March 31, 2010
Do not sew very well, but I’ll try to make a quilt or table runner, etc. The instructions should be almost like idiots. . . . She never learned to sew as well. I have a machine, but the reading of the patterns is sometimes difficult. I do a lot of crochet, cross stitch and basketry. So I can, I just never really learned to coser.Ayuda!
March 31st, 2010 at 11:47 am
If you already can do all those other hobbies, sewing will be easy. First you’ll need small print/matching solid fabrics. If you buy the fabrics, get 1/2 yard of each colors/print.Stick with straight seams- triangles, squares, they are easy.
There are free beginners patterns, type those words and you’ll find several. Good luck & happy sewing.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hi, I’m Mo and i’m not a very good sewer either. I found patterns by doing a yahoo search for beginner’s quilt patterns. Your local library is also a good source as most good quilting books give basic directions. I have found Fons and Porter and Alex Anderson books have good basic advice and easy patterns for beginners.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Go to our guild’s webpage http://qgoa.org and click on the Links page. I’ve added a bunch of free pattern and a couple of training links.
March 31st, 2010 at 12:46 pm
An excellent online resource for quilt patterns is http://www.quilterscache.com. Block patterns are identified by level of difficulty so you can pick one that’s relatively easy. In addition to block patterns, the site has directions for every step in the quilt-making process from assembling the quilt to binding the edges
As a beginner, I also found lots of ideas I could use at http://www.qnm.com.
March 31st, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Hi Lynn…Im a Lynne too…lol. If you want to email me I can give you a few sites that have beginner quilting on them. I also started a small quilting group called quiltingfordummies…lol….I would love for you to join. I dont know if you are on any other quilting groups or not, but I would love to have you as a new member. One of our swaps is a 9patch block….very easy for a beginner quilter to do. My email is iwuvukeith@yahoo.com.
March 31st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Anyone that can sew a straight line can sew this. To practice sewing straight lines, put a piece of masking tape where you want to sew and try sewing along the side. Buy enough fabric to go around your waist one and a half times. Cut six inches from the long side. With the large piece of fabric, measure and iron over to the inside of the fabric, 1/4 inch on the short side of the rectangle. Iron over again 1/2 inch. Stitch close to the edge. Do this to the other side. Do this on one long side of the rectangle too.. On the other long side, turn under 1/4 inch, iron, and turn under another 3 inches. Stitch close to the edge. Now you should have a large rectangle, with closed in edges and “pockets” on the top and bottom. With the other piece of fabric , right sides together, sew a 1/2 inch seam along the long side. Turn the “tube” inside out. Tuck in 1/2 inch on each end and sew each end shut. With a large safety pin hooked to one end, pull the “strap” through the large “pocket” of the large rectangle. Voila!! A drawstring apron!
To make a patchwork quilt, cut complimentary fabrics into even squares. Lay out the squares into a pattern you like. Sew them into strips, then sew the strps together. Put another piece of fabric that is six inches larger on all sides under the patchwork top. Sandwich a sheet of quilt fleece in between. Turn over the ends 1/2 inch, then the rest overlapping the quilt top by 1/2 inch. Stitch close to the edge. Tie each corner of the squares together with a light-weight yarn.
March 31st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Hi Lynn,
The log cabin is the quilt pattern i started with. It is very simple. If you could get Eleanor Burns’ Log Cabin in a Day book (you can pick it up at http://www.half.com for a small price ) i think this would help.
You also need to learn to make a consistant 1/4 inch seem. That is also easy with a little practice. The good thing about log cabins is there are only straight seams.
Another good way to learn is do a search under quilt guilds to find a quild in your area, most of the ladies would be glad to help you. Also look for a class close by.
Hope this helps,
sandi