I have something more to say about the Cracker
Barrel quilts thing: I am not a quilt snob and my comment was not intended to come across as such.However, since I keep at least one foot in my mouth at all times (it amazes me I ever learned to walk!) let me clarify... I learned to quilt because I love the things and to me $100. is a GREAT LOT of money so if I spent that to take home a beautiful item only to find I could not keep it because it fell apart i would be very hurt. THAT, ladies, is what I object to and nothing else.

I have something more to say about the Cracker Barrel quilt thing, please. First, I am not a quilt snob, and I apologize for coming across as such. . However, since I seem to keep at least one foot in my mouth at all times (It amazes me I ever learned to walk), let me clarify: I love quilts and all such things and learned to make my own so I Could have them. My problem , ladies, is a hundred dollars is a GREAT LOT of money to me and I would be heart broken to have put down that money to have a beautiful quilt and THEN find out I could not keep it because it would not hold up to normal use! Folks are being ripped off and THAT bothers me!!

NOW, i need to learn enough about computers so i dont appear senile even online!!!!! tee hee

These cheap/import quilts are fine for those who want to use them & toss them ... but it STILL bothers me when people call them "hand made" or "hand quilted" ... or question why REAL quilts made by REAL quilters cost more $$$.
I remember when I had first started quilting 20+ yrs ago, we were on vacation in the Ozark mountains and I was SO EXCITED to see shops advertise "HAND MADE QUILTS". We stopped to look and I still remember my utter & total disappointment to see they were all made in CHINA - NOT in the Ozarks!! This was back in the 80's - and they were poorly made then too. Some things never change !!

When I said they were handmade I may have been wrong but they were machine quilted and machine embroidered all white backgrounds with beautiful machine quilting. I didn't look at the fiber content tag or anything but they were beautiful to look at no matter what they were made of or how they were made. Don't a lot of us machine quilt or even embroider but consider these hand made by us?

Darlene,
I didn't mean a quilt that's machine made or embroidered isn't "hand-made" ... what I was trying to say was these IMPORT quilts are all MASS produced in factories or sweat shops - vs. a hand (or machine) made individual quilt, made by a quilter, one at a time - as we all make them.

I machine piece & machine quilt MUCH more than I hand quilt now. If I went back to hand work only, I doubt I'd ever get another quilt made !! :)

I just hate to see people think these import quilts are "real" quilts, when they're NOT ... :-(

I make my quilts totally by using a sewing machine and always will and I call them homemade - Because they are. I make them in my home and do the cutting with my hands on my rotary cutter, feed the fabric into my machine with my hands fix the backing with my hands and pin the layers together with my hands and I guide the quilt sandwich through my machine with my hands. In my mind they are all handmade and homemade. I use to cut pieces out with scissors and handquilt them, I am into to the new aprroved way, I want to make them faster and I do. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Older, south easterern oklahoma, retired wife , some time quilter.
Used to sew dolls bears. Came here to motivate my self to make small quilt and find good friendship
Hope to findmy way back to sewing again. Once made a 64 9 in spread. I need to stay with simple country stuff..
My dogs name is Moosy.
I like meeting people, wish i lived in Alaska where i was born.
Hope to meet you, if you have time. Sounds like an enthusiastic group. email is [email protected] ( Moosys mom) its colder here this week than in alaska enjoying the fireplace this week. Bless to all 1-4-10

I agree about the "cheap quilts". I have seen some that I wouldn't take home if they were free. People are surely getting ripped off.
Another thing that really aggitates me is going to Lancaster, PA area and seeing the "Amish Made" quilts which are not as advertised. We were there about 3 years ago checking out the quilt shops. While in one a big van type vehicle pulled in and several Oriental ladies got out and each carried in several quilts to be sold. Yes they are well made, hand appliqued and beautiful---but NOT Amish made as advertised. Am I picky or what? They make big money on the " Amish Made" signs. I feel this is fraud and false advertising, am I wrong? Please, let's have some answers. People from all over the world go there for "Amish Made Quilts" and believe that is what they are buying. I make my own, do not buy them there. I was extremely disappointed when I learned this. I read about them in a newspaper article but do not know how to put it on here. If you want to read more Google --Hmong quilt making. Several articles on there. Rant is over.

Welcome, Palomino! You'll find all kinds of friends here!