Quilting 101 Help!
When the new leads and I were in Madison, WI for our training, we had the opportunity to take a quilting class. I was very proud of my first quilting creation…
I do own a sewing machine, but it is very basic and has a mind of it’s own. But I was inspired in Madison and thought that I’d make Baby Brother a quilt. Well, Baby Brother will be here Friday and I have no quilt.
I saw this one at Babies R Us and thought, “I can make that.”
It looks like 6×6 inch blocks of fabric.
So I need some help from you seasoned quilters. Is this a repeating pattern that I just can’t figure out, or is it totally random? Any suggestions for on-line patterns? How do I choose fabric? Just pick a few of my favorites? And how much fabric do I need?
I do still believe that “I can make this” but I do need some help getting started.
I’d love to see some of your quilting creations as inspiration so please add a photo to the gallery and add a link here.
And I’m headed to JoAnn’s today so please Wish Me Luck!
connie #2909 says:
August 27th, 2008 at 9:13 amKelly Jo wish I could help you but I have never quilted. Sure you will get lots of help from fellow fiskateers! Good Luck.
Michelle 3624 says:
August 27th, 2008 at 10:09 amKelly Jo you can do this! It looks like the checkered material is every other one in every other row and the sail boats have two between them with and on every other row. I can’t see it but I assume the fourth row over starts with a sail boat. Just cut out your squares and sew them together vertically in one long line do not cut them apart just keep feeding them into the machine until the whole line is done and then add the next one on to that line until the whole blanket is done vertically then you can sew the horizonal lines. Does that make sense to you this morning.
vickif says:
August 27th, 2008 at 12:05 pmI have never tried quilting. Good luck!!!
Leslie Buhl says:
August 27th, 2008 at 12:27 pmKelly Jo,
It’s a traditional 9 patch block quilt. It is made by sewing strips of fabric together and then cutting those apart and resewing them back together.
Joann Fabrics will have a simple booklet for sewing nine patch blocks. If you are determined to do it on your own, start out with two different fabrics. With the fabric folded in half just like it came off the bolt, cut strips of fabric 3 1/2″ wide from both pieces of fabric. Cut six of each to start with.
Take a strip of fabric #1 and a strip of fabric#2 and stitch them together down the long side right sides together with a 1/4″ seam. Take another strip of fabric #1 and lay it face down along the unsewn edge of fabric #2 and sew this long seam. Press your seams from the back side to the darker fabric.
Now do the reverse. Take a strip of fabric #2 and sew it to fabric #1. Take another strip of fabric #2 and sew it to the unsewn side of fabric #1. Press seams again. You should now have two strip sets with the opposite fabric in the middle. Be sure to use 1/4″ seams when sewing.
Now - take these sets and cut 3 1/2″ strips across the fabric, making two different stacks of identical strips. Take a strip from pile 1 and stitch it to a strip from pile 2. Take another strips from pile 1 and stitch it to the other side. You should now have your Nine patch block. Sew several of these and then do the reverse. Sew a strip from pile 2 to a strip from pile 1. Sew another strip from pile 2 to the other side. You will now have opposite looking blocks.
Make as many as needed. Lay them out and stitch them all together again with 1/4″ seams. You can then add your borders and backing.
Good Luck!
Lene says:
August 27th, 2008 at 1:47 pmWell, according to Michelle and Leslie you’ll have this done in an hour or so! STM
Pros make it sounds so easy, don’t they???
Jennifer Muller says:
August 27th, 2008 at 6:44 pmOooh, wish I could help…I am a novice sewer, but have never tried quilting. If your Joanns is like mine, there will be lots of sweet ladies in the aisles, more than eager to help get you started (or tell you that your toddler is dropping goldfish down every aisle! Know this one from experience!)…good luck!
Pinky #3405 says:
August 27th, 2008 at 10:07 pmI have quilted quite a bit but I am the anti quilter! LOL a quilter who is a rebel! I love making the 9 block quilts but to me its like scrapbooking. You do what you like with it. Whatever appeals to your eyes. I even replaced some blocks with Aida and cross stitching once. Just go for it girl!
Lorraine says:
August 28th, 2008 at 9:17 amI sent you an email with a link to mine.
Amanda #1485 says:
August 28th, 2008 at 3:13 pmhttp://www.freequiltpatterns.info/
Amanda #1485 says:
August 28th, 2008 at 3:14 pmforgot to add that that’s my favorite site for patterns. You should be able to find that 9 patch pattern there.
Kathleen says:
September 21st, 2008 at 1:29 amI posted some pictures in my gallery of things I just made but am not sure of how to post the link here for you to come and take a look. Can anyone help me out?