New quilter

Welcome Catherine. Your people are my people.

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"Catherine" wrote in message
...
Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I've been wanting to begin quilting as a hobby for as long as I can
remember - since about age 14 when I saw my grandmother's beautiful
handmade quilts, and I'm 37 today.

I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to use one as I've never
really tried. I never took home economics or had classes. I have taken
art for 4 years in high school, 1 year in University, and had private
lessons (including pen and ink, pencil, oil, watercolor, and basic
crafting), so taking this up wouldn't be a passing fling for me but an
extension of something I've enjoyed all my life. Coming from the
Appalachian area in the U.S. I think I've got it in the blood.

I'd like to learn to quilt and I'd like to do it like they did in the
olden days if possible, completely by hand, all hand sewn. Could anyone
point me in the right direction as to how to begin this art?

Thanks very much,
Catherine - "Cat" or "Cate" is fine too

Welcome!
I do mostly machine work but always have a hand project to take around with
me. Learning to piece by hand isn't rocket science, but it takes practice to
master a consistent seam allowance and an even stitch. (After you've sewn 2
pieces together, hold them up and pull against the seam. If you can see big
gaps, your stitches aren't small enough.) The easiest way to learn is to get
someone to show you -there must be people around who know how.
You might also consider English paper piecing, which is especially useful
for odd shapes like hexagons. You need a gazillion precise templates made of
heavy paper or light card (recycled greeting cards are perfect). Then the
patches are basted over the card templates, and the edges whip stitched
together.
Roberta in D

"Catherine" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I've been wanting to begin quilting as a hobby for as long as I can
remember - since about age 14 when I saw my grandmother's beautiful
handmade quilts, and I'm 37 today.

I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to use one as I've never
really tried. I never took home economics or had classes. I have taken
art for 4 years in high school, 1 year in University, and had private
lessons (including pen and ink, pencil, oil, watercolor, and basic
crafting), so taking this up wouldn't be a passing fling for me but an
extension of something I've enjoyed all my life. Coming from the
Appalachian area in the U.S. I think I've got it in the blood.

I'd like to learn to quilt and I'd like to do it like they did in the
olden days if possible, completely by hand, all hand sewn. Could anyone
point me in the right direction as to how to begin this art?

Thanks very much,
Catherine - "Cat" or "Cate" is fine too

Welcome! You can easily make your quilts by hand. I actually teach all
sorts of hand technique classes. Perhaps your local quilt shop does as
well - if you have a local quilt shop.

If you like pieced blocks you can do that sewing by hand. You do not
have to make cardboard templates and draw around them and cut them out
with scissors - no matter what famous quilters might tell you so. Use a
rotary cutter like machine piecers and get to the piecing faster.

For tips on both hand piecing and hand quilting try this website:
http://www.handpiecer.com

Applique is another technique you can do by hand. Pieces would be hand
sewn down onto a background to make a picture. Here are some basic
directions to get you started:
http://www.auscraftnet.com.au/projects/handapplique.php

Of course, the quilting itself can be done by hand as well.
Here's a nice article and tips on handquilting:
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00024.asp

for tips on handquilting without marking the pattern try:
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00030.asp

Also there is a nice hand piecing technique called english paper
piecing. You can see a little about it he
http://www.quilttownusa.com/Town_Hall/paperpieces.htm

Have fun and let us know what you decide to try first.
marcella



In article ,
Catherine wrote:

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I've been wanting to begin quilting as a hobby for as long as I can
remember - since about age 14 when I saw my grandmother's beautiful
handmade quilts, and I'm 37 today.

I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to use one as I've
never really tried. I never took home economics or had classes. I
have taken art for 4 years in high school, 1 year in University, and
had private lessons (including pen and ink, pencil, oil, watercolor,
and basic crafting), so taking this up wouldn't be a passing fling for
me but an extension of something I've enjoyed all my life. Coming
from the Appalachian area in the U.S. I think I've got it in the blood.

I'd like to learn to quilt and I'd like to do it like they did in the
olden days if possible, completely by hand, all hand sewn. Could
anyone point me in the right direction as to how to begin this art?

Thanks very much,
Catherine - "Cat" or "Cate" is fine too

Welcome Cate!
Check your local library for books on the skills that interest
you. Recommended authors/teachers a
Hand Quilting, Ami Simms
Hand Piecing, Jinny Beyer.

Now, about RCTQ!
The only rule you really need to know:
Send a pound or two of chocolate to the Official Chocolate
Tasting Office, conveniently located here in my Palace in
Virginia, USA. I will taste test if for you and report via
E-Mail. No need to thank me! It is my selfless volunteer service
to the RCTQ Community.

PAT, Official Chocolate Taster or RCTQ
AND Queen of Everything

Catherine wrote:

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I've been wanting to begin quilting as a hobby for as long as I can
remember - since about age 14 when I saw my grandmother's beautiful
handmade quilts, and I'm 37 today.

I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to use one as I've never
really tried. I never took home economics or had classes. I have taken
art for 4 years in high school, 1 year in University, and had private
lessons (including pen and ink, pencil, oil, watercolor, and basic
crafting), so taking this up wouldn't be a passing fling for me but an
extension of something I've enjoyed all my life. Coming from the
Appalachian area in the U.S. I think I've got it in the blood.

I'd like to learn to quilt and I'd like to do it like they did in the
olden days if possible, completely by hand, all hand sewn. Could anyone
point me in the right direction as to how to begin this art?

Thanks very much,
Catherine - "Cat" or "Cate" is fine too

In article ,
Catherine wrote:

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I've been wanting to begin quilting as a hobby for as long as I can
remember - since about age 14 when I saw my grandmother's beautiful
handmade quilts, and I'm 37 today.

