What are?
 

The misconceptions or misinformation you have heard about quilting. I get confused with all different opinions. What can I believe.

What do you mean? When I read your statement, the first thing that came to my mind was that "Quilts are cheap to make." It takes alot of fabric, time and effort to make a quilt. It seems that most people think you use scraps of clothing and it's practically free. I was just in Sarasota, FL and saw some beautiful handmade Amish quilts selling around $1,200.00 for an average bed size. Good for them!

I don't think its as much about what you can believe, as it is about what you prefer. There are as many opinions on how to make a quilt as there are quilters. Pre-Wash vs No Pre-Wash, Steam vs No Steam, Starch vs No Starch ... the list is long and all sides are very firm believers in their decisions !

There really are no "rules" when it comes to making quilts. Quilting is an art form. One would not presume to tell Picasso that he was using the wrong brush or technique, yet we as quilters do it to each other all the time.

Even the " 1/4 inch seam rule " . Yes, the most basic of all quilting lessons tells us that we MUST use 1/4 inch seam allowance or we are doomed to fail. Not so true. You could use a 5/8ths seam allowance if you really wanted to. You would just need to make adjustments to what size you cut your fabric to compensate. You could always go back and trim your seams down before quilting. Is it the " standard " method ? No, but it can be done.

For me, learning to quilt was rather daunting when I first started, because there are SO MANY different ways of doing or not doing things that I never knew which one was the " right " way. Once I learned that it was less about right vs wrong and more about what works for ME and what doesn't, things got ALOT easier. I still try new ways of doing things, because it may work better for me than what I was doing before.

One misconception I hear a lot is that seam allowance doesn't matter, as long as you're consistent. (That only works with a very limited set of patterns. The rest are designed for a 1/4" seam allowance.) Another is the complaint that patterns should be designed for 1/4" instead of for a scant 1/4". (They are designed for 1/4". The scant comes in because fabrics and threads have different thickness, which has to be taken into account.)

Another misconception is that all quilt store fabric is good and all bargain store fabric is bad.

And then there are many, many misconceptions concerning copyright.

I think you will find the biggest misconception is that there is only one right way. The best way is usually the one that works for you.
I love SimplyOffQuilter's comparison to Picasso.

The only things you need to follow are these:
1. There are quilt police all around that insist that you do things a certain way. Ignore them entirely.
2. Find your way to do things among the many suggestions out there.
3. Have fun with your quilting.
4. Come here and ask questions. You will get lots of help from which you can choose what works for you (see rule 2!)
5. Be proud of what you make. You are a quilter! Have fun!

There are a lot of opinions, ways of doing things, and ways of viewing things. Like parenting, right? There are libraries full of parenting books that have been written in just the last 70 years. But I get a kick out of an image of a baby in diapers reading a book titled "how to raise parents."
So as quilters, we don't need to focus on our differences. What is "misinformation" to one person works for another person. What is true for one is not true for another.
Have fun. Learn and grow.

you can believe anything that you've proven works for you. It's all just thread fabric needle, not complicated...

I TOTALLY agree with sewmary. There are many ways to do things and you have to find out what works best for YOU !! And definitely enjoy the road trip as you make each quilt. :)

One of the things I kept hearing is "your not old enough to be a quilter"
I was in my early 40's (42-43) when I started quilting.

Still I get the occasional your not old enough line. Now I just tell them
you don't have to be "old" to have a love of quilting.

I turned 50 on June 12th........... does that make me old enough now? LOL

Believe what is right for you and be true to yourself. Be open to tips - and this Board is a great place for that. If they work for you adopt them, if they don't move on. Quilt for fun and enjoyment. Don't take the critics to heart. Life is too short to waste one moment on thinking about that. You are the expert for your quilt.

While I am predominately a hand quilter, but I make a lot of Linus Quilts on the machine. My two requirements for a quilt is that it be made of three layers and finished either by hand or machine. In my experience "good intentions" don't keep any one warm.

I whole heartedly agree with what she is saying. It is more about finding out what works for you and I take classes to learn new things, and new ways of doing things. I feel like I am always learning and improving. I say just find what works for you and enjoy the process and have fun

A common misconception:

That one will learn what is and how to do something "the one and only right way" immediately.

