Best products from r/quilting

Hey/u/SoulSister85 I am not a textile conservator, but I am a collection manager in a museum with some very basic knowledge. Here's a few things I would suggest:

- Do not clean or dry clean your quilt without repairs being made first. It's a sure fire way to have it fall apart more. Try vacuuming instead to try and get some dirt off the fabric. I personally like these, as they connect to your regular vacuum. If you want to lesson the suction just drill a few holes in the plastic. If you decide later you want to cover them you can do so with duct tape. https://www.amazon.com/Schneider-Industries-Micro-Vacuum-Attachment/dp/B000BSJCLY Sometimes trying to remove stains will create more damage, especially if you don't know the year the fabric was produced and how it will react. When in doubt do a light test on the back first, but make sure it's not in a section that is essential to the quilt's integrity in case the fabric loses its structure.

- If you decide to display this quilt I would keep it out of direct sunlight and rest it (keep it in an archival/ acid free box in a closet somewhere) at least 2-3 months of the year. This will keep the colors vibrant for years. Don't be afraid to handle it gently- taking it off display and resting it will do more good, even with the handling, than if you were to keep it up full time.

- Think about spending some money on a strong and durable hanging system. This is a good guide of how museums tend to hang textiles https://museum.gwu.edu/hanging-textiles . Ultimately, whatever you do should be reversible, so if for some reason you don't want to hang it anymore all of the material can be easily removed without any damage to the quilt. Using cotton tape on the back of the velcro will ensure the cotton tape and cotton thread are the only things touching the quilt fabric, making sure that nothing sticky or acidic comes in contact with it. Added bonus is you can choose whatever kind of velcro you want (although I would suggest long lines of it for added stability and less pull on your fabric in certain sections). If you want to go the museum route, this is the website I usually get my cotton tape and velcro from https://www.gaylord.com/search?text=velcro

- If you want to try your hand at it, feel free to try and do some simple repairs! Otherwise see if there's a local quilting guild who will be willing to help out or lend guidance. If you want to have it professionally conserved, the person handling your quilt will likely add fabric in to both blend into the pattern and strengthen the quilt. Unless you are dead-set on making this piece museum quality and think it's worth something financially, this might not be the solution for you, only because of the cost involved. If you do want to get some quotes, this is the best resource for finding conservators near you. Just type in your zip code and select "textiles" and certified conservators will pop up. http://www.conservation-us.org/membership/find-a-conservator#.W_zDw3pKhp8

-This is a pretty good resource for general knowledge of quilt repair and conservation, check it out! http://www.quilthistory.com/repair.htm

-What I tell most people who ask me about their sentimental and precious objects they want to display in their home is to balance the object's safety with your enjoyment. Don't sacrifice one over the other. Precious objects are worthless if you can't enjoy them, so hang this baby up and let it bring joy to your home!

​

And of course feel free to PM me if you have any questions. If I don't know the answers I'll try my best to find out for you.

I've posted this several times so I just copied here, if you want more detail please ask and I can provide. The machine I have is a Brother, the link is below. Don't compare the big box Brother to the dealer Brother as they are different.

Do you have a budget? Here is a summary of what I learned while machine shopping. Some manufacturers have different product lines, one for big box stores (JoAnn's, Amazon, WalMart etc) and one for dealers. The main differences are quality and cost. The big box line is going to be cheaper and probably have a bunch of features to make you feel like you are getting your money's worth but the key thing to note here is cheap. The quality won't be there. A big box store Brother or Janome machine would still sew circles around a Singer though.

Singer - They used to be good, they have turned to low quality garbage and aren't worth their weight in gold anymore. Old/vintage ones are still good if you want to check yard sales, estate sales or Craigslist and have an older machine.

Brother - They have the two aforementioned product lines. I've heard good things about the CS6000i regarding good features, solid machine and good value. I ended up with a innov-IS NX570Q which is a dealer line machine. The dealer line is superior to the big box one. It's definitely more heavy duty, has great features including ones I love (knee lift and auto cutter and auto threader) and has never let me down but it is expensive. They do have dealer line machines that are more affordable but not as feature rich. Big box prices are around $100 and dealer is around $400 for a basic machine. Mine was $900.

