Hi Valerie Welcome to our group, my patchwork errors go on forever and still do but the earliest memories concern corners that don't meet. That's when I learnt about buttons - they look homely and hide every sin. So make sure you have a stash of buttons along with your stash of fabric.
Hi! I've been lurking for about a week now, and since you all seem like warm and caring folks (recent flame war notwithstanding, hee hee) and since I see a lot of threads I would like to join in on, I wanted to introduce myself first. I am 44, recently unemployed, and since it looks like I will be out of work for awhile, I was looking for something to do occupy myself, and discovered quilting!
I've been watching both episodes of Simply Quilts every day, and there are so many different quilts I want to make! I had a really hard time deciding which one to start first, but finally settled on a Stack-n-Whack 60 degree triangle wall quilt, which I plan to machine piece and then hand quilt, probably in the ditch, since I am a total coward. :)
I've been spending the last couple of weeks gathering supplies and fabric, and setting up my sewing corner. I haven't sewn in years, although I always enjoyed it. I just know I'm going to make a lot of mistakes. For my first, I found out last night what happens when you put hand quilting thread in a sewing machine. It took me a little while to figure out the problem was the thread type, not the machine. Thank goodness I was using practice fabric and not the pricey stuff I bought from the LQS.
Since you all have much more experience than me, would you mind sharing some of the mistakes you made when you were new to quilting, and maybe how I can avoid them? For example, I haven't used my SM in years, do I need to oil it? Where would I do that? It's a 10 year old Singer, and not a great machine. I have a Model 503 with cabinet coming soon (hooray!). I wanted a treadle, but DH looked askance at that idea, and since he rarely does that, I let him win. It's good to do this once in a while, I think. :)
Valerie in FL Terrified Quilting Newbie
Hi, Valerie! Gosh, you're braver than I - my first half-dozen quilts or so were all just squares and rectangles! I've done some triangles, but no diamonds, yet. I have the S&W book, but I'm not ready for that!
I don't know about your machine, but if it was mine, I'd take it to a local SM fix-it shop and ask them to clean and lube it for you.
Welcome to the ng!
Hi Valerie and welcome. I took a quick trip down memory lane to pick out my worst quilting mistake. "Choice of batting" was certainly the winner. I thought a nice thick fluffy polyester batting would just be wonderful. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. A super-thick, luscious poly batting will cause the top to shift to the left and the backing to shift to the right, or the opposite or both all at once. Kate T., my buddy from over on the other side of the Mississippi coast taught me to use 80% cotton and 20% poly. This blend just sweetly stays put and lets you quilt instead of struggle. And I need to mention breathing. It is very important to breathe during all steps in quilting. You just won't last long if you're holding your breath. Trust me. Polly
Welcome! I'm 46 and work at and from home. This is THE BEST group ever! (That wasn't a real flame war - just a bit of toast smoking!)
I wish we had Simply Quilts here! The UK is a sewing programme desert!
Stack n Whack as a FIRST quilt? Brave lady! I have the bits to do one, but have yet to get to it. I stitched all my quilts so far in the dutch on the machine (with a little other quilting for fun elsewhere). You can see them if you hit the URL below and look at the Quilty Things. I've been dressmaking a long time, but quilting only about 18 months.
The manual for the machine will tell you where it needs oiling, if it does: check first, and DO oil if it needs it. BEFORE you do that, give it a thorough clean, inside the bobbin case and round the tension disks and threading path. Pay particular attention to the thread path after trying to use that hand quilting thread! I think it has a coating that can really mess your tension up if you aren't careful.
Luckily, I haven't yet made any HUGE glaring error, except cutting a pile of triangles out of expensive fabric all the wrong size! GRR!
What were you thinking about with that treadle? Dearie me! I have just acquired a treadle, DESPITE being given The Look over the top of the specs by the DH! You can see his version of The Look on our web site... I have to get rid of a wardrobe eventually to make room for the treadle! At the moment it's occupying slightly too much space in the dining room.
Never mind... There will be another treadle along in a while. :)
South Florida - Pembroke Pines, NW of Miami. You down here too?
Hullo Valerie and welcome You will get lots of support here, so you needn't be afraid to tackle anything!! If your pattern includes triangles/diamonds, just be aware that you will be dealing with at least some edges which are on the bias of the fabric. This is nothing to be afeared of, but just know to take extra care when handling - keep it to a minimum and make sure not to stretch any of these edges when pinning or guiding through the machine. A quilt whose pattern you love and really want to do will see you through any difficulties you may encounter.
The other thing I'll mention is the width of seams. Traditionally quilting seams are quart of an inch. If you do not have a special foot (and you don't need to get one really), place a layer or two of masking tape on the needle plate of the machine so that the distance between the point of the needle and the left hand edge of the tape (or whatever you use) is precisely a quarter of an inch. The trickiest parts of seams to keep to the right measurement are the beginning and the end, especially the latter, as machines tend to want to move the piece to the left, when you can no longer hold it with your fingers. Just be aware.
