JANNY

Is hand quilting being replaced by long-arm quilting? It seems like most of the quilts I see on display in the shops are either free-motion quilted or done on a long-arm. I can't afford a long-arm and I like to do the whole thing myself, so I guess I will stay with hand quilting most of the time. I tears up my fingers, but I love doing it. And of all things, I love sewing on the binding of a quilt. Just old-fashioned I guess. :lol:

Janeen

The nice thing about quilting is - There are no rules - and therefore, should be no quilt police....

Everybody is assured and reassured that they can 'do their own thing'... therefore:

if you want to cut out each piece by scissors - you can

if you want to use a rotary cutter and stacks of fabric - you can

if you want to do all your piecing by hand - you can

if you want to only use a machine to piece and do it assembly line fashion - you can

if you want to tie a quilt sandwich - you can

if you want to sew baste, or pin baste or tack baste - you can

if you want to do all your quilting by hand - you can

if you want to 'quilt as you go' - you can

if you want to do all the binding by machine - you can

if you want your binding done partly by machine and partly by hand - you can

if you want to do machine quilting by using a regular machine - you can

and finally if you want your quilt done by a longarm method, yourself or another, guess what? - you can

Nobody should take it upon themselves to make someone else feel as if their quilt wasn't quite good enough or elaborate enough or precious enough because if was partly or totally done 'by machine'....
and you shouldn't be made to feel "old-fashioned" because you prefer doing your quilts by hand....

Quilting as no other is a 'do your own thing' kinda craft! :mrgreen:

sandpat

Amen.. :lol:

jstitch

Mostly, I think it is a result of the fast paced world we live in...

I love to do hand work...so I do hand quilt my best quilts ...

and have taken to machine quilting ones that need to be done quickly and the ones that I dont really know the recipient.

Up North

I too prefer the look of hand quilting and so hand quilt my quilts but I say whatever works best for you go ahead. Both methods take time, practice and skill to accomplish. My mom ties all hers and they are as important to me as anyother homemade quilt.

Moonpi

I love the softness of hand quilting, but cannot do all I want that way. My solution is to combine methods for things I make for myself and friends.

Kara

I think of the quilts future use and care (or lack of) before deciding on SOOOO many things.

If it belongs to a baby, the quilt will be washed frequently, because I know (all-too-well) that babies are messy. So I machine quilt. But if I know it's going to be owned by someone who has a clue about its care, I may hand quilt a baby quilt.

I love quilting. So many differents ways, styles, effects, things to do.... It's a wonderful indivual craft.

beachlady

I appreciate hand quilting, but know I do not have the patience to do it. Also with arthritis setting in it would be impossible to hand quilt a large quilt.

I certainly admire anyone who does hand quilt, but also admire some of the work I have seen the long armers do on this forum.

Bravo to both!!!

JANNY

Don't get me wrong, I'm not dinging long-arm quilting. Most of it is beautiful. I'm sure it takes lots of practice to do it. Maybe someday I'll get the opportunity to try my hand at it. I was just commenting that I just don't see much hand quilting displayed in the stores and I would like to see more of it.

Cathe

I save hand quilting for the special things (mostly my own bed quilts or very special gifts) and machine quilt everything else. I have only had one item professionally machine quilted - usually I just do it on my own sewing machine.

Nothing wrong with machine quilting. I can make a lot more quilts that way!

I don't watch television, so I don't often sit down and take time to do handwork. If I watched television, I would probably get a lot more handquilting done! :lol: