Perfect for the first-time quilter! Lesson One: Beginning Basics - Discover how easy it is to begin quilting with an illustrated guide to fabrics, tools, and techniques Lesson Two: Preparing the Fabric - Pre-wash, press, straighten and rotary cut the fabric—now you're ready to sew Lesson Three: Sewing Accurate Seams - Pick up a few quick tricks and tips for sewing an exact quarter-inch seam for accurate seam allowances Lesson Four: Assembling the Quilt Top - Choose from three easy quilt patterns for step-by-step success—and then use the techniques to take the three-in-one quilt challenge Lesson Five: Making the Quilt Sandwich - Make a quilt sandwich by layering the batting between the backing and your finished quilt top and secure it with yarn ties or simple machine quilting Lesson Six: Finishing the Quilt - Follow easy instructions to add the binding, a sleeve for hanging, a personalized label—and you've successfully finished your first quilt! Can you make your first quilt simply by reading through the pages of this book? Yes, you can! Discover how easy it is to begin quilting with an illustrated guide to fabrics, tools, and techniques. Inside you'll find step-by-step instructions with photos and diagrams for learning to quilt in six easy lessons—based on actual introductory quilting classes! Perfect for the first-time quilter, First-Time Quiltmaking is also a great refresher course. This book presents everything a beginner needs to know to get started—all in an easy-to-follow, clearly illustrated fashion. Inside, you'll find instruction on rotary cutting, sewing accurate seams, piecing basic blocks, and assembling and finishing the quilt top. Plus, instructions to add the binding, a sleeve for hanging, and a personalized label! Also included are seven simple projects that are perfect for any beginner, so you can practice your newfound skills. An easy teach-me/show-me format gives you just what you need to know to start and finish—so you can point to your first quilt and say, "I made it!"