In "How to Quilt Tips for Beginners," you are going to discover some helpful tips that not only will make learning how to quilt more enjoyable, but also will shorten the learning curve. Keep in mind, though, that merely reading these tips is not going to magically transform you instantaneously into a skillful quilter. It is going to take dedication, persistence, a willingness to learn the quilting basics, and practice.
If you are willing to put forth the effort to discipline yourself to learning how to quilt, you'll find that it's not only an enjoyable craft, but it also can be a very profitable one. The process of learning to quilt in many ways is comparable to learning to walk; You start out crawling, then taking a small step or two, then a larger step, and all of a sudden you are actually walking.
It's the same way with learning how to quilt: You start out slowly, build momentum, and before you know it - you are actually quilting. I remember how difficult it seemed when I was learning to make my first several Handmade Amish quilts. I kept having to re-read the same instructions and re-ask the same questions over and over. I was almost ready to throw in the towel and give up; A very frustrating experience. Fortunately, though, my mother persuaded me to keep going. I am so thankful she did because the day finally arrived when I realized that I was actually quilting - without having to read instructions and without having to ask questions - and it felt just as natural as learning to walk.
The same will happen to you, if you make up your mind that you are going to learn to quilt and do whatever it takes to make it happen. It's true that you will have to learn what seems like an incredible amount of things and will sometimes experience disappointments when a quilting project doesn't turn out the way you intended. But I promise you that learning to quilt is not at all difficult; And if you persist in the following five tips, the day will come - in the not to distant future - when you realize that persistence will spell success for you in the quilting craft.
Okay, lets take a look at the four helpful quilting tips that have guided me in becoming a skillful quilter; These tips can do the same for you:
Tip 1. A quilter needs to develop imagination. Now you may be asking, what in the world does imagination have to do with quilting? Let me explain. If you can picture in your mind a particular quilt design, you can make it. Of course, to achieve and become proficient in creating unique quilting designs, you will first have to master some basic sewing skills and familiarize yourself with the various quilt patterns that are already available.
Since the imagination forms pictures from words, it behooves you at the outset to begin learning the quilting jargon and terminology. In any trade, to reach your greatest success, you have to learn the terminology. When you enter the world of quilting, you are going to encounter unfamiliar words. Don't skip over these, but pause and look up the meaning. Eventually, mastery of these new words will not only spur your imagination into creating unique quilt designs, but also will enable you to more rapidly follow quilting instructions and communicate with fellow quilters.
Tip 2. Reflect back to what I said in comparing learning to quilt to learning to walk. Just as you wouldn't start out running when learning to walk, but instead would start out taking baby steps, the same is applicable in learning to quilt. You do not start out attempting to sew complicated patterns. Start, instead, with simple patterns and leave the intricately designed, more complicated patterns until you've mastered the basics. Your goal is to build on basic skills, so you can work on more complicated patterns.
There is nothing, perhaps, more frustrating to beginning quilters than tackling a quilting project that's above their present skill level. Start out with the less complicated, smaller projects, like pincushions, pillowcases, table runners, and place-mats. Gain the experience and satisfaction of being able to complete these more simpler projects. This will develop your quilting muscles so that you can more easily move on to completing the more complicated quilting projects.
Tip 3. As a quilter, you have the option to choose hand quilting or machine quilting. Ultimately, it's a matter of preference as to which one you choose. Both have their pros and cons. Hand quilting is the oldest method of quilting and preferred by many quilters because of its traditional and recreational appeal, and perhaps, more importantly, because it provides an ideal vehicle for socialization among extended family and community members. I can still remember sitting in front of the fireplace hand stitching a quilting project with my mother and sisters. The special feeling of love and togetherness provided by these hand stitching sessions will forever be imbedded in my memory.
Nevertheless, machine quilting is the fastest method. Not only is it the fastest, but it also is the easiest way to create identical, consistent stitches and to enhance a quilt with creative and intricate designs. Of course, just as there are pros and cons in using hand stitching versus machine-stitching, there are also times when using one method over the other is appropriate. For instance, as pointed out above, hand stitching provides an ideal platform for family togetherness. So if that is your goal - to spend more time with family - then hand stitching is the way to go. On the other hand, if your goal is to make a quilt as quickly as possible, then machine-stitching is the one you should choose. Most quilters, actually combine both hand stitching and machine-stitching in creating a quilt.
Tip 4. Just as you will need to learn the jargon and terminology of quilting, you will also need to learn the different stitches, styles, and techniques that are used in quilting. Lets start with some of the basic stitches you will use in hand stitching. There's the regular rocking stitch, the buttonhole stitch, the compact zigzag stitch, the satin stitch, the counted-thread stitch, the free embroidery stitch, and the big stitch; And in machine-stitching, there's the straight stitch and the stitch in the ditch. I cover these different stitches as well as the styles and techniques in more detail in other articles.
In "How to Quilt Tips for Beginners," I have provided you with four helpful tips that will shorten the learning curve and make learning how to quilt more enjoyable. Refer back to these tips and read other free quilting lessons at Amish Quilters Ethridge Tn. If you are willing to put forth the effort to discipline yourself to learning how to quilt, you will become a skillful quilter and discover for yourself that quilting is not only an enjoyable craft, but it also can be a very profitable one.
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