Pfaff - My local dealer sells both Brother and Pfaff machines. I liked the Pfaff I tested but chose the Brother because for the same money I got the same features plus some extras that I love (knee lift plus auto threader and auto cutter and extension table). To get the same features on the Pfaff brand I would have had to spend a few hundred more dollars. The one I looked at was around $900 price range.

Janome - They have different lines and while I never tested them (closest dealer is 45 min away) I have heard good things about the dealer line and no experience on the big box line. I assume it'd be the same as Brother as they have good reviews. Big box prices are around $200 and dealer prices are around $300/400 for a basic machine.

BabyLock - Some people claim they make Brother machines and Brother is the same quality so they're equal, they aren't. Sure BL makes Brother's machines but they make them to Brother's specs. They do share many similarities between the brands. I have never heard a bad thing about BabyLock and believe they do have great machines but they are strictly dealer only and are pricier than Brother. So if you want Baby Lock but can't afford it go with a Brother similar to the BL you want. Intro machine prices are around $400 for a basic machine.

Bernina - Everyone who has one loves it but they all complain about pricing for accessory feet. They are around $500 for a machine like your $80 Singer. The accessory feet for the brand name are around $100 and I saw a forum pricing the walking foot around $300.

Those are the main machine manufacturers, I'm sure there are plenty of others but you'll likely find those to be the most common brands for dealers in your area.

In summary: determine what you are willing and able to pay for one and check with your local dealers. If you want brand Xyz and don't have a dealer nearby but can order online from a dealer hundreds of miles away go with the dealer close to you, they'll be the ones who would do your warranty repair work if needed and they can provide better service for the machines they sell than they can for other brands. Plus they may offer discounts on accessories if you bought the machine there, mine does that.

TLDR: Singer sucks, Brother and Janome are affordable with quality dealer machines or big box ones. Baby Lock is a little more expensive but are dealer only. Pfaff is also dealer only and more expensive. Bernina is the most expensive for machine and accessory feet but their owners seem to love them. New machine out of your budget? Consider a vintage one.

Machine Manufacturer and Model Number: Brother Nouvelle 1500s

Year purchased: 2013

Condition: Factory refurbished

Price paid (optional if you want to share): $550?

Link: Amazon currently has a newer version available, it looks like, but I have the one that is currently more expensive shown here.

How long have you used the machine: since 2013

Things you love:

• Oh the harp space! For a table top machine this one has SO MUCH ROOM for activities! I bought it specifically because I needed to quilt a king-sized quilt and my original machine (the Brother cs6000i) just wasn't going to cut it. So I love all that room for sure.
  
• I love how quiet it is despite being fast - boyfriend can definitely nap through me sewing on it. I also really appreciate the sizable extension table.
  
• I also love that you don't have to take the extension table off of the machine to reload the bobbin! It has a clever little trapdoor. :)
  
• I also really like how the metal plate around the needle has 1/4", 1/2" and 5/8" lines right on it that extend farther than the quarter-inch foot does, to help with accuracy.
  
  Things you hate: I don't really like the automatic thread cutter feature. I don't use it much, but when I do I inevitably end up having to rethread the needle, and who likes doing that? Not me, that's who.
  
  There are features that I admittedly do NOT use - I don't use the needle threader and I don't use the knee lever thing.
  
  Any continuous problems? I feel like I have to rethread it a lot, but that could just be me being unaware of some sort of feature or something.
  
  Would you buy this machine again if it broke down today? Absolutely.
  
  Additional thoughts or special info: This machine is hefty. It is 24 pounds. I would not want to travel with it, nor would I recommend this as a primary machine as it is ONLY straight stitch and if you ever do anything else, well, you're SOL. That said I definitely like the machine and feel it was a very good investment. I am able to do much bigger projects with it than I could before and it has been a great second machine for me.
  
  Here is another review of this machine.

You're doing way better than you think you are!

