If you were beginning to quilt and wanted to get a quilting magazine, which one would you choose. Or would you just go to the free sites and try to make quilts from there. I don't have any inspiration and can't just keep doing squares! I need really clear instructions and pics! Just starting to build a stash so I'm not ready to go out and buy fabrics to make a quilt. Just want to use what I have.

I actually have decided not to renew any of my quilting magazine subscriptions because I don't tend to do anything with them after I initially read them. I will mark projects I would like to do but I don't seem to ever get around them. I do however, use the internet and get lots of inspiration and ideas and free patterns.

All magazines have something to say for themselves, so it depends on what you are looking for. For good directions and helpful hints for beginners, Fons and Porters magazine is great. For a great all around idea, inspiration, and instruction magazine, you can't beat McCalls Quilting. Then there is BH&G American Patchwork and quilting. I think the last two are my favorites. I have subscribed to them for years. Borrow one or two from your friends or check then out in the grocery store, look at the indexes and see which have the most interesting assortment of topics. Good Luck!

There are so many free patterns out there, I would definitely start there. No cost.

there are sooo many great magazines. but for the beginner quilting, i think Fons/Porter has more beginner quilts and very nice instructions.

I like the The Better Homes and Gardening magazine also. Plus it has a great site called allpeoplequilt.com They have a lot of free patterns. I made a quilt from one of their magazine and a year later they posted the same pattern online for free.
We also have a Goodwill close by that has a really nice book store. I have found some quilting books there for just a couple of dollars each. Unfortunately used books and magazines are hard to find but it's always fun to hunt for them.

I would stick with McCall's Easy Quilts. Right now I buy Quilts and More and that's it. I quit buying the rest since there's usually only one or at most, two things in it that I would make.

the best thing to do at first is...
when you go to the grocery store- or wally world- stop at the magazine rack and browse them for a few minutes- pick up each one and thumb through it- see if one really (grabs you) has projects you think you would enjoy- look the patterns over- do you understand them?
check to see if they offer a variety of easy, to advanced projects-
some magazines offer all easy patterns- you might find it's the same ole thing over and over- some offer a variety - a good mixture- some have almost all advanced-
but only you can really determine what your level is- or what interests you
some have more kids quilts- bright novelties-
some have more grown up projects- some make scrappy quilts- when you can add 1 or 2 to your grocery cart- take them home and really spend time with them--after a few months of this you will find yourself (radiating) toward a certain one more often than others---that's the one you might want to subscribe to.
there is no sense in subscribing to my favorite magazine if there's nothing in it you ever want to make.
over the years i've subscribed to half a dozen quilting magazines- this past year i canceled all of my subscriptions- it had reached the point where they simply stack up- i haven't actually made anything out of one in years...so i still love looking at them (great inspiration!) but now i simply pick one up when one catches my eye at the rack-has saved me lots of $$ doing it that way.

McCalls Quick Quilting speaks to me most often.

Thanks for the good advice. I will check out the ones in the store first. I did find some good free sites and I'll try some of that first. I'm having problems getting started on something. I just tend to sit in the room and look at my fabric.

I know that you really can find most any pattern on the internet when you are talking about blocks of simple applique. But I think that a beginning quilter really will enjoy going back and forth through a magazine, seeing the directions on the next page from the quilt, even if you never make the quilt, you pick up the basic construction ideas. And they are just fun to look through.
I am not a very prolific quilter, but I have been around quilting for a long time, so I know most of the basics even if I don't have the skills to keep up with the big kids. So I still enjoy looking though magazines, many of which I pass onto friends, because after a while I will look at them and think, I won't really make any of these.
So speaking as a beginner, I suggest McCalls Quick Quilts, or Fons and Porter. Look past the fabrics they use.

oops-quick quilts. That's what I meant. How come I can't edit my post?

Easy Quilts is from Fons & Porter and I haven't found much in them that I wanted to make.

you can get good buys on magazins on ebay.I really like quilters newsletter older magazines.my favorite one is no longer avaible by mail.you can find them on ebay.just keep trying and the quiltbug will bite.best wishes,emmamarie

I would recommend McCalls Quilting Magazine. I also like Fons &Porter's Love of Quilting magazine.

