Lil embarrasing but got to ask now.I don't know q of puilt but very much excited to get started with my 1st project.Can anyone help me by telling me how to jump start. I really need to know the basics.
Thanks!

Hi there,hi from Ohio!

I would suggest going here-

http://quilting.about.com/od/beginni..._Beginners.htm

http://www.quilt.com/HowToPage.html

Good luck and have fun.

thanks alot!

Welcome.
Easiest way would be to take a class at a LQS (local quilt shop) if you have one near you.
They all have a beginner's class (hand or machine), which would teach you the basics.

If you don't want to or can't do that, then get yourself a beginner's book that will explain the steps, terminology, and have some simple projects for you to do.

Here are some starter books I would recommend, and find some really inexpensive (used) copies on Amazon:

Joy of Quilting
http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Quilting-J...9200386&sr=8-1

Quilts Quilts Quilts
http://www.amazon.com/Quilts-Complet...9200458&sr=1-1

Start Quilting/Alex Anderson
http://www.amazon.com/Start-Quilting...9200525&sr=1-1

Along with the books, there are thousands of website and youtube videos available - just do a search the technique or term.
It's always better to try to find the information yourself first - you never know what you'll stumble over. ;-)

If you find a term (or abbreviation) you're not familiar with, just Google it along with the word "quilt" and you'll probably find the definition on the first page of results.

As for buying equipment, your LQS will be able to help you but you can get the same tools at a Joann's or Michael's (if you're in the US) using one of their discount coupons, or WalMart (store or online).

If you're not in the US, there are also several hundred shops that sell tools/notions/fabric that do ship outside the US.

Have fun!!

thanks alot!Ya I brought some books from library but tha basic was lil difficult to understand.But now with ur help I'll try these sites.I'm in US & will try to follow ur suggestion.
thanks!

Welcome from Kansas

welcome from TN

Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting from Ontario, Canada. You'll find lots of help here on the QB.The first pattern to start with that is easy is a 9 patch block. That is exactly what it sounds like, 9 squares of fabric layed out in a checkerboard pattern and stitched together to form a block. After you do some blocks, you decide how you want to stitch them together to form a quilt top. There is a tutorial on this board on Disappearing 9 patch which shows you how to recut the blocks to form a new pattern if your feeling adventurous.
I am assuming that you have the regular sewing equipment already? If you don't have a sewing machine you can still hand sew a quilt together but it will take you a loooooong time. For quilting today a real time saver is a rotary cutter, ruler and mat. You can start with somthing small like a placemat or tablerunner first to get started. Good luck!

Hey!Even I'm also located in Tn(Brentwood).Thanks!

hi! Thanks alot!I'm definitely going to start with a small one.

If you want to see if you like that process,you can buy a collection of charms(5" sqs.) and so them together first. Then you don't have to buy mats,rotary cutter,rulers,etc. until your sure you like it.Welcome from Ks.

Gud suggestion but I already have some spare fabric so wanna use them.Thanks!

Welcome to the world of quilting.

Hi from Ohio. I'm fairly new also and there are great resources on the internet. Just start googling how to make a quilt or free quilt patterns and you'll see lots of things for beginners. Also utube is great for guilting videos.

Welcome and more welcomes...I find quilting aan addiction...a healthys one...start small and simple. (remember as you sew, that puppy wil get bigger and bigger!). Take lessons whever you find them. Do you have a local quilt shop? Some of them will help you get started free, others for buying your fabic from them. Look for a local quilt quild, THESE LADIES WILL BE A GODSEND TO YOU!!! Welcome to your new passion/addiction. Relax/be crazy and most of all have fun!!!!

welcome from Ohio! You will learn a lot from this place! I consider myself a "newbie" to quilting but this place has given me the courage to try new things and if I mess up there is always help here! So again I say welcome and the biggest thing I can say to remember with this site - "There are no dumb questions!"

Welcome! Access youtube videos and advice from this board. Everyone here offers help, advice and wisdom. Sometimes just a good laugh, I love this board. I am a self-taught quilter and just finished my first project last nite. It is a queen size d9p, which I quilted on my dsm (domestic sewing machine). It took 3 months start to finish and I can't wait to tidy my room and start another. I could not have done it w/o the help of this board. You took the best first step - joining this forum! Good luck, trust your gut and have a wonderful time!

