of auto threader you have but I have found that if my needle is not in the "up" position (totally up) then my little needle threader will not catch into the eye of the needle. This sometimes happens if I turn the wheel by hand to move my needle up or down. You might try your threader again by making sure your needle is in the totally "up" position.

As for your blocks, I think they are perfect just like you have them. If it were my quilt, I would not put at sashing between them & probably would not use a border on the outside of the quilt. I would just add as many blocks as I needed to make it the size I want & then finish it off with the binding. I can't wait to see what you do with it & see your first, finished quilt! You are doing great!!!

Pocoellie, Thanks so kindly. I'll give things a try with just piecing together the blocks. It's going to be fun getting things so that similar colours aren't together, and the wide block strips don't go next to each other.

No, we really don't have much in the way of big thrift shops. We have a lot of church thrift shops, and a few regular shops, but most are very expensive for what they are selling. And for the most part, many of those are closed due to the flu pandemic.

If you look up the Morongo Basin, you will see that there are basically three towns along State Highway 62. They are Yucca Valley, population about 30,000, Joshua Tree, population about 7,000, and 29 Palms. population about 26,000. The two big stores in this 25 mile stretch of highway 62 are WalMart and Home Depot, We have a few chain supermarkets, and then the rest of businesses consist of Mom and Pop small stores. The majority of businesses are eating establishments, tattoo parlours, beauty shops, and bars. Then we have loads of churches. From my house I can see seven of those. So, there really isn't much in the area for about 60 miles. That's why I do most of my purchasing online. Saves time and fuel, and weaqr and tear on my truck and my nerves.

If it weren't for the flu pandemic, I could go to yard sales, but even those are pretty much non existent. For some reason, many people heard that people are being allowed to go back to work, and think the flu problem is gone; and they think they don't need to wear masks. So the flu problem is one of the worst in California.

But enough of that. Just kind of letting you know that just about nothing is available where I live, except for food and fuel.

: When I finally get down to putting the quilting thread in, where should I place them? Should I just follow the places where I already have sewn on the blocks? I imagine I would start in the center of the quilt, and sew down the center, and then flip it 90 degrees and do that again. After that, I imagine I would just follow the places I've sewn until I get to the edge. From one video, they say to sew along the edge anywhere form 1/8 to 1/4 inch from that edge.

I guess the binding goes on last. I'll probably use the remains of my jelly rolls to do that. Will have to join enough of them to make it all the way around, plus about 10 inches, if I remember correctly.

Also, I will have to wait for more needles I didn't know I needed, those being quilting needles. Apparently regular (Universal) or top stitch needles aren't really designed for the quilting process.. Is that correct?

I also have not seen much in the line of "quilting type cottons" at yard sales or thrift stores. And I am including "fabric that is in garments" too.

Occasionally, I will find a bonanza, but not very often. I have not seen many sewing machines, either. The ones I have seen are not to my liking.

I use Universal needles for pretty much everything. I have heard that top stitch needles are really good for piecing but have not tried them yet. I don't know why you couldn't use your Universal needles and/or top stitching needles for the actual quilting process. But that is just my opinion. I'm not a needle expert & also don't match my thread with the type of needle I'm using. Hopefully you will get a better answer on the needles from someone else. I would suggest you do a "sample" quilting block before you start on your quilt. Just make a little sandwich of a block, batting & backing & do a bit of quilting on it. That way you can make sure the tension is right on your machine when you get ready to quilt your actual quilt. I like to jot down the tension selection that I make for the quilt in case I have to change it for another project before I get the quilt completely quilted. I'm not good at numbers & remembering when I make changes like that. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/wink.png

It is also "legal" to tie a quilt, too.

Although if you are having trouble using your hands, that might be a challenge.

osewme, The Singer machine I have, has automatic tensioning. Not sure it works for the quilting process, but will do that test piece to make sure. I will have to purchase another cotton batting section so I can do that. I don't want to cut into the twin size batting I already have.

As it is, I won't be doing the quilting for some time. Will take me a while to accumulate the materials to do that.

At the same time I am practising straight line quilting, I will try a bit of free hand quilting to see how that works. Apparently the sewing machine speed, and how fast you move the fabric through the needle area determines your stitch length, as the stitch length is set to zero.

Free hand - or free motion - quilting - one can/should drop the feed dogs before starting.

bearisgray, Yup, watched a YouTube tutorial on this. The young lady explained it all in easy to understand terms.

Caley-do you have a walking foot? If so, I would just do a diagonal grid both directions. FMQ takes a of practice, unless you "instinctively" have the talent, of which I do not, but know a couple local quilters who can't cut or sew a straight line, but can do FMQ on an elcheapo Brother machine, no FM foot on a bed sized quilt, and can make small(1.5") vases with flowers, etc., they obviously have the talent, but I can do a fairly decent meander and loop de loops, I don't even attempt anything more complex, and it's taken me over a dozen years to do as good as I do. I don't want to discourage you, just want you to know it takes practice, practice, practice, etc. I think you've done a wonderful job on your blocks though, so keep up the good work.

pocoellie, Yes, the Singer machine came with a walking foot. I will do the diagonal (corner to corner) quilting.

Does anyone know of a good marker for fabric that won't ruin it? There are so many out there, I've not a clue as to which to purchase, so I defer to the experienced. I will also be purchasing blue painters tape so I can sew a straight quilting line..