I'm a big fan of Quilter's World. I read it from cover to cover every time it arrives, plus they augment that with an on-line version. It's loads of information. However, I still think you should buy it first and look it over, or even go on eBay and see if you can pick up a few back issues cheap, before you invest in a subscription. Otherwise, it becomes something that arrives at your house, takes up space, and collects dust until you throw it out.

Have you checked your local library to see if they carry any? That way you can try them free. :)

I am lucky to have a Barnes & Noble nearby. So, every now & then I go there, pick up a collection of magazines, use my son's discount and buy myself some "pretty coffee" [a decaf mocha latte] and preview the magazines. It is relaxing and fun. Just wish Fons & Porter weren't plastic wrapped.

Mostly, a group of us share with each other what we buy and none of us have subscriptions anymore.

ali

If you want to try a quilting magazine without making a financial investment, try the FREE online Quilting Magazine. It's quite good, and will give you a flavor for quilting magazines with only your investment of time. Just go to:

www.OnlineQuiltMagazine.com

This is where you "subscribe". Trust me, there are no tricks here, no trying to get money out of you for this or that. It's supported by the advertisers, yes, but their ads are no more intrusive than in any other magazine. And they WANT the word spread about the free magazine; they want more subscribers! So try it out. The worst that could happen is that in a few months, you'll decide you want to unsubscribe!

These websites has allot of free patterns or use google.
quilting.about.com
www.FonsandPorter.com
keepsakequilting.com
QuiltersHomeMag.com has a Free e-book Modern quilts
allpeoplequilt.com
quiltaholics.com
likesew.com
There are allot more website. Use google to find them quicker.
Remember you do not have to print every pattern out that you like. Just save and when you going to make that quick print. Ink is expense.
Go to your Library before you bought. By at Garage Sale, Good Will etc.
I love just reading and looking at Quilt books.
I bought too many(too much money), join mail book clubs. Nice books but I never will use them.
Out of all of my books the ones that I go back and use over and over are:
Rodale's Successful Quilting Library Have book on every topic of quilting. Google them or seen if your Library has them before you buy any.

Unique Designer has some good advice. To that I would also add, join the Quilters Club of America. There are two levels, the free kind and the Premium Club (which is about $29). Try the free level for a while, and see how you like it. I'm a Premium Member, and honestly, with all of the "perks", I've more than made my money back. You get 10% discounts on several great quilting shops, like Keepsake Quilting, Jo Ann's Fabrics, and several others that escape me at the moment. I've made the $29 back just in those discounts! And the discounts are for everything in the store, not just fabric. Plus Keepsake Quilting just offered free shipping for one order, plus the discount. Plus you get access to on line quilting TV. Plus there's a wonderful book shop with a ton of quilting books, priced decently, and if they're not, wait a bit and the price will come down. You'll get 25% off the listed price on everything. Don't join a book club. Like Unique Designer, I joined a book club, and even though I received some great books, I ended up spending way too much money on stuff I didn't need -- or end up wanting. With the American Quilting Club Bookstore, there is no minimum number of books to buy, unlike a book club. And at their site, there are tons of free quilt patterns put out by various companies for you to download, and some of them are just gorgeous!

Get on e-Bay, and search for quilt patterns. Even if all you do is look, you're going to find some quilt patterns that have been out of print for a while, and everything from beginner to advanced. I like those because they're different from what everyone is making now. Plus it's a great place to gain ideas. There are quilt patterns of every kind there. If you want one, most go for less than $1.00, plus shipping. If you buy more than 1 pattern from the same seller, you can get combined shipping, which is much cheaper. There are also plenty of inexpensive books and booklets there too, so look them over. I just picked up a book on How to Learn Fondation piecing that normally sells for $26, and I got it for $9.99 with free shipping.

If you're desperate to get something "put together", there are "pre-cut quilting blocks" on e-Bay. Search under those terms: Pre-cut quilting blocks. That will allow you to start at the point of already having the block cut out, and the directions on how to put it together right there. I've used them when I've had to come up with something fast. The cuts are perfect. The variety is awesome. Some of those blocks are truly beautiful. Then when I have the blocks put together, it's up to me how to put them together -- wide sashing? Narrow sashing? No sashing? Sashing as a quiet background, or a vivid frame. Border or no? Needs binding, batting, quilt back and quilting. So it's not as if it takes away all of the work, or the creativity involved in the decisions. Basically it just does the cutting for you, and creates the blocks. There is no way you could buy all of the fabric needed to cut out all of these blocks, for what you pay for them. Plus you don't have to cut it. Yeah! And it's very much precision cut, so that's a real bonus for a Newbie, or someone who just doesn't have the time to do the precision cutting, but needs to get a project done. I just picked up a kit for twelve 10" blocks, and it contains 144 individually cut pieces. Can you imagine how long it would take to cut that many pieces by hand? And since each block of the 12 blocks is slightly different, Imagine what I would spend in fabric. Yet I bought the whole thing for $27.99 and free shipping. I get to pick out the batting and backing and do the sashing, backing, binding and quilting. I did one once before, and it came together in 3 days! It was awesome! Really got me "jumpstarted" when I needed that.