I'm probably gonna repeat things other people said but here we go:

1. You should trim the squares before joining them together, that way you know for sure they will match (you need to cut the square by taking the diagonal line on the ruler and using the diagonal line on the sew line so that the square is perfect, that way the diagonal sew line will end directly in the corner of the square, I hope this makes sense lol). Trimming the squares will also make it so you have less fabric overhanging in your edges (but having some is fine, dont worry about that, it all gets sewed up anyways! =P)
   
2. For sewing straight, try not to move the fabric too much and just let machine moving, I realized 90% of the "moving" was actually me, the machine will stay "fairly" straight if you leave it, specially for smaller pieces like we use. I also have a foot that measures 1/4', so as long as the edge of my fabric lines up with the edge of the foot (which is easy to keep track while you sew) you should be perfect! (Also, I notice that when my lines aren't perfectly straight nothing really happens unless it's ridiculously skewed, so again, no stressing!)
   
3. Use pins or clips!!! I go these from amazon and I love them! So I guess the real trick for things to line up is just to make sure you clip them together (or pin them). So for example, in your pinwheel, you started with 4 squares an sewed the ones next to each other together....there's nothing really to line up there. Then you have to do top and bottom, I would line up the centers first, and triple make sure that those are right, and then I keep pinning from the inside to the outside....My outside might not always match up 100% but what matters the most is the points so I dont think it's a problem =P
   
   I'm also a beginner so message me if you want a quilting buddy!!! =D These are some pinwheels I made like 2 weeks ago! =P
   
   ​
   
   PS: This is your first block ever and you didn't chose the easiest one soooo GO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love LOVE LOVE my rotating mat. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IKIE4K?keywords=rotating%20mat&qid=1453132875&ref_=sr_1_1&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-1 I hope I linked it correctly. If she doesn't have one, this would be a great gift, I think.

Also, you can never have too many extra blades for your rotary cutter. Or too many spools of natural (color) thread, which is what I use almost exclusively for piecing. If she uses a different color, then she can never have too many spools of that.

I love my bent safety pins too. And I love having separate little bins to keep all my stuff in.

And like /u/andrea_r says, a gift card to her local quilt shop is a true present because it's like permission to splurge on something just because you WANT it.

Let us know what you decide?

Notions?

I try to be picky about which specialty rulers I add to my collection because they're often expensive and i don't want a billion of them... but i do have a small wish list of a few. I want the Jaybird Quilts Hex N More & Sidekick rulers. Angela Walters set of quilting rulers. Creative Grids Pineapple ruler. Creative Grids Folded Corner Clipper Tool [I just saw this video today and have decided I NEED this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKQ9VS8e0lI&t=2s)

​

There's this gadget that is super cute and way overpriced [Roll & Press](https://www.amazon.ca/Clover-7812-Roll-Press-Light/dp/B01M7XAHFM/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=53S1QXXDF1KZPN96EEYN) that you can get for $3 in a not as cute [wallpaper seam roller](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000I1THI2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I use this way more than i expected, and dont need to go to my iron nearly as much now.

​

This [seam guide](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07JQMNXDZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) has seriously stepped up my piecing accuracy game since i got it.

​

For Christmas 2017 I asked for/received 5 large spools of excellent quality thread and don't have to worry about running out anytime soon. I got Aurifil 50wt 100% cotton in white, medium grey, and black & also monofilament in clear and smoke. Almost 15,000 yards of thread! [HEAVEN!!!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_CAYf-itw)

​

Happy Early Birthday! I hope it rocks!!!

​

Edit link formatting... that may or may not have done what I wanted it to do

Reposting from last weeks thread because I must have posted this just hours before it got taken down for this weeks...

I'm in the market to get my first very own sewing machine after not having touched one in a solid 5 years (college student = no free time and no free money!), and I'm at a loss. I have been sewing since I was 8 (~15 years), so I wouldn't really consider myself a beginner. However, I've never owned my own machines, as I've only machine sewed through classes and with borrowed machines (mostly Husqvarna Vikings).

