First Quilt
 

I tried my first block quilt. It was a total disaster with almost none of the seams intersecting. Might have gotten 10 percent to line up. Also had way fabric. In other words, the pieced together squares would not lay flat, regardless of whether I ironed it.

So I will try salvaging the blocks , and use them for some other project.

What I would like to know is if I should purchase from "Connecting Threads", one of their lap quilt kits. I've looked at them, and they seem to be very complete, and give good instructions. They also list whether the project is easy, intermediate or advanced.

Of course, I need to get one that is easy, or if they have one that is called extremely easy. Anyone ever tried one of these kits? And if so, what would your recommend for someone who basically has only hand sewn in their life.

Also, do you suggest any of the squares or rolls of pre-cut material? I'm not very good with colours. I tend to have difficulty seeing the difference in shades of the same colour, unless they difference is extreme.

Anyway, I would love to hear from thsoe who have dealt with "Connecting Threads", as that is probably going to be my source for fabric and other things they sell. Amazon, which I have used for years is just too difficult to figure out.

It's good to see you are making progress. Very few of our first quilts are objects of delight and wonder except maybe to ourselves, but I've had friends with significant sewing experience do marvelous things on their first quilt. lol, all I can say is it wasn't like that for me. I think a lot of us do finish that first piece but probably a lot of UFOs are first quilts, and if you think you can improve your project and feel like it, you can try cutting the blocks smaller, or cutting the strips different widths, sewing them back together and not caring if the seams match or not.

I have friends who order a lot from Connecting Threads and I always enjoy their catalogs.

I don't do many kits myself and there are all sorts of kits. Some include fabric yardage and cutting directions, some feature all pre-cut pieces. Kits can be a good way to get started, classes (if being offered) even when it seems expensive maybe better. Grouped fabric collections help a lot of people, the precuts and such which includes the fat quarter packets.

A lot of people start by kits or classes, move on to using designed projects with coordinated groups of fabrics, and then feeling secure enough start making their own design/fabric decisions. Other people have more pronounced design sense and go maverick from the beginning.

I have not purchased a kit from Connecting Threads, but I have purchased a bundle of their fat quarters. The bundle included fabrics that coordinated well together.

I have purchased a few kits from other sources.

1. The Jordan Fabric kits were fantastic. The pieces were precut, fit together perfectly and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Jordan even has several YouTube videos that take you step by step through the instructions for making their quilts. I would definitely purchase more kits from them. Their website is https://jordanfabrics.com/
2. I have purchased a couple of kits from local quilt shops. I have NOT been happy with those kits. One shop had a display quilt I really liked so I purchased it. When I got home and opened the kit, there was a one page (really an index card size instruction for a quilt that did NOT look anything like the one in the store. The fabrics in the kit were cut into yardage that had to be cut down into the quilt pieces, but I couldn't remember which fabric should go where in the quilt. After wasting a couple of hours trying to figure it out, I gave up and just made a simple quilt of my own design. The latest LQS kit I worked on had 5" borders with medallions in the corners. The kit said each corner medallion measured 5" square. Guess what - the squares were 5" x 5-1/2". The medallions had a preprinted "frame" around the picture, which meant you would have to cut the frame off on the sides in order to fit the medallions into the corners. I will NEVER buy another kit from a LQS.

I just introduced my cousin (who had never sewed anything before) started on quilting this past November. She made Donna Jordan's Jelly Roll Drag Race quilt. It is a very cute, super easy project for a beginner and there's a Donna Jordan YouTube video on how to make it. My cousin's quilt turned out great and it gave her the confidence to do more quilting projects. She is now "hooked" on quilting. I HIGHLY recommend this as an excellent beginner project. The YouTube is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loiM2xGMWJk

I have never had a problem with ordering from Connecting Threads, altho I have never made one of their kits.

There are a few things that you can check on your own, to help you succeed on your next attempt. A very basic one, but really also the most important, is: Are you stitching a consistent 1/4 inch seam? Are you using a 1/4 inch foot on your machine or are you relying on the seam guide on the bed of your machine? Sew a few pieces together and check the width of the seam. You may need to move your needle a little bit to get it exact.

