Learning to Quilt

Sampler
Sampler

I have a number of tutorials listed on the menu above, which are free and you can access any time. Due to some large time commitments in the next little while, which will leave me little time to sew, I have decided to take some of this month (September 2016) and post Sampler Quilt block tutorials most days. I want the blog to seem like a quilt class. They will, essentially be the same as the tutorials, but I will rewrite them and, perhaps, add some information just to make it worth your while to read a revised version. This will start in a few days.

Back in the Dark Ages when I learned to quilt, everyone, or most everyone, learned by making a sampler quilt. [I know TFQ will disagree as she didn’t learn using a sampler, thus the qualifier.] I think it is a good way to learn because students learn most of the techniques required to make any block they can find.

In the class I took, we covered the basic skills of quiltmaking. We made templates and used scissors to cut them out. I have updated the tutorials as rotary cutting is de rigueur. I think it is better to learn to use them early. Also, we can make more quilts if we can cut faster.

I have added a number of additional techniques to my blog class, and I am not limiting myself to once a week. I hope to be able to finish by the end of September, but I may go into October. It will be October 4 before I can expect much sewing time.

The class will consist of the following techniques and blocks:

  • Selecting fabric
  • Nine Patch (piecing and rotary cutting)
  • Double Four Patch (smaller squares) – this is a bonus block
  • Double Pinwheel (triangles)
  • Dutchman’s Puzzle (triangles, flying geese)
  • Sawtooth Star (fussy cutting, flying geese)
  • Card Trick (piecing, layout of fabrics)
  • LeMoyne/8 pointed star (Y seams)
  • Dresden Plate (hand applique’)
  • Hexagon (machine applique’, Y seams)
  • New York Beauty (paper piecing)
  • The Dove (curves)
  • Drunkard’s Path (small curves)
  • Rose Wreath (fusible applique’)
  • Double Windmill (partial seams)
  • Pieced Backs
  • Quilting discussion and resources
  • Binding

Skills need practice. If you have done a block for each tutorial in the past, perhaps it is time to do them again? Perhaps I’ll have a drawing for those who complete a quilt top using my tutorials. We’ll see.

I hope you play along and enjoy the series!

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

6 thoughts on “Learning to Quilt”

  1. I also learned by doing a sampler. It started out with a log cabin, then a 9 patch, then half square triangles and so on and gradually added more skills along the way.

    1. I am not a fan of log cabins, but can see the usefulness of that as a block in a sampler. It helps to learn to deal with strips. It is also one of the most recognized blocks around.

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