None of these things are difficult, you just need to know to watch for them.
Have terrific fun with this quilt; I haven't done one but I understand that they are very satisfying to do and look great. . In article , Valerie in FL writes
If it were me, I'd take my machine in for a good cleaning and tune up before getting into heavy duty sewing. I like to take mine in yearly as I do a lot of machine sewing. See if they offer freebie classes on machines; some places do and you can learn a lot obout the care and feeding of your machine that way.
Mistakes......
Sewing the right side to the wrong side of the fabric.
In a quilt where all the blocks were supposed to point in one particular direction having one looking the "other" way.
Thinking I picked up two triangles to sew together but really picking up three and then wondering why I had an extra left over later.
Thinking I would save time by "birthing a quilt" aka sewing all three layers together like a pillow but laying them out top, batting, backing instead of top, backing, batting so when it was flipped right side out the batting was the backing and well...you get the idea.
I'm sure I've heard stories of other things, but I can't recall. None of these actually happened to me you understand :-)
marcella
I wanted to do something I would be eager to finish, and the SnW book lists that particular pattern as 'easy'. I guess 'easy' is relative.
Measure twice, cut once. Easy to rush through if you are impatient to get started but believe me you will be grateful later that you took the time and you will have a lot more fun actually making than redoing. and redoing. bleh.
Please, if your machine has been sitting for a while (over about 2-3 weeks actually) Clean and oil it before sewing. It will work soooooooooooooo much better for it. Sewing machine oil is very lightweight, it actually can evaporate as well as puddle at the lowest level it can get to. (Just like when a car sits too long, you have to be careful to get the oil circulating again before stressing the engine) The lubricant can also solidify and get old and need to be cleaned out and new applied. Please take care of your machine and you will be much happier with it.
Welcome to the group. Have fun, and ask questions.
Pati, > Hi! I've been lurking for about a week now, and since you all seem like warm
Welcome, welcome, welcome! And the seams that Patti speaks of, that was/is my ongoing battle of all time! So you've already got great tips here!
-- Dannielle from NY
Welcome, Valerie! Glad you decided to de-lurk and that the quilting bug has bit you, too! My mistakes are larger than my stash and sometimes it seems I go on expeditions which increase it even more! But off the top of my head, two things: 1. Make practice blocks. Related: don't cut all your cloth before making practice blocks out of scrap or at least cheaper cloth. I always used to feel like making a practice block is a waste of time but it's quite the opposite--just seeing how things fit together, or don't, makes for fewer mistakes down the road. 2. Use this NG to the fullest! These wonderful folks have made me both lazy (because I no longer try to solve things myself for very long) and a WAY better quilter, because they know so much and they're really nice, too! So dive in, have fun and let us know how it goes!
My best piece of advice? Start simple and build up to bigger projects, stretching your skills as you go. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT do what I did - start with a Bethlehem Star (Lone Star) top, unless you are extremely nuts. Everything in the main design is cut and sewn on the bias ... and stretches ... unevenly ... and unpredictably. I did finish all six points and have two sets of 3 that fit together, but when sewn, the two halves do not fit together at all.
If you can take a basic class, do so - it will pay you back a thousandfold!
Ronnie
Geez, Sharon - what a beg! :-)
Hi, if you are plannig to hand quilt, I'd suggest that you don't try "in the ditch". Your sewing machine can do this easily, but your poor fingers will be much happier if you don't. If you don't use a thimble, go buy one now and start wearing it every day until it becomes a part of you and you forget you are wearing it. By the time you get to quilting, it will be 2nd nature to use the thimble. Your fingers will thank you. RedQueen
LOL! I've taken lessons from the best!
Hi and welcome! You've had several suggestions about doing a practice block first == do try it - or maybe a wall hanging in Stack'n'Whack. If you pick out a smallish print you may only need half a yard to find six repeats.
DO find out where an accurate 1/4" is on your machine (where to guide the cloth so that your needle comes down 1/4" from the edge.) You can use tape to mark the line. You won't believe how many angry moments you'll avoid, not to mention pulling your hair out or S*()*__^ing when your blocks are different sizes Ask me how I know
If you try the S'n'W (stack'n'whack) as a first project, please don't just pin the layers together. Do use a needle and thread and find a definitive point on the fabric. Go down through all layers, making sure the needle goes through the same point on each layer. Then pick another point close by and go back up to the top. Tie the two ends together & cut the thread. Move several inches away and do the same. Do the whole layer this way. It really helps all the layers to match.
I do like Pratchet, though he's not my favourite author.
The cat thing was accidental... One followed DH home about 24 years ago, and never left as we couldn't bear to let him go... The others were a natural progression! They have, all 4, been ginger and white. Sugar Puff is our first female, and very much a lady!
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.