I don't own a sewing machine and don't know how to use one as I've
never really tried. I never took home economics or had classes. I
have taken art for 4 years in high school, 1 year in University, and
had private lessons (including pen and ink, pencil, oil, watercolor,
and basic crafting), so taking this up wouldn't be a passing fling for
me but an extension of something I've enjoyed all my life. Coming
from the Appalachian area in the U.S. I think I've got it in the blood.

I'd like to learn to quilt and I'd like to do it like they did in the
olden days if possible, completely by hand, all hand sewn. Could
anyone point me in the right direction as to how to begin this art?

Thanks very much,
Catherine - "Cat" or "Cate" is fine too


Catherine, my twin sister (temporarily living in China) has just begun
learning how to hand piece and hand quilt. She and I are both working on
something called Quilted Diamonds, which are very portable. You might be
interested in them, too; if so, you can check out some information about
them at http://www.lindafranz.com. There are two books with patterns
for the blocks, and the second one comes with a DVD in which Linda shows
exactly how to go about doing this hand piecing thing -- something I had
never done before, despite twenty years of quilting! G Good luck.
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net -- put sfoster1(at) in front
http://home.earthlink.net/~sfoster1

AKA Dame Sandy, Minister of Education

C & S wrote:

Welcome Cat.

Thanks!


If you're looking for courses on quilting your LQS is a great
place to begin. There are lots of books out there to guide you (as was
mentioned in a previous post).

Yes, I see I will be hitting the books. A good thing because I love
to read.


If you can have access to an sewing machine
it will help you decide what features you are looking for in your own sewing
machine (if you choose that route) as you learn to quilt. I started to
quilt using my Grand mother's machine and within a year I new what features
I wanted in a machine. However, that is no guaranty that you wont want
another machine. lol - You will have to tell us about your QIs etc...

This is an added perk - getting and learning to use a sewing machine.

Although I don't initially plan to use it for quilting, I guess I've
put learning off long enough. I feel sort of strange, to tell the
truth, for not knowing how to use one already. Good thing Christmas
is coming up so I have a reason and an occasion.

Cheryl in Oz wrote:

Hi there Catherine and welcome.

Thanks Cheryl.


I smiled at you nicknames as I am
"catsatararat" on Yahoo (thats cats at ararat - Ararat being where I live).


Alas I don't have any professional four-footed QI's of my own,
although I've been longingly stalking the online page of my local
rescue shelter. My two-legged QI has allergies, you see. Well, I
won't give up hope. Maybe one of these days...


Would you be interested in trying a very old form of quilting that is done
completely by hand?


Yes!


I was taught Manx Quilting by a lady from the Isle of
Mann in Britain, and both of us are keen to see this method preserved, so
she teaches in UK and I teach in Australia - LOL!

It is the early form of Log Cabin and very well suited to scrap quilts. If
you are looking to make elaborate art quilts this is not the method to use.


No, not at first. Just something simple. I think simple can be very
elegant.


But if you are looking for a creative outlet that gives an almost limitless
number of design options from the Log Cabin style block, try Manx Quilting.
There are class notes and pictures on my Webshots page that can be printed.

http://community.webshots.com/album/421953688HTZElL

BTW - I agree with Sally, the Jinny Beyer book is excellent.


Thanks for the info and URL. I have bookmarked it and am checking it
out as I write this. Just took a look and OH that is GORGEOUS! I
would love to learn how to do this! That is exactly what I envisioned
when thinking about what I wanted to make for my home.

The Jinny Beyer book is ordered and on the way also.


Given your art background are you interested in Applique at all? If so, do
you have a preferred style or method - buttonhole, needle turn, etc? Or am
I talking double Dutch to you - lol?


I am embarrassed to admit I'm new to sewing in general, and thus far
my experience in art has been limited to methods involving canvas, a
paper block, and some simple cross stitch projects. I'm about to
remedy that, though, and am really looking forward to it.


Leap in and try whatever takes your fancy, and feel free to ask lots of
questions. I think you will find this group very knowledgable, and more
than willing to share and help.


Thank you and I completely agree. You've proved this of yourselves
already. How refreshing to find such a nice, helpful group of people
on Usenet.

Musicmaker wrote:

Hellok and welcome, Catherine! If I were you, I'd dive right in, right
now, with 4 squares of fabric, all the same size (like 3 inches) and
sew them together to form a sqare with 4 quarters, called a 4 patch.
Just remember that the standard quilting seam allowance (the distance
from the edge of the fabric that you sew your fabric pieces together)
is 1/4 inch and every 5-8 stitches do a single backstitch. You'll be
surprised at how much you learn just be starting a simply project like
a single block. And the 2nd block you will find yourself improving on
it.


Thank you for the welcome and starting point. After I finish
answering these replies I'm going to rummage around in my old cloth
bag and do as you suggest. *excited*

nana2b wrote:

Welcome Cate, It is never too late to learn. I started sewing in Jr High,
but did not start quilting until 2 years ago. I did make some clothing over
the years, but many years passed without sewing a stitch. Now I have the
time to really enjoy it. Linda in Tx

Thanks for the encouragement Linda. I'm looking forward to it. I
hope it's not as hard as it looks. My one experience with a sewing
machine involved threat flying in every direction and a scary grinding
noise. I fled and never went back. I'm older and braver now and I
plan on going in sideways and attacking it unsuspectedly. Sorta like
an ambush.

SNIGDIBBLY wrote:

Welcome Catherine. Your people are my people.

Thanks Snig. That's very sweet.