First Project - Step 1 - Square Up The Fabric

My beautiful niece, Desiree
Her very first block

We have our space, we've assembled our tools, we know about fabric.  What's next...
Choosing a project and choosing fabric.

Start with something easy.  I recently traveled to Las Vegas to teach my niece how to quilt.  We started with a simple 9 patch and turned it into a "disappearing 9 patch" table runner.  A disappearing 9 patch would be very "fat quarter friendly."

A fat quarter is a "square" of fabric rather than a 1/4 yard cut.
A typical quarter yard is 1/4th of a yard, or 9" long and as wide as the fabric; a quarter yard of a quilting cotton usually measures 9" x 44".
A fat quarter is a one-fourth yard cut of fabric that measures 18" x 22" instead of the typical 9" x 44" quarter-yard cut.

The reason I mention fat quarters is because most quilt shops have pre-cut fat quarters scattered around their shops.  They are sometimes bundled with coordinating fabrics.  If I'm not shopping for any particular fabric, I may purchase a fat quarter or two for my "stash" I simply MUST HAVE. I don't have to bother the sales person to cut the fabric and because they are usually under $3 per fat quarter, I don't feel like I've spent any "real" money.  WARNING; collecting fat quarters can be habit forming.

Squaring up your fabric:  When you purchase a piece of fabric, you watch the sales lady cut it off the bolt, it looks perfectly fine.  It isn't.  It is not "square" regardless of how straight everything looks.  Take the first fat quarter (or piece of fabric.) We need to "square it up."
Here is a link to step-by-step instructions for squaring up fabric.   I looked for a video on You Tube, but didn't find one I thought would be helpful to a newbie.  This one was pretty good. But, she doesn't show you how to cut it. If the step-by-steps instructions don't do it for you, send me a message...we can skype.  I'll show you.

In this You Tube video she says something about "washing & ironing" the fabric.  To Wash or Not to Wash your quilt fabric, that is the question.  Some people do and some people don't.  I don't. Why? Because I'm lazy and don't want to bother.  I am not convinced it matters to the finished project.  You should ask your other quilting buddies for their opinion, then make your own decision.

Okey, Dokey... next post...cutting!