Hi all!
I am happy to be back a few months after my first post — thank you, thank you for the very warm welcome by the way!
My boys and I have been busy bees this summer, spending much of our waking hours outside. We’ve been enjoying the best of the season –swimming pools, parks, and barbecues, oh my!
On top of all that, we celebrated my sister’s wedding– all while our house is a bit of a construction site! We are finishing our basement (cheers to a designated playroom). It has been hard to find time to keep the house tidy, let alone start a quilting project, but I am happy to say I have progress to report!
FABRIC!!
First, I went fabric shopping!
My mom, Faye, and I snuck away to our local quilt shop and spent a couple hours admiring the rows and rows of fabrics and let me tell you: my eyes were bigger than my shopping basket–or budget for that matter–
(Any tips for not overdoing it in the fabric store???)
After some editing, I finally landed on a stack of fabrics I can’t wait to work with!
BEGINNER PROJECT
Many of YOU advised attempting something simple and easy like a table runner, simple tablecloth, or a basic pillow case. Simple is appealing.
I got my hands on a copy of Pat Sloan’s Teach Me to Make My First Quilt – A How-to Book for All You Need to Know that many of you raved about and flipped to the perfect, simple block: a star!
Next, I decided on my first sewing project: a classic quilt block-The Sawtooth Star block.
I hope to use it as a wall hanging or turn into a pillow.
SUPPLIES
Next I gathered all of the supplies Ms. Sloan recommends for the first steps, cutting.
And by gathering, I mean I looted my mother’s studio and helped myself to extra tools (but at what point do I need to just get my own?)
What is essential? What should I buy now?
(Let’s come back to that.)
CUTTING SEEMS SCARY!
So now my plan is to press a few pieces of fabric then follow Ms. Sloan’s guide to cutting.
But, if I am being honest, after my first read through- my head was spinning a bit already so I think I’ll look up a Craftsy video that shows how to start cutting (visual learner here!) (Any suggestions for basic Craftsy videos?)
Believe me- I know better than to start by hacking away at my pretty new fabric– so I dug out a scrap from my mom’s bin to do some practice cutting. Practice a bunch, measure twice, cut once…on the nice stash.
In sum:
Completed:
- I’ve identified my project,
- Purchased fabric (might this be the best part)
- Found a knowledgeable and simple step-by-step guide (thanks, Pat Sloan!), and
- Procured the necessary supplies.
Action items:
- Find video lesson (or get a demo from my Mom)
- Practice cutting
- Cut new fabrics according to pattern
- Report back to YOU
I’m feeling hesitant about actually getting my hands dirty, but I’m going to just go for it and if I don’t do it right, oh well. As many of YOU kindly reminded me– there are no quilting police.
Who cares if it isn’t perfect, right!?
Ok one final question: must/should I prewash my fabrics before cutting?
Until next week,
Nora