Secondly, you did not say if you cut the squares yourself or used a pre-cut bundle. Not all pre-cuts are created equal. I have had some that vary as much as 3/8's of an inch in the same bundle. If you cut them yourself, just a few threads more or less, here or there, can make a big difference in the end.

The third thing I would look at, is the difference between 'ironing a seam' and pressing a seam'. Pressing means putting the iron on the seam and lifting it off. Ironing involves moving the iron along the seam or fabric. Ironing can stretch and distort the fabric. Using steam can shrink some fabrics and stretch others. Ironing may have been the major culprit in your first attempt.

It is great that you are going to try again. A simple kit with explicit instructions would be the next best thing to a quilting class. Good luck and this board is always here to help. They are an awesome bunch!

Hi Caley,
Can you post a pic of your top with the non-matching blocks? We might be able to help you figure out what happened.
Has anyone ever talked with you about "pressing" vs "ironing"? Ironing is dragging the iron over the fabric, which can lead to stretched bias and wavy blocks. Pressing is lifting the iron up and down, no dragging or swiping, and the blocks will not distort.
Regarding Connecting Threads, I have purchased kits from them before, they're actually a good place to start. CT is usually fairly generous with their fabrics, so if you make a small mistake it's not usually fatal.

I'm so proud that you've made your first block quilt. Like Iceblossom said, most first quilts are just that....first quilts....that will improve over time.
Personally, I love kits from Connecting Threads. I have bought and made several from them & they always give generous amounts of fabric to make the kit. I mostly buy my thread from them also even though it leaves a bit more lint in the bobbin area that requires cleaning the bobbin area more often. They also have good customer service.
Don't forget to measure twice/cut once. Sometimes it takes getting used to quilting rulers & you may think you are cutting a 2 1/2" square and you are actually cutting a 2 5/8". That little 1/8" over will make a big difference when it comes to matching seams.
Keep trying & practicing. You will see improvement with time.

Before this thread, I had read about ironing, versus pressing, and yes, I did press straight down, so that wasn't the problem with my first attemp.

Actually, it probably was a combination of trying to use cut squares as they came, and the fact that the fabric provided varied from very thin, to medium thick.. Not sure the thickness causes problems, but I know now not to rely on the pre-cut fabric being correct.

This is one reason I will be purchasing various cutting templates over a period of time. I am guessing that it isn't a waste of money to have a straight cutting tool, and one of various shapes and sizes.

One question about how pre-cuts come. The first bundle I purchased were the pre-cut 4 inch squares. The edges were cut straight. Like said, they varied from less than 4 inches to as much as a 1/8 inch over.. And it now seems that the squares were not actually square, but were a fraction of an inch different on all sides. Probably one reason why the fabric squares, once assembled did not lay flat.

I watched one video where the lady cut out triangles. She was very careful to ensure she had straight edges that were square to each other before actually placing the cutting template over the fabric. She was very efficient, and got the maximum number of cuts for the material she had. I learned from that video to be very precise, and will practise that when I do try my first (second) quilt. Right now I am watching lots of videos on various subjects related to quilting, and machine sewing and the accessories

I think I will write "Connecting Threads about a first quilt kit. I will present myself as someone who has absolutely no sewing experience, and that is close to being true. I do have a week of trying to sew, but as I usually do, I experience failure before success. I've been told that failure is the best teacher.

Nothing on my first quilt matched up. Doesn't matter. My son loves it.

You may do good with a quilt kit that has all the pieces pre-cut for you. Or you may try something simple like a strip quilt. the 2 1/2" strip is IMO the most versatile strip there is. One thing you don't want to do is get in over your head on your first quilt. I did something simple like the Ohio Star. My half square triangles (HST's) were not perfect but I crowed like a rooster when I finished that lap quilt!! My points were terrible and the seams, not a one matched. It was a real learning experience. I learned from watching Quilt in a day how to make the Ohio Star. I watched and watched that episode until I got it. Then each square came along. None of them perfect. But boy oh boy was I thrilled. I made a quilt!
Don't put so much pressure on yourself this is suppose to be fun. If you want to use a 10" pre-cut there are many videos put out by MSQC and they are great and walk you through each step. I am sending you a great big clapping hand on your first efforts I know you will get your blocks right soon. We have all been where you are.

I once bought a template set - actually it was pattern pieces printed on plastic - and then I was to cut them out - so I assumed that the pieces would fit together.