My very favorite quilt book is the Complete Book of Quilting by Better Homes and Gardens. I teach from it and it assumes you are a rank beginner. The pictures explain everything and the text is clear and easy to understand, unlike many other pattern directions. You will like this book. Try to get one on Amazon.com or half.com. Check back in and let us know how you are progressing. In addition, there are tons of quilters on board here who will help you. Good luck and happy quilting.

I like this book, was my first, very useful still. great investment
Complete Guide to Quilting by Better Homes & Gardens (right now 8 dollars on amazon.com)

I also agree by taking a beginners class at your local LQS or even joanns has them, the teachers can help teach you how to rotary cut properly, and sometimes its easier to learn when you can see it rather than read it

Just RUN, as fast as you can! I accidentally got into quilting. Knew I wouldn't like it from the beginning.

Now have completed six quilts and I'm so proud of matching points (You'll find out what that means.)

Seriously, great links and advice on this board!

AND stay tuned to this site; esp reading this part AND looking at the part with all the pictures of quilts etc. For a long time I just checked the part with everyone's pictures; would keep pictures of the ones I liked, and look up the patterns for that picture on Google and tutorials. That was neat enough. THEN I decided to check out this part of the site; and see what everyone was talking about. NOW I'm spending WAY too much time reading all of the suggestions and looking up MORE info on Google to make my life easier on Quilting. LOL I've quilted for years; but have sure learned a LOT since reading this site regularly!!!!! You've just made one of the best steps you could make in learning to quilt by checking out this site!!!! Happy quilting. :)

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. Luckily our local quilt guild offers a 6 wk, 3hr weekly class for the price of membership that taught me all the basics, plus I'm now a member of a guild of great women that encourage you at every turn and always are learning themselves, so there are workshops, speakers,etc. You might check to see if a local guild does a similar program.

Sorry about this but there is a very good book called "Quilting for Dummies - A Reference for the Rest of Us!" I got it on Amazon and it was only $7.48 and it has been a great reference for starting quilting plus all the great information available from the Quilting Board.

You could get a Quilt in a Day book from Eleanor Burns.
Eleanor has some real easy ways to make quilts. Get some of her first books She always worked with 2 1/2" strips.
Have a lot of fun learning and if you make a mistake don't get upset because that is the way you learn You get hooked on quilting

I would start by going to local library and look at the quilt books they have. Both of the library's near me have several shelves of Quilt books.
I would think that picking out a very basic block and get it all sewed and pressed would be a great start, then make a block with more pieces like a 9 patch with border... or a basic Sampler Quilt... would be a Great introduction to quilts... Basic squares can be used for potholders, table toppers, or even to sew on to a totebag... lots of ideas can be found in those books with smaller projects... Good Luck...

Welcome from Arizona. I'm fairly new, too, both to this site and to quilting. I bought Nancy Zeiman's book and it really helped a lot. It's very basic.. Gpood luck

Welcome from Minnesota. I starteed with quilt classes at my LQS (sadly, now out of business) and learned how to make twelve 12" squares. My favorite book is the one from Better Homes & Gardens. But I have learned the most from being on this board and looking at the quilt pics every day. The folks here are so wonderfully creative. Now I just have to get my quilt finished.

