Can some one help me get started?

[mommy4ever]

I've got an overflow of fabric. Way too much. So this year, I want to make some quilts and give them as gifts to those that would like them. I've got 3 young neices and a nephew that would like them, I also have ahome daycare, that I think some smaller ones as gifts for them would be nice too. My mom would enjoy a throw.

I need a simple way to make them. Time is at a premium. I've not done much quilting, but am more than able to sew as I do draft patterns and sew for us.

I"ve heard of strip quilting, that it's quick to do, but I have no idea what it is. I don't want to buy yet anothe rbook for jus tone thing, so any ideas would be wonderful!

[dutchtulip]

Strip quilting is easy, just sew strips together, use a 1/4 inch seam allowance. You can sew as many strips together as you want. Then cut the strips in any length you want and assemble. Rotate the strips, some will go up and down, some will go side ways. The quilt below is done in sets of 4 strips that are 10.5 inches squared finished. My strips were a jelly roll, so to make from scratch cut your strips 2.5 inches wide, by width of fabric, and go from there.

I have included a pic of a quilt I did this summer,it was our quilt shops Breast Cancer quilt, now there are setting triangles to mine, which are easy, but tricky.

[mommy4ever]

And how do you finish it? That's the top. I've never quilted, I'm a little clueless..lol. I've done little projects, but never a full quilt.

[dutchtulip]

I will just bind it it off. I have enough of the lightest pink to do 2.5 inch binding doubled, machined sewn on and then turned under to wrong side and hand stitched down.

Sorry, the quilt shop will machine quilt it. You could perhaps sew your top to a sheet, keeping one end open, flip right sides out, sew opening closed and then take some yarn and hand tie the quilt.

[cheapskate 49]

The quilt links at the top of the page are great, many have lessons. I would also suggest the library they have a great many quilt books.Quilt stores have lots of beginner quilting lessons.For a basic quilt you could do just square blocks-say 4inch put them in a pleasing arrangment, quilts are usually sewn with a 1/4inch seam allowance,when the top is done sandwich top-batting-backing and you quilt it -you will need a walking foot,you could quilt in the ditch(just between each block at the seam)or you could quilt each block 1/4in away from the seams and many quilts are just tied-using thread or yarn loop through all layers and make a knot.
I hope I am making sense here-good luck to you-I started out just wanting to use up fabric and know I'm a true quiltaholic

[quiltergirl]

Look at the Warm Wishes pattern -- an easy quilt that looks quite impressive. It's on the quiltmaker magazine site -- they have lots of general quilting information there if you need help as you go along.

http://quiltmaker.com/patterns/patt4/ crib size (or lab quilt)

http://quiltmaker.com/patterns/patt83/ bed size

[debmar]

Saw one on a tv quilting show that was realtively easy - hope my instructions make it sound that way.

Cut the top material into 2 to 3 inch strips.
Sew strips together so that they equal the lenth of the quilt you are making. If the quilt is going to by 48 inches long the sewn strips should equal that.
Pin the bottom and fill together
Starting at one side sew one strip right side up onto the bottom/fill.
Lay out the next strip wrong side up - matching the edge of the strip already attached to the quilt.
Sew this edge and then fold over so that the right side is facing up.
Continue to sew strips on until you reach the other side of the quilt.
You then sew a binding around the edge.
As you can see this is quilted as you make it.

Hopefully this makes sense. The person who did it used shades of the same color and it really turned out nice.

[Jamauk]

You can go to www.quiltville.com she has lots of free patterns and most of them are strip quilts.

There are also lots and lots of free patterns on line.