What's the best project for the beginning quilter?

I’ve been asked this question a lot lately by my friends and family who what to try something new to expand their creativity.  If they have sewn before I always encourage them to start with a mug rug or a table runner because these are small projects that can be finished quickly and will not require a large investment of time or money to decide if quilting is for them.  And, when they finish the project, they will also have something useful to show off in their home or give as a gift.

My Cross Mug Rug is a very simple design that uses four fabrics and can be sewn in a variety of patterned fabric and colors to fit any decor.  It takes less than 1/8 of a yard of each fabric to make two mug rugs.  It is also very simple to sew as it is based on the log cabin quilt square. 

If the person asking about quilting has never sewn before, I recommend they start sewing by making a pillowcase.  This gives them the opportunity to learn how to use a rotary cutter to cut fabric, thread and use a sewing machine, match the right sides of fabric, and sew a ¼ inch seam.  It also takes only one yard of two coordinating fabrics for them to have two beautiful pillowcases.  And there are a lot of YouTube videos that give step by step instructions on how to make a pillowcase, so no need to buy a pattern – just Google.