patchwork

[ovaryhill]

Would like to take this up, as a complete beginner what are the basics I would need, thanks

Needle thread and fabric :D

Seriously, things that are useful: A specialist quilting ruler (usually marked in inches); a rotary cutter; a cutting mat; a sewing machine with a walking foot for the quilting part.

Hand piecing or machine?

If machine, what Dwells said. If hand, nothing but fabric, needle and thread, paper and an iron.

I would be doing it by hand, my initial thought to start would be a small piece to then put on to a plain cushion cover

the very basics you need are fabrics, fabric scissors, thread, needles and thimble.
fabric should be 100% cotton.
depending on what your future projects will be and how much you can afford to spend now or later I suggest you get a cutting mat (largest size available is best) cutting ruler and rottary cutter - for speed and accuracy.

I couldn't be without my sewing machine!
fabric piecing for a large patchwork quilt by hand is incredibly time consuming - although I do make completely hand sewn items - so even if you want to hand quilt, piecing by machine will save you a lot of time.

from then on there are a lot of additional extras but I'd say the above is minimum

you can go to a library and borrow any quilting book for tools and materials and inspiration.

find a fabric shop and chat to the staff they will help you.

good luck, it's been my favourite hobby for over a decade and I'm here to help!

happy sewing!

Thank you zing, I think I might take myself off to hobbycraft tomorrow!

Try Pinterest for links to quilting blogs and websites.

Id also recomment buying spray starch for your fabric. Starched fabric is much easier to work with.

The book "quilting for dummies" is good for explaining the basics, although there are many many websites and youtube vids that explain how to speed things up.

My other advice, when practicing, is to use old sheets or shirts as practice pieces, so that you can get the feel of doing a 1/4 inch seam without wasting very expensive cotton fabric. ALso get a feel for the pattern you are using and how hard/easy it will be to eg line up your seams.

My first quilt I wanted to do triangles but didnt get the measurements right, so ended up with a block that was more conical than flat! sadly I had cut out all my fabric too. 10 years on, I still have all those triangles in my sewing box, I may recut them all one day!

Hand piecing is very different - you press it over paper shapes and oversew the pieces together, then remove the papers. In a way it's easier, especially if it's a complicated pattern, because you don't need to worry about seam allowances or cutting the fabric perfectly, but it does as Zing says take an inordinate amount of time.

Doesn't have to be different Tunip. I hand piece and don't use paper shapes. Yes it takes longer to hand piece but I like the control.

What stitch do you use, Robin?

Running stitch along the seam line.