how to make a patchwork quilt

[NervousAt20]

Hi, ive never made a thread before so bare with me

im 26w preg and i really want to have a go at making a patchwork quilt or something for my little one to hopefully have and keep for years to come but ive never attempted anything like this before. Not sure how to do it, what ill need, easy way to do it or if i even will be able too. Tried Mr Google but havent been able to find a good website to help but will keep searching, just wondering if anyone has any advice or ideas for me? thank you

You'll need to find a good pattern, then when you find the pattern you'll need to go material hunting. When you start cutting you will need to have a good eye, and steady hands. And then it is pretty much connect them all together.

My mother has been making 2 quilts for my nephew, she started the first one before we new the sex of the baby (he's now 8 months) and so it is a mix of boy and girl colours, and the other one she made and completed since he has born. The first one (much larger) is still a work in progress.

You could most likely borrow a book on quilting from the library.

something like this

Try the crafts section of a discount bookshop - I've found some lovely sewing/patchwork books there for under a tenner (you're talking at least £20 in a full price bookshop). Also sometimes the bigger Tesco's have decent craft books.

Start simple so you don't get put off - you can make something very effective in an evening or two (I'll stick a photo on my profile of a baby quilt I made in a day recently, it's all squares & was v easy)

If you're anything like me you'll end up addicted - I never throw any old clothes out now as I can cut them up for quilt pieces! Spare room is overflowing....

Thank you for your replys

onthebottom i think i deffiantly need something simple otherwise ill most likely stop half way through or if it comes out completely wrong lose interest i will have a look round at some books and see if they are helpful and i have plently of old clothes that i should get rid of but havent yet that i could use for material so thanks for that idea

Oops Nervous I was on my phone that day and couldn't upload a pic!

I'll do so now, the white squares are broderie anglaise, they are just one big white square each with two lines of stitching bisecting them, the smaller squares are 4 different pink fabrics. I did "stitch in the ditch" where you sew along the joins in the fabric, it adds texture to the quilt and makes sure the layers don't shift and move about once it's in use.

I backed it in white craft fabric with a little white star design printed on, and the wadding is cotton.

I'm in the middle of making a big quilt for my neice with heart shaped panels, if I ever get it done I'll put a pic on me profile! Hope you get on OK with quilting, I love it.

Lovely blanket. I'd love to give it a go.

I have made 3 quilts from this book - Jelly Roll quilts by Lintott (A jelly roll is approx 40 strips of fabric cut across the width)

All are pretty good for beginners.

Although I did do a beginners course at my local quilt shop and learnt the basics of using a rotary cutter, strip piecing, chain piecing and the importance of an accurate 1/4 inch seam.

There are millions of wonderful blogs out there, with tutorials. Quilt mom is one of my favs, and the first blog I ever followed on google reader. She has some good tutorials for beginners.

Flickr is a great sight for inspiration too, have a look through the quilting groups.

Also try googling "quilt a long" and look through images rather than the web.

I made this from an online quilt a long. It probably looks quite ambitious but it could be done by a beginner, the instructions are great.

The main things to worry about are accurate cutting and an accurate 1/4 seam allowance (I slide my needle to the right & then use my foot edge but some machines have a seperate 1/4 inch seam foot.

Getout that is an amazing quilt!

I am well jell as they say in Towie (trying to be cool and failing miserably)

that is not my quilt that I linked too -

that is the quilt a long example, but it really was easy to do, just took some time.

I also sent it away to be quilted as it was far too big for me to manage and quilting is the skill that I havent quite mastered yet. It cost quite a bit to have it quilted but the quilt was for my Mum's 60th so was well worth it. The quilter turned the quilt into a true work of art so was well worth the money in mt eyes!

You're too honest I would have said nowt...