I think the pressure we put on ourselfs to be perfect is the hard part. Just relax, pick out an easy square pattern and go. One step at a time. Start with a baby quilt or a wall hanging, or go to your local quilt shop (LQS) and take a beginning class with other beginners and start slow and grow. You will find it very rewarding.

If you have an interest in sewing you probably would have fun and feel rewarded upon completion. I took an enrichment class at the local high school. Quilting was the class that interested me. At the time the cost was $5. We learned the cathedral window. I wanted to know how to put a quilt on the frame. I was told to go the Lutheran Church. They would help with that. My Aunt ran the quilting circle at the church. Should have gone there in the first place. (it was free)

No, it is not hard as there is no quilt police here. Use your imagination and do what you love. You will find plenty of help on this board. If you have a question, just ask and you will get multiple ways to do anything you wish to do.

Welcome from Texas! Not only will you learn a lot here ... you'll have a lot of fun!

You never know until you try. You have to have patience!

Hi there and welcome from Florida. Take one step at a time. I would start with something easy, say maybe a 4 patch or a 9 patch. Anyone can quilt that wants to quilt. It can be as simple or as dificult as you want. The internet has all kinds of infomation available. Another source would be to sign up for a class at a quilt shop or local college. I also checked out books from the library and I have also purchased quilting books. Good luck and please continue to share you have a lot of good people here that are very happy to help out. :):):)

Here is the little saying that got me thru nursing school and have use fo many other things. Your never a failure till you quit trying.

It's only as hard as sewing.

I am sure that everyone on here has made a quilting 'mistake' at one time or another. Just do something fun like a kids quilt, you will get over your fear quickly because you will be having so much fun. Looking forward to seeing your first quilt. Carol

Ditto to all previous answers -You can also go to the library and check out quilting books for ideas and books for beginners-- I hope you find that quilting is to your liking -It opens your eyes to all kinds of beauty that you never noticed before.Have fun with it and before you know it you'll be hooked And this group is always here to help you We all started the same way.And we are still learning new techniques from some one here all the time :D :D

Is it Nike or Adidas whose motto is "just do it!" Whose ever it is, that's what you have to do to see if you like to quilt. froggyintexas

Only as hard as I want to make it for myself. :lol:

Consider what I first canned...beans. Later was told that's the worse thing to start canning...it can be deadly.

The point is, I followed the directions carefully and was rewarded with safe food. (The short cuts came later but never did beans again!)

Start with a 4 patch..3 1/2" squares to give you a 6" block. Easy enough to work with to get the seams right.

Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, relax and have fun...that's the biggest piece of advice I can float your way.
:thumbup: :thumbup:

The difficulty I find in quilting is all the other stuff that gets in the way: cleaning house, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, you know all that other stuff! Quilting can be wonderful, start with something not too complicated and something you would like to have such as a throw pillow, a table runner, a bed scarf, a small wall hanging. Practice and take it slow to start and you'll pick it up quick. This is a great place to learn, lots of info and advice and tons of inspiration. The only stupid question is the one not asked - since you asked you are on the right path. And welcome from NorCal.

just make sure that you cut and sew your pieces accurately. Learn how to do things properly, so that you don't have to unlearn as many things.
Start with an easy pattern such as 4 patch or 9 patch.

Do you just love colors? Can't decide your favorite? - or they are all your favorites?
Just love to look at pictures of quilts - and pet every quilt you get near?
No matter if you can handstitch or not, a sewing machine can be magic for you!
....and you are not likely to notice if it is hard or not!

Get four strips of fabric and for now not worrying too much about the stitches, sew them all together into one long piece four colors high. Now measure across the piece the shortest way. WRITE that number down. Take a ruler and measure the same number of inches along the edge of the long way.
Draw lines straight up and down to make a square. Cut it off with a pair of scissors, Now do that again and cut another square. and cut more squares until you can't cut any more.
Take one of those squares, take another square and turn it 90* Sew them together. Make sure the corners of both blocks match on top of each other. Do it again - now you will have two pieces of two blocks. Sew them together to make four blocks sewn together.
If you have two more, sew them all together so you have six blocks sewn together.
Hurrah! you have made a little center of a quilt top!

Ask somebody or PM me to answer any questions you think up! Jeannie

Nothing is really hard if you take it one step at a time, especially if the process is fun. There is nothing I do not love about quilting--choosing and fondling fabrics, sewing together, quilting.

