View entire thread: "Drat", says newbie...
Posted by Jean B. on Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:41 PM    Post subject: Re: "Drat", says newbie...



FurrsomeThreesome wrote: [quote:258151c35e]Welcome! I still count myself a relative "newbie" - I think I'm
coming up on my 4th year since my "quilting for dummies" introduction class (but I'm over-busy and don't work
on quilts NEARLY as much as I want). I don't know if crazy quilts would be "easiest", but maybe they're
different if you hand-piece. I've pondered some but can see getting myself into weird situations where I have an off-
kilter triangle to try to fit in to a block and I"m really not good at turning a corner while stitching. For
really easy, and quick gratification, try ANYTHING just involving squares. I just whipped up a couple tops for baby
quilts that alternated 4-patch and 1-patch pieces, but if you do that with fun batiks and fiddle with the colour
placement you can get neat effects for nothing but straight-line sewing. For a ton of ideas and some reasonably good
instructions for block designs, I think someone already suggested Quilterscache. If you're the sort who likes books -
well, there are many here who have many more than I, but my first teach recommended the "Quilts from the
Quiltmaker's Gift" books - there are two - and I LOVE them. They are full of 39 traditional patterns ranging from
drop-dead easy to moderately complex but still repeating geometries. The books include lots of good technique advice,
along with a primer on the "math of quilting" and they're full of fun stories of all kinds of real-world
quilters. I've also bought the children's book "The Quiltmaker's Gift" over and over again for friends' kids.
I am also someone who loves going to a good workshop. Not every teacher is brilliant, and I've been lucky to find a few
who are, but every one of them has some personal wisdom that you just won't get by trial and error (or maybe you would,
but after ALOT of trial and error). A one-day class in my area will run about $50-$70, and is enough to teach you the
basics of EITHER cutting/piecing OR quilting, I find. Good luck with your new affliction... er, ummm,
"hobby", yah that's it... Johanna (the one in Waterloo, Canada). Eeek! I already collect cookbooks and am
being run out of[/quote:258151c35e] house and home by them. I think I need to get organized.... How many of you have
good spaces to quilt in? I don't have an extra room, alas, and am planning on commandeering part of the livingroom.
I'm going to have to save all of these great suggestions (alluding to yours and those from others). Thanks! -- Jean
B.

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View entire thread: "Drat", says newbie...
Posted by FurrsomeThreesome on Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:59 AM    Post subject: Re: "Drat", says newbie...

Welcome! I still count myself a relative "newbie" - I think I'm coming up on my 4th year since my
"quilting for dummies" introduction class (but I'm over-busy and don't work on quilts NEARLY as much as I
want). I don't know if crazy quilts would be "easiest", but maybe they're different if you hand-piece. I've
pondered some but can see getting myself into weird situations where I have an off-kilter triangle to try to fit in to a
block and I"m really not good at turning a corner while stitching. For really easy, and quick gratification, try
ANYTHING just involving squares. I just whipped up a couple tops for baby quilts that alternated 4-patch and 1-patch
pieces, but if you do that with fun batiks and fiddle with the colour placement you can get neat effects for nothing but
straight-line sewing. For a ton of ideas and some reasonably good instructions for block designs, I think someone
already suggested Quilterscache. If you're the sort who likes books - well, there are many here who have many more than
I, but my first teach recommended the "Quilts from the Quiltmaker's Gift" books - there are two - and I LOVE
them. They are full of 39 traditional patterns ranging from drop-dead easy to moderately complex but still repeating
geometries. The books include lots of good technique advice, along with a primer on the "math of quilting"
and they're full of fun stories of all kinds of real-world quilters. I've also bought the children's book "The
Quiltmaker's Gift" over and over again for friends' kids. I am also someone who loves going to a good workshop.
Not every teacher is brilliant, and I've been lucky to find a few who are, but every one of them has some personal
wisdom that you just won't get by trial and error (or maybe you would, but after ALOT of trial and error). A one-day
class in my area will run about $50-$70, and is enough to teach you the basics of EITHER cutting/piecing OR quilting, I
find. Good luck with your new affliction... er, ummm, "hobby", yah that's it... Johanna (the one in
Waterloo, Canada). Jean B. wrote: [quote:d909d02bed]All I can say right now is "drat"! I came here looking
for ideas for surface design and dyeing, and now I (person who has always loathed sewing) want to make a quilt! You
must be contageous or something.... I am also thinking I want to do something by hand first.... Are crazy quilts the
easiest? Any good links for total newbies? Hmmmm. I'd better go look at the FAQ if there is one. I have been looking
at eye candy--and at more practical things like about.quilting.... I don't know whether to close with a smile or a
frown. Time will tell.... -- Jean B.[/quote:d909d02bed]

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