Kris P

Don't be too frugal to take a few quilting classes. You'll learn more quickly, be less likely to develop bad habits and feel like you're part of the quilting community. Be choosy about what fabric you purchase. The cheap stuff is just that, cheap, and more likely to cause problems down the road. Don't buy fabric you don't love, just because it is on sale. It will sit in your cabinet for years, with no purpose in sight.

BettyGee

Have fun with whatever project you pick. Don't fall for the gimmicks and there are a gazillion out there. Stash is good, but too much can result in SABLE. Don't be too hard on yourself when something goes goofy, that is why there are seam rippers.

Quiltngolfer

.Join some type of quilting group. You will enjoy the inspiration you get from others, and have experienced quilters to answer your questions.
.Don't buy every piece of fabric you think is pretty. It's easy to get too much stash. It can be overwhelming.
.Finish one project before starting another. I wound up with 25 UFOs and spent 3 years completing all of them before I would let myself go on.
.Buy quality thread and tools.

sailsablazin

Buy only good quality fabric. Yardage or precuts----let that decision be YOURS not what someone else prefers.
You will make mistakes along the way---learn from them and enjoy the process! NO ONE will notice that your points don't meet perfectly. Buy the fabric that makes YOU happy.
START YOUNG because quilting becomes a part of your life and there is a lot of fabric and patterns calling your name!
ENJOY every step of the way. Learn from those gifted quilters out there with more experience than you. IF YOU LOVE IT, that is all that matters. Appreciate how important it is to receive something handmade by mom/grandma and teach this to your children.

EmiliasNana

I second, third and fourth that! I keep trying to tell my newbie friends this all the time.

Jo Anne B.

Read the complete directions from start to finish to the pattern before purchasing the fabric.
I did this or rather didn't do this, when I pulled it all out to cut my pieces--BAM! the directions are so poorly written I have lost motivation to start the project.

msrosecooks

GingerK, Totally agree with this!!!! Made me laugh...Exactly what happened with my sister. We are going to the houston quilt show this year. Last year it was the sister's show in oregon......Next we are hoping to go to paducah.....

Maggie77802

Being perfect is over rated and probably makes you fat.

Daleen

Some very good suggestions. If I could start over, I would be more adventureous and would do machine quilting right away and not worry about uneven stitches. I would also not buy all this stash fabric. I've given away fabric to people's projects and charities. Have fun!

cathyvv

1) Learn to cut straight! If you're cuts are off, then your quilt will be off.

2) Do not watch the needle go up and down while you are piecing. It only goes up and down; that never changes. Instead, make sure you fabric is feeding in straight under the needle. Your seams will be much straighter if you do that.

3) Forgive yourself for making mistakes. That is why the seam ripper is the most used (not necessarily most popular) quilting tool we own.

4) I'd say, "Buy less fabric!" except that I only quilt as an excuse to buy fabric.

One last little thing to add, if you have some kind of 'difference', so what? I am color blind and quilt all the time. I tried a very complex, many fabric quilts once, but got so lost that I eventually donated it as scraps. Then I learned what type of quilt I can do without frustration, and that's what I do. I'm happy, the quilts look happy, and I hope the recipients are happy.