I lead a craft group for parents where I work and took my quilt in last week, one of the girls was really interested altho she has no sewing experience or tools. I offered to spend an afternoon teaching her to quilt, I will have to take my poor OLD portable machine but it will work fine for her to learn on, now I have to go through my stash and find a few fabrics to get her started. What pattern would you recommend for someone with no knowledge? DP9P? or just start with squares?

My favorite is just the plain old 9-patch. Easy to do but you learn your rotary and sewing skills with it.

I agree with Pam. Just a plain 9 patch to start off with.

Oddly enough I just did this with a friends daughter

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/l...71.page#351532

We did a modification of Daisy Patch by Glenna Hailey - It was nothing more than a large square with Appliquéd Petals. It came out great and I made it into a Pillow sham for her.

Nine patch is the one block many quilters have trouble with. I would suggest the rail fence block for the less matching seams and the pattern has instant design possibilities.

4 or 9 patch :D

I like the log cabin pattern. She can learn how placing the colors in her block effects the outcome of her quilt. Wish someone would have taught me that when I started.

I agree with littlehud, the log cabin is super simple! Have fun and good luck :!: I started teaching a group of ladies and girls, (ages 6-9 )at my church in January '08. I started with a framed square and a nine patch. They all did very well and they learned a lot. For the second quilt I taught them the log cabin. They loved that pattern because it went much quicker than the first. I realized then that I should have started with the log cabin. Needless to say most of them are still quilting and in fact are working on the Disappearing nine patch that my friend is currently teaching. We donate all of our completed quilts to Trinity Kids Care Hospice in Torrance ,CA.

I had a newbie to quilting as well. I started her out with a 12" block. Did the 6.5 center square, the flyiing geese on the 4 sides, and squares in the corners. Went further and had her do an applique (snowman) in the center. Put two borders on it and she used it as a pillow top. She had an old pillow that was great for the stuffing. Did an envelope back and she was done with the entire project in two nights.

4 patch or rail fence.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I have not done a rail fence so may have to try a block and might use that. I am on the hunt for a machine that we can have at work to let these girls use to see if they like sewing. I will watch garage sales this spring.

I would recommend the rail fence. No matching seams.

Hope you are successful in finding a machine! Have you decided on a pattern? :lol:

I belong to a small community quilt group....we start off the beginners with the rail fence...