Those that quilt, who taught you how to quilt? What type of quilts do you make? Today I was briefly in a quilt shop...if I did not have the kids, I think I could have spent a long time in there. The fabrics were beautiful and the quilts all over the shop...made me really want to learn.

When the kids were around 10 and 14 I decided I needed something for myself to enjoy. I took a night class at the local high school. I remember scrimping to save up for the $25 class and then slowly buying a few of the needed items (ruler, cutting mat, material, etc.). My teacher was wonderful and I made so many friends in that class. My first quilt was overally ambitious but I made a twin sized quilt for my daughter (wait did I say I needed something for myself to enjoy??, lol). Now I usually make quilts for an orphanage in Russia (they are very forgiving of my sewing mistakes). I am still not very good, but I do enjoy it.
I just came back from a quilt show today. Most good quilters shop at quilt shops and get good high quality fabrics. Me, I'm a Joann fabrics, especially on sale kind of gal.

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Thank you for telling me how you started. I think I might have to sign up for that beginning quilt class. Rose, do you quilt by hand or machine? Wow, how wonderful to make quilts for an orphanage in Russia. What lucky children to have a special quilt from you. How did you get involved in making quilts for the orphanage?

An elderly lady at my church taught me how to quilt with just a nice top piece to material and a plain bottom and then to tie them. It was a wonderful afternoon with her. I don't have time to much of it right now but I am slowly working on a embroidery project to quilt. I want to do denim quilt squars out of the kids old jeans.

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I don't have hot flashes, I have short, private vacations in the tropics

I wish I knew how to quilt. I love quilts, but, don't have the patience that it takes to see the final result. I know my limitations, LOL.

Rose13, I'm a JoAnn's on sale kinds gal, too.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Aren't you sweet!Thank you.

I only quilt by machine. (My cousin, a great quilter who even had a shop in PA is strictly a hand quilter, but I don't have the patience or the skills.)
In my local area, there are great classes at the adult ed at the high school, plus even the local parks have classes, and several of the quilt shops....of course the price of the class would I think be cheapest at the school.
I started making the quilts for the orphanage because I found out about this group - GAIN (global aid network) that is a part of Campus Crusade. They have a great warehouse in Lancaster PA where my DD goes to college. Several times a year you can volunteer there to help sort clothes, sort seeds, make school supply packets, etc. that they distribute in orphanages, and nursing homes around the world.

GAiN USA - Global Aid Network

When I was there there was a flyer about how desperate orphanages in Russia were for blankets. Easy size, 42 by 72 (the width of fabric, by 2 yards of fabric). But they could be crocheted, or knitted, or even fleece, actually anything as long as they were that size, the size of their beds. They said the need was huge because most orphanages receive only $1 a day to feed, clothe and buy medicine for each child. That was not enough for bedding as well. So my heart broke and I figured it was a great way to combine all the things I loved: shopping!, planning, quilting, and giving. It keeps me sane (even if it drives my DH crazy to have so much fabric, threads and scraps all over, lol).

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I learned to quilt about 15 yrs ago because my son decided he wanted one and asked me to make him one. Yeah, right! Well, I got a pattern and made it then didn't know what to do once it was done. I asked some older women in church and they told me how to tie it.
Through the years I've learned mostly on my own. Most of the quilt shops around here do offer classes and sometimes JoAnn's does- or they used to. Call around and sign up.
At the time I first learned I had 4 small boys and was busy putting patches on their knees of their jeans, I even patched the patches! I figured if I could do that, then I could make a quilt. Tho I have improved a bit since then, it was definately worth it to see my son's face when he saw his purple and green quilt ( his choice of colors- not mine! lol)
There are a lot of places on the web that offer a lot of help. I personally like Welcome to About.com. They seem to always have the answers I need.
There are some yahoo groups for quilting too. Check out the group section on there.
If you can sew a straight seam, you can quilt!
Most quilters I have met are a very happy generous bunch and will offer tips and info and short cuts just for asking!!
Go for it ! You will be amazed what you can do!!!

Thank you for the info. I will definitely check out About to see if I can see what is all involved. I have seen online kits with the pieces all ready cut... that might be my first project and go from there....

Rose, it is such a wonderful thing you are doing for the children in the orphanages. Thank you for the link! I remember some years back, I think it was Diane Sawyer that did a news piece on the orphanages in Romania, it was so sad to see the horrible conditions these children lived in.

As far as quilting goes, I know that quilt shop I went to the other day had classes and I think Joann's at one point (or might still) did as well. I need to check the next time I am in there. I know when I go to the back of the store, I always hear sewing machines going...

What tools do you have for quilting? Do you use a special quilting machine?

