I agree with what everyone has said so far. I've only been quilting about 6 months, and I LOVE it! I didn't want to spend a lot of money up front in case I didn't end up enjoying it.
I got a Brother CS6000i from Walmart for about $160. It sews beautifully. It's only been 6 months and I'm still a beginner, but I imagine this will last me for quite a few more years.

I also highly recommend the rotary cutter and mat. I didn't want to invest the money so I was drawing lines and using good scissors. I was extremely frustrated because things were just not turning out right. Once I found out how much more accurate and fast I could be with a rotary cutter, I couldn't believe I had wasted my time! I realize that women have been making quilts without rotary cuts for many, many years, but it's so much easier this way!

I checked out a few books from the library to get started, and then I took a quilting class at the local quilt shop. I would highly recommend both. Like someone else said, it was very satisfying to take the class and complete a project from start to finish!

Good luck and have fun!!!

AJ

I just started teaching a long-time friend how to make an easy quilt. Judy is my oldest friend (in terms of years known - I have pics of us as babies together!). She retired last year due to health problems, and now she's bored in her studio apartment in Ft. Wayne. So yesterday she drove down from Ft. Wayne and I got her started on the Bricks and Stepping Stones pattern. She saw one I recently made and loved it. It's so easy and other than two solid colors for the stepping stones, you can use up lots of scraps for the bricks.

She was amazed at how easy a cutting mat and rotary cutter makes it to cut the pieces. I sent her home with the strips to sew together for the stepping stones. She doesn't have much money (only about enough to get by each month), so we raided my scrap boxes and I'll get the bricks cut before she comes down again.

I'm seriously considering teaching a Quilting 101 class this Fall. Just the basics, how to use the mat and rotary cutter, maybe have students make a very simple lap quilt, etc. It's such a great feeling of accomplishment when a person's first quilt is done!!!

Nola

Teaching new quilters is wonderful! You take a person who knows little to nothing, who may think they can't make a quilt, and by the end of the teaching you've shown them they can!! Most are so delighted with what they can do, it's fun to watch!!

I taught three ladies how to quilt a couple of years ago! We made 13 different blocks - the centre one was a 12" Sawtooth Star, surrounded by 12 6" blocks starting with Rail Fence and ending with a basket block. This taught them the basics of squares and triangles, learning the different ways to make HSTs. They also learned to measure and cut borders, we did a diagonal grid quilting pattern, and how to bind. They had a blast! Go for it, Nola!! By the way, the quilt we made ended up about 36" square.

Gerda

I recently taught a young woman at work to make a quilt. She had never sewn a stitch in her life...how do young people graduate high school without a home ec class? That was unheard of in my day. Anyway, she made a baby quilt for a friend of hers and was thrilled, as was the friend. For someone who had never sewn before her quilt was an acheivement. What a great feeling to pass on this skill to the next generation. She now wants to try a bed size quilt. I think she is going to do nine patch nirvana (BOM 2006). I think that is a good sampler quilt for a beginner. I found a used sewing machine for her and will help her with her next project. It is as much fun for me to watch her excitement build as it is to see one of my own quilts take shape!

Deb K

Speaking of used sewing machines - the yard sales going on all over the country right now are wonderful places to find decent sewing machines. Last Saturday I went garage saling with my DD and picked up a Necchi for $3 - it's in like-new condition. Just an inexpensive model - I think it's a Model 329 - but it sews like a top.

I'm going to keep watching for these bargains in case I do decide to teach a class - the ladies won't have to bring their own machines, or if they don't have one, I can sell them one of my "bargains" cheap.

Nola

2 years ago I was saling and I found a basic White...real nice solid machine, used twice, for $2. the poor woman bought it and then became frustrated because she had no one to teach her to sew......