Here's the issue: I've read the FAQ, done my research, read all the consumer reports tips, etc., but I'm still at a loss on what machine to get!

I DO know that I don't want to spend more than $200 on a machine, nor do I want a computerized one or anything with excessively fancy stitches because I won't use them. I'm not so worried about getting a machine that will last me until I'm old and grey... mostly just want something that will get the job done and not poop out on me too early on. I am looking for something that will allow me to do some basic quilting (piecing and straight stitch/stitch in the ditch sorta deal), basic crafting, hemming, etc.

I have been drawn to machines like this brother machine with added bonuses like the attachable table and the included walking foot. But the reviews, while many positive, have left me a bit nervous about apparent 'tension problems' and the like.

Anyways, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated so I can stop being such a wuss and commit to a machine already! Thanks :)!

EDIT: Any suggestions or links to recommended machines are also appreciated!

Suzy Quilts has some really great free patterns that translate well to baby quilts. I made the Bows and Arrows quilt for my friends baby and it came our great.


Also, the Layer cake pop pattern by Fat Quarter shop is super simple, super cute, and you can make as many or as few of the blocks as you want!

There was this one I saw posted here a while back called Chandelier, but it was in a book. The pattern is super simple and the free book preview gives the instructions.

Popped in to mention, the nice thing about rag quilts (of you're still planning to make a rag quilt), is you can make the seams as large as you want and it will just make the ragged bits more fluffy when it's washed, so if you wanted to, you could incorporate the original stitch lines in the seam.

Also, if you plan to make it a rag quilt, I HIGHLY recommend some good scissors. I had a pair of friskars I had bought from Walmart and they fell apart after two or three smallish rag quilts. I really like the Heritage ones and they seem to have stay sharp longer. They cost more to purchase, but oh my gosh, your hands will thank you. Good luck! I'm sure it will be super cute.

When I hand sew seams, I do a backstitch approximately every inch or so of seam, plus one before and after every junction. When I'm hand quilting, though, I just bury the knot. I haven't extensively used anything I've hand quilted yet, though, so it might be a better idea to do a backstitch at the start and end of every thread while hand quilting, in addition to burying the knot. I picked up the habit from reading old sewing manuals and ladies handbooks (tons of good free stuff online on Google Books, but I don't have any links to hand just now), because that was how you were supposed to sew clothing seams, with more backstitching for the seams that would get the most stress. I figured that same philosophy applied to hand sewn quilts, especially if they were meant to see a lot of use. When I machine sew, though, I don't bother backstitching at all when I'm piecing. Hope that's helpful!

​

ETA: Also, you may want to try to find a copy of this book : https://www.amazon.ca/Handmade-Quilt-Complete-Skill-Building-Sampler/dp/193572696X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539362995&sr=1-2

​

It details all the steps involved in hand sewing and quilting your own quilt. She also has some books on quilting as you go, for portable projects!

What kind of quilting do you do? If you don't do a lot of applique, I'd consider getting this or this. Both are straight stitch only, but have generous harp space and will do a lot of piecing and quilting. Modern Singers have a pretty dubious reputation and both of these brands are generally better thought of.

The other thing I'd suggest is looking around for a used machine. I currently have 2 vintage machines, a Singer 15-91 (another straight stitch only), Singer Rocketeer (does a variety of stitches). If you're mechanically minded there are quite a number of them around and a lot of information about restoring them. If you aren't, there are a number of people who restore and then sell them. Might be worth considering since these machines are practically indestructible and you can do all their maintenance yourself.

I also have a used Janome Horizon MC 7000, which I found on Craigslist for $800. It was scary to buy something that expensive, but the lady selling it taught me how to use it (which helped show me it wasn't a lemon) and there are a couple quilt shops that service Janomes around me. Because I bought used I was able to get a >$2500 machine for a fraction of the cost.

Just some things to think about! Best of luck!

I have had this machine 5 years and highly recommend. It is a very reasonable price for quilters on a budget (currently $160).

