jojosnana

I have three singer machines, all different ages and I love them all. I would start out (as others have advised) with a small project. There is nothing wrong with starting small. My first project was a queen-sized quilt and I choose a hard pattern with triangles and I think it would be easier to start with squares and rectangles. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your quilting.

Rann

I bought a small machine at Big Lots (discount store in the south) for $39. It just goes in forward and reverse. Works on batteries or ac and is light enough to take to classes. That would work well for a first machine for piecing.

mocha827

There are those who prefer the hand piecing/hand quilting route. Look into Inklingo at Lindafranz.com. It is a system that prints your sewing lines on the fabric. They have an extensive line of patterns available and lots of helpful folks on the yahoo group. The work displayed is really beautiful and all by hand.

cathyvv

Machine!

mshawii

Start small and get to know your equipment. Take a class some where. Learn the basics before you start a big project. Besides it is always fun to take a class and meet other people who are new at this. Remember there are no dumb questions. Every one of us here started the same place you are right now, we have just been at it longer and have experience. Do you have a family member or friend who has an extra machine that you could use till you get going? in the mean time good luck.

Jan

jitkaau

Each technique of quilting has its challenges - hand, domestic machine and long arm. Each one requires practice and it is just a matter of finding your preference. I quite frankly,like all of them. I can't afford a long - arm; I do some hand quilting, and it takes a long time, so I mostly run my quilts under the domestic sewing machine because it is quick and has some nice customised quilting designs that one can only do this way, as do the other methods .
I'm not much help to steer you in any direction - why not have a go at all of them and you will soon find which you like?

Rusty's Mama

Welcome to this board and to quilting. I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy the quilting world, whether you use machine or quilt by hand. Best wishes in your new quilting endeavor!

quiltwiz

Hi David
My husband has been quilting for about 14 years. Started out doing only hand piecing and hand quilting and won a number of awards. When asked by the girls in the office, he decided to use a machine to piece and quilt a baby quilt for anyone who became pregant ( first pregancy only). Other than the baby quilts, he continues to "quilt as our fore-mothers did" and enjoys every minute of it.

kwiltkrazy

Welcome to quilting, and welcome and warm wishes to our guild. I would never get any thing done if I had to do it by hand, and I don't think my hands would hold up to doing it by hand. I love to use my machine in piecing and quilting. If you do get a machine, be sure to test drive it, machines, like clothing, have to fit you. Good luck and have fun.

Dolphyngyrl

If your are a very impatient person, or lose interest easily then you need a machine. I started quilting in high school, i started out by hand lost interest, my aunt ended up sewing the quilt and i didn't finish one until my early twenties, now i do everything by machine. I think i got my cheap brother machine on overstock.com for i think 109 at the time and it has a small quilting table and about 30 stitches, and sews beautiful. I highly recommend you get a machine. Hand work is good for traveling like hand applique.