It was after my first king-sized quilt that I measured the square that never seemed to fit right - and it was 1/8 inch longer in one direction than the other. Which explained why it went together nicely in one direction and it was a battle in the other.

After that, I learned to never assume that the measurements were accurate - in patterns or rulers.

I have heard that pre-cuts vary from very accurate to not . I do not buy them because I am in the wash-before-cutting group and it is important to me to get the shrinkage out of the way before proceeding. Or to find out if I have a bleeder.

I just found another piece that I did not get all the excess dye out of before proceeding. Ah, well. One continues to learn and live! I got color transfer to my pressing cloth while I was fusing some interfacing.

I did buy some cut strips at a yard sale once - they were all a full 2-1/2 inches before I washed them. Most of them were about 2-3/8 inches wide after being washed. A Hoffman or Kaufman was one of the brands that shrank. They did not fray because I handled them carefully.

Even though I said it wasn't worth the effort, I am taking apart all the squares of my first botched attempt at quilting.

For a very long time I had in my sewing odds and ends a small tool that had a claw on the end. Never knew what it was for. I finally figured out it was for taking apart seams, and I am using it.But my arthritis is acting just terrible today. So I resorted to the third hand, actually my right foot to assist me. Yes, I used my right foot to hold the fabric so I could get that little claw tool between the two pieces of fabric, and it worked pretty well. I just finished taking apart the long seam between the 13 square strips. Now I have to do the individual squares.

I guess you iron them after all of that, before cutting them into what I hope will be perfect blocks. A also guess I should wash them so that the fabric stabilizes. Will put it all in the washer on the setting for delicate , and then tumble dry at low setting

Maybe most of these blocks will be salvageable, and can be used for something else.

I've picked apart blocks. Probably not time or money efficient - but then, neither is playing solitaire.

Maybe you can put the blocks in a pillow case or lingerie bag before you put them in the washer - to minimize fraying.

My washer is an older (1990!) top loader - and I can put hand-washed whatever in to spin. Work better than letting whatever drip or trying to hand wring.

Seam ripper? https://www.joann.com/search?q=seam+ripper

bearisgray, Yup, that's what I used, a seam ripper. Works pretty good. Il put the Fabric in a pillow case, as I don't have the other. Since I need to cut the blocks I have already down to 3.5 inches, I probably will be OK.

You mentioned that you were experienced at hand sewing. Does that mean you are hand sewing your piecing? I have a friend who did that in her younger days. It might change the suggestions if you are hand sewing.

This is the best video on machine piecing I've ever seen and it rarely shows up on searches (Donna Poster video). She has several videos on youtube. They are all really good. She describes and shows you in detail how things go wrong and how to fix them.

My suggestion is not to buy any precut fabrics except those made by the big companies (I have no experience with Jordan Fabrics precuts.). The only ones I've used are Moda, and Timeless Treasures and both were accurate. I've heard from others that strips had a curve in the fold and that the squares were not exact. I'm not sure what brands those were.

My experience with kits is they come with yardage and instructions for cutting. It's unusual for the kit to have everything already cut for you.

Good luck on your next quilt.
bkay

bkay, No, I only hand sewed while in the military, and only when I had a minor problem with clothing or a uniform. Anything major I had to take to the on base tailor.

I purchased a Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 as my first machine. I am still learning just the basics, especially proper threading, though I think I have that in hand after a few boo-boo's.

Yes, no longer will I purchase from Amazon from a dealer I cannot even locate on the web. I discovered "Connecting Threads" there, and found what Amazon sent me to be what I think is quality. I think they are called jelly rolls; strips that are 2.5 inches wide and about 40 inches long. They were not straight cut, but have a tooth type edge. Don't know what you call such an edge.

I will Google Donna Poster Videos to see what she has. Always wanting to learn more from a good source. Thanks for the info.

: Oh my goodness, the videos from Donna are absolutely wonderful. I am just watching the first one, and am halfway through. So far I have found three mistakes I have made, and she has shown how to correct them. Wonderful teacher! She shows and tells as good as I have ever seen. I definitely will be bookmarking her videos, and watching all of them. Might actually become a fair seamstress from the whole thing. Thanks again for the information.