I think many of us are still learning new things, even after many years of sewing and quilting.

I agree with bearisgray. We are all still learning - I think that is one of the reasons we all read the posts.

That's the thing--there are as many opinions as there are people, but the longer you stay involved with quilting and the deeper you go with it, you will find yourself forming your own opinions about everything from fabric and thread quality to color and design, to the best way to master a skill or technique. Reading quilt books by established authors, taking classes and participating in forums such as this can add greatly to your knowledge base, but personal experience will steer you in the direction you are most comfortable.

Quilt30, I understand where you're coming from. I sorta feel the same way at times. Case in point - the wedding ring quilt. I've seen it sewn together where the rings are pieced to the background fabric, (way too much work for me) and then I saw a tute from E.Burns where she put together the rings sewing them with fusible interfacing as you would an applique then ironed it in place then sewed it down on the top of the ring - nice, easy, my kind of sewing- BUT IMHO only, while I like this method, I would only make a quilt like this for myself, I'm not sure I'd like to make one as a gift using this applique application, but I feel that the wedding ring quilt would look better sewn together with the background material rather than the look of being appliqued sewn. Don't get discouraged, we've probably all been there. There's just more than one way to make a quilt as you will learn. You might want to start off doing small projects using various blocks with various battings like baby quilts and/or place mats or maybe holiday banners. Two things I would emphasize is to 1-preshrink your material-this is one that gets debated full circle-"p r e s h r i n k!" - bottom line on this - you take your chances! 2- Finish your project! If you start with a small project it will probably be alot easier to complete than a quilt. I personally have found that I've put down a quilt because I wasn't happy with it only to complete it 'years' later while in the meantime it was taking up valuable real estate in my sewing room. Complete it and get rid of it-at least you will have a sense of accomplishment A N D.....once the quilt was completed as ugly as it was I found I really liked it after all!!!! go figure!!! Most of all have fun with your quilting and you can always depend on the QB family for support and really great help and suggestions! Good luck to you and most of all the QB family loves to see pics so be sure to post some when you can.

A few misconceptions I run into on a regular basis
1. Its something "old ladies do"
2. Expensive machines make better quilts
3. Its a inexpensive hobby
4. They all look like something my grandmother made
5. There is nothing new about today quilting
6. If its a hobby "you love so much", then you won't mind making me a quilt for little to no cost

I like your list! Especially about old ladies quilting! It seems like most of the blogs I've seen lately are young girls. They just get in their and share their work - wonky patterns, crooked seams and all - and seem to understand that quilting should be FUN and FUN to share with others.

I guess the one I hear the most is 'my great grandmother made real quilts by hand with a frame suspended in her living room'. Well yeah, it was the only way she had to make them.

I don't think the dear farm gals gave it a whole lot thought. They used what they had to make cozy coverings for their families. In the end, that's what it's all about. If you happen to run into the quilt police, remind them of that :-)

All you can do is read as much info as possible, come here and ask anything ( there are no stupid questions). Pick what makes sense to you and give it a go. If it doesn't work ask here again for more ideas. If you find a way that works for you, do it. We all have our own ideas but nothing is written in stone. Don't stress and don't expect to learn everything in five minutes. Most important of all-Have Fun.

If you run into the quilt police, tell them to go and arrest themselves!!

The worst misinformation I ever heard is that a quilt is not a quilt unless it is hand stitched and hand quilted !

In everything take what works best for you.

How funny, that you have to be a certain age to quilt! My quilt guild, of which I am no longer a member, criticized a gifted, talented teen of 13, that she was too young to quilt when she was quilting rings around me! She stopped coming to guild, her mother, her grandmother and about 6 more of us! Such remarks need not be said. She still quilts, but the Guild took a membership hit for sure.

A certain AGE? tell that to our 4-H kids who do beautiful work.

For me it's - ALWAYS keep your seam allowance the same through out the project. After that I don't believe there are any hard-fast rules in quilting. Each quilt and quilter will follow the route they are meant to take.

