Hi everyone

Ok so i have my 5" charms,a sewing machine,thread and i have bookmarked a few tutorials from this board on how to make a 4 patch and 9 patch block to get me started on my throw.

But could someone please break it down for me step by step, from the 1st thing i need to do right down to the last please?

I keep reading things on here and realise i dont know what some of them mean,such as binding etc.

I feel a bit scared to start my project incase i mess it up! :?

Thanks so much
Gem

It sounds like you would really benefit from purchasing one of the easier quilt books which have step-by-step insturctions with pictures. The Quilt in a Day books by Eleanor Burns are great. Then, if you do not understand something you can ask a specific question on the board.

There are lots of tutorial video's on the web as well.

try this series of youtube videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBkBg...eature=channel
she has a series of 10 videos
which take you step by step thru a 9 patch

Do you have a library near you?

See if it has some books on quilting to look through - they vary from "this is a needle, this is a sewing machine - - - " to very technical - and although it looks like it's still in English, not very comprehensible to a beginner.

I liked "Quilts! Quilts! Quilts!" - of the ones I have, it's about the only one that I can remember the name of.

I also like the first version better than the revised version, but they are both EXCELLENT books.

Are there any beginner classes offered near you? Sometimes it's worth spending the money to get in-person info.

I know there are tutorials for beginners - I'm sure someone will point them out to you.

I came in as an "intermediate beginner" - so I haven't looked at them.

There is a book by Nancy Zeiman called "Quilt with Confidence" - great learning tool. You can find it by going to her website www.Nancysnotions.com

start with your 4-patches; place a light & dark 5" squares together right sides together, stitch a 1/4" seam down one side; press toward the dark (place your stitched squares on the ironing board with the lighter fabric on the bottom, press over your stitching...this sets the seam...then flip the top piece open and press the seam open. do this again with 2 more squares. after pressing the second set place the two sets together right sides together. match the center seams (as long as you pressed both toward the darker fabric they will (inter-lock) at the seams and fit perfectly. place a pin near the center if it helps you hold them together. sew your 1/4" seam, press open and TA-DA you have completed your first 4-patch.

we may be getting alittle ahead of the game though...first thing you have to do is find your 1/4" seam, so if you havent' done that yet, that needs to be first...cut 3 strips of fabric (5 or 6 " long is good) each 1 1/2" wide sew them together with a 1/4" seam, press and measure, it should measure 3 1/2" wide. with the center strip measuring exactly 1" if they do not, adjust and try again until you (find) your mark. it is important to learn to sew a perfect 1/4" seam because pretty much ALL quilt patterns call for 1/4" seams. being off by as little as 1/8" can add up to a whole inch off in only 8 seams. makes a huge difference.

Thankyou for the replies.

There is a library very near to me so i think i will go take a look next week but there arent any quilting classes unfortunately as i would happily attend :)

I have bought a couple of books on Amazon but they seem ahead of what i can understand.
As they have patterns etc that make no sense to me yet lol