Here is my first quilt I’ve ever made besides the practice 14" X 14" Nine Patch quilt I made in a class at MakeICT. January 2023 is the first time I used a sewing machine (another class at MakeICT).
I finished this quilt four months ago. It’s a Split Nine Patch or Disappearing Nine Patch. It’s 46" by 77" in size. Sewn and quilted on my domestic home machine. Second side of binding was hand stitched. Fabric and batting is all cotton as well as cotton thread.
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Great job. You are on your way.
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Awesome!
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I’m not sure if you go my DM about this, but it’s a really excellent piece of work with a wonderful story behind it! Would you feel comfortable with Facebook feature post about it?!
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Thank you June and Ladeana.
And Brad, thank you too. I did get your DM and just now replied to it.
It was a fun first project, but a little frustrating at times since I was mostly trying to figure things out by myself and things didn’t always go right. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get through that first one. I spent about 3 months on it in my spare time. The binding at the end took about 12 hours of hand stitching since I had to learn to do blind stitching. But despite the mistakes, I’m really happy with it.
I’ve started another quilt that will be for a king size bed. It’s going to be a mixed-up quilt. I started doing a string quilt but got kind of bored with making those blocks, so I decided to just try all kinds of different blocks to put into one quilt. I thought that would give me some practice in making all sorts of different shapes instead of just one type of block over and over for the 81 blocks I need for the size I’m making. I’m thinking about trying “quilt as you go” on this one since it’s so much bigger but I still need to figure out how to do that if I do decide to try it. I’m going to put sashing between the blocks, so that’s another thing to figure out. I plan on putting at least one boarder around the outside before the binding too. We’ll see if I ever get this one done. hahaha I know I have tons to learn.
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You nailed it! Looking forward to your next one! 
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Morning Brad.
I’m not really sure what would help other than an extended, slower-paced class that goes through every step, in detail. For a beginner, you just have no idea what questions to ask until something comes up as you’re doing a project. And I’m talking about a class that happened over days, not hours. For beginners, I feel you can cram too much at them all at once and it’s too easy to forget the steps unless you are able to do them at your own pace. Plus, there has to be a lot of practice time in order to get better at things. If a class has too many details in a very short time, those details tend to be glazed over, or gone through so quickly for a beginner’s brain, they will never be remembered unless you are the type who is able to recall everything you learn.
For example, I’m not very good with dealing with computers, even the basics. I took the class to get authorized to do 3-D printing. I got lost and was unable to keep up, so I pretty much forgot most everything. I successfully made the little 3-D print at the end of the class, but I couldn’t have gone in the next day and done it on my own. The weird thing is that I thought the Slicer part of the class was fairly easy to understand. It’s the basic computer skills that I got lost in, e.g. how to save the file onto a thumb drive, which tab to open up to save or look at those files, and things like that. It’s especially bad when you’re in a class and literally everyone pretty much knows all those things and intuitively does them without the instructor prompting them. And of course, you don’t want to hold up the whole class just because you aren’t proficient at doing the basics, so you just try to muddle your way through and end up retaining very little. Since it’s basically the same deal with the other classes that authorize a person to do things like the ShopBot or the laser cutters, etc., I won’t be attempting to take those classes.
I guess it just takes some instructors who are extremely patient and willing to spend whatever time it takes to get some of us up to speed on things. On the other hand, I know not everyone is able to learn all those skills. I’m sure there are ways to get more people involved in learning things, but I’m no expert on teaching so I really don’t know the answers on how to make it happen.
Thank you for your interest.
Dan
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From: noreply=talk.makeict.org@mg.makeict.org noreply=talk.makeict.org@mg.makeict.org on behalf of Brad Cozine via MakeICT Forum noreply@talk.makeict.org
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2023 10:22 AM
To: jetmakr56@hotmail.com jetmakr56@hotmail.com
Subject: [MakeICT] [Textiles] My first quilt
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bradcozine MakeICT Member November 13 |
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DanS:
a little frustrating at times since I was mostly trying to figure things out by myself
Was that by choice, or is there something we can do differently to help people with similar interests, goals, experience, and projects find each other to collaborate?
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We have a lot of gaps in the education. This is another of a very common case of learning the basics, but not having enough info just above the basic skill level. I am super interested in figuring out how to bridge that gap.
What do you think would have helped you more (for both quilting and 3D printing etc.)?
- An intermediate class that assumes you have basic knowledge and helps you through a project of their choosing.
- An intermediate class that assumes you have basic knowledge and helps you through a project of your choosing.
- An “open lab” day where you could come in with a problem and get help from people who come in to help.
- A hookup with a single knowledgeable person as your guide
- A a helpful cheat sheet on the steps to do the process you learned
- Struggling through doing one yourself
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Hi Ladeana,
It looks like your #1 and #2 are the same in your list. I assume you meant one of them to be “NOT” having the basic knowledge.
Actually, I think all of those things could help, depending on a person’s level of understanding of a subject. In my case with the 3D printing, I would have been better off in a class with very basic beginner level stuff. Of course I can use a computer but I don’t have an understanding of a lot of the stuff that the majority of people seem to know already.
When it comes to sewing, I really needed knowledge of everything since I had never even used a sewing machine till the class I took with Malissa that had to do with learning to use your sewing machine.
