The Sewing Place

My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!

KayK

Well I have fiddled and diddled with bits of patchwork and decided to 'go for it' and make a topper for the spare bed.  Several very good lessons were learned!
 1.  Buy enough fabric.  Dont buy nice bits from a quilt show that you will NEVER match again as you threw the receipt away and cant remember the seller!
2. Buy enough batting!  If you dont you will end up stitching odd bits together to make a big enough bit.  I used an old sheet for the backing as I wasnt sure just how the whole thing would turn out - and I didnt want to spend any more money.
3.  My own rotary cutting was not as good as I thought - I managed to blunt the blades quite quickly, despite having a proper mat.  Next time I might buy ready cut pieces.
4. I used 3 different machines for piecing to see how they managed.  The old Bernina was good, the newish Brother V5 was a pain (didnt have straight stitch plate and kept poking the fabric down the hole) but the Juki TL was brilliant. Its amazing how 1/4" seams can differ!  Free motion was the same - Bernina ok but not enough room in it's harp, The Brother fussy but the Juki  was the winner once again.
5.  I purchased some ready made binding, 2" wide and it was fab.  Would use that again.
6.  I got very fed up with it in the end, trying to make the odd and ends fit together as I was determined not to buy anymore fabric.
Still, it is at last finished, and I'd quite like to have a go at another one, not making the same mistakes!
« Last Edit: July 15, 2019, 06:55:26 AM by Iminei »
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well

fajita

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2019, 20:28:09 PM »
You've done a nice job there, @KayK
Well done for sticking with it.

Ellabella

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2019, 00:29:33 AM »
Glad you started with a small project  ;)

Lovely work BTW

Manuela

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2019, 02:59:19 AM »
This looks fabulous, I love the  striped sash  :loveit:

Iminei

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2019, 07:04:40 AM »
Well heaven forfend you start with anything easy!!!

You have done ... but actually achieved .... what every first time quilter does (and I include myself in this category, but my achievement was considerably much less of a success than yours ... but then again I didnt have the internet or a fabulous group of people like we have on here to help me, just an old fashioned book from the library)

Every first time quilter wants to make something of substance ie a double bed sized quilt ... most people fail as its just tooo big a project for a first timer ... But you and Leilamay ... are two that have had a spectacular success!

Maybe join in one of our swaps??? Something that wont test your patience and wallet ...
and I know that feeling ... when you just want the bloody thing to be over with and wince at every £££ more you have to spend on it!!!

Extreme Congratulations from me  ..... well done! Youre a Darksider now!  :devil:
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Sheilago

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2019, 08:37:05 AM »
Well done, that’s amazing for your first quilt. You even seem to have done free motion quilting which is most impressive!
Like Imi, I started with a book and cut out all the pieces using cardboard templates to cut round, using scissors  :o

rubywishes

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2019, 08:55:25 AM »
Oh very well done, looks beaut @KayK ! :toast: A fabulous accomplishment and now it is only onward and upward! And by the time you've done your umpteenth quilt you'll be still learning new things.....just like the rest of us!

And yes, aren't our Jukis just the best? I have a TL2010Q for quilting and a DX7 for piecing...love 'em to bits!
Juki TL2010Q, Juki DX7,  Singers: 1917 27K treadle (aka Gertie), 1957 99k (aka Vincent), 1951 99k knee lever (aka Shirley), 1950 99k handcrank (aka Alice), 1927 28K (aka Dora), 1947 201K treadle with motor conversion (aka Livvy)
....and the dusting and vacuming can wait!

b15erk

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2019, 09:11:19 AM »
Beautiful work @KayK , I love your zig zag quilt, and the colours are amazing!

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ploshkin

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2019, 09:27:16 AM »
Love it @KayK what a fantastic achievement for your first quilt.
Life's too short for ironing.

KayK

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2019, 11:37:22 AM »
Thank you all so much for your lovely replies!  I'd say the enjoyment level was at 80%, and it was only my stupid mistakes that kept the percentage down (and trying to make the 'wrong' machines do what they weren't good at!) I have spent hours and hours practicing playing with Free motion stitching, and can say I dont fear it anymore - the faster I go the more I enjoy it, and those Juki's are fast!

It was such a learning curve and I feel the dark side calling, now that I know that a whole quilt WILL go through the machine!

Now experts, what next? (I did find the cutting irritating tho........)
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well

fajita

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2019, 14:31:43 PM »
Well, @KayK , as you liked the stitching but not the cutting out, why not try a whole cloth quilt next. 

Go on, have a Google, you know you want to.  :devil:

Lachica

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2019, 14:45:58 PM »
Beautiful work @KayK.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

RJR_38

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2019, 16:59:32 PM »
That looks great congratulations on your first quilt!

Lilian

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2019, 17:37:22 PM »
That is fabulous @KayK such a large first quilt!  Youve done a wonderful job, I like the quilting too, don't know how you managed all that! Congratulations  :toast:  :vintage:
Willing but not always able :)

KayK

Re: My first completed quilt - and what I learned along the way!
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2019, 17:41:55 PM »
That is fabulous @KayK  I like the quilting too, don't know how you managed all that! Congratulations  :toast:  :vintage:
To me, the quilting is the easy bit!  Its the wretched rotary cutter that makes me panicky!
I have learnt by my mistakes: Sewing machines now are Bernina 720, Bernina 1008, Bernina 801 from 1981, Brother overlocker, ancient but works well