hello!

i just joined the group, and am happy to be here. :)

i really want to learn how to make quilts... i just picked up this book ( http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guid...1039903&sr=1-1 ) and would like to try making one. i am looking for a good sewing machine i can use for quilts (the only thing i'm really interested in sewing, at this point). any suggestions?

also, just looking at the book, it seems so complicated... how did you learn what to do?

Welcome, You are at the right place for help. I am kinda newbie too. I quilted a long time ago and am coming back again. I have learn so much.

I never learned. I just sewed before, and I always wanted to sew colored pieces of fabric together to make a design. I found a pattern at a garage sale, and did just that!

Hi! I'm pretty new to this quilting business, too. I love the Practical Guide to Patchwork! I think that will be a great resource for learning the basics, though there are tons of great tutorials here and elsewhere online to get you through each step of quiltmaking. I made my first help strictly with help from the internet! I stumbled on this site when making my first quilt. I asked for help at just about every step and received amazing advice and encouragement! By the time it was done, I was hooked, and on to the next.

No help on the machine front--I'm still just using my basic Brother machine because it is light and portable. I'm shopping for a machine better suited to quilting, though. There are too many to choose from! I'm taking my time since I don't have a great place now to set up a machine in a permanent spot.

Good luck with your quilting adventures!

i learned the basics from my mom. i'm still a beginner quilt. but am constantly learning new things. cutting accurate and matching seams is probably what i learned the most. important. start simple and build to king of the mountain. and there's some great people here and there's great u tube videos that can help.

Hi and welcome! You can get lots of information from everyone here on the board, people are all at different skills levels and they have so much to offer in terms of knowledge. One day you can pass along the knowledge you gained to another new quilter.

As for starting out is there a local quilt shop (LQS) in your area? Most run classes for beginners or have an 'Open Sew' where you can go and start a project and get help. Also, lots and lots of information on various sites on the web, but if you do a search on this board you will get tons of information. Also, ask away ~ I have found everyone on here to be so helpful and supportive.

Good luck as you begin your quilting journey!

Welcome from Louisiana:) If you have a quilt shop close by see about taking classes. There are also lots of Youtube videos. Jump in and don't be afraid to try something new!! Go for it:)

Welcome to the board from Southern California!

I had friends that helped teach me how to quilt!

wow, i sure didn't so many quick responses!! thank you!!

i have a very basic sewing machine, and i know that is fine for doing the top part... but i should have said i'm looking to be able to sew the stuffing between the layers, and mine doesn't have enough room, you know?

i have a relative that quilts (but she's in ontario, canada and i live in vancouver, bc half the time, and in seattle, wa the rest of the time)... i told her i want to learn, and she was super discouraging because she said nice quilts are always done by hand. and i'm sure that's true, but it's not the type of quilting i want to do, you know?

oh, i looked up quilting shops in seattle... some of them have classes, but you're supposed to bring your own machine, which is fine, it just means i have to wait until i get my green card and can bring my machine down there.