How to sew a basic 9-Patch Quilt Top
First wash and iron your fabrics, then fold until ready to use. Half are dark and half are light.
Cutting: Cut them into Sq’s at 4” or 6” whatever size you choose. Make sure they are all uniform and square. Iron as you go.
Sewing: No back stitching as you will go over each sq enough in a different direction to be the same as back stitching. Make sure your seams are uniform at a standard ¼” seam. Use a guide on your machine such as a stack of post it notes to make a raised edge. Measure from the needle not the out side of the foot. And get a quarter inch foot for your machine.
Ironing: As you get a stack of 9 patches sewed, iron them flat pressing seams to the dark side of the fabric. And after you sew rows again press your new seams again towards the dark fabrics.
Now stack in groups of 10-20 or 40. You want even number of dark and light in two stacks of say 63 that is 4” sq at 7 -9 Patches x say 10 rows gives 630 squares divide that in half and you get 315 squares of dark and 315 sq of light color. That is a top 7 9 patches wide by 10 9 patches long. Or it should be 80.5” wide and 115” long.
Ok take your dark and light stacks. You are going to lay them out start with sq #1 dark and then sq #2 light. You make half starting with a dark sq and the other half starting with a light sq. So when you finish your 9 Patches #1 & #2 you can sew them together and you will continue with dark and light. Example: 9 patch is 3 rows of 3 sq.s Start with a dark sq then a light sq and a dark sq for row 1, then start with a light sq and a dark sq and a light sq. repeat row 1 for row 3. Now when you sew the three rows together you have.
D, L, D and L, D, L
L, D, L D, L, D
D, L, D L, D, L repeat all this for 7- 9 patch squares across the bed so you can see your pattern. Or if you have a wall to hang them on with push pins is good too.
Then in row 2 you reverse the dark and lights.
L, D, L and D, L, D
D, L, D L, D, L
L, D, L D, L, D
Then row 3 you repeat row 1 dark
Row 4 you repeat row 2 light
Row 5 you repeat row 1 dark
Row 6 you repeat row 2 light
Row 7 you repeat row 1 dark
Row 8 you repeat row 2 light
Row 9 you repeat row 1 dark
Row 10 you repeat row 2 light
Sew each 9 patch square with the proper sq next to it. All across the row. Sew all 7 sq across. Mark the upper left corner of each row with a safety pin so you do not mix them up. Place the pin in the top left sq of each row.
Now to sew your rows 1-10 together.
First all your 7 - 9 Patches are across the bed in dark and light and dark and light all across the row. NO 2 Darks are to be together and no 2 lights are to be together.
Now sew row 1 & row 2 all across. You flip row 2 over row 1 & sew at the bottom of row 1 and it will be the top of row 2. You do this so when open right sides out your safety pins are all in the upper left sq of both rows.
Repeat row 3 and 4 Then 5-6, Then 7 & 8 and 9 & 10.
Remember to flip them so right sides are together and all pins are in upper left corner on top. If not you have one up side down.
Once all 10 rows are done you have a quilt top about 80.5” x 115”
I hope this helps make a top.
Now add a backing that is 6” wider on all 4 sides so in this case it is 80.5 wide plus 6 on each side is 92.5 and 115 plus 6 inches on each side” add 12” at 6 on each end makes it 127” long. Make your batting 2.5” to 3” larger than the top. So if my math is correct I will add 6” to the 80.5 + 6= 86.5” wide and 115” add another 6” = 121” Long
Layer the 3 layers backing will be right side down on your table top or bed top. You may need to sew 2 lengths of 44” wide fabric to get 87.6” wide when sewn together at 121” long each. Once your seam is sewn iron it in the seam. Now lay it down right side down and wrong side up.
Lay down batting so 3” inside the backing on all 4 sides. Trim to fit if you need to.
Now lay the top you just made on top of the batting and it will be right side up.
Now you tie yarn in the 9 patches on upper left corner (safety pins are removed) and in the center of the 9 patch and go all across. Use sport weight yarn it is lighter. Thread a yarn needle and go thru all the layers of the top, batting and backing. Start on the top, go thru and come back up to the top. Leave yarn ends long enough to tie in 2 or 3 knots and trim to 1”. Go all across each row that way so 2 yarn ties are in each 9 patch. And It will be like this:
D, L, D row one D on left gets a yarn in upper left corner of the sq.
L. D. L row two of 9 patch gets the center D sq with a yarn tie in the center of the sq.
D, L, D
Once all across the row repeat the second row, third, fourth etc… to row 10.
Now fold the back over the batting and to the top. Turn for a ¼” seam to turn under. Pin all the way around. Miter the corners. Look online how to do that. It is a matter of folding and pining a corner. Then zig zag around the edge.
You now have a finished beginner quilt. Hope this is clearer than mud.

Hi Tulika and welcome from Victoria,Australia.

Welcome to our group. I am fairly new myself and call myself quilterwannabe. If I had more time I could get more fancy I guess. But I hope you glean all you can from all of us and how I got started was I was recrouted to a church quilt circle and they taught me the basics and I have gone from there to making my own at home with a homemade quilt rack my hubby made for me it is easy of 4 18" saw horses and long poles wrapped with fabric scraps not suitable for quilting. I think to but batting under the fabric on the poles would have been even better.
Here are a few quilts I have made for tots. AS you can see I am super simple and have yet to machine quilt a quilt together. Some day I will. I did machine a yard of fabric to make a purse and have yet to make it.
Enjoy all of us and pick our brains. Someone will have an answer.
Most of my 9 patches are diagonal and it is done the same way only with 3 different fabrics one Dark, Light and a medium. lay it out D 1- M 2- L 3 on row 2 is: L 1, D 2 then M 3. and row three is , M1, L 2 & D 3 This makes a diagonal 9 Patch that will repeat all thru the quilt. Then add a few triangles and you can have countless varieties.