Learning to machine quilt
 

I have been making quilts for many years but I only do basic hand quilting. I would like to learn how to machine quilt. What are some good basic instructions on the internet. Are any of the Craftsy classes good for a beginning? If so which ones?

The Leah Day website is pretty good. She has a lot of short "quilt along" videos that can help you get started.
http://www.daystyledesigns.com/

I taught myself how to machine quilt using Harriet Hargrave's book. Here is a link to the newest edition:
http://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Machi...dp/1571202366/
This older edition is what I used and costs even less:
http://www.amazon.com/Heirloom-Machi...dp/999868871X/

The book provides lots of details and photos that are very helpful. The Leah Day website offers lots of good demo videos. You can also check Youtube for videos of other quilters.

start with PRACTICE! purchase some inexpensive muslins, batting you like- make sandwiches, thread your machine with a bright, stand out color & practice! the practice quilts sometimes turn out fabulous! if not- they can be finished up & donated to the humane society---or a few of mine i gave to the granddaughters- they used fabric markers & painted on them after i had quilted them- they are their favorite picnic quilts... :)
lots of practice!
the lqs may offer beginner classes- and there are TONS of videos & tutorials on line- check out u-tube along with craftsy, ... if you search for machine quilting tutorials you will find links to literally thousands

Use the Craftsy classes. They are wonderful (no I don't work for them). I've taken a lot of them and have learned so much. They can be pricey but if you subscribe for a email from them they will notify you when there are sales. The best part is that you can take notes and ask questions via online txt...then the teacher will answer..usually within a day or so. Also the other students will give answers as well and you can read their Q&A's.

I also have learned a lot just scouting around on this quilting board and asking questions. Everyone here is sooo helpful. I've never asked a question yet that I didn't get very good advise.

Good luck with your machine quilting!

Dray

Just one more thing...I'm retired, on a budget, and only been quilting a short time. The only stash I have is scraps from about 4-5 lap quilts. That being said,

I'm too cheap to make those 18-inch practice quilts that we are told to make to practice on. LOL...BUT I needed to practice so thought about it a while. The minute it occurred to that those sandwiches could be called 'placemats' or small ones could be called 'potholders' I realized that I wasn't wasting expensive material...I was making items for my own use and gifts for my family. My family loves me and wouldn't care if my quilting was pretty bad...so they are good ones to receive my first efforts. LOL

Amazing how the way you perceive something changes everything. The material stayed the same but my thinking about it changed. LOL

http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/free-video/
These are a few of my favorite videos

check out the Pajama quilter, she is fun and makes it easy

Practice a lot, relax and breathe, try to get a "rhythm" going, use tracing paper to make patterns and practice easy quilt designs. I started with large stippling, then circles, then loops.

I'm a newbie to fmq too. Thanks for all the info.

If yo u put the 18inch squares together a quilt is made.