Pros: It had good stitches for appliqué as well. It uses very basic parts which means finding extras are easier. I got a great package and have all the feet and can also use prewound bobbins. Lightweight makes it easy to take to classes or if one has limited space requiring them to put the machine away at times.

Cons: normal harp space definitely means larger (queen+) quilts are harder to complete. Definitely requires practice to maintain good stitches for FMQ and tension can get off over time.

Like r/30allmylife the only reason to not buy again is if one is ready for a larger machine. Brother csi6000i

I would suggest finding a machine with a deeper throat space or quilting is gonna be mega frustrating. If you can't find one in your price range, look for a good used machine. You don't need fancy stitches, just straight stitch, a strong motor, and the aforementioned deeper throat space. This Juki is in your range. I had test driven it before I bought my used Pfaff and it was nice. I have never used it for a project though so I can't say much else.

Good luck with this project, it's a really sweet gift to help this woman tick off a bucket list item.

i think the quilt kit a great deal for that much fabric, and a really good place to start your first big project! it's just all squares so it shouldn't be super difficult. i'ts a little big so you might have some trouble doing the quilting part without practice.

I do think the "getting started" kit i linked is a bit pricey if you don't need fabric. all you truly need to start is a cutting mat, a rotary cutter, the quilt ruler, and pins. Edit: and batting, that kit comes with polyester batting and imo cotton 5eva, you can get warm company batting cheap on amazon or on sale at joanns https://www.amazon.com/Warm-Company-Batting-2391-72-Inch/dp/B000YZ3RQA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542892943&sr=8-2&keywords=warm+company+batting )

IMO, get those *5 things locally or on sale, and then use the fabric you have to make a small quilt like this one: http://www2.fiskars.com/Ideas-and-How-Tos/Crafting-and-Sewing/Quilting/How-to-Quilt

it's very small and manageable and it's where i started! :D

DEFINITELY order that $26 quilt kit while it's on sale though.

Although, if i can give you a tip, there is fabric that is 108" wide that you can buy for backing and not need 4 yards, and i'm not sure what the point of the thread set is, i would just use white thread :D

So imo, just get the $26 version of the quilt kit and buy 2 yards of 108" fabric (that doesn't have a direction, so you can use it sideways)

Here's a link to all of the extra wide quilting fabric fabric.com has https://www.fabric.com/quilting-fabric.aspx?width-range=73inch-120inch

​

Let me know if any of that was confusing i just woke up XD

​

Minimizing seams, using less fabric, having to cut less fabric... there are a lot of reasons why to do flying geese over HST.

If you're not ready to attempt flying geese and feel more comfortable with HST there's nothing wrong with that! Lots of new quilters find even HST challenging to work with.

Flying geese can be really fun once you learn how to do them. I use the EZ Stars and Geese ruler. It makes them super easy and fast to do.

I recommend trying at least one new skill for each quilt you do. Make a goal list of things you want to learn or improve upon.

All 45mm blades should be interchangeable with any standard 45mm blade handles.


I think that maybe I go through blades quite quickly? New cutting project = new blade. Starting to skip at lower pressure = new blade. Drop a stack of blades (some new, some old) onto a tiled floor while getting a fresh one out and storing an old one? - whole stack dinged on one edge - whole new packet of new blades :-/


Now I find it hard to judge how much improvement in blades is *my* experience level and how much is the blades - but I started 2 yrs ago with a Fiskar cutter (came with 3 blades) then I had 5x titanium coated ones from Driffy for £7 (some of which got killed by the kitchen tiles) and finally I found some "Imperial Global Ltd sks7" steel blades (Amazon) 20 for £17 and they seem to me to be the best so far - they seem to start out sharper, but still last as well as the previous ones (I'm on no. 8). Now, I suspect that I'm still doing everything wrong - I definitely have a ding or 2 missing from my rulers, and i know I need to give my cutting mat some more tlc soon too - but at less than a £1 per blade I'm happy to just keep changing them when I need to.


