I've been wanting to learn to quilt for years but I don't know anyone nearby who quilts. What sewing skills I have are pretty much self-taught. So, last week, I bought a book "First-Time Quiltmaking" It's been a lot of help and I have learned a lot.
I followed the step by step lesson and finished my first quilt top yesterday. The problem is.....the lessons only make 36.5 x 48.5 quilts. :?:

I can figure out how to enlarge the top to make it a usable quilt for a queen size bed, but I'm nervous about going out on my own for binding.

Do you guys suggest I keep following the pattern and make the quilt the suggested size so I get the hang of binding or can I attempt to adapt it without making a mess of things?

Hi and welcome from the sunny state of Florida by way of Marion, IN.!!

Go ahead and make the quilt the size you want, it's your quilt! There's quite a few members on this board from IN. someone might live close to you!

Queen size is usually around 84 X 92

Without a picture of the quilt, can't determine if it's a quilt that can be easily disassembled and reconstructed differently to make a larger size, or one where you could simply add more blocks.

Without knowing that I can only comment on enlarging by using borders. Modifying yours by using borders would require very large borders indeed (24 on one side, 22 on the other). I dont' have a queen bed to measure, but if the size of the quilt you have now centers/covers the top of the bed edge to edge, it may not look bad/odd by adding really wide borders for the overhang.

If you would like more suggestions, it would be best to add a photo so we know how to best achieve it.

If you plan on continuing with quilting as a hobby though, go ahead and bind the one you have and plan a proper Queen size that you would be happier with. If quilting does indeed agree with you, this won't be your last quilt :)

Welcome from Arizona, Deedee.

If you have figures out how to enlarge the top (I assume make more blocks) you've done the hard part. Binding is easy. Just measure around the quilt and add about 18". Divide that by 42" (approximately width of fabric minus shrinkage). That's how many strips you will need for binding. Most of us use 2 1/2" strips for binding, so 2 1/2" times the number of strips is how much material you need for the binding.

Is this clear as mud? There are lots of tutorials and U-tube lessons on bindings so don't stress it. Take one step at a time and you will do fine.

Thank you all for your input!

Although I would love to post a picture of what I have done so far, my camera is in the shop. (I can not express how painful that is to me!) The pattern I am following is for a Four-patch quilt.

donb't know enough to give you advice,but thought i'd say hi from n.w. indiana.i am about as far n.w. as you can get.
where are you ?
dar

Hi Deedee and welcome from Southeast Missouri. :-)

hiya from virginia...

welcome "aboard"

I'm in N.W. Indiana too. Medaryville (don't feel bad if you don't know where that is, I've met people 7 miles away who don't know it's a town, lol)

Welcome from So. Ea. In. I'm So. of Greensburg.