kd124

Don't give up. I can understand your frustration, but remember we have all been there at some point in our life. There has already been some great frustrations. When I was a kid first learning to sew, my mom always said, "If you are going to learn to sew, you have to learn to rip it out." Believe me, I have and still do!! I have seam rippers all over the room.

ScrapQuilter

wichypoo
Don't get discouraged............. Take your time.
Remember to measure - cut accurate and practice 1/4" seam allowance.
As you sew measure to make sure your block pieces are coming out to the right size...... do several easy block and measure each block to see if they are the same size............... cutting the right size and the 1/4" seam are very very important.... practice practice....... make perfect.
good luck with your quilts....... hope to see several posted here.

Try a lap quilt and then a reg size and work your way up to a queen.

Scissor Queen

Do you square up before putting block parts together and before putting blocks together? Even blocks that are off can be squared up and then they go together beautifully. It's amazing just how "perfect" a quilt will appear when the blocks are squared up before putting them together even if they're really crooked blocks.

Are you putting your blocks together in rows and then trying to put rows together? Any little bit you're off across a row will be amplified by the time you get to the end of the row and it can make matching up rows a real pain. Plus then you have all those mile long seams to sew. When I assemble a quilt top I only have one full width seam and two seams half the length. I put the blocks together in pairs and then the pairs together into big four patches and then those into giant four patches until I have the top in four quarters. I try and make the quarters so the last seam isn't in the middle. I'll make the top "quarters" a row longer than the bottom quarters so the last seam isn't across the center.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

Online quilting classes......my curiosity is tweaked. Another site for my favorites list.

sash

Don't be so critical of yourself. BTW, I can't make a decent pot holder. I can bind a quilt, but I can't put a decent binding around a pot holder.

Dkm

Whatever you do don't give up. Change directions. Try making a potholder until you are satisfied with the results. Hint: watch your progress, take it slow and see where you are going wrong(if you do). Stop and think about the process and how you got off track. The biggest mistake we all make is in cutting and that WONDERFUL 1/4" seam allowance. I'm not an expert, but I know where you are coming from.

Stay with this group and if nothing else they will encourage you. Ask questions as you progress.

Next thing you know we'll be seeing pictures posted of your potholders, wall hangings and beautiful quilts. Good Luck

rndelling

I don't have a design wall so I think that it would be difficult for me to put the quilt together in squares and quarters like someone said. I have to lay it out on the floor and then pick up a row at a time from left to right, put them in a stack and pin that stack together labeled what row it is.

I will sew 2 or 3 rows, then sew those rows together and sew those completed rows to the main quilt. This seems to be the easiest way for me to keep everything in order.

I have found that if I start pinning in the middle, work my way out to each end pinning at all the seams and corners that I can get everything to match up. I can ease in fabric as I go kind of like borders.

Boston1954

Please don't stop. It is very rewarding emotionally. Are the intersections not matching up? Are you doing difficult blocks? I sometimes pick things that are slightly beyond my capacity.

wichypoo

I was just reading all of the great suggestions and most of all the support of you sweet sweet people. I am very gratefull to all of you. I have been on the outside of life for a long time untill I found myself and quilting-sewing. I have made 2 quilts ,2 wall hangings,5 quilted purses,2baby quilts. NONE of them are perfect, I just was hoping I would get better. ya know. thanks to all of you again. BTW I also have "list" of to do's and I did them all so far. need to start another.
love and hugs to all ya'll
karen :P

alaskasunshine

I learned this from a wonderful teacher,
1.Measure 2x cut once!

2. sew a consistant 1/4" seam, practice till you can do that

3. Steam press a ton! I also learned ironing & pressing are totally different! big wow for me.

In taking classes I have learned so much and there are lots of tricks you can pick up along the way... most importantly have fun!