I learned a long time ago that each quilter has a way that feel right for them. However there are those that will try to tell you their way is the only right way. When I hear of a different way I may try it and I have found some that were better for me than my old way while some of the old ways I do things make it better for me. So I feel that you should try what you like and find what is best for you and don't let anyone tell you that is not the right way. It is your quilt and if you like it when it is done you have done it right.

Hi Not so much misconceptions but the comment that non patchworkers have made to me, ' Oh I couldn't be bothered to cut fabric up and then sew it together again' Grrrr.These same kind of people also comment, 'Oh I just wouldn't have the patience to do that, duh,probably not the skill either! If someone shows me lovely knitted or embroidered items etc,not skills I have, then I just admire, how about you ?x

I was 70 when I started quilting. That was a year and half ago. I'm now 71. Am I old enough to quilt? When anyone says only old ladies quilt....I tell them I am OLD.:D

I called several fabric manufacturers several years ago and was told by three of the four reps to whom I spoke, that they are constantly amazed by what quilters believe to be true about fabric and that no data from any source will change their minds. For example, name brand fabric makers run separate lines for the fabric they sell to Wal Mart and other lines for the fabric they sell to specialty stores. "Do you really believe we could afford to do that," was the refrain from these reps. "Our reputation is on the line with every fabric we sell, whether it is at Wal Mart or a specialty shop. We can't put our name on a product we know to be inferior." It is true that some manufacturers sell only to quilt shops--at least that is what their contracts with the LQS says--but I have found several fabulous pieces of name brand fabric (written on the selvage) at a local outlet that most people would not believe could be a store of any kind, much less a fabric store. The same is true of threads, which taken up and taken down, are a matter of personal preference as well as personal finance. The lesson in all this, is find your center, and be willing to change your mind if the evidence warrants. froggyintexas

I can understand the confusion with all the different opinions - that you will see elsewhere and here, too!!

I think some things one learns by trial and error. The bigger the error, the better one remembers the lesson!

One example:

Should one wash one's fabric before cutting it?
The opinions run from:
1) I consider all fabrics available in stores now to be needle ready and I will cut and sew it as it is straight from the store. No water will touch my fabric!!
2) I wash some fabrics that I might think will be problematic. (Although how one tells which ones might be problematic just by looking at them is still a mystery to me) Or are in big pieces. I won't wash little pieces because they are a bother to wash. (Although I still do not understand how a fabric can be problematic when it's a large piece and okay when it's a little piece.)
3) If it's washable, I will wash it before cutting it.

So- how does one decide which is the best or correct way to do things?

There are several camps - just on that one question - on this board.

I don't have a definitive answer on how to decide which is the best way. I think use your sense of what seems reasonable for some of the answers to your questions.

Experience will be your most authoritative instructor!

And when it comes right down to it --
There are some people who refuse to let facts interfere with their strongly held opinions.

Tired of hearing that pressing seams open is no longer done and seams should be pressed to one side or the other--the longarm lady doing my quilt is one pushing that method and I and another lady meeting with her today with our quilts both pressed our seams open. I will continue to do that as well as the seam to the side when I feel like it.

I think this is the best answer yet.

That is why there are Quilt Police..........where are they when you need them.........

Your quilt is a creation and you are the creator, just jump in and have fun, this is what I have done. I have learned a lot from the ladies on here and also by my mistakes and I am loving it. I like trying new things and learning. You can make it as expensive as you want to, but remember there is no limits when it comes to creating a quilt.

I think the ones I run into are:
Quilting is a cheap hobby ---------NOT TRUE: Still trying to figure how it is cheap.
Tied quilts are not really quilts------NOT TRUE: it is just the choice to put it together.

As a longarm quilter, I cringe when I hear "you can quilt it out". NOT! Poor piecing is poor piecing.

1. Expensive machines quilt better. Lots of bells and whistles help one quilt better.
2. All machines should have yearly servicing.
3. The more gadgets you have, the better your quilts.
4. Never use the lines on your mat.
5. Expensive threads/fabric always produce a better quilt - look better.
6. Don't use sheets as fabric - something about it being difficult on the needle.
7. Change your needle at least every time you start a new project.
8. You can always "quilt it out".
5. Everybody loves to get quilts as gifts.