Ditto from froggy in texas! Whatever you read and whoever wrote it was full of beans. I suspect that at least half the people on this board sew on their kitchen or dining area tables. I have an old fashion sewing machine cabinet with a 56 year old cam Kenmore housed in it. I use my 20 year old Janome and the Kenmore interchangeably.

Making a quilt is like having a baby. If you wait until everything is perfect, you will never get it done. Welcome from N. Texas. froggyintexas

I suppose in an ideal world you would have thousands of dollars of equipment and rooms of space to start quilting. There aren't many people who live in an ideal world.

The only experience I had sewing before I started to quilt was to make a rod pocket for a curtain... usually I didn't even hem the bottom edge.

I started by reading "Quilting for Dummies" and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quilting." I pieced my first quilt (a queen-size original-design bedspread) on my round kitchen table using a crappy sewing machine that wouldn't sew a straight seam if you paid it. I hand quilted it in strips of blocks (my own version of quilt-as-you-go) and joined the strips together from directions in a book that made sense to me. It took a year for that first quilt to be finished, and I love it.

That was four years ago. I've gotten better equipment, made more quilts, and one of my quilts that I made after having quilted for only two years has been juried into a national and an international show this year. I've also had one used in an independent film.

I suppose if we all waited until we had more resources before having children, we would have population zero. Most of us make do with whatever resources we have when having babies. Some people stop at one child and some go on to have many more children. The responsibility of making a quilt vs. a child is much less. If you don't like it, the quilt won't ever want you to buy it a car. ;)

Welcome to the best of the best quilt sites. You will learn so much, just by dropping in everyday. I quilt on a Viking Designer II. Only a 6 1/2 " throat plate so I really struggle with quilting on larger size quilts. My machine is on a desk, against a wall. The usable desktop is about 36". I am used to it. Don't even have room for a card table in my sewing room. A big board ironing board is in there plus tons of fabric (I am a fabric hoarder), an Ott Light is a necessity. You can make do with anything as long as you have a good machine, cutting mat, rulers scissors and thread. I am dreaming of a mid-arm but am getting up in years and do not think, for the price, that I would use it that much. "I don't buy green bananas, either." You are probably too young to know that saying.
Anyway, I wish you lots of luck, good quilting friends, (is there a quilt guild near you to join?) and years of enjoyment.

[QUOTE=Buckeye Rose;6250050]Uh Oh....sounds like the quilt police have been talking to you! LOLOLOL You can make a quilt with whatever machine you have, and with confidence!

Yup the quilt police are alive and playing No-it-all bullies! I started out 40 years ago with a pair of scissors, some cardboard for templates, needle, thread, thimble and sheets for fabric. My quilt won a blue ribbon in the region show and I never looked back! Most people have or can afford a pair of scissors, needle and thread. Use whatever fabric you have or can get and have fun creating!
See what you can do with a couple of sheets! These are my first quilts.

Aloha and welcome to the QB from Hawai`i.

You've been given many great suggestions. I usually cut, piece, and sew on a card table.

The only new tools you really need to make your quilting life easier: a self-healing cutting mat, rotary cutter, a quilting ruler to cut against, and a quarter-inch foot (preferable with a guide) for your sewing machine.

Take photos.

Keep a small notebook detailing your booboos and the solutions you find "for next time".

A Quilting Journal is nice: Photo of finished quilt; date finished (or start and finish); any details you want to remember.

Quilt Police here: If your DSM hasn't been serviced in a long time, consider having it done. Clean and oil each time you change the bobbin. Change the needle after every quilt or so. *LOL* I have to wonder how many of us change the needle after the recommended eight hours: not many, I think. :)

My first quilt was just squares left over from making my own clothes. The binding was just the backing folded to the front and sewed down. Instead of quilting, I tied it with yarn. That quilt lasted for many years, until the dog began chewing holes in it. Now, all of my quilts are sewn together with a 1939 straight-stitch only Singer 201. No fancy stitches are needed.

A big welcome from another Washington quilter. First off, please don't let anyone tell you that you have to do things a certain way. All quilters have their own way of doing things. You will figure out what is best for you as you get into it. I have taught several different aged people to quilt & always tell them "this is how I do it, but you may find a different way that works better for you". One of my students was a 75 year old man & he is really loving the quilting world. My youngest was my 8 year old grandson. Sure wish I was closer to you so I could help build your confidence. I will warn you about taking classes though. In some classes, your teacher will try & convince you that you will need all types of rulers & gadgets. A 6"x24" & a 12 1/2 " square rulers will do for most all projects. A walking foot is also nice to have to make your quilting the layers together easier, but not mandatory. Just jump in & come to us when you need help. We are here for you.

Denise,
Welcome from central Texas!
You don't need a fancy machine to make quilts. I quite a bit of my quilt making with a treadle sewing machine. I quilt all by machine, your Huskystar will be just fine. I've never had any of my hand quilted quilts fall apart, I used to quilt by hand. Arthritis won't allow me to hand quilt any more. :(
Sharon

I second everything! I have hand quilted a few quilts including my first quilt for my son. It has never fell apart, all the fabrics came from Walmart and I sewed it on my brother machine bought at Walmart. Have fun and most of us start off sewing on our dinning room tables. Took me 10 years to get a sewing room

Your enthusiasm is great ! I'm sure I repeating what others say, but none of those things is true. Your sewing machine can go anywhere. You can hand quilt ( for me " hand " is a four letter word!) and you can machine quilt on your regular machine. But my advise to you is don't start with a bed quilt. Start with a baby quilt, even if you don't know any babies. You'll understand the process better, the size won't be so unmanageable and you finish more quickly. Then, if you like making a quilt, you can move on to a larger one. You can always donate a baby size quilt! But I hate to see beginners get discouraged by the enormity of a large quilt, and keep at it so long they end up hating it, or giving up altogether. Good luck to you!!