Quilt Patchwork Patterns - How does a beginner make a quilt? Is there any hope for me?

How does a beginner make a quilt? Is there any hope for me?

My husband has a quilt that he got from his Stepmother. It is so nice and warm. I have always wanted to make a quilt, but I can't even sew a straight line. I remember trying to begin a quilt after seeing a picture of my Grandma and her friends sewing a quilt. After sticking myself with the needle several times, I got frustrated and just gave up. Seeing my husbands quilt makes me want to try again.

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You do not have to make a quilt just by hand sewing, it can all be done on a machine now. See the following site for directions of making a quilt from start to finish. You may also want to go to your local community college and see if they offer any quilt classes (these are usually held at a local sewing store) but are through the college. http://quilting.about.com/od/stepbystepquilting/a/make_a_quilt.htm
Make it up! Accept that a beginner can't make a professional quality quilt, so focus on the motive rather than the skill in execution! I'm working hard at my first attempt at quilting. It's a story quilt for my brother's 21st. I made the pattern years ago, some unexplained inspiration :) I've got two sheets of fabric, with batting sandwiched inside. I'm sewing the panels onto the top layer of fabric, then sewing the design down through all the layers. I've done the applique first on the machine, straight onto the panels, then attached them to the rest of the quilt. I'm handsewing, since it's easier than trying to machine sew in the middle of a quilt and nothing is straight. But that's ok :) Most of the actual quilting stitches that are used to keep it all together are the edges of the panels, and I'm sewing around the edges of the appliqued pieces too. Try making a small version first, a wall hanging or something. That should give you some tips and help your confidence for a bigger project. I just hope my brother likes this quilt :) I hope so. He doesn't remember our grandfather much, so I've made 12 panels, each representing a different memory. One has a pic of a dog and goanna on it, because he went on holiday to Kakadu and sent a postcard saying the goannas were as big as dogs. It was such a grandpa way of writing :) Another panel shows veggies, as he was a gardener. One has a map of Poland (his place of origin) and one of Australia. You get the idea. If you make a story quilt, the story will become more important than your embroidery skills. I'm already planning two more quilts :) I now understand how it gets addictive. Fabric haunts you and makes you buy it! I found some fabric that would make a beautiful border, and was delighted to find it half price the next time, because it has been haunting me. It wants to be the border around a chain stitched flamenco or tango dancer. Now where did that come from? Who knows? But I'm going to have to make her, just to get her out of my head!
I made this quilt http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h149/ljeannie/DSC02307.jpg just from seeing a picture of something like it. All of the strips were cut 18x3 and just sewn together crooked. I used a sewing machine, I don't do things by hand, I leave that to grandmas. (that's my dad in the pic, he'd be mad if he knew I put it up...haha) I have started this quilt. http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h149/ljeannie/DSC02532.jpg Same idea, except I am actually cutting the pieces. The idea is to cut complementary pieces of that we two slanted pieces are put next to each other, they make a rectangle. Invest in a rotary cutter and mat...my grandma hooked me and it's awesome. All of this is straight sewing and cutting big pieces. Hard to screw up.
Try to find beginners classes near you or buy a book which might help answer any questions you might have. Unless you are good at hand sewing, make it with a machine, its a bit easier and the stitching will last longer. You could try by just getting two pieces of fabric and a piece of wadding (batting) and sew it all together. Or you could start with a pre printed piece of fabric. Baby quilts are good to start with and if you give this as a gift most people think it is great even if it is simple. Just relax and enjoy. Also there is loads of help on the web. But start small and then you can see how you feel about quilting and also not feel it will take you forever.
Hi: Yes, there is. But your going to have be very focused, patience and determine to do this from start to finish Here are some websites and books to get you started; websites: http://www.junetailor.com/Creativity%20Center/CreativityCenter_QuiltMakingBasics.htm http://www.quilttownusa.com/mom/generaldirections.htm http://www.quiltethnic.com/ethnic-quilting/beginner-quilt-patterns.html http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/tp/easy_quilts.htm http://www.equilters.com/library/logcabin/easy_log_cabin_part1.html http://www.allcrafts.net/quilting.htm http://www.sewaquilt.com/quilt-blocks.html Books: Start Quilting with Alex Anderson : Six Projects for First-Time Quilters Your First Quilt Book by Carol Doak, Ursula Reikes (Editor) All-in-One Quilter's Reference Tool : Easy-to-Follow Charts, Tables and Illustrations, Yardage Requirements, Cutting Instructions, Setting Secrets, Choosing Supplies, Piecing Techniques, Number Conversions and More! by Harriet Hargrave, Alex Anderson, Liz Aneloski, Sharyn Craig Quilting For Dummies by Cheryl Fall - and your not a dummy Quiltmaking by Hand : Simple Stitches, Exquisite Quilts by Jinny Beyer Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!! : The Complete Guide to Quiltmaking by Diana McClun, Laura Nownes Weekend Quilting Wonders by Jeanne Stauffer (Editor) , Sandra L. Hatch (Editor) , Sandra Hatch (Editor) 90 Minute Quilt by Meryl Ann Butler Quiltmaking for Beginners : A Stitch-by-Stitch Guide to Hand and Machine Techniques First Time Quilt Making : Learning to Quilt in Six Easy Lessons by Landauer Corporation (Manufactured by) , Linda Hungerford, Landauer Corporation (Manufactured by) Quilting : A Beginner's Guide to Quilting by Creative Publishing International (Manufactured by) Everyone Can Quilt with Kaye Wood : 100+ Tips, Techniques, Templates, & Projects by Kaye Wood Leslie Linsley's New Weekend Quilts : 25 Quick and Easy Quilting Projects You Can Complete in a Weekend by Leslie Linsley Let's Quilt! : Easy Projects for First-Time Quilters by Ann Kisro Teach Yourself Quilting by Janet Armstrong Wickell Basic Quilting : All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by Sherrye Landrum (Editor) , Charlene Atkinson, Charlene Atkinson, Alan Wycheck (Photographer) Quilting for the First Time by Donna Kooler, Kooler Design Studio Start to Quilt : All the Basics Plus Learn-to-Quilt Projects by Creative Publishing International (Editor) , Creative Publishing International Hope this helps: PS: Sticking yourself with a needle a few times is a Quilter or sewer's rite of passage. This is how they all learn to sew things. So don't feel bad, we all done it. The trick is to learn from it and Not To Give Up and not to push the needle up too hard when you can't see it and keep your fingers out of it way. Also invite your husand's stepmom to come over and help you make one ( good for those family bonding moments) and if you got some good friends who do quilting. Have them help you too. It the best way to learn and a good reason to get together and have coffee and treats too. they can teach you a lot and encourage you to success. So my dear lady Let make a quilt and you post on the web, so we can all see it and other will be encouraged as well and sing of your triumph of this. Good Luck and my very best wishes to you on your project.