How would one learn to quilt best?

[angelcookie]

I have no sewing machine knowledge. When I attempted once through youtube, to self teach, I broke my needle playing with scrap material trying to learn to just sew a seam. I think I hocked the machine at a garage sale- but I may have put in storage for another day.

Also, is hand sewing an option and would it hold up with a quilt that gets used? It would probably take a decade this way though huh.

A far away family friend quilts and she said it be cheaper for me to buy a quilt then to make one- is this true?

[moneil]

I'm a 63 year old male who some 12 years ago became "infected" with the idea that I'd like to learn how to sew, and specifically learn how to quilt ... the point being "IF" I can do it "ANYBODY" 

I have yet to produce my own full quilt but I've made curtains for my house, several quillos, a wall hanging quilt, and have mended a bunch of clothes ... mostly putting new pockets in work pants; those ware out 'cuz of the tools I carry around in them ... I have a few to work on right after Mass tomorrow.

Best approach, IMHO, join a local quilt group.  Look in your local paper (go to the library if you don't subscribe) and you will figure out that once a week or so the paper will have a "domestic arts" section, or a listing of local club meeting, or some format like that.  Almost every town will have one or more quilting groups, which are always looking for new members and they will be MORE THAN HAPPY to teach a neophyte, at least in my experience.  Alternatively, look for a local quilt shop (given the abundance of those in the small rural towns I live about I assume quilt shops are everywhere) and ask them about local groups.  Also, most quilt shops periodically teach classes, and I've found those helpful.

100% hand done quilts are pretty awsome, but yeah, way time consuming.  Most people machine piece the top, then hand quilt it with the batting and backing, or send it out to someone with a "long arm" machine to quilt it all together.  If one is going to hand quilt a finished top a good quilt frame is advisable.

DON'T GIVE UP!  As I said, If I can learn how to do it anybody can! 

[Bernadette]

Oooh, a quilting thread! 

I don't think that it's true that you can buy a quilt cheaper than making one, because if you buy one you're paying for the labor that went into it, as well as the materials.

I think most people who make their own quilts do it because they enjoy it, so they invest money (however much) in it as they would any other hobby. I've been working on my current quilt for three years (hand-sewing, and sporadically at that), and I think I'll be sort of sad when it's finished.  I know that a lot of old quilts were made from leftover scraps and so cost nothing but time and thread, but not as many people sew now, so free scraps are harder to come by. Sewing your own quilt is definitely do-able, though. I'd start looking through free quilt patterns and see if you find one that seems right for you (unless you already have one in mind). They always have the fabric amounts listed, and batting is generally reasonable (and often on sale . The overall price will depend on what sort of deals you find when buying your fabric.There area a lot of shops on Etsy and eBay that sell pre-cut (2"x2", 5"x5") pieces in lots, so that might be a good way to build up your fabric "stash," if you're planning a quilt with lots of color- not to mention people cleaning out their own stashes and selling fabric lots with larger cuts. 

Not all quilts have to be quilted, either.  Thicker quilts (or really any quilt, if you choose) are often "tied" with yarn at intervals, just to hold everything together, instead of quilted all over. That might be an option, if the actual quilting doesn't appeal to you.

As for hand-sewing vs. machine-sewing, I think that's just a matter of preference and comfort level. I chose hand-sewing because I enjoy doing it and I feel like I'm able to be more precise that way than with a machine (I'm terribly near-sighted). So whatever works for you. 

[verenaerin]

First I would get your machine serviced. They are like anything else and need to be cleaned out and the belts retimed.

Second, there are two terms to know. One is piecing. That is where you are sewing 2 pieces of fabric together. Then next is quilting. Quilting is when you make a "sandwich" where you have backing, batting, and the quilt top, and you sew them together. That could be done by hand or machine. I don't hand piece because that would take forever.

Here is a site with perfect beginner quilts to make.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MissouriQuiltCo

It's a family owned company. The lady who is the face of the company is a mother of 7 or 9 kids. Her whole family works there, and in just a few years has grown into a multimillion dollar company. The entire town, which was becoming a ghost town, is now becoming a quilting "disneyland". One day, one day I will GO!!!!!! YOu can't go wrong with Jenny.