Trying Something New! (Part 1)

Something that you should know if you don't already: I'm a huge craft nerd. I get a ridiculous amount of satisfaction from putting stuff together and being creative. I'm predominantly right-brained in life, and I think that's why I get so much joy out of making things. I am really trying to challenge myself, and make/do things that I have never made/done before. I grew up with a family that sewed, and I learned at a pretty young age, but our family sewing projects were typically limited to pajamas, Halloween costumes, curtains and whatever random clothes needed fixing. I know some girlfriends that come from generations of quilters, and although I've always wanted to make one, I don't really have anyone close that could teach me. So I have decided to teach myself!

I looked online through tons of blogs and resources, but many were just verbal directions with a few pictures here and there, which were difficult for me to follow. I'm a pretty visual learner, so I needed something with clear steps. And then I found this blog series, from Diary of a Quilter called Beginning Quilting Series. It is a bunch of different posts that review everything from fabric choices, to cutting, to designing to putting it all together. Woot!

I am currently working on gathering all of the materials that I need to make my first quilts. I'm really excited, and I have been wanting to learn for a really long time. Plus, I added making a quilt for both of my girls to my 101 list, so I would like to cross that off my list as well.

Fabric for Quilt 1

Fabric for Quilt 2

I have been picking fabrics, which is fun, but also oddly difficult. I want to get a good mix of patterns, colors, sizes, etc. I prefer quilts with little to no solid colors, but I'm not sure I have a knack for picking prints. So far I like the fabrics for Quilt 1 better as a whole, and I think I'm going to change out the bottom fabric for Quilt 2. I don't like that it is more dull than the other fabrics, and I don't want to put anything in that I don't love. I would like to add 1 or 2 more fabrics for each quilt, just because I like color variety and finding coordinating patterns as well, I'm hoping to go tomorrow and finalize all of the fabric.

The next step is to officially decide the patterns that I'm going to make. I want to make them different, so that each of the girls' quilt is special and different from the other, but I'm also nervous about making the pattern too complicated. I think for one of them I'm going to go with just a basic block pattern (that is outlined in the Beginning Quilting Series), and I'm still working on what I'm going to do for the other.

Do you have any tips for a first time quilter or want to give me some feedback on the fabric choices? Leave me a comment! I would LOVE to hear from you, especially those of you that have done this before!