Krazyquilter,

I am a handquilter. While I do machine quilt my chairty quilts and items for small children I prefer hand quilting. I machine piece and applique when absolutely necessary but I prefer to do wholecloth or someone else's piecing or appliquing. I prefer to do craft and garmet sewing so the majority of my quilt peicing are basic simple patterns. I once worked for a Bernina dealer who made ends meet by doing custom dressmaking and alterations. I was the one who got to do most of the hand finishing in the shop. They laughed at me because I used a quilting "between" needle to hem garmets etc.

The shop owner probably figured that you would not be a good customer because she thought you would take so long to finish a project that you wouldn't purchase much. Our society is general seems to be in an awlful hurry. The joke is on them. Handwork can be as fast or faster than machine, a whole lot less expensive and totally portable. I am famous for hand quilting those preprinted panels into wall hangings as gifts. Just this summer I gave two of them as gifts to a niece and a nephew that got married. I can whip out one of them in a week or so of watching TV in the evening. Don't let anyone talk you out of your handwork. According to doctors it is great for your bloodpressure.

Krazy Quilter

Don't let her get to you. I guess I'm lucky. My LQS DOES have c;lasses in hand piecing and hand quilting. In fact, there is a new method out by the Thimblelady on how to quilt without pricking your finger. The hand piecing class usually uses the Grandmother's Flower Garden hexagons to teach the technique.

However, as Contrary Mary said, Jenny Byer is very well know for her hand piecing. She says she doesn't have time to go sit at a machine. But she always has something bagged up (in a ziploc bag) ready to grab on her way out the door to work on.

I'm also doing a Grandmother's Flower Garden for that reason. As I sit and listen during seminars, I am able to stay awake and alert if I have something to do with my hands.

Check out Jenny Byers site. I have her book, and there's really nothing to learn about hand piecing EXCEPT sewing from 'dot to dot'. Jenny has a good book on the subject of hand piecing if you're interested.

I haven't really gotten to the hand quilting yet (haven't actually finished a quilt), but I intend to hand quilt most, if not all, of my quilts.

I too hand piece and hand quilt and love it too. My prob is not others but myself:)I want too many quilts and never enough time...so, I do 'cheat' as I call it and machine them too. :0) I love both avenues of quilting. I have purchased an amazing appliq. quilt that is just the top. All hand done and I will hand quilt that -for it is only right to do so:))I have many friends that machine piece yet hand quilt. And, you have to realize in a situation like you experienced is it is prob someone w/the serious lack of 'people skills' and communication:))And, we also have to remember that those mean girls from middle school...remember them...the insecurity issues, etc...they did grow up and go somewhere:))LOL Keep doing what your heart desires...I enjoy the rhythm of hand work and the looks of it too:0).....smile at ignorance!:))Skeat

I love to see hand quilted quilts and in awe of anybody who hand quilts. I do not have the patiences. Although I am going to try it after the first of the year. Wish me luck. :D

The store keeper was just seeing missed sales as Cathe said.

Too funny but absolutely right!!!!!!

:roll: I dont hand piece much because it hurts the side of my finger.But I feel terrible when I say I dont care for machine quilting and they give you that" look"...........If I were you,I would do what I wanted and ignore them.If your happy thats all that matters.

I probably wouldn't go back to that shop again! I would love to handpiece and quilt a project, my LQSs all have at least one class per quarter on handpiecing or quilting and a few even have a hand pieced and quilted year long sampler classes. I'm really sorry that you were treated that way, I truly do'nt believe that is even close to being how the majority of machine sewers feel about the hand sewers! :-)

The very first quilt I finished was a grandmothers flower garden . My Grandmother made all the flowers but never put them together . This was done in either the 30's or 40's. They stayed in her cedar chest . She raised me and shw passed away in 1982 . In 2000 I finally got brave and put it together by hand . No machine sewing except for the border or binding . It isn't finished like it should be , but it's fine with me . Such a treasure to keep ! :D I had a smarty asked me why didn't you machine sew it ? I tried to politely tell her that it was already started by hand and that's how I finished it . Still more sassy remarks . I guess some people think if you don't do it by machine it's awful or something .
I was handquilting preprinted panels and got the same response . I just think that some things are better hand quilted . Annie

Congrats to all hand quilters. I don't have the patience for that, but I really admire those who do. I have some wonderful hand pieced/quilted quilts that my husband's grandmother and mother have done and I really cherish them.

DD

What a treasure from yoru gmother! I'm sure you will forever see that quilt and remember her and the hard work she did and the hard work you did out of love for her to complete it!!! :!: :!: I might have to take your idea of starting on a smaller preprinted panel to hqnd quilt. I would love to do it!