Hi, ok this is how I made my (one) patchwork quilt, it is not perfect but I like it - hope my experience is some use!
First, I think it is easiest (definitely quickest) using a sewing machine - I would beg/ borrow or steal one if poss - the actual time you need to sew is not that long - I did the sewing for mine in 2 afternoons with one eye on the tv & frequent tea breaks (& I am not quick). But, if you want to handsew, that would also
work fine, it would just be a bit slower.
Fabric - woven cotton/ cotton mix is easiest to work with. Don't mix woven/ knitted fabrics. Don't use anything too slippy/ anything too liable to fray.
Decide how big you want your quilt to be, roughly. I did mine with 5" squares - this was small enough that it looked fairly patchworky, big enough to be relatively quick. Add a seam allowance all round - 1/4 inch if you are confident, 1/2 inch if not (so cut out either 5 1/2 inch or 6 inch squares). You calculate how many you need to give you the right measurements (excl. seam allowance) then cut out. This takes a long time: put some good music on.
Arrange the squares on the floor in the order you would sew them together and check it looks nice, then juggle them until it does. You don't have to do this but otherwise you risk ending up with 5 pink squares in a row at the end, or similar.
Sew squares into rows. Sew rows together. You are aiming to have all the seams lined up but it doesn't matter too much if they are a bit off. Your quilt top is complete! Hooray! Have celebratory biscuit or similar.
Now make a quilt sandwich with: backing fabric, wrong side up, (you could use a sheet, or bigger fabric bits sewn together), batting (use anything reasonably fluffy and washable: e.g. old fleece blanket? or you can buy it by the yard in a haberdashery/ John Lewis), quilt top, right side up. Pin/ tack together. Then sew along patchwork top's seam lines, all through, to quilt it. This is fiddly: grit your teeth, do your best and keep stopping to make sure all your layers are still lined up.
Then you bind the edges. Now I have to be honest and say I did not bind mine: I quilted the top to the batting, then just sewed the backing sheet to it right sides together, turned it inside out, closed the opening, and it is fine. But this is not the correct way and I think binding looks very nice. Big Al, did your course cover binding? Only I have actually got something waiting to be bound and the thought of doing a mitred corner is putting me off. If it is not too hard I will have a go!
Sorry that was such an essay... Good luck with your quilt, old tree man! June is definitely manageable: I hope it goes well.
but never mind, at least it is being put to good use! (now!). This is a patchwork cushion I have made for my aunty (- sorry for link, I can't work out how to insert an image).
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