I took my first quilting class in the later part of 2008 from
Ann Randall. I came across her while googling local areas to learn quilting. Everywhere I looked they had just completed their beginner series and I would have to wait after the new year to learn. I was so happy to come across her and when I met her she made my anxiety about quilting subside. From that class on, I have been sewing every since and it sparked my volunteer work with her group as well. Ann helped me pick out a pattern for my quilt and do the math. The pattern called for one that was 80X97. I was going to make it that big, but Ann suggested with it being my first quilt that I should go smaller. Well I went 66X67 after all was said and done (I should have went much smaller like she suggested,
listen to your quilt teacher students). Sometimes I don't listen, HA HA HA. The piecing of the top was no problem, but finagling that quilt into my sewing machine to quilt it was the problem. That was a lot of work. I learned that you can do it if your mind is into it (forget about your arms and shoulders hurting), so I did not get discouraged, it just took me a lot longer than the other students to complete my quilt due to the size. The binding is where I learned I don't like hand binding. That took me until September of 2010 to finish. Every time I kept thinking "hey I need to finish that quilt, the binding is only left", I kept putting it down. I should have machined bind it due to the size. However, I am glad that I did not waiver and I persevered. After washing it the quilt soften up and I noticed even though it is not a heavy quilt, my husband still likes it on the bed.
I stopped at the inner boarder and pieced it from left over rectangles from the pinwheels. I also left off the corner pinwheels in the boarder (too limit the size)
The backing was pieced together using remnants when purchasing the main fabric. The brown added a pop to the back of the quilt that I love and I use this technique a lot in my charity quilts (due to the fact that we don't get a lot of yardage donated).
Things I learned making my first quilt:
Reading a pattern.
Making a plastic template.
Using a rotary cuter/ruler/mat (I cut part of my pointer finger off, not pretty).
Working out math for the amount of fabric, so that you don't have to make a lot of trips to the store (don't get me wrong I love shopping at the store (my husband could attest to that), but I rather work on the quilt).
Working on getting the 1/4 seam allowance right, that is real work, still working on it.
Selecting fabric that blends well on quilt top.
Using imagination to piece a quilt back.
Sometimes your points are lost.
Stitching in the ditch when your blocks don't align quite right.
Frustration of working with such a large quilt on such a small sewing machine.
Using a walking foot (very interesting bringing up the bobbin thread BEFORE you start sewing).
BINDING, need I say more
I still love quilting.
I have sewn for years, but never attempted to make a quilt. I am SO in awe of yours, and to think this is your first one? I am also impressed that you kept working on it, I would probably have gotten frustrated and given up. You have an amazing eye for color, can't wait to see your next creations!
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen. It is a hobby that I plan to keep doing. True satisfaction is received with the end result.
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