Join a "Block of the Month Club". I think the one on this Board doesn't cost anything (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), and that will prompt you to start creating something out of the fabrics you have, and thus practicing and learning every month. Don't stop at one. Keep making the quilt block until you get it down perfectly. Use "practice material" until you can do it perfectly, cutting and sewing both, and then make a final one using good material (or more than one using good material, your choice, if you like the block. Every block teaches you something important about quilting.)

The point is, you must find something you like to "jump-start" your quilting, and it will take over from there. I remember being a Newbie, and I started with the advantage of having been a seamstress, but I was paralyzed when it came to quilting because quilting is so much different that just sewing. So take all of this information, and then you must start putting it into use.

Best Wishes for a successful quilting future.

I have a ton of quilting magazines that I have subscribed to over the years. In retrospect I have used very few patterns from these magazines. I have however enjoyed browsing thru them, looking at the quilts - and keeping up with the industry. At my age, it's an easy decision between a quilting magazine or something like better homes and gardens!

I got the Fons and Porter magazine for beginners. That is how I learned to quilt.

I got the Fons and Porter magazine for beginners. That is how I learned to quilt.

Quiltmaker or Quilter's World

I find many on You Tube and on Missouri Star Quilt Tutorials. I also go to Barnes and Noble and check all the new quilt magazines and check out the beginner patterns and go from there.

Our local library has a great number of books. They also receive 4 quilt magazines. Current issues cannot be checked out but when the next issue comes in the older ones can be checked out to take home.

Excellent! I think your library has more subscriptions than mine does! My library has the same policy about not lending current issues, however they will allow you to photocopy a pattern out of the current issue. You get 2 free copies and the rest you pay for.

I like Quilter's Newletter magazine. Check your library for a variety or as suggested if you visit Barnes and Noble you can preview several to see if one appeals more than others.

I bought a lot of "used" magazines off sites from people who no longer wanted them. It was a super, inexpensive way to find out which magazines were the best for my needs. There are a lot of good ones out there but seems they are getting less to them all the time. Some of them are about half the size of older issues. New mags. are expensive for me and it doesn't matter if the mags. are this years or 5 years old for they all have articles and patterns in therm. I wish you were closer to me for I would gladly give you a bunch that I am through with....I just don't want the bother of packaging them up for sending. You might want to take a day and go to one of your book stores such as Barnes and Noble and thumb through the quilt magazines to get an idea of which would fill your needs.

I look online but there are also a couple sites. Elenor Burns (hopefully I spelled that right) has some tutorials on her site. Alex Andersen also has some. One of the greatest and easiest patterns for beginners is yellow brick road by Atkinson designs. Worth the money usually $7-8. Thought it might help...I have a lot of mags from my beginning days too. I learned, glance thru and make sure you actually want to make one of the quilts in the mag. So much online. One of the best books I do own is All about Quilting put out by joanns..goes for $25 but use a coupon and its a steal! Has all information and inspiration in that one!! Good luck!!

I just saw an ad in "Craig's List" in the "Wanted" section, and it said: "Wanted. Any old Quilting Magazines you no longer want. I can pick up."

Being of a curious nature, I picked up the phone and called the gal and asked how it was going (she had kept the listing on Craig's list for a week). She laughed and said she should have pulled the listing days ago! She was overwhelmed, and it would take her at least a year to get through all the magazines. One lady had 11 boxes of old magazines, some dating back as far as the 1950's, and was delighted someone wanted them. Overall, she had a garage stall piled high with boxes of quilting magazines, and is now wondering where they could best be put to use when she is done with them. We had a delightful conversation!

So if you want older edition quilting magazines, they're out there. All you have to do is ask for them.