Questions for my first quilt

[mishmaria]

I've always wanted to learn quilting and am researching for something easy to start with. In watching the jelly roll race quilt tutorial I thought it might be a good option for me. Do you have any other suggestions you think might be an easier one for a beginner? Also, is I do make it with a jelly roll, how many rolls do you think I would need for a king size quilt of 120 x 120? I can't wait to order and start on this project

[Hulamoon]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

Welcome! Well I wouldn't start off with a king! The D9P is super easy and comes out really nice. There is so many ways to make them! But Jenny's is the best to start with.

[Jean Sewing Machine]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I would advise that you DO NOT start with a king size quilt! Try making a jelly roll race quilt with 1 jelly roll for starters. New quilters who try king quilts for their first quilt get bogged down when they try to quilt these big quilts and get very discouraged. A lap quilt is very doable for a first time quilter, you can complete it without too much frustration and enjoy the process! Then try bigger quilts for your next projects.

[Preeti]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

A simple rail fence with three strips of fabric would be my recommendation for a beginner's project.

[Auntpiggylpn]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I think a rail fence is the perfect beginner quilt. It helps improve your rotary cutting skills and maintaining those 1/4" seams. You can definately do it with consistent colors or scrappy using Jelly Rolls. Do a google search for Rail fence and you will see lots of different ones. There are multiple ways to lay out the blocks also. Here is some good instructions to make one. It isn't too big for a first project and if you decide you want your quilt bigger, just make more blocks! http://bkkquilt.files.wordpress.com/...railfence1.doc

[Lilly]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

Mishmaria,
I've been quilting for just over a year. I've taken classes and started a queen sized in one of them- haven't finished it yet because it is for me and the nephew's etc etc bumped that back. I've made self binding baby blankets (12) and table runners (5) and dresden table toppers and lots of little things. My point is that I've had a lot of practice. I've ripped out and re-cut and agonized over all the details - and there are many. Just this week I finished my first twin quilt and I was shocked by how long it took - even tho it was an extremely simple pattern. I'm so grateful for the experience of all the other quilting I've done. And this was only a twin. I feel a great sense of accomplishment now but it dogged me in all my free time for over a week. ( And as a side note - I just realized that the going rate for a long armer to quilt the top of a twin is around $80.00-$100.00 in my city- so it's also expensive).
Please don't bite off more than you can chew. Follow Hulamoon's and Jean's advice and scale back a little for your first quilt. I think you'll be relieved you did.

[Sharyn J]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I agree with the others, don't start out with such a large quilt. Go for a lap size. It will give you good experience and teach you a lot along the way. I look at a king size quilt as a destination. Start out smaller and enjoy the journey!

If you're a new quilter, you will find many simple patterns on Jennny's Youtube channel. Another helpful site for new quilter tips and instruction: Diary of a Quilter - a quilt blog: Tutorials

[GinnyKNC]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

There are so many easy ones to start with. I personally think for a big quilt the Double Slice Layer Cake would be the easiest and would go pretty quickly. You don't need to have layer cakes to start with for this. You could cut fabric into layer cakes (10" x 10" squares). There are some beautiful ones on this forum.
Pics of DS from the forum:
http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...lap-quilt.html
http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...g-arm-bob.html
http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/mem...-tutorial.html
If you do a search for Double slice on the forum you will see a lot of them.

Here are some tuts that may help
Double Slice Layer Cake
Jelly roll quilt pattern by three dudes
Jelly roll race

[auntiemern]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I have to concur with the majority. A king quilt is NOT the way to start out your adventure. Start small, and work your way up to huge, after you become more comfortable and confident. Quilt on sister. BTW welcome to the forum.

[Hulamoon]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I'll have to disagree with the Three Dudes. Some of the most experienced have had trouble with it. That was my first stab at this and it's in the bottom of a basket. lol

[K. McEuen]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

With the Three Dudes pattern you are sewing bias edges on everything and a lot of people have had huge issues, like Lori said.

I like the Double Slice Layer Cake pattern, it's easy to make and looks nice as well.

As others have said, a king quilt is not the one to start on. You don't say what kind of machine you have, but grab a blanket off your bed and see how much trouble you have shoving it through the throat of your sewing machine and I bet you'll change your mind real quick. I've been quilting for years and my machine has plenty of throat space and I still won't try to quilt a king size on it. I can piece one just fine, but the quilting is a whole 'nuther matter.

[Bubby]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

A Jellyroll Race quilt would be a perfect beginning project for you. Make it with one jellyroll. If you want it a little larger, just add one or two borders to it. A king quilt is a daunting project even if you use a simple pattern. It can be like wrestling a sleepy bear at times. Save the large queen and king quits for later and you will enjoy making them more. Barb

[ren29]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

Whatever pattern you pick smaller is better for a very first project - and avoid the bias for a minute. The first one, especially if you have no experience or exposure with quilting at all, is trial and error and "well, I guess I'll know better next time". With fabric and tools costing what they do, simple is best. Trust me because I just learned this for myself.

I just finished my first quilt top - a Summer in the Park using jelly rolls and the tube method I saw in the tutorials here on M*. Boy do they make this stuff look easy in the tutorials LOL I spent a lot of time with my seam ripper and re-pressing things so I could re-piece them and even then the top turned out a little wonky. Am I proud? You bet! Am I ready for a second one? When can I start! BUT I wish I would've done something smaller and non-bias involved (even though, due to my mistakes, the quilt is now not quite as big as a twin).

You will enjoy the learning process if you do everything you can to set yourself up for success from the start. Have fun with your first project. I can tell you that this forum is full of people willing to answer any question you might have, no matter how small.

[PeggyM]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I like the disappearing nine patch. As Jenny says, "it looks like you did a lot of work, but you really didn't." (I may have paraphrased.). There are no seams to match up, so it goes very quickly.

[Marty]

Re: Questions for my first quilt

I am working on my first quilt that is bigger than a baby blanket. I'm doing the disappearing nine in a twin size. A good opportunity to see where my errors compound. LOL But seriously, if you go with a scrappy layout I have found the pattern to be very forgiving. My first time using precuts and I'm loving the color combinations. Good Luck.