qwkslver

Don't be nervous, we will help you. Watch You Tube videos, haunt the quilting web sites, ask questions. You will be rewarded so much more than you know by learning this new skill.

CoventryUK

Where do you live? There may be someone here on Quilting Board who lives close by and could help you!! I certainly would!! I am in UK!!!

zennia

This is my suggestion to. There are books out called Learning to Quilt. it teaches you everything and at the end you have made a quilt or whatever learning all the ins and outs of quilting

BrendaK

Welcome from Northern California. Where do you live? There is probably someone here on the board that lives near you and would be more than willing to take you under their wing. Have fun. BrendaK

ManiacQuilter2

I agree with Tartan. There have been numerous posts recent on this site about Hexs (hexagons). The are a quilting project that can easily take on the go. I have never tried the English paper piece. I have just cut out plastic templates of the size I want to make. They are easy to pop out instead or trying to remove the paper.

We have ALL made mistakes so there is Nothing to fear. Welcome to the board.

tessagin

This is a great idea. Also you can make a few templates at a time and few hexies ahead of time. Cereal boxes are great for hexie templates and other templates. Little more flexible. DO NOT BE NERVOUS! It's a hobby not a job. You do it at your own free will.

leatheflea

What about doing applique instead of piecing?

Boston1954

When I started, I did not have a clue, or the benefit of the internet. I picked a block back in 1992, that I still could not do today. Start with something very easy like the Boxed Squares pattern. It will give you the feeling of accomplishment and will build confidence.

lclang

Check with friends and family members to see if they have a good sewing machine they don't use. Perhaps you could borrow it for a while to get an idea of what you want to buy when you do purchase a machine. I know so many people who don't sew but have machines stuck away somewhere that they would be glad to lend you.

mpspeedy2

Laura, It would help if you gave us an indication of where you live. We might be able to recommend a shop or class where you could get some basic training. I am in rural Maryland just south of Hanover, PA. I have been sewing since puberty but had the advantage of having a Mother who sewed and was willing to share her Singer Featherweight with me. That was 40 years ago and I am still sewing and or quilting almost daily. I wouldn't invest in an expensive sewing machine until you find out if you really want to do this. There are some very expensive machines out there whose monetary value drops drastically the minute they leave the store. I am a person who hand quilts. I enjoy the process and makes it possible for me to spend time with my husband and or family and still get the quilt done. I don't hand piece or applique. My favorite is whole cloth quilting. That means that a quilting pattern is drawn on a whole piece of fabric and I hand quilt it by stitching on the markings. This can be done on a pillow top or up to a king size quilt. In my opinion machine quilting is good only for objects like kids quilts, that will be drug around and washed often. I make at least 21 Linus quilts a month using the sewing machine or crocheting around pieces of fleece. For my personal quilt projects it is always hand quilted. A reputable sewing machine dealer offers classes to go with the machine and often gives you the full value of your machine, if it is in good condition when you decide to trade up. I am a Bernina lover but it was more than 20 years before I was willing and able to trade up to a Bernina machine. Good Luck and welcome to the world of quilting.