auntjo

I have been a hand quilter all my life - well at least since I started quilting over 35 years ago. I have completed several quilts - both hand pieced and hand quilted, won awards at shows, and when I go to a show I prefer to see the art of hand quilting on display, which seems to be getting rarer and rarer. I'm still more into traditional pattern style quilts - not really into art quilts which seems to be the rage.

That said I am in the last years of hand quilting because my hands get too stiff and sore with the arthritis setting in, so I am in the process of teaching myself to machine quilt. I tried a baby quilt last year on my little White Jeans machine which I have used for machine piecing for years. Then I began to look in earnest for a larger-throated machine because it is a lot of work, at least for me, to shove a quilt around under a machine at a table - and on the norm I do bed quilts.

I now am doing a lot of quilting (well at least up to about my 12th donation quilt for our guild as I practice with pantographs on a Brother mid-arm (9"throat) on a floor frame and am loving it to the point of knowing that I will go to a 18-20" machine as long as I don't have to spend more than $5000 for the set up. And in the searching process also got myself a new-to-me Juki 9" throat that I really , really like for piecing... I have a couple "special" quilts to finish that I really want to finish for my family with hand quilting. Still have two in a series of 4 X'mas quilts that I've finished the first two by hand and an appliques original quilt top for my oldest d - tho I may switch up to machine quilting on that as it's been in the works for over 10 years The hand-appliqued top is completed as of last year, but haven't come up with the exact quilting design, & as I'm getting into this machine quilting, am thinking it may be one that I end up doing on the machine. I believe that machine quilting is the future for me - but at this point that seems to mean that I will also turn out a few more for my g'kids and family members than I did as my kids were growing up.

Momwood

I am hand quilting one right now. I still haven't mastered the FMQ so if I am being picky about how it looks.... I do it by hand. Sure wish I had the skills to machine quilt like the other members do. Try Try Try :roll:

grannypat7925

I would love to do hand quilting but the arthritis and numbness in my hands won't allow it.

Parrothead

I am so happy to see so many that still hand quilt. I only hope we can hand this wonderful art down to the next generation. I am hoping my Granddaughter will someday quilt. She sews now and before we found she had MS she was on her way to Fashion Design School. So if she quilts, it will probably be the beautiful art quilts.

MerryQuilter

Love doing it and the look it gives a quilt.

MerryQuilter

Have a calendar that says hurry up and relax, I too hurry but try and enjoy the journey.

IT_Nana

My Mother taught me to hand quilt and I never considered doing anything else until I was faced with quilting a queen size in less than a month before Christmas. With all my other responsibilities, I knew I wouldn't be able to complete it in time so resorted to the machine, which for this particular quilt worked out just fine.

I still prefer to hand quilt small projects ... I find it relaxing and can sit comfortably and watch (or listen to) TV while I quilt. I'm happy to hear that so many people still hand quilt, as I think it's important that we carry on this tradition and talent that was passed down to us.

The advantage to machine quilting is that it is SO much faster, and I am looking forward to learning more about it, although it is a bit overwhelming. Some of the machine quilted quilts are truly beautiful, but I'm still partial to hand quilting and I enjoy the "old-fashioned" style of quilt. To me, there's nothing prettier than a hand quilted wholecloth quilt!

shrabar

I do hand quilting every tuesday at church & did a baby quilt at home

char in MI

I have been quilting for 38 years and do only hand quilting. That is how my grandma taught me. My DM also hand quilted, first for my quilts and then she started making her own. I haven't figured out machine quilting after all this time, so I just relax and do it by hand. Took a class with Harriet Hargrave a few months ago and she was a great inspiration to keep hand quilting.

Sis Phillips12962

I hand quilt and Iam even more old fashioned than that I only do hand embroidered ones.