dee1245

[ATTACH=CONFIG]458219[/ATTACH]I finished my very first quilt in September. It was a college T-shirt memory quilt. It had 12" squares with 2" sashing and 3" borders. I did a wide serpentine at the sashing seams then did straight stich in an X across the squares. It made for an interesting back design. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the back before I gave it to the recipient and the stiching does not show up in this photo.

quilter2090

Please just do it! It's just some fabric, thread and some time to practice. Also, please don't quit if you have some difficulty starting out. I have read on the board so many times, "well, I tried it once and I didn't like how it looked so I gave up". Any new thing you try will have a learning curve, think how long it took to ride a bike. Just don't give up and you will succeed. I had a friend who lives her whole life constrained by the word can't. Any task that is new for her she tells herself that she CAN'T, so she doesn't. Put the can't out of your life and it's amazing what you can do. Good Luck!

justflyingin

You're not alone.

Been there. Still am a little scared.

I am still amazed at what some people can do with FMQ and think I can never do that.

Jim's Gem

I used to just quilt my quilts with diagonal lines. But after years of trying and practicing I am finally getting some FMQ down. I can't afford to send my quilts out either. None of them are "fabulous" quilting but I am learning!!

Here's a sample from a quilt I finished last week[ATTACH=CONFIG]458236[/ATTACH]

I just did an all over flower in variegated thread

MadQuilter

Try it on a smaller piece first - such as crib size. That way you don't have too much bulk to handle under your machine. I am teaching a friend at work how to quilt right now and she made a crib-size triple rail fence. Instead of Stitch-in-the-ditch, I suggested that she sew down each seam line using the foot as a guide along the seam. She did that on each side and she has a lovely grid pattern going. She is so proud of this accomplishment - as she should be. Saturday we are meeting up so she can learn the binding.

You can do this too. Don't make it too complicated. We all started at that point.

Taughtby Grandma

The only way to get over the fear is to jump right in. Be kind to yourself, usually the only one who expects perfection is the one making the quilt. We all learn from doing. Start easy with a straight quilting going with the pattern. (Stitch in the Ditch - or as close to the seam as possible).

MargeD

I started with diagonal lines and/or stitch in the ditch, and still use them a lot. I took a big baby step last Dec. when quilting my DGD's full size quilt that had both applique and piecing, and in some areas I actually did a little FMQ. It was scary at first, but Zoe is only 3 1/2 so I doubt she will critique my quilt, although when she hugged me for making it, she told me that she loved it very, very much, and so did her parents. That made it all worth while to me and besides, I'm sure this won't be the last quilt that I make for her.

quilterpurpledog

If you only make quilt tops you never have a quilt. Jump in and do relatively simple things first. There are lots of tutorials and people like Leah Day to help. We all start with that inner fear and intimidation but most of us conquer those feelings by just starting and doing it. Buy some medium quality muslin and make some practice sandwiches with batting and "practice" the pattern you want to do a time or two before you quilt on your quilt. It will give you confidence and a 'library' of quilt motifs.

wolph33

I would start quilting by making small things like mug rugs so if it does not go well you have not messed up a quilt top.practice on the small things and you will gain skills as you go

silverfoxmag

Craftsy has a few classes for quilting on DSM. They also have a money back guaranty within, I think, 30 days if your not satisfied with the classes.