Welcome to the Quilt Board! :wave:

You've gotten some great advice so far, I just want to expand on a few things.

Pre-washing, as mentioned it is a personal preference and good reasons for both...but I don't mix washed and unwashed...it's less likely to shrink in different amounts.

Sewing machine, you said it hasn't been used much and suggestions of oiling and cleaning are good...but if it has been more than a couple of years since it's been used it might be worth the cost to take it and have it serviced, especially if it has been stored in a basement there maybe rust forming on the parts inside.

Pattern style/size, I agree that you picked out very challenging patterns and like you when I first started I picked something with a greater difficulty than I was able to handle ... it's been years since I've even looked at it again let alone considered finishing it....so I really agree with the others to consider choosing something a little simpler.

Spend time on YouTube...I think you can find most anything on there, even lessons on beginners quilting...just in case you don't have a local quilt shop or someone that can give you advice along the way.

As you've seen already you will get tons of great advice on QB. Also, you might want to check out the tutorial section as well as any QB rules.

Again, welcome and we look forward to seeing your progress! :)

My best advice for your first quilt would be make a small quilt (baby or lap size to donate if you don’t have a person to give it to) just to keep from overwhelming yourself. Eleanor Burns of “Quilt in a Day” was the first pattern I used and she wrote the steps for an “Irish Chain” quilt that even I, with recent with brain damage, could follow, including fabric generous requirements, but best of all she started me with a model for organizing the making of all future quilts. You can find the pattern online new or second hand (my income preferred method to buy books).

Here is a link to an available copy I found by googling it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/1630260...f7d3d0ffeda6ab

My two cents, not worth much.
Easy pattern for a beginner has only 90' angles, no triangles. No larger than a receiving blanket.

Prewashing, starch spray, how to make triangles, basting the sandwich each have complete threads devoted to them. No point in rehashing that here. Just do a search with key words.

Love your fabrics. Good value contrast.

Accuracy is a key lesson in your first quilt: cutting and 1/4" seam.

Welcome to quilting and QB

Careful there girl, or you'll have to go to OAA meeting - Over-Achievers Anonymous, lol. Take it from your twin-separated-at-birth, start with a pattern that has squares and /or rectangles. Maybe a few triangles. Just trust me on this, you will thank me later. And baby quilt size is another very excellent idea. (My fist quilt was a t-shirt quilt, full size or bigger, that I made for a gift. Lol, no pressure, right?)

One thing no one else has mentioned yet is *how* to get that all important 1/4" seam allowance. It seems like it won't make any difference of its the same for the whole quilt, right? That was what I thought, but wrong! So, here's my contribution to your online quilting education, lol. It's the quilting equivalent of learning to knit in the right guage. http://www.seamstobeyouandme.com/201...rfect-14-seam/

After I did this, I wished I'd known about it before. Good luck!

You have chosen 3 nice quilt patterns but none of them are easy. If you have a local quilt store, the ladies will give you some good advice. Starting with a baby or lap size quilt is good advice. Also starting with squares -- 1 patches, 4 patches, 9 patches or disappearing 4 or 9 patches will be much easier than hexagons or curved seams. Also your local library will have lots of books with good information and patterns. Have a good first experience and you will keep quilting. Good luck on your new hobby!

Definitely start small. Take your time. I started out by experimenting making different blocks to learn piecing techniques. You can always put the blocks together to make your first quilt to learn sandwiching techniques and even practice quilting. When I look at that first piece and compare it to my current work, I can see how I have far I have traveled on my quilting journey. Most important - have FUN!!

You have gotten lots of good ideas. I encourage you to start small - finishing a project is most rewarding and encouraging when you are starting out. Try to find a mentor - a local guild or community class. Most quilters love to share their skills - we are all continually learning.

Welcome and you've found a great place to get lots of good advice.

I'm of the "pre-wash, iron/starch" group, but it depends on a few things. Some of us have had a bad experience with bleeding/shrinking fabrics and prefer a flatter quilt after it is washed. Others really like the puckery look of a quilt after it is washed, when the fabric hasn't been pre-washed. All personal preference.

My advice is this: be very careful with accurate cutting and learn to fold your fabric "on grain" before you cut it. Leah Day has a very good video on this. Otherwise, other QB posters have covered a lot of ground for you already.

Another tip: Love your fabric. You have to look at it for along time.

Have fun and be sure to post pictures.

Watson

I'm a fairly new quilter. I totally agree with this.

I decided I wanted to make a Log Cabin quilt for my first. Fortunately, the quilt shop lady talked me out of it. My first quilt was a disappearing nine patch in lap quilt size. I also sent it out for quilting. I did make 3 log cabin blocks for a block lotto a few months ago. I'm sure glad I didn't do that one first.

This is one of my favorite videos on piecing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--vIltDWpl0

I wish I had watched it sooner in my quilting adventure.

Welcome and good luck.

bkay

Your 10 year old Singer will be fine. My 40 year old Kenmore still works like a charm. Save your money for more fabric or for new 'tools' that you will learn about as your progress through your quilting education. And relax.