I hand quilt my quilts. I just feel w/all the machines doing stuff for us, that I like to keep that part "alive". I also enjoy handquilting, it is relaxing to me. Yep, takes lots of time, but I figure it is worth it. I enjoy every part of quilting, even the binding. :-)
I send my out for LAQ. I am going to learn to free motion quilt, sometime. But, then I am going to do a lot of things...sometime! Aren't we all. However, I am making a stitch journal (or what ever you call it) and will stick with that, until I learn what my machine is capabile of, and what I am capable of, too.
I tried hand quilting at first. But, I just couldn't get the rhythm down. Probably comes with time, but I have a short attention span so gave up. I also can't do needle turn applique. Had a quilt teacher try to show me, but, I gave up too soon. Should try that again, I guess.
One thing this post card swapis teaching me is that I AM a creative person. All I have to do is use that. I think we all have that gene, it just lays dormant as we THINK we haven't that capability within us. Ok, I am hanging out the closed sigh on my Psychriac (sp) booth. Oh, another thing I need to do is re-learn to spell!!
I hand quilt most of my quilts. I just prefer the looks. Besides, I love hand work but it does take a long time. I have done some machine straight stitch quilting with a walking foot on a couple of quilts that I knew were going to get a lot of wear. I also took a class from Harriet Hargrave, and if I could machine quilt like her I would do all my quilts on my domestic machine. She told me I could if I practiced 10,000 hours. I told her I probably didn't have 10,000 hours left in my lifetime. But, she's right I should practice, practice, practice. Maybe some day I will. I have a fear of letting anyone else quilt the tops that I spend a lot of time and money on so I do them myself.
Jane
Wow what great responses and info. Thank you. This ended up being a very interesting discussion. I think I am getting a little frustrated and tired doing the quilting but I am not working with the most ideal machine for it either. I know I am a perfectionist too and want it to look super nice and it isn't coming out perfect. I know it won't be perfect and I am still a beginner so I try to keep that in mind. I am a little worried about doing the binding now since so many of you have said you dont like it. :/
Hi Sara, so far I have quilted my own on my small machine. Lately life has turned so hetic I think I would like to send some of my quilt tops out. I have mostly done stitch in the ditch and there is so many more patterns out there. I would like to learn more about the machine quilting. I have done quite a bit of hand quilting but that also is simple and it takes forever. ha If I could afford to have the 10 tops I have sent out I think I would. Mostly to get them finished.
Joyce
Me again Sara. I enjoy the binding. I guess I do it correctly. I machine one side on and then I think the hand stitching is relaxing. Plus you know you are getting to the finished quilt. Good luck.
Sara, I'm a perfectionist also. Sometimes while I'm working on a quilt I'm berating myself for doing "sloppy" work, but later after it's finished and I take a look at it from a distance it doesn't appear to be as sloppy as I thought. You will probably find this to be true for you. Even if it isn't, just think of it as a learning process, study what you've done and determine what you like the least then get a practice piece and practice doing that. I've quilted a number of quilts and there isn't one that I wouldn't have liked to have done something on it better. The key is that on the next quilt I try to do that something better.
Right now I'm hand quilting a 90 x 90 quilt with a half inch diagonal cross hatch grid surrounding an appliqued medallion. I have never done cross hatching on this large an area before. I thought I could mark it with masking tape as I have done before on blocks. Wrong!!! The lines veered off, some were wobbly -- I have ripped out almost as much as I have put in. I'm almost finished with the center portion (have borders to do yet) and when I laid it out on the floor last night I have to admit from a distance it doesn't look so bad. I have to remember no one who will see the quilt will lay a ruler on it to determine if every line is perfectly straight. And, I have to block out the memories and tears from all the mishaps of the quilting and enjoy the quilt when is is completed. However, my next quilt will be marked before it's sandwiched.
Continue quilting!!!
Sara
Bindings aren't difficult. What most people don't like is hand sewing the binding to the back of the quilt. I personally don't mind it. There are ways to sew the binding completely by machine. If you should decide you would like to try bindings by machine sewing just let us know and someone will help you with the technique.
Vinton, Virginia
Sara,
Not everyone hates bindings. Actually, I love bindings. I feel that when the binding is done, quilt is finished. I've got 3 quilts sitting here needing the hand stitching of the bindings to the back and it's what I do while relaxing and watching tv in the evenings. I've finished the bindings on 2 in the last week or so. I've got a quilt at the long-armer and the binding is ready to be attached as soon as it gets back home.
Diana (Bink) in East Tn.
Sara.
I have quilted a couple of quilts and then had 2 done on a long arm machine as presents for my sons and daughter in laws.
I have just finished the top for my goddaughter and am struggling with it I have unpicked it 4 times already! I cannot get it straight. I have decided to get it done on the LAM. It costs a lot in UK and I really want to do it myself so I am now looking at getting a better sewing machine with a larger arm no idea what though so I will need to do some research. I have looked at Pfaff so far but any ideas anyone has would be appreciated. Thanks
Lx
I have either had mine long armed by a local guy, who is very reasonable. One of the local quilter's guilds gave me his name.Then a lady at church quilts by hand and she is very reasonable - $20 for the Sun Bonnet Sue, which was 58" square. I want to learn how to quilt on my next sewing machine, which will have a longer neck area so I can quilt.
"I think it's only fair to warn you that I am, in fact, a librarian." Librarian 3: Quest for the Judas Chalice
Debbie from OKC
I do my own binding, really enjoy the process of sewing it down by hand. makes me feel I've come full circle on the quilt, start to finish.
My answer is no. I think if you spend all that time makeing the quilt and putting your heart and soul into it and having someone else quilt it , it isnt completely yours. Just an opinion. It's harder when its large but there are ways to make it work.
Jane Seybold:Sometimes while I'm working on a quilt I'm berating myself for doing "sloppy" work, but later after it's finished and I take a look at it from a distance it doesn't appear to be as sloppy as I thought. You will probably find this to be true for you.
i find this to be very true in my case.
gini in north idaho
My Mother always hand quilted, but her last 3 or 4 quilts she made she had a someone long arm them for her. I can't make the great tiny stitches my Mom made. I have hand quilted, tied and machine quilted all my quilts so far. My husband just bought me a viking with the 10 inch throat so I can machine quilt larger quilts.
The few quilts that I have tied were always for adults.. I used yarn for years now I use crochet cotton and it works much better. I decide the method to use by the use of the quilt. Anything for babies or small kids, I machine sew, because of the extra washing. I tied the quilt I made for DH and he loved it.
I just retired and after our vacation, I want to spend most my extra time making quilts.While I can still physically do everything myself. I really want to learn FMQ. Most my machine quilting has been with a walking foot.