Just do it, to paraphrase someone else--it's fabulous and even the "hard" parts teach us lessons.

Is quilting hard? I think it out to come with one of those labels that says "WARNING!

LOL- a good first question!

I think that's like asking if writing is hard. A four year old can write their name but they can't write War and Peace.

There are so many different levels of quilting and the think is to start in the right place so you don't get frustrated, and don't get bored.

I think quilting is much easier than sewing, but I have never made a difficult quilt block. Start out with easy designs, and when you are comfortable there, then move to something harder. you can do it! and quilting is soooo much fun!

sorry, accidently hit enter when I didn't mean to. I think that it should come with one of those labels that say:
"WARNING. Quilting has been known to be addictive, leading to accumultation of fabric stash, quilting tools, books and patterns. Quilters have also reported that they stay up late at night to finish a quilt, and that housework, cooking and other choores may be delayed or forgotten until a quilt is completed. Other symptoms may include driving 50 miles to a new quilt shop, sudden urges to go on shop hops, and going to quilt shows.
If you experience any of these symptoms, no need to call your physician, just hop on this board for new ideas, patterns, tips and info, and find new friends willing to help you through your rough patch."
Is quilting hard? Not to me, or anyone else who loves what they do.

Its only as hard as you make and some days I make it real hard without even trying.

Get some fat quarters of your favorite colors and begin sewing 4" blocks of different colors together; - it makes a beautiful scrappy quilt - and you will then know whether you like it or not - use color coordination in this, so you learn what colors look good side by side, etc... it does not have to be fancy, can be a throw quilt. But, it will give you the feel for a quilt. Have fun - don't despair from trying - that is step number one! Enjoy! :)

been doing it since i was a kid, stopped counting at 350, jump right in and join the fun
WELCOME

i am new to quilting and started out by u tubing quilting and watching the videos. met a great lady at the local quilt shop who impressed on me how easy it was. she let me borrow Elenor Burns log cabin book. and i bout jelly rolls. and made my first log cabin quilt which was really easy. Elenor Burns books are really detailed in her instructions. i still have problems with straight lines. You might also start by doing rag quilts. if you like rag quilts you will really like doing other quilts. rag quilts are very forgiving if you cant sew straight line lol

Depends on how badlly you really want to learn. And create. You have an advantage over me when I started. You have this board for support. I had to learn bits & pcs. over a period of time.

It's easy to get discouraged in the beginning but once you start to put blocks together you will love it.

Hi Nike & welcome. Everyone on here is encouraging and willing to share their knowledge. Feel free to ask questions ar for advice.

Start with a simple shape - a 4 1/2 " block. You can tie it together or stitch in the ditch. Your choice of colors will be what makes it beautiful.

My "learning" quilt was a crib one in an Amish pattern, since it had very large pieces. I learned to hand quilt (not very well) on it too. Good luck and enjoy!

Well, quilting is a very relaxing , fun, & interesting hobby. It can be easy or hard, your choice. Most all patterns are labeled; Easy, intermediate, and Hard. So go for the Easy, at first. then just work into it. Go to Quilt Shops, They are very helpful. Join a guild, members love to help new quilters. Purchase small kits. All the fabric you will need for That project is included. Lots cheaper that way, as you won't have a lot of fabric invested, if you should find it's not what you expected. But give it a try. Don't just do one project, try several. Don't get discuraged. It IS a lot of fun.

I smiled when I read try a log cabin. I still can't make that block. I can make some of the "harder" blocks and not all of the "easier" blocks. So you just need to find ones that work for you. What's that saying If at first you don't succeed---.

Here! Here! Well put ;)

All worthwhile thing seem to have a learning curve, for me the whole curve has been sooo enjotable!

Nike, I can't sew a straight line and I never use patterns because the directions confuse me. I can tell you that I love to sew and people seem to like my quilts (of course, would they tell me if they didn't?).

Take a class and be a robot at least once and you'll learn all sorts of neat tricks. Don't sweat the 1/4" seam unless you want to be a world class quilter (which would mean very little to any one who has gotten one of my quilts).

Enjoy. There is no quilting "box" to stay in unless you decide you want one. And then, in 6 months you may change your "box" and be off onto something else. Enjoy!!!!!!

No question is stupid. Do you like to sew? If you do then pick an easy pattern to start. Maybe a kit would be easy since it gives the pattern and the fabric. Good luck and their is always someone here to help you. Sue