Beginning quilters are sometimes overwhelmed by the hundreds of new terms and techniques they encounter when they make their first quilt, and the confusion is often compounded because there are many ways to accomplish every quiltmaking task. You'll discover which quilting methods work best for you as you become more experienced, but getting comfortable with a few basic skills now will help you sew accurate blocks and quilts on your very first try.
Fabrics are the backbone of our quilts, but you might be surprised how many people begin to assemble their first quilt without putting fabric characteristics to work for them. It's much easier to make a quilt once you understand how to care for your fabrics and why quilting patches are cut using specific guidelines.
Keep a
quiltmaking glossary or basic quilting book at your fingertips when you're making a quilt or reading quilting articles. When you encounter a term you don't understand, look it up. It won't be long before you're familiar with all the terms you need to follow quiltmaking instructions.
Beginning quilters, especially people who are accustomed to sewing garments with 5/8" seam allowances, sometimes have a hard time visualizing and sewing the 1/4" seam allowance used to make quilts. There are plenty of seam allowance tricks to help you get it just right.
Rotary cutting is a technique that every new quilter should master, because it allows us to bypass the time intense method of constructing templates to mark and cut individual pieces of fabric. You'll love the freedom that rotary tools give you, and speedy cutting is fantastic motivation for continued success.
Strip piecing and other quick piecing techniques let you sew large chunks of fabric together, then slice off sections to create pre-sewn units. It is
so easy! Learn the basics and you'll be able to create a quick pieced version of just about any quilt block you see.
Your piecing accuracy will improve immediately when you take a bit of time to press your quilt blocks as you make them. Pressing is an extra step, but you'll love the payoff in time saved when your quilt blocks fit together just like they should.
7. Don't Obsess Over Errors
We all make them, and our quilting mistakes nearly always lead to a better understanding of the quilting process. Analyze what you did wrong and move on. Your skills will grow with every new quilt you make.
