[SeaGoat]

I have decided to make a quilt for my youngest son for christmas.
Hell be 7 by then, but I want it to last as a usable keepsake.


Ive never made a quilt before so I want to keep it simple.
I dont know what would be a good size or what pattern I should choose.

I really dont think I want anything too "tradition" or too busy.
Simple and quick cuts/sews. I do know that I want a solid border.

His favorite color (now) is red.
Aside from white, what colors look "striking" with red?
Charcoal? Black?


When I walk into Joannes/Hancocks what section do I need to shop in for the appropriate fabric?
Or should I avoid these stores all together and order online?

What type of batting should I use or avoid?


How much does an average quilt cost (by size)?


Just any kind of advice would be appreciated!

 

[roadless]

I made a pillow quilt for my girls when they were small.
It is just a small quilt that folds into a pocket you attach to one side to form a pillow.
When it is unfolded the girls liked to put their feet into the pocket.

They used them for car rides, and was less embarrassing to bring to sleep overs as a comfort.

Super easy to make, I'm sure you can get specific directions on the internet.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[CraftyLady]

First Q - Do you sew? Have you used your sewing machine recently?

Ok - I'm assuming yes. Test your machine with scrap fabric for tension issues. Resolve those if needed.

Fabric - How long do you want this quilt to last? A year or two with many washings? Then buy Joann Fabrics.

If you think your son will want to keep the quilt 'forever' go to your local quilt store and purchase good quality cotton fabric. You'll feel the difference.

Pattern - You said you've never made a quilt. A quilt consists of 3 layers. Top, batting and backing. The thread that holds those layers together is the quilting. I suggest you tie the quilt using cotton thread. Google how- to tie a quilt for instructions.

Making the quilt. Finding a pattern.
I suggest go to the library and check out a few books.
Google making my first quilt how to
http://quilting.about.com/
or - Buy 3 fabrics for 12.5 in squares and cut. Sew together and frame with a border fabric that ties all of those squares together.
Google how to bind a quilt for the binding.

Remember it's your first quilt and the love you put in it for your son will be remembered forever. Enjoy the process.

 

[Calico Katie]

You might consider a denim rag quilt. If you put out a call to friends and family for old denim jeans, you can probably collect enough fairly quickly. For boys, I like red plaid flannel as a backing but you can use a lot of other things. If you google how to make a denim quilt, or rag quilt, you'll get dozens of instructions with different lay outs. Here are a couple to get you started.
http://www.quilting101.com/styles/rag-quilts

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiL6jyQETkg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiL6jyQETkg[/ame]

 

[handymama]

My four year old loves red and he adores his strawberry quilt

it's a nine patch my granny made me. She says they're easy.

 

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

Our surviving kids quilts are twin sized just to drop over sides and end of the mattress.

6 inch squares, alternating red with crazy patch from our sewing scraps.
(Some prints that evoke your kid's "era" would be the thing for you, or maybe just blue chambrey)

All laid over whole cloth and stitched down for the top. If you think about outer wear technology, you want two layers of whole cloth with the fewest holes (stitching), enclosing a light weight and flexible thermal layer. A thermal blanket would be my choice today instead of cotton batting - lighter, warmer and stronger.

Heavy flannel on the back, solid or prints.

Tied with red wool yarn, not quilted. (Love the ties, snuggle in and peek over the covers - just love the ties!)

Red bias binding. (This is the only worn area on ours - 50+ years)

Gentle machine wash and fluff (don't dry them to toast)

Simple and manageable has stood the test of time. Denim is nice, but as heavy and easy to work with as iron. And I think too heavy for kids.

 

[frogmammy]

I've got a red and black 9 patch quilt going now. They're not solid colors, are patterned, and the squares are looking GOOD!

That said....

My daughter's favorite quilt, the one she ALWAYS talks about (she's 40-something now) is the one I made cutting squares from her old won out or outgrown clothing. Forget if it was a 9 patch or a 4 patch, but she is STILL seriously in love with it. Says she likes to look at the squares and remember something associated with the fabric. She's a touch strange.

Mon

 

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

What a very fine Mammy you are, you are. That's The DEAL! Favorite shirts, pj's... just drift away...:zzz:

Solid squares are an honorable tradition - the one patch. If you like the fabric it's nice to have a whole square of it, not chopped up.