I don't use a special machine...my sewing maching cost around $100. My quilting friends however have machines that cost the amount of my first car (well I am old, lol). My gf just told me yesterday her latest machine (she has 3) cost $5000. For that kind of money I would want it to clean the house, cook the meals and give me a massage!
But my regular work horse works just fine. I do use either a quarter-inch foot (to get the seams straight) or a "walking foot" that keeps the fabric from moving around.
Other special tools can be bought a little at a time....a good cutting mat, a rotary cutter (with sharpener or extra blades), some good see-through rulers (I like a long one, short one, and 2 different size square ones). PLUS A SEAM RIPPER...goodness I do that more than sew it seems! Oh and a nice pair of scissors. I need good light, good pair of reading glasses and a table to put the machine on that is a good height without me being all hunched over or I get back aches. Finally you need some pins, straight and safety. Straight pins to pin your fabric together to sew and safety pins to pin your quilt top, batting and quilt bottom together so you can finally get them all together. Phew....sounds like alot, but really it isn't.
With the coupons for Michael's JoAnn's and A.C.Moore, you can get all your equipment at 40-50% depending on the coupons.
The good quilters use good quality thread (Metzlers -spelling?) and like I said before, very high quality fabric.
I use coats and clarks thread (on sale) and JoAnn fabric (or if I get to some Amish fabric stores in PA). The only thing I do get quality is the batting. I like Warm and Natural batting on the bolt. With a coupon it is about 4-5 dollars a yard.
Good batting is important. If you use the thick stuff then you must only tie your quilts. If you use the thinner cotton stuff it makes a thinner quilt but then you can machine stitch it.

Good luck, and have fun. If it isn't fun, STOP....move on to another craft that you enjoy. I am not really dedicated. I have lots of crafts I love. When one drives me crazy, I move on to the next. Crafts should be an outlet for creativity, joy, friendship, peace, fun and sanity. When it isn't....time to move on, lol.

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Rose, thank you for the wealth of information on starting to quilt! I have some supplies already.

The quilting machines are quite expensive...OUCH! I definitely plan on sticking to the machine I have. I might start with something small and build up.

My Mom quilts, but never taught me, I don't think either one of us has the patience......She usually makes quilts for me, so I can't complain.....I have often thought of learning, but that will probably be something I will try and do once some of the kids are out of the house.

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Nicole

I made a quilt ONCE using scraps from all the material left over for the dresses that I had made my little one. I didn't know any better so I used 2 inch squares or was it less? I don't recall. I know that it took me a LONG with with my daughter eager for me to finish.

I think if I were to make another one I would be sure to use MUCH larger peices.

I have made pillows using quilting kind of. I made a square sewed it onto a solid peice of faberic and STUFFED it! I actually need to make another one of the 'quilited' square pillows for my Grandmother. She has one that I made maybe ten years ago when I was just messing aorund to come up with a gift for her. It has been repaired by one of my Aunts and she still uses it in the nursing home today. I am somewhat proud that she uses it and ashamed that I didn't make it better. LOL, like I knew what I was doing or even know now! My mom wants me to make one with photos on it to replace the one that my grandmother has been using all these years.

PS. side not totall off topic! I saw the Pope today! <G>

I don't quilt, but I wish I did. I want to take all the T-Shirts and make each of my girls one of those tshirt quilts.

My oldest dd is 14 and in 8th grade. She has taken sewing every year in middle school and loves it. Her last project in 8th grade is a small quilt. I had to take her to buy the fabric and supplies she needed. She's very excited. I can't wait to see it. She loves sewing enough that it's crossed my mind to wonder if it'll be something she could possible use to earn a living when she's older somehow.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Actually my DD did make some money with this. At 17 she started making scrappy rag quilts (a different but really easy technique to make quilts). She specially chose the fabrics and sold them in a nearby richer area as "shabby chic". She made over $1000 in just a few months. She's put it on hold now that she is at college, but she invested the money and now has enough for her mission's trip this summer.

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Rose, WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! Did she do the denim quilt with the frayed edges? That's wonderful that she has a talent that can make her some extra money, especially for college.

I taught myself and then I took a class to learn how to do it the right way I've been sewing since I was 14 so I thought making a quilt would be a piece of cake. Well, let's just say that first quilt I tried to make never got finished because I made so many mistakes on it. I still have it -- the cat loves sleeping on it.

I do machine piecing and either machine or hand quilting.

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

That's really cool. They say to find what you love and then figure out how to make money doing it. I hope she can figure out something like that. She has a great sewing teacher and loves the class. Good for your daughter - that's awesome!

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

raggedy quilts can be made from fabrics like cotton, homespun, denim, and flannel . Flannel is good for the baby quilts