I remember breezing along on my first quilt, thinking, 'this isn't so hard!' Then it came to putting the blocks together and nothing matched up. I was so embarrassed when I brought the quilt in to my LQS to choose a border fabric, but the ladies were so nice. The employee who helped me with the fabric pretended she didn't see anything wrong, and the owner said, 'we're here to have fun, not to be perfect.'

You will learn as you sew, and as you read about quilting or watch tutorials, or participate in groups like this, and your results will be better every time. If books are your preferred learning method, Harriet Hargrave has a series called Quilter's Academy, which will tell/show you everything you want/need to know about quilting. The main thing is, keep sewing. Since you have trouble differentiating between shades of color, I think a kit would be an excellent idea, but I would suggest sticking to something simple that uses squares and rectangles.

joe'smom, Some here on the Forum have said not to be too worried about failure on the first try or so. Unfortunately I am someone who cannot be satisfied with mediocre. Guess it is because my Marine Dad never accepted much of anything I did as good enough for him, even when I redid it several times. This just stuck with me. I try not to be the same way when teaching others though. Don't want a bunch of frustrated people, especially the children I try teaching model aeronautics.

I am not much of a book learner. I love to read, but never was good at absorbing data such as I got in school, or tried to read in books. I am much better at watching someone do something, while they explain things. After that, I practise a lot, and get as good as I can, and even learn to refine what I have learned to make it better. That's what a lot of my work bosses liked about my work ethics. I never just did the minimum, but tried to improve things.

As I said, I have loads of patience. It will take time, but I will learn, hopefully before it is my to put 10 toes up.

That is a quilt shop to patronize forever! Kudos to those employees for being kind and not the Quilt Police. ❤️

I understand your frustration. I never completed a square in the first quilt I tried to make. Twenty years later, I took a class and finished my first quilt. If you have a fabric store near you, you could ask if they know where you could take a class. Or, find a quilting group near you so that you have someone close to help you.

Also, go to You Tube and see how they are making quilts. Not all of them are very good, but I'd suggest the one by Shabby Fabrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfsB...wUcVsjDxvhVBwL

A

Penny, Unfortunately there's not a whole lot near me. I would have to go about 75 miles before I find a JoAnn, let alone anything else. Not sure where there are places that give classes. So, I rely mostly upon the Forums, reading on the net, and watching videos.

Thanks for the ShabbyFabrics link. I've bookmarked it in my browser. It will take me time to get to it, as I have been given dozens of places to read and watch about quilting.

Hi Caleyh.

as a beginner myself I did the ultimate beginner quilt from fat quarter shop. She has a video tutorial for each block which is very informative. It comes with the fabric for the quilt backing and binding. It helped me quite a bit. It’s just a suggestionthst may help you.

I washed the 4 inch fabric squares I got off of Amazon. I also received my 3.5 inch square cutting template. Placing the cutting template over the pressed washed fabric, I found I have just 1/8 of an inch or less. That means the washing process shrunk these squares about 1/4 inch or a little more. This must mean the fabric is of very poor quality, or maybe I am wrong.

Anyway, fabric I purchase from now on will be much larger, if there is a requirement to wash all of the fabric you will be including in a quilt.

Oh yes, by washing these little squares, I came out with lots of balls of thread. Some was from my dismantling of my first botched attempt at making a quilt. But a lot of it was from the fabric pieces themselves. Overall, I must have gotten two handfuls of these threads from the 300 pieces of fabric.

Lesson, if it is applicable, is "You get what you pay for." I definitely need to find a source for quality fabric that doesn't shrink like this stuff did, and doesn't fray on the edges. And I did follow the suggestion of washing in a pillow case, and on the delicate cycle, as well as low heat tumble dry.

: Do I wash my "Connecting Threads" "Mirage Tonals" 40"x2.5" strips of cotton fabric?

I believe this is what Judy is referring to. Looks like you can watch the video series & use your own fabrics if you don't want to purchase the kit. I watched a few of the videos & Kimberly does a good job of walking through your beginner quilt. It might help you with general information & steps in making a first quilt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM9v...tbCEX0Oq1TYaat

I hav2 bought kits from Connecting threads and found them to be very generous with their fabrics.

You may want to watch a tutorial or six from Jenny at Missouri Star Quilt. They are on Youtube. She has a great personality and gives lots of good tips, especially for beginners.