I think sometimes you get what you paid for (cheap copies) but sometimes you get lucky (decent but cheaper without the brand name) so it's how many frogs you'd be willing to kiss for your prince. :-p


UK amazon link ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/20-Pack-Replacement-Cutters-Crafting-Scrapbooking/dp/B06W2KNXXG/ref=lp_12257676031_1_4?srs=12257676031&ie=UTF8&qid=1554986629&sr=8-4



Good luck !!

When I first started sewing, all I did was rag quilts. I love that they're super forgiving.

Do you have some snips for the fringe? These guys were one of the best investments I made.

Machine Manufacturer and Model Number: Brother CS6000i

Year purchased: 2014?

Condition: New

Price paid: Thought i paid $120 at the time, now $150

Link to website or blog describing machine features and a photo : Amazon

How long have you used the machine: 4 years

Things you love: When i bought this machine I only had the knowledge i'd learned way back in middle school home ec and youtube videos so this machine was just perfect for a beginner! Its extremely easy to thread and has many different stitch options (though i've only used a few). Its lightweight, which made it perfect to carry down to my local quilt shop for some classes. And i am ashamed to say that i never had it tuned up or cleaned but it keeps on trucking!

Things you hate: The throat is soooo small! I did manage to finish some twin sized quilts on there and they turned out ok but they could have turned out better, plus it was hell on my hands squishing and rolling the fabric to fit in there!

Any continuous problems? None! That machine put up with a lot of abuse

Would you buy this machine again if it broke down today? Yes, its still great for sewing clothes. Recently upgraded to a nicer machine for quilting so this one is now my backup but she gets the job done!

Additional thoughts or special info: Its a great machine for beginners, so easy to use and learn on and mine at least really held up to a lot of abuse!

This machine, Brother CS-6000i has gotten great reviews and I've considered it myself. This one or the Singer 7258 are ones I've been considering (I'm not OP). However, I wondered if, with more money, I'd be better off spending more. From your reply, it seems it would do the trick.

It does not have an automatic tie off, am I correct? The Singer 7258 does, apparently.

However, the Singer does not come with an oversized table for quilting, nor does it come with a quilting foot, both things I'd like.

Thanks for sharing.

You might want to find a great book called Dare to be Square. It has a great skull pattern in it along with many other great basic patterns that only use squares.

I suggest the Charm School book. It's intended for beginners. I know basics of sewing, but had never made a quilt before. I'm happy to report that I just dropped off the Chandelier quilt top and backing to the quilter today and I did it all by myself!

Charm School_18 Quilts from 5" Squares: A Beginner's Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617452718/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8kOODbZFW0957

I have a Brother CS-6000i and I love it, for quilting and everything else. I don't know if it'd suffice for a full-time quilter, but it's been over a year for me as a heavy part-timer. It has a great price on Amazon for $140 and comes with all the feet you need for basic quilting-- a stipple foot, a walking foot, and you can buy an attachment for a 1/4" foot cheaply, although another quilter I know with the same machine just uses a basic foot with tape at 1/4".

What's your price range? I have other quilters I could ask for recommendations.

This is "Does Not Compute" from Dare to be Square by Boo Davis. I have previously made Hootenanny with much success and decided to try this one as a quilt for my friend whose 2nd child is due in September.

I wish I had a design wall big enough for this because when you're 30 weeks pregnant it kinda sucks to have to crawl around on the floor! Luckily I have a craft room now and I can close the door and leave it where it is and not have to worry.

Fabric scissors are always good gifts

Quilt clips

Chalk pens

Also I think most quilters would love charm packs and jellyrolls

Have you used the homemade baste? I was thinking of using that between the extra layer and blocks then again between the regular layers.

The store bought stuff is pricey.

I also received a box of these clip things along with natural batting as a gift. Hopefully they'll help me out:

MumCraft Multipurpose Sewing Clips with Tin Box Package, Assorted Colors, Pack of 100 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PNIWT2?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

So the pattern is from this book and you can find the pattern in the free preview. I felt kind of bad about it so I bought the book because there are a few quilts I wanted help making! u/lindaeve in case you want to make another, but yours turned out BEAUTIFULLY!