And after that, I took the class with Nichole Reed that was about making the little sample quilt. I learned a lot in both those classes but there was so much more that I ran across in making my first big quilt on my own. That’s where I could have used way more time with someone who has all the answers. I think going through making a whole, larger project with someone available to answer all questions would have been more helpful, whether that was one on one, or with a small group.
A helpful cheat sheet may have been nice in some cases, but there’s no way to put everything a person needs to know on a cheat sheet.
I know there are lots of different ways that different people learn best. In my case, someone showing me how to do it is usually easiest for me to pick up how to do things. After that, I need to do that thing more than once before I feel comfortable doing it.
I’m planning on being at MakeICT this evening to help Aaron with the moving of the dust collector in wood shop. He asked for help and I don’t get up there very often, but I decided to be there this evening.
Thanks for the questions.
Dan Schalk
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From: noreply=talk.makeict.org@mg.makeict.org noreply=talk.makeict.org@mg.makeict.org on behalf of LaDeana Dockery via MakeICT Forum noreply@talk.makeict.org
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2023 1:27 PM
To: jetmakr56@hotmail.com jetmakr56@hotmail.com
Subject: [MakeICT] [Textiles] My first quilt
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ladeana Board Member & Classroom Management November 13 |
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We have a lot of gaps in the education. This is another of a very common case of learning the basics, but not having enough info just above the basic skill level. I am super interested in figuring out how to bridge that gap.
What do you think would have helped you more (for both quilting and 3D printing etc.)?
- An intermediate class that assumes you have basic knowledge and helps you through a project of their choosing.
- An intermediate class that assumes you have basic knowledge and helps you through a project of your choosing.
- An “open lab” day where you could come in with a problem and get help from people who come in to help.
- A hookup with a single knowledgeable person as your guide
- A a helpful cheat sheet on the steps to do the process you learned
- Struggling through doing one yourself
Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.
To unsubscribe from these emails, click here.
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Awesome. Maybe we can talk if you will be there late enough… I am going to try and show up for labeling duty … but I have to finish my Adult band class before I show.
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Awesome job on your quilt. Dont give up on your next one. You can come to Day of the Thread in textiles for help or reach out to me and we can schedule some time to work together. Classes are starting back up as well. A basic quilting class is on the calander for a throw size quilt that will cover more than the smaller one did.
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@RFisher Thank you Rayna. I don’t plan to give up on the next quilt. It’s just going to take longer than expected. But I’m using it as a learning tool, so not sure how it’s going to look in the end, but I’ll eventually get it done. Finishing a quilt, or any project you’re working on, is something to be proud of, no matter how many mistakes a person thinks they made, or how long it takes. Keeping on trying it the key to getting better. I saw your class that’s listed on the calendar. Unfortunately, the weekend time doesn’t work well for me. I am wanting to make it up to Day of the Thread. I talked to June last Monday and she said the last one was a lot of fun and that I should try to get up there.
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We do have a lot of fun. Unfortunately weekends is all I have right now but as things settle with work Ill have time during the weekdays. I think your going to do great with your quilts. Your first one looks really nice. If we can help with anything let us know. Have you been authorized on the long arm? If not lets get that set up for you.
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Thank you again for the compliments on my first quilt. I’m just a bit proud for having finished it. LOL AND it held up in the washing machine when it went in for its first bath. I was a bit nervous about the thing coming apart in the washer. I’d love to be able to take a class from you since you have been making so many quilts. I’m sure some day that will work out. And no, I haven’t been authorized on the long arm yet. That will be another thing to take on one of these days.
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Reach out to me or June when your ready for long arm authorization and we will get you scheduled.
Some info for your planning for it
It takes roughly 4 hours on day 1 and is a full lesson on everything longarm.
Day 2 you work on a project while whomever is authorizing you observes helps as needed, and answers questions. This also takes aprox 4 hours.
You will need 2 quilts for the process. They can be any size but we recommend something small. Some people bring a fabric panel with a border added.
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@RFisher I think I’d probably just use a fabric panel as a beginner project on the longarm. That way I wouldn’t worry as much how it looks after putting so many hours into a pieced quilt. Kind of a little more of a feeling of freedom from wanting it to look perfect.
Is there a recommended minimum size for a panel to use like that? And I’m assuming the panel would need to be set up like a quilt with the front, batting, and backing? Months ago when I first talked to June about it, I believe she told me the batting and backing should be at least 4" larger on each side than the front. I may be wrong about that but it seems that’s what she said.
I sure do appreciate you reaching out to me about this.
3 to 4 inches is tge ideal. Personnally I do 3 for convenience. Looking forward to seeing you. Let us know when you are ready.
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Thank you June. Hopefully I can get that scheduled sometime in the next few weeks. This is a busy week for me. I usually spend most days during the week before Thanksgiving day getting things prepared for the big cooking day.
So, is a quilt sandwich that is 1 yard by the width of fabric a good size to practice on, or would a 2 yard length be better? I’m just not sure what size to bring to practice on. I could also get some 108" wide fabric if that would be better.
Most panels are 36 x 42. Some are poitrait orientated while others are landscape. Some come with a border some dont. I find a lot of nice ones at A1 singer on Oliver. They usually have some on clearance to. You can also just get a yard of fabric to practice on. I wouldnt go smaller than a yard. Yes, you’ll need your top (panel or put together by you) batting, and backing. I prefer to leave a minimum of 4 inches all the way around for extra.
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1 yard is great to learn.
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