During your quilting journey you'll come across so many different quilt patterns, techniques to learn, and colour combinations to enjoy that it may be somewhat daunting. As you try each of these new things...and there will be loads of them...you'll come to find that there are some things you love to do in this wonderful world of quilting and some things that you really don't like all that much. Even if that is the case I want to give you one bit of sage advice...at least enjoy the process.

What I mean by that is don't always expect to come away with a completed project. It's ok to just make one block...or learn how to do a particular technique on a small sample...or work with one complimentary colour scheme. This is how you learn what you do like (and what you don't) whether it's a technique or type of pattern or colour combination.

There are many books on the market showing how to make traditional, individual blocks. You can either buy a book or visit your local library, or borrow from your quilt guild's library. Try making a Churn Dash block, try making a Sawtooth Star block, try making a Log Cabin block...you get the idea. Enjoy the process of making a variety of blocks.

When you learn how to make flying geese units (a staple in quilting) you'll soon come to find out that there are about 3 or 4 different methods for making them as well as 3 or 4 different rulers on the market to make the task easier. Try as many methods for making flying geese as you can until you find the method that works best for you and your learning style. Enjoy the process of elimination.

Trying different colour combinations is also really fun to do on a smaller scale. We are all creatures of habit and have our favourite colours that we go to every time. Why not grab a few fat quarters in colours you don't typically work with and make a few sample blocks? Why not take one traditional quilt block and make the same one in 4 different colour schemes...earth tones, pastels, brights, grey scale? You won't believe how different the same block looks in different colour harmonies. Below you will see the traditional Jacob's Ladder quilt block that I did for a colour theory class almost 20 years ago. (Yes…I agree with you…some of them are downright fugly!)

If you're smart you'll make all your sample blocks the same size every time you try something new and they won't go to waste. Put sashing around the blocks and make a donation quilt for your guild, make a set of mismatched placemats for the cottage, or a quilt for your dog's crate. Enjoy the process of trying new colour schemes.

I love freakishly bright colours, so if I have to make something for my sister who prefers earth tones (ugh), I have a really hard time getting excited about making anything for her because I find those colours boring and uninspiring. And yes, I have taken my own advice by using colours that I normally don't use. The way I enjoy the process in a case like that is I usually try a new technique or pattern to challenge myself and I keep reminding myself that the important thing is that she's going to love it.

I made the mistake once of telling my mother-in-law to look through my magazines and choose a quilt she liked because I wanted to make one just for her. Well, didn't she choose a very traditional, hand appliquéd quilt. For those of you who know me...this is the farthest thing away from what I usually work with and I really don't enjoy hand appliqué. It took me FOR-EV-ER to complete her quilt (even with help from my friend, Marcie, hand appliquér extraordinaire), but my MIL loved her quilt and my husband declared it a family heirloom. If I'm 100% honest...I didn't really enjoy that process, but the end result, as well as my MIL's reaction, was well worth the headaches.

If you're a newbie your quilt journey is just starting and I almost envy you. I do fondly remember my early days when this thing called “quilting” grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It was so exciting learning new techniques, making new blocks, and reading anything I could get my hands on about my new hobby. I definitely enjoyed the process (I still do!) and I know you will too.