What I learned

[Sonic]

My first quilt is done
Pics are here- Ta-dah- finally finished first quilt
And through this process I learned a few things that I thought I would share.

1. Hot irons and thumbs are not friends.
2. Sharp rotary cutters and said thumbs are also not friends.
3. A ¼” seam is a suggestion.
4. If your top thread disappears…check your bobbin because it probably ran out.
5. An ironing board or waist high ironing surface is your friend. Three towels on the floor is your enemy.
6. Don’t overstretch flannel backing when making the quilt sandwich. It will pucker your already glued and basted sandwich when un-taped.
7. Spray baste rocks.
8. Spray baste does NOT rock after stuffing a full sized basted quilt through a 5 ½” throat space repeatedly.
9. Walking feet really ROCK!
10. Yep, walking feet still ROCK!.
11. Your chin is good for something else besides holding loose skin. It’s a great place to tuck fabric while doing quilting yoga.
12. Borders breed like rabbits and will turn your lap sized quilt into a full size quilt if you don’t watch them very carefully.
13. “I just stitched in the ditch” is a very misleading comment that leads a reader to think it‘s easy or something.
13. And last but not least…now I know why people make mostly lap sized quilts.

[LRM]

All lessons we have all had to learn at some point. I'm laughing out loud over quilting yoga and "just stitched in the ditch". As a relative newbie with machine quilting I TOTALLY understand those lessons.

[Carrie J]

LOL, you forgot becoming fluent in a second, socially unacceptable language for Step No. 8 And No. 11, yeah, got me on that one!

[coffeebreak]

Yep.. and the best thing about it all? You won't be making those same mistakes EVER again! LOL!!! We've all been there.. welcome to our world!!!!!!

[LRM]

I wish I only needed those lessons once! Some, especially socially unacceptable language, I keep "practicing"!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Great advice for all, especially about the SIZE of first quilts! I always cringe when a new quilter says " I want to make my first quilt for my king size bed". More than one comes back here saying, " Help! How do I quilt this thing?" Not fun to wrestle a huge quilt on a small machine!

Thanks for the tips! Hope your thumb heals!

[bscuzz]

Can I add an addendum to #6 ". . . . . It will pucker your already glued and basted sandwich when un-taped." OR just cut whatever size flannel you need 1" smaller 'cause it grows while you're making your quilt!!!

At least mine did, all 168 10" squares (3 quilts) - imagine how much flannel I could have saved if I cut them all 9". If only I knew they were gonna 'grow' thru the process!!!

[auntiemern]

Good lessons for all. After you have a dozen or so under your belt, you will laugh at all you learned on your first quilt. Don't let anyone, even those of us that have quilted for years, tell you they do not use their seam rippers regularly. We ALL still make mistakes.

[snippet]

Awesome post! It's a good thing I wasn't drinking when I read your post because I would have splattered my laptop from laughing so hard. Every item on your list is so true.

fyi, I've downgraded quickly from queen size quilts to lap quilts and now I'm doing table runners! Next stop - placemats, then mug rugs! lol

[Gina]

Congratulations Sonic! Your did a wonderful job on your first quilt! For some unknown reason # 4 happens to me a lot! lol