Designed for complete beginners, this guide teaches quilting through 30 variations of the Sawtooth Star block, gradually building core patchwork skills while offering layout options, assembly tips and design flexibility to create a personalized, heirloom-quality quilt. Original. Illustrations.
The complete beginner’s guide to machine quilting, from best-selling author, Carolyn Forster.
Discover 1 classic quilt block worked 30 different ways, for a cohesive range of inspiring, beginner-friendly designs!Carolyn has taught hundreds of beginners to quilt, and this book follows her tried-and-tested teaching method for getting started. Using one classic block design (the Sawtooth Star), a multitude of inspiring techniques and a clever use of fabric, she shows you how to sew over 30 different star blocks with ease. Build up your skills as you go, and create a stunning and unique heirloom quilt to be proud of.
- SKILL-BUILDING STRUCTURE: Each of the 30 blocks introduces a new patchwork technique that’s more challenging than the last to build your skills gradually. From the simple Four Patch and Flying Geese units through to the brain-testing Split Quarter Square Triangles, you’ll cover core patchwork methods that are essential for making your first quilt, and will be invaluable for quilts in years to come
- COMPLETE QUILTING GUIDE: Once you’ve made up your star blocks, discover how to put them together. There’s advice on different layout options; adding strips (“sashing” or “coping strips”); squares (“posts”) and borders; quilting; attaching binding; labelling; and much more
- MIX AND MATCH DESIGN: All the blocks in the book are 12-inch square, so it’s easy to mix and match your favorite motifs to create your own unique quilt. And, with just a few quick-to-learn math formulas, Carolyn shows you how to sew any size quilt you like for even more tailoring potential
Carolyn’s friendly, tried-and-tested techniques make this the perfect beginner’s introduction to quilting.
Introduction
Choosing a sewing machine
Tools for cutting and piecing
Choosing fabrics
How much fabric do I need?
Fabric grain
Quilt sizes
Cutting fabric
Sewing and pressing patchwork
The blocks
How to read this chapter | Unit 1: Flying Geese | 01: Sawtooth Star | Basic
Stars 02-06 | 07: Not Perfect Star | 08: Rising Star | Unit 2: Checkerboard
Patchwork | 09: Four-Patch Star | 10: 16-Patch Star | Checkboard Stars 11-13
| Unit 3: Half Square Triangle | 14: HST Corners | 15: Checkered HST | 16:
HST Pinwheel | 17: HST Broken Dishes | HST Stars 18-21 | Unit 4: Squares on
Point | 22: Star of Virginia | 23: Mosaic 19 | Squares on Point Stars 24-30 |
Unit 5: Split Quarter Square Triangle | 31: Martha Washington Star | Split
Quarter Square Triangle Stars 32-34
Joining quilt blocks
Framing blocks
Sashing and posts
Adding borders
Making quilts from basic units
Flying Geese Quilts | Square on Point Quilt | Frame Squares Quilt
Necessities for basting/tacking and quilting
Backing fabric
Wadding/batting
Layering and tacking/basting
Quilting
Practice quilt projects
Coasters | Pincushion | Tablemats | Sewing Book
Binding
Labelling and laundering
Carolyn Forster is a best-selling quilting author, with over 175,000 books sold worldwide. She started making quilts when she was a teenager, and her passion for patchwork and quilting led her to study Textiles at Bath Spa University, UK.
Since then, she has taught patchwork and quilting both in the UK and the USA and has had her quilts featured in a number of books and magazines, including Today's Quilter and French magazine Magic Patch. Carolyn lives in Tunbridge Wells, UK.
Website: www.carolynforster.co.uk
Instagram: @quiltingonthego