 

[SeaGoat]

I want to do a quilt for my oldest out of old jerseys in a few years.


I was browsing the internet looking for something more masculine I'm thinking either the chevron style, or something like this maybe
(No hearts )

 

[SeaGoat]

Or maybe this design

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/80/ab/fa/80abfad7cb25be1a092c49ac8b07c1c4.jpg

 

[SeaGoat]

I'm wondering, since this is my first quilt, ; if I shouldn't just get cheaper stuff from Joanns..

While I've sew it's never been anything on this level.
Im afraid of investing a lot of money and messing up ... or making a miss cut and not having the store near me to buy more fabric..

What do y'all think?

 

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

My favorite quilt is a 45 inch square of cowboy print cotton, tied in cotton embroidery floss, with plaid flannel and bound with off the shelf 1/4 inch folded binding. If I were a kid I'd have to call it My Blankie.

I advise getting the best quality cotton you can and start simply if you worry about spoiling fabric. Poor quality stuff is much harder to work with, is a pain to care for, and will never be worth anything but a disappointment.

The first beginner's mistake is underestimating the time in piecing a pattern. Christmas is knocking on our door.

 

[SLFarmMI]

There are lots of quilting magazines out there that could give you a good idea for patterns -- Fons and Porters Love of Quilting, Quilting are both good. No need to go to a (in my opinion) seriously overpriced quilt shop to find quality fabric. I made both my sons quilts when they were very little out of JoAnn's fabric and they have lasted just fine through everything a boy could throw at them. Just make sure you get good quality 100% cotton wherever you shop.

 

[roadless]

If you go to YouTube and do a quick quilt search you will find some beautiful but easy quilts.

Be careful though, it is easy to get lost over there!
Good luck!

 

[SeaGoat]

I doubt have any kind of specialty fabric shop near me.
If I didn't go to Joanns or Hancock it'd have to ordered.
While I've ordered from fabric.com before I'm still nervous

 

[RedDirt Cowgirl]

SLFarmMI seems to have found good stuff in Jo Anns - just stay with 100 percent cottons, prewash and machine dry everything and you won't have unhappy surprises.

I like your first design, modern. Just choose something you feel comfortable with, it'll be fun!

 

[mzgarden]

As for simple, what about this idea? How do I make this picture smaller, yikes! [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_OPPpXNLM[/ame]

 

[SLFarmMI]

SLFarmMI seems to have found good stuff in Jo Anns - just stay with 100 percent cottons, prewash and machine dry everything and you won't have unhappy surprises.

I like your first design, modern. Just choose something you feel comfortable with, it'll be fun!

Just remember, quilting is supposed to be fun! If you find yourself becoming stressed and frustrated, put the quilt aside for the day and go do something else. Like have a glass or 3 of wine and some chocolate. :sing:

Wherever you buy fabric, just look for the following things: 100% cotton, good tight weave, can't see through it, has a nice feel or "hand" to it. And definitely, like RedDirt Cowgirl said, prewash everything (except the batting).

Speaking of batting, when you're ready for that, I really like Warm and Natural. Gives a nice crinkled look to the quilt when you wash it for the first time.

 

[SeaGoat]

How do you call and ask a fabric shop if they sell quality fabric without sounding rude?
I have found 2 shops, but they are so far Id hate to waste the time and gas and it not be what I need..

 

[Calico Katie]

How do you call and ask a fabric shop if they sell quality fabric without sounding rude?
I have found 2 shops, but they are so far Id hate to waste the time and gas and it not be what I need..

From my experience, the people working in quilt shops are generally very down to earth. Just call and explain it the way you did in your post, that it's a long distance to drive so you'd like to know what kind of fabrics they carry. Are they a higher end quality of fabrics - in which prices will probably run around $10 a yard - or are their fabrics more similar in price and quality to Joanns? If you have any brands you prefer like Moda or Robert Kaufman, ask if they carry those. That will also give you an idea because if they have Moda and Kaufman, they're carrying quilt shop quality.

Do you have a Hobby Lobby in reasonable proximity? They have a good mixture of prices and qualities. They closed our Hancock store some years back but they had a pretty good variety as well. I think they closed more because of the management.