Also, if you're cheap like me, you can buy a sharpener like this: https://www.amazon.com/Colonial-Needle-Rotary-Blade-Sharpener/dp/B001CEAM88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487775215&sr=8-1&keywords=rotary+blade+sharpener

I don't think it makes a used blade as good as a new one, but it does make used blades better and able to be used longer!

This Brother was my first machine. yeah, it has fancy stitches you'll never use, but I made dozens of quilts from this machine. It worked like a charm and still does.

I love my little Brother - Inexpensive, and it came with a lot of neat extras http://www.amazon.com/Brother-Affordable-60-Stitch-Computerized-Free-Arm/dp/B000JQM1DE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342572876&sr=8-1&keywords=brother+sewing+machine

I recommend buying the book, as there are a ton of tips for everything from choosing fabric to arranging your blocks and super easy-to-follow directions, but if you google "one block wonder," there are a bunch of blogs dedicated to this pattern and those are also really helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1571203222/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FJciDbBFKY84Y

I use this one and find it works pretty well for me. I don't have experience with any other kinds though.
Here are the blade refills as well-- I found its cheaper going through Amazon than full price at Joanns or Hobby Lobby, etc.

Thanks, it really isn't too difficult, there are a bunch of tutorials online and this book has good instructions with pictures. Picking the fabric is probably the hardest part, mostly because I was ordering online and I had to get a bigger rotary cutter to go through 6 layers of fabric.

I have a Brother CS-6000i Computer sewing machine. It's stitch #22.

I'm new to the whole sewing machine thing...is the presser foot the thing you deploy down onto the quilt, that the needle feeds through? If so, I just use the default one that's on the machine. "N" type, I think is what my screen says when it's on.

Amazon says that the foot that comes mounted is "J" or the "Zigzag foot". I'm still pretty sure the computer screen says "N". Maybe you're supposed to use "N" and I'm using "J"? I don't know. I'd trust Amazon, though, because I've got no clue what I'm talking about.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things, and I'm out of suggestions :P Although a sharpener will get a little more life out of each blade, something like these:

Manual: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CEAM88?keywords=rotary%20blade%20sharpener%2045mm&qid=1449553780&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2

Electric: http://www.amazon.com/TrueSharp-Power-Rotary-Blade-Sharpener/dp/B004RCHG9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449553927&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+rotary+blade+sharpener+45mm

Get Maxine Rosenthal's book. It's really fantastic for getting started.

I love The handmade quilt: a complete skill building sampler. By C. Forster. https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Quilt-Skill-Building-Heirloom-Quality-Stitching/dp/193572696X

If you look through my other posts you’ll see several of the blocks I’m working on.

Yes!! It’s a round sharpener so all areas get sharpened at the same time.

https://www.amazon.com/Colonial-Needle-Rotary-Blade-Sharpener/dp/B001CEAM88

Non-mobile: This book also has a lot of good pictures and explanations

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

I have the book at home. When I get a chance I’ll let you guys know.

Edit: I found it!!!! Dare to be square. https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Square-Quilting-Block-Block/dp/0307462366

Great Machine

This was my first machine. I read tons of reviews online, and it’s consistently rated highly, and is a very decent price. Highly recommend!

I got this one from Amazon, $150. It works well for me: https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Feature-Rich-Sewing-Auto-Size-Buttonholes/dp/B000JQM1DE/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1510779754&sr=1-4&keywords=brother&dpID=41dk9CkIfHL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Looks like Dare to be Square

You don't have to fussy cut. You just cut and stack 6 pattern repeats so they line up, then cut strips and then cut triangles. All the triangles are identical and make the hexagons. It's actually really easy and fun!

One-Block Wonders: One Fabric, One Shape, One-of-a-Kind Quilts https://www.amazon.com/dp/1571203222/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TQmUBb1FYBJ29

The pattern is in this book. Dare to Be Square Quilting: A Block-by-Block Guide to Making Patchwork and Quilts https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307462366/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JBQSzbH9RA8NG

Here is the desktop version of your link

Here is the mobile version of your link