Why would you hand piece a quilt?
#21
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: England
Posts: 261
Although I do machine quilt for charities and when a gift is in need of finishing, I really do prefer handwork.
The same as all the reasons mentioned above, it's relaxing, it's portable and I think it's a more sociable way of making a quilt.
I can sit with the family and sew or pin, early morning bