Tips for Beginners

The Connecting Threads Podcast is back! This season we follow Kate, a mom, serial organizer, and all-around podcast enthusiast, as she embarks on a quest to become a quilter. Kate comes from a long line of quilters whose roots originate in the midwest and predate the Depression era. She's drawn to quilting because she's drawn to things that bring comfort, and also has a desire to connect with her family's past traditions and craftsmanship.

First Kate sits down with Kris, Brand Director of Connecting Threads, quilter and everyone's friend in crafting. Learning to quilt in the digital age where there is an abundance of information available just a click away can be somewhat overwhelming. Kris offers up some tips from what kind of project to start with to what kind of tools will help make things easier. Her big piece of advice - Relax and have fun making a quilt. 

Kris's tips: 

• Find a simple beginner pattern
• Pick fabric that you love
• Make sure your tools work and are in a good enough shape to do what they are intended to do
• Seam rippers exist for a reason, feel free to use them
• Use Elizabeth Zimmerman's Galloping Horse test - imagine you're riding on a galloping horse looking at your quilt - if you can't see a mistake upon a galloping horse, then don't worry about it. 

This season on the CTP we will be hearing from different members of the Connecting Threads team. On this episode we hear from Patrice our Senior Textile Designer.

Next Kate and Elise talk about the feelings that come up when starting a new craft like quilting. Learning a new skill isn't easy. Elise has been sewing since she was 5 years old and she tells Kate the secrets to helping ease into it. "You need to start off with the mindset of quilting as an art and you are an artist. No artist starts off making masterpieces. You need to accept that the first few things you make aren't going to be as pretty as you want them to be, but you can never get better without trying." Elise recommends that new quilters join a guild and find community. 

Products Mentioned in this Episode: Jelly Roll pre-cuts  Half Square Triangles Connecting Threads Beginner and Easy quilt kits  Jelly Roll Joyride  Rotary cutter  Self Healing mat 

Timestamps0:00 Introduction with Kate 1:11 Kris give Kate tips for starting her first quilt 24:38 Meet Patrice, Senior Textile Designer 25:34 - Kate and Elise talk feel