First-Time Quiltmaking: Learning to Quilt in Six Easy Lessons

By Landauer Publishing

Book Overview

Newly revised and updated with 3 new patterns, learn how to quilt with 6 easy lessons for the first-time quilter, from learning the basics to finishing their first quilt Discover how easy it is to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1935726234
• ISBN13: 9781935726234
• Release Date: August 2012
• Publisher: Landauer (IL)
• Length: 111 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.2" x 10.7"

Customer Reviews

Should be titled, "Quiltmaking for people who already sew reasonably well and are taking a quilting

I can't figure out who the audience for this book is supposed to be. Subjects like fabric choice and preparation are treated as if addressing someone who is a complete sewing beginner. This seems reasonable for a book titled 'First time Quiltmaking.' Some informational gaps show up in the second chapter, where photos regarding cutting the fabric are taken from an angle just high enough that relevant details aren't immediately obvious, and those details aren't highlighted with an arrow or some other markup of the photo. There is no advice on how much fabric is needed to provide allowance for what is lost in the apparently endless process of "straightening," each instance of which reduces the size of the pieces. However, once the third chapter gets to 'scant 1/4" seams," the wheels start to come off a bit. Someone so new to sewing that they need to learn how to prep fabric would probably appreciate a photo or diagram showing the difference between a 'regular' seam allowance and a 'scant' one (I'm trying to recall if they even explain what a seam allowance is). There are some photos, but no arrows or other markups of the photos to help identify, for example, how to use the seam guide on your sewing machine. There are no tight close-up photos of turning and pressing the seams, creating mitered corners, or any other more complicated aspects of the quilt. This book could really do with several nice, clear, diagrams on managing seams. And it's not as if they don't know how to make diagrams, because they managed to eke out a simple one showing what a temporary quilt tie is like. They also are acquainted with the practice of taking close-up detail photos of sewing steps, as evidenced by the sixth chapter covering finishing and binding. It makes the omission of helpful photos and diagrams in other parts of the book extra puzzling. Oh, and there is one more rather glaring omission in the book: how to actually hand quilt. I am not making this up. They give you very basic directions for running the quilt through your sewing machine without going into the very real issue that not all sewing machines are capable of sewing through the layers of a quilt without experiencing mechanical difficulties. Then, when it comes to the traditional way of attaching the traditional three layers of a quilt to each other by hand sewing, the book offers one scanty paragraph that boils down to: Find someone to teach you in person. Yep... "First Time Quiltmaking" actually omits how to do the part that is called 'quilting'... at least, in the traditional way, by hand. Somehow, the editors thought the beginner would be scared away by the idea of getting a large quilting hoop or frame? That was the bridge too far after investing in a sewing machine, fabric, and batting? The patience to endlessly even up fabric strips and squares doesn't translate into the patience to hand-stitch a lap quilt? I do think that the last chapter, on finishing/binding the quilt, has good, closeup photos. I will probably find that part useful if my general knowledge of quilting and prior sewing experience prove equal to working out some of the assembly issues that aren't well addressed earlier in the book. I would say that the chief advantage this book has over learning from an online video is that you have the pattern layout to consult and still photos of the binding process. I am not sure that is enough to recommend it.