I'm really wanting to have a go at this! I was wondering whether anybody here does this, by hand or by machine, and if you have any tips for me to get started. I already design and sew dresses and clothes so I know my way around a sewing machine and hand sewing techniques etc. I was just wondering about how to get started with quilting!
I would appreciate any tips for a complete beginner!
i piece and quilt with both hand and machine.
there are a few differences between sewing clothing and sewing a quilt that you might want to note.
most traditional and modern quilts are made from 100% coton material. the exceptions would be the 'art' quilts, which are designed to look more like scenes that are painted (but using cloth and thread rather than paint) rather than patchwork.
some of the best quilt teachers for beginners that i've found are Alex Anderson and Jinnny Beyer. both ladies have quilt books published, and they are very good at explaining exactly what to do next.
when sewing quilt patches together, we quilters use a quarter inch seam rather than the wider 5/8 inch seam used for clothing. and almost all of us use cotton thread for the seams, but there are numerous different threads available for embroidery or for decorative stitching by machine (called "thread work")
many times quilters will gather together each month in what is called a Quilting Guild. I believe that there are some guilds in England, so you might want to check around, as they are very friendly to new and beginning quilters.
Another good source of information and ideas are quilting magazines, so you might want to check your local news agent or library to see if they carry any.
i just googled "quilting in the UK" and found several sources online as well as two different listings for quilting guilds.
best wishes on your quilting journey!
