Borntohandquilt

Well, it is going a little better slowly...but at the same time the costs are increasing food, health insurance, fuel, gas and electricity etc. Many people can't spend so much their hobbies.

Borntohandquilt

Not guilds, but little groups who meet regularly. I could also ask in the quilts shops here in my area what they think about it.

mpspeedy

Andrea, It is a shame that no one seems interested in handquilting. It is a skill that allows you to be sociable while accomplishing a task. I always have something to work on with my hands while watching TV or having a conversation with my friends. When my husband and I travel I always take some handwork with me. It is amazing how many people will stop and ask what I am doing. So many "modern" woman seem to have no interest in the "homemaking" skills. I live in an area that is only an hour's drive or so to what is regarded as the "Amish" area. It has become a tourist attraction. The residents there are able to sell their "handwork" for sometimes outrageous prices. Work like yours there would go for thousands of dollars.
Like you I prefer handquilting over machine any day. The only quilts I machine are those for charity or for small children.

Renee110

That's sad! It's sad for you and sad that people are letting this artform pass them by. I would attend one of your workshops!!! I'm hand quilting my quilt, but it's nothing compared to yours!

CarrieAnne

So sorry! I would take your classes if I could, your work is wonderful!

dkabasketlady

Andrea, don't give up! You're an AMAZING hand-quilter and I'd love to be able to attend one of your workshops! Too bad you don't live here in the states and I'm sure you'd have more of a response. Hand quilting isn't as popular as it used to be, but there are some of us that are trying to rekindle the interest in this artform(me included). I find it so relaxing(of course I'll never be a talented as you).
I hope that you do find a way to "teach" your craft and also make some money so that you can continue to create your Masterpieces.

Butterflyblue

A trunk show would be fun and might be a way to get people interested in hand quilting, too. I'm sorry you're having trouble getting people interested in your classes.

I never see quilt stores here in the United States offering classes in hand techniques. I've only seen a couple of guild shows that offered those classes.

feline fanatic

There ya go! You most definitely can do that! A few more best in handquilting awards like last year's will help to supplement your fabric allowance considerably.

Maybe you can stir up some interest at the shops for doing a trunk show for a minimal fee, maybe a few Euros per person to attend. You could explain to the shop that trunk shows generate interest and may lead to sales of supplies, fabric, threads, marking tools etc. The trunk shows may in turn lead to more interest in handquilting so you would be able to fill a workshop or maybe get names for mailing lists and promote the workshops yourself rather then leaving it to the shop. The only problem there is finding a location to hold them.

It is sad that your workshops have been cancelled due to lack of interest. I am wondering how much effort the shops are putting forth informing their customers that such a workshop is available? You are right though, so many just do not have the patience for hand quilting. While I am an avid hand quilter I do not hand quilt exclusively and one of the many reasons I invested in a LA machine is to be able to complete a quilt in months as opposed to the years it takes me to handquilt. I will always have hand work to do but I will machine quilt too.

thepolyparrot

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that - your work is jaw-dropping beautiful!

Maybe you could use this idea, though? One of our LQS is offering a class in "Utility Quilting," hand quilting with large stitches in very simple designs - might even be called primitive?

Maybe make up a small quilted piece with large stitches and put a sign on it that says, "Fast and easy - utility quilting gets your quilts done!"

In a short class, you could cover thread and needle types, thimbles, a couple of simple designs and how to transfer them to the quilt, knotting, traveling, other basics, then the actual stitch and the motions your hands need to learn how to make. :)

When people find out how relaxing hand work is, they might look for more challenging pieces. :)

If you were to have samples of your beautiful wholecloth quilts on hand, and some samples of intermediate difficulty and beginner difficulty, too, maybe people can see that there's a huge range of quilting techniques and even the simplest ones have their place.

And the idea of getting a quilt DONE in a few weeks while you're watching tv in the evenings is pretty enticing. :)

wanderingcreek

I would take your class if you were closer to me. Hand quilting is something that I would like to learn. It is really too bad that you aren't getting a better response to your classes. I wish you luck.