I want to start with my first quilt and I already have a simple pattern that I found on about.com that I really like

My question is what size is the most popular? queen, king or something else?

thanks

I want the size that sells the most.

A little smaller quilt for your first one may be helpful. Many of us make throw quilts that are around 60 X 72. Great for tv watching and big enough to share. They seem to sell quickly too, less expensive than a bed quilt :D:D:D

I would make your 1st quilt a baby or lap quilt until you learn the basics. Too many start a large quilt & get furstrated when things don't line up & unfortunately give up.

For your first quilt, I would focus more on what size you think you can finish. The first ones I've pieced are lap sized, with two that look like they'll finish as doubles much farther down the queue. The first one I machine quilted was a baby quilt - so I got to experience moving the quilt through the machine and maneuvering it.

The reason I would go with a smaller size is so that you can practice the various stages without getting frustrated or discouraged by something unwieldy. Eventually I plan on a queen for my bed, but for now, I'm sticking to the smaller ones.

Cheers, K

Make it Lap Size or Crib Size. A first quilt is quite a challenge and making your project one that doesn't go on for years is a plus!

(you mention selling it----word to the wise---accept that you will be paid a minimal amount per hour for all of your work---Calling making quilts a Labor of Love is not coincidental......)

Perhaps makng a tv lap robe size quilt would be nice? Say 45" x 60"? Choose the colors you enjoy, and a print backing.

You can do it...we allstarted somewhere, right?
Julie

Perhaps makng a tv lap robe size quilt would be nice? Say 45" x 60"? Choose the colors you enjoy, and a print backing.

You can do it...we allstarted somewhere, right?
Julie

If you are totally unfamiliar with sewing - keep it fairly small -

I find what I call couch size to be very useful - and I could still get it through my machine - approximately 60 x 80 (or up to 65 x 85) - like Amma said. This is absolutely the largest size that I would suggest for a beginner.

One reason is to keep the cost down - before you spend a lot and decide this isn't as much fun as you thought it would be.

Definitely DONT START with a large quilt especially if this is your first one. Too many beginning quilters get discouraged in the time it takes to complete a large quilt.

Are you going to do all the work yourself? Or are you planning to take it to someone who has a long-arm? I'm still new at this too and having a great time! I prefer lap and baby quilts because I can say that I DID IT ALL MYSELF! My machine won't fit anything larger. I hate the idea that I couldn't take credit for all of it if I sent it off to be quilted! Guess it's time for me to go to the LQS for long arm lessons and branch out :)

Just food for thought...

or maybe even start with a table runner :thumbup: a baby quilt or a wall hanging

all the posters are right in starting small. actually, if you make many different styles of wall-hangings or table-toppers, you can practice the different types of quilting without a large investment of time and money. you will then find a style you like to do and start whipping out those quilts for sale.

Altho I love my first quilt and I did it for us it's a king sized bagged and tied quilt with only the borders SITD quilted, I frankly wouldn't have sold it. It's just not nice enough and I'm not being falsely modest. If you're an experienced sewer and very neat and can make everything right the first time, great. But you might want to expect to practice a little first.

I agree with the recommendations. Start with a smaller quilt so that you get the joy of finishing it within your lifetime. My instructor recommended that I start with the Rail pattern. It goes together quickly and has some forgiveness in it ... meaning it will go together and look great even if it's not perfect. Welcome to the joyous world of quilting!

My friend and I both took our first quilt class together. I did a lap size while she decided on a queen. Hers is still waiting to be completed and I finished mine (eventually!). Starting out with a large one may be too overwhelming. I've made a few quilts now and I'm getting ready to finish my first king-sized one and believe me, I'm overwhelmed already.

Good luck and enjoy.

thanks all. Good advice for sure.

I will probably start with a table runner or a lap quilt.

I've even thought of doing the sew as you go

http://youtu.be/rl_OPPpXNLM


I am planning on doing it all myself, but one concern I have, will I need a walking presser foot? I don't have one and they run just under $200 for my machine

I find that it is much easier to quilt with the walking foot. It reduces puckers because the fabric for the top layer is feeding along with the fabric for the backing. Without the walking foot, there can be uneven feed from top to bottom.

However, if you are free motion quilting (generally not straight line) then you want a darning foot.

Cheers, K

I don't have a walking foot and I've always gotten along just fine. So do you need one? No. Would it be helpful? Probably, maybe. But as others have said make sure you LIKE quilting before you spend a lot of money on it. :)

Lap size or Crib. Baby quilts sell nice.

Sounds like an awful lot for a walking foot! I think mine was only $20-25.

What kind of machine do you have? I think I would try to Google a walking foot for it. $200 is a lot just for a walking foot.

I have a Bernina Artista 630e - I saw one that wasn't Bernina for $165

I'm a little scared getting a "generic" one but maybe that would be ok?

good gobly goo!

I just called my authorized Bernina dealer, they are on b/o right now, but she didn't know the price exactly but she thinks it would be more then $179!!

then just for laughs, I asked her how much it would be for the BSR - $999.00! - well forget that for a good while!

then I saw one on ebay for $45 or so
http://cgi.ebay.com/BERNINA-ARTISTA-...item255f597362

don't know if that would work or not..

I have a Bernina also and mine came with a walking foot. Their feet are supposed to be super special. You might be able to get away with a darning foot, they are a good deal cheaper.

Doll quilt!! :-D

A man my 10 yrs old daughter then now 25 tried to make a Dresden Quilt I told her she pick out the wrong pattern for her first quilt,as usuall mom was right.

My first quilt was a coverlet. I used 12" blocks with 2" sashing and a 4" border. You can either machine quilt it, hand quilt it or tie it. It comes out to 52"x 80". That is 15 blocks. You can make a sampler, which is excellent for a beginner or use all the same design. Whatever you want to you. Your quilt - your rules!!!!! (My quilt - my rules). I always go to Quilter's Cache and pick out my patterns - I have never bought a store bought pattern. Quilter's Cache is absolutely THE best - you can choose from the size of block that you want to make, it will tell you the degree of difficulty, whether you need to make templates, whether it is paper piecing. It gives you the names of the blocks and sometimes it can tell you the origination of the block. The instructions are excellent and I have made more quilts than I can count with these patterns. I have already made several with 35 - 12" blocks per quilt. Or you can make them down to 4" and smaller blocks.

This is where I started and probably where I will end. My last quilt was made out of 35 blocks that I had never seen or made before and then I kept track of each and every block, noted the colors, noted the degree of difficulty, hard or easy, the date and what the quilt was made for. In my case it was a 35 block sampler for my husband for our 51st wedding anniversary, took darn near a year to make, printed up the patterns, five at a time, and put them in a notebook. Now I have a record of this quilt, which I actually do for every quilt I make. Which I think is very important - provenance! Then you have a history of each quilt you make, if it is to be given as a gift, you will have a little book to give to the person with the quilt - it would contain, what kind of day it was, maybe the headlines, little tidbits from your home, perhaps a housekeeping hint or I always put in a recipe to go with each block that I made (15 blocks - 15 recipes). And then at the end of each block story, I always put in a saying, or an adage........"Live simply - Love generously - Care deeply - Speak kindly - Leave the rest to God". Each one different, humorous, reflective, religious, whatever YOU like to express.

I put everything into the computer and when the quilt is done, I recheck the "book", edit it, put in, take out, whatever and print it up, put it in one of those "term paper" booklet thingys. Three hole, plastic, paper, doesn't matter.

Then you give that to the recipient with the quilt, whether you know this person or not and your quilt will have provenance.

I have a quilt from my grandmother. She made it for me and it is a crazy quilt. I recognize some of the fabrics, but some I don't and it would have been nice to know where the fabrics came from. One was a dress she made for me, one was a dress she wore all the time, and a few others. That is what makes that quilt so special to me. But, I would have liked to have known the whole history of it! And, that is why each quilt I give away has a book with it. It takes a few minutes out of each day I work on the quilt, but is very important as an end result.

I hope maybe I have helped you. I don't know how many people do this or if they even have thought of doing it. I have to have all my eggs in a basket and I have to know from whence things came and what they are doing so I can have a complete completion of a quilt (got that??????)

Good luck to you and always be a beginner quilter because when you are not, then there is nothing else to learn and wouldn't that be sad?

Edie

are you looking to make them just to sell?
If so be sure to read the copyright info. Even those FREE online patterns have statements that might prohibit you from using the pattern to make a quilt for resale.

Lap size is the most popular!

When I took my first quilting class as an adult ed. class at school, the instructor picked the pattern (Ohio Star) and told us to make whatever size we needed. I needed a queen size, so bought and cut fabric (with templates) for a queen size. Fast (?slow) forward 10 years and I finally finished it. The points didn't match and I didn't want to send it out to be quilted, so I tied if. We use it on our bed but I would always suggest something small for the first few quilts. In fact I still usually do baby/lap size so I can quilt them myself.
Good luck with your first project

I think baby quilt or lap quilt. If you start too big a quilt you may get discouraged. Stick with something that you are more likely to finish rather quickly and then move on to larger things if you want to.

Definitely a smaller quilt like lap 50x60, baby 50x50 or a wall hanging. For my first quilt I made a twin and it was more then enough. I did not enjoy it any more after some time.

I would absolutely start out with small wall size or table runner. See how that goes and how you like doing it. Then you can proceed with a better idea of what is in store for you.

lesson learned from others: lap quilt it is

thanks all, very helpful.

I would advise a lap or twin at the largest. The first is a good experiment in choosing colors and you will learn from your mistakes (IMHO).

First time out, start with a lap size. They always sell. :-D

I am a beginner, my first quilt was a pinwheel, I totally agree with everyone, I was excited to do it on my own, but frustration set in, I was ready to quit, but thank God for the web cam, my younger sister is a quilter and she helped me through the web cam. That was 3 years ago, and I just finished it yesterday, it was a lap quilt, with plain color backing, everytime I tried to quilt the top, I had problems, so I did it another way to finish it and still had problems, as my batting stretched as I sewed it together. Now that it is finished, I found errors as I have done 2 quilts since then and they were the quilt as you go technique with the help of friends. Now I am going to do a scrap quilt. Its easily frustrating when you are learning, but I am sure you joined the right group, everyone here has some experience, and others here are very experienced. when you need help, we are all here to help you. A printed backing helps especially when your a beginner. Good Luck in your quiit makiing. Keep us informed, if you need help, just ask. Best of Luck!!!
Linda King

I agree with Amma, about 60x72". This is the size I make the most because it's great for cuddling up with in a chair to watch TV or read. It's also long enough for most people to cover up in for a nap on the couch. I did make 3 about 6 inches longer for my taller kids.

Follow everyone's advise and start small. You will get it done and not be overwhelmed.

My first was a table runner and place-mats hand quilted.

wouldn't do larger than a twin