I do not buy precuts. I buy yardage and cut my own pieces. I always wash fabrics when I bring them home. I fold them using a 6" x 24" ruler. To cut fabrics with a ruler, you will need a large mat, rotary cutter, extra blades and know to keep fingers away from the edge. You tube should have directions for using rulers.

All fabrics ravel along a cut edge. Quality really doesn't have anything to do with it. Same for fabrics that bleed dye. Some colors are more likely to bleed than others. I would find medium quality fabric for a few quilts. Top quality fabrics can cost quite a bit.

It will take lots of time to learn all you want to know and learn to do. Remember practice - practice and practice some more.

I don't pre-wash my fabrics. I like the "crinkle" look that my quilts have after I've made them & washed them. If I wash my fabrics before making my quilts, it causes them to pre-shrink & I don't get as much crinkle that I like with my quilts. I've heard that you should never pre wash the pre cuts like jelly rolls (2 1/2" x 40" strips), layer cakes, etc.

Thanks, I won't be pre-washing my fabrics anymore. I thought the suggestion to do so might help things, but it created a nightmare. I am recovering the fabric the best I can by pressing it back flat. Since I don't have enough fabric to use the 3.5 inch fabric cutting square, I am going to wait until I obtain a cutting ruler, which will be 3 inches wide.

My idea at using this fabric is to cut it to three inches wide that I can dew in a long strip. It's kind of like using scraps to make a quilt. I will alternate these strips and the long 2.5 inch strips I purchased from "Connecting Threads", and finally put a border around the whole mess.

I doubt I will put a back or cotton center into it. I just want to see if I can create something out of all this mess.

Anyway, back to pressing fabric to get most of the wrinkles out.

All fabric shrinks a bit it is just much more obvious when you are working with pre-cuts. In my experience, if you wash fabric, you need to wash all fabric for a single quilt. If you mix pre-washed and unwashed, the quilt might shrink differently in different places and not in a way you are expecting. If you are piecing this just as an exercise to learn and not planning to quilt it, then maybe mixing is OK.

If you are just getting into things, check out thousandsofbolts.com - they sell quilt shop brand fabric at much reduced prices, largely because it is not the newest fancy thing. IThey sell mainly full yards but have some fat quarters. Fat quarters might be a good choice when starting out, for a variety of fabrics.

Thanks, I guess I will just quit trying to recover this fabric. I've put it away for when I can figure out something to do with it.

I'll just wait until payday to purchase a small basic kit from "Connecting Threads". Maybe I'll have m,ore luck with something simple, and with instructions. I wrote them about the tools I would need to do one of their kits, so sometime next week they should be able to tell me the basic kit, and what tools I will need.

Until then, I am taking a break from the quilting thing, and will explore more on my new machine. I'd like to learn how the machine makes letters on cloth.

If you want to purchase your own fabric for the Ultimate Beginner Quilt, here is a link to the fabric requirements.

https://blog.fatquartershop.com/begi...ilt-sew-along/

Don’t be too discouraged by the bad experience with a who knows who purchase from Amazon. There are many reputable shops online that sell quality fabric. I do encourage you to look at Thousand of Bolts. And Missouri Star Quilt Company. And Jordan fabric. Any e-quilters. And quilt in a day. And many more.

I have purchased kits from Coonecting Threads as well. I love their fabric. They provide more than enough fabric to complete the quilt. The patterns depend on the designers. Some are more difficult to follow than others.

KrisB, Thank you for the Fat Quarter link and videos. This beginner quilt definitely looks like a winner, especially with the video tutorials. As my funds are limited for the next four months due to the sewing machine purchase, I can only deal with one fabric company. So it looks like it is between "Connecting Threads", and "Fat Quarter Shop". Both have good things for someone like myself.

cgsumter, Yes, "Connecting Threads" looks very good.

Presently I am taking the time, based on comments and suggestions here, to process my 2.5 x 40 inch fabric from "Connecting Threads" before using it. I found that using a washing machine and electric dryer to be detrimental to small pieces of cut cotton fabric. So , having a very deep kitchen sink, I hand washed the 40 strips, then hung them over my indoor drying rack. I am presently pressing, and removing all the lint and stray threads from the strips. This task is very time consuming, and I guess that is why the video from"Fat Quarters Shop" said it wasn't a recommended step for beginners. I do like the idea of using spray starch to stiffen up the fabric to make it easier to handle. I may try that on the next batch of fabric..

