My bee group has several new quilters in our ranks. A couple of them asked about learning the basics for those just starting out. Here are my thoughts:
Machine: (1) Learn to use the one you’ve got. Get out the manual, take a class from a local dealer, visit the manufacturer’s website for tutorial videos or check out sewingmastery.com to see if they’ve done a video series on your particular machine. You can also check out YouTube and search by your machine model. (2) If upgrading, buy one with at least an 8″ throat space. Budget friendlier: Brother PS500 or PS700 can be had for under $700.00 and has straight stitch needle plate option, adjustable foot pressure and scissors function. Baby Lock offers similar machines at similar or slightly higher price points. Pfaff and Janome were frequently mentioned as reliable machines, but come at a higher price point.
Skills:
(1) Master 1/4″ seam and scant 1/4″ seam settings for your machine. Experiment with different feet, thread, needles, tension and stitch width/length settings. Write down the settings that give the best results for your particular machine. (Example: Elnita EC 30: standard 1/4″ foot, 80/12 Microtex needle, Aurifil 50 wt thread, center needle position with 2.0 stitch length. For scant 1/4″ – same settings, except move stitch width 1 click to the right (2 clicks if sewing FG blocks together).
(2) Learn how to use a rotary cutter and ruler accurately. Try out different handles in the store (or at a show) and buy the 45mm version you like best. If you can only get two rulers, start with a 12-1/2″ square and a 6-1/2″ or 8-1/2″ by 24-1/2″ ruler. A 2-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ is also mighty handy, if you can add it to your ruler purchase. Creative Grids rulers are my personal favorite.
(3) Learn how to read quilt and sewing patterns. Always read through the directions 2x before cutting the first piece of fabric.
(4) Learn how to construct the most common quilt block units – half square triangles (HST), hourglass (QST), square-in-a-square (economy block), flying geese (FG), and snowball. Learn at least 2 different methods to make each of these units (except snowball). Make sure you understand the stitch n flip corner method. Once you have these units down, you’ll be able to tackle most any pieced quilt pattern out there.
(5) Learn how to press properly. You don’t need the most expensive iron out there – onee from the big box store will be adequate. A clapper, a bottle of spray starch/Best Press and a pressing cloth will be helpful. The types of sewing you do will determine if it’s worth investing in a sleeve board, tailor’s ham or applique pressing sheets.
First Projects:
For a first quilt project, search out one of these classic designs: (1) rail fence (2) disappearing 4 patch or 9 patch and (3) bricks. Plenty of free tutorials and patterns are out there. Try Pinterest!
Once you are comfortable with simply pieced quilts, up your game by choosing a quilt pattern that incorporates at least one of the common units you learned how to make in step 4. Suggestions: make a sampler quilt through a local quilt shop or an online tutorial series from your favorite designer. Sherri McConnell from A Quilting Life offers a free BOM that starts every January. She’s a former teacher, so her pattern instructions and the accompanying video tutorials are really well done. Missouri Star Quilt Company is known for its weekly quilting tutorials. Fat Quarter Shop offers a ton of free patterns and video tutorials. Moda Fabrics and Riley Blake Designs also offer free patterns and educational video content.
This post only begins to scratch the surface that is the quilting rabbit hole. I started a Quilting 101 Notebook on Pinterest to serve as a reference for my beginning quilter friends.
Come Stitch With Me 