I also have bought kits from Connecting Threads. They provide plenty of fabric in their kits.

I finally finished ironing and recutting the fabric I goofed on. I decided to do a trial piece, to see if I could actually sew straight.

Needless to say, I had to sew one section twice, as for some reason I could not hold the piece straight while sewing.

I did trim this slightly to remove the tiny uneven bits. Those were mostly less than 1/16 of an inch

Here's a picture of my first ever attempt at making a block. Sorry for the terrible picture. I still cannot figure out how to focus this camera inside of four feet or so.

I still need to add a one inch wide strip on the short side when I finally get some black material

Those zigzagged edges are made using pinking shears.They are called pinked edges. I agree about not washing precut fabric. I don't buy precuts at all. I bought several fat quarters when I was first starting out, but have found I like buying yardage instead now.

I have been a customer of Connecting Threads for several years and have been very satisfied with them.

I agree that precut fabric is out for myself. You lose too much fabric when washing, though I may try the starch method for preparation. I will still purchase one kit for hopefully a pleasant experience making a quilt.

It's a toss up between "Fat Quarters", Connecting Threads, and possibly "Thousand Bolts" when I do start purchasing fabric by the yard. My biggest problem is storage. Right now everything I own for quilting is atop my kitchen table. I would kind of like to have a place where I have a table dedicated to my sewing machine, and cutting and ironing requirements. And I would still need some kind of cabinets with drawers that can hold all the fiddly things you need for the pastime, as well as somewhere to store all that fabric

I'm a big believer in prewashing but don't like dealing with the jellyroll strips. The layer cake/10" square size isn't any big deal to throw a few in a lingerie bag and wash with like colors in the regular wash. Something in me snapped though and I recently bought 3 different jellyrolls and now I need to figure out what to do with them... I used to be very precise and fussy with my quilting and cutting and found that I couldn't rely on proper cutting from others, even machines didn't always meet my expectations (like with the pinked edges). I'm really better off not buying precuts, but these were so pretty and on sale!

In a small space something like a desk works well when you want to be set up most of the time, also look at basic old school sewing cabinets. They were popular for many reasons! Back in the day they even had storage under the seat of the chair. If your machine didn't come with a case, look at getting one. I like a hard case for various reasons, or at least throw a light towel over it to keep the dust off during periods of inactivity.

I know you are getting some sticker shock on the price of things, check out Koala Cabinets for example. They are lovely but out of my price range, my price range is more like $20 and requires the use of sandpaper and I have to consider that it is the hubby and I who have to move whatever it is...

Nowadays we have those nice stacking plastic container things, some of which have a stand and wheels even. I have metal racks like you get at Costco (not just coincidence) that I store my boxes of fabrics on, but I have a room dedicated to my sewing needs. For a long time all I had was a box or a drawer or two. It can be done in minimal space.

If you don't already have things stored under your bed (and if you can store things under it), that can be a great place for quilt related things. Back when I had to take down/put up my stuff, I really loved my sweater drying rack for my strips of fabric as I as sewing. Something like this and it is light weight and folds down:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Honey-Can...tural/17108600

Iceblossom, Already have a drying rack I had had stored in my shed for years. It worked very well for the jelly roll strips.

I'm going to try to find one of those put it together yourself type cabinets made out of the pressed wood. They seem to be fairly inexpensive, or were the last time I looked. I am still looking for some kind of table that is about 60 inches long and 24 inches wide. I think a folding table might be the right choice. And then, when I can afford things, I can get some kind of small drawer thing similar to a night stand for underneath it for all the little things. Big cabinet would be for fabric

Last year before I went into the hospital for open heart surgery, I got rid of my big bed, and opted for a long twin that had electric powered tilt for the head and legs. Kind of like a hospital bed. I knew I probably wouldn't be able to handle moving the big monster, so got that little one. Unfortunately, the way the little one is designed, the legs are in the way for any kind of storage.

Things will come together slowly, Will take a year or so to get everything needed. Probably just in time for my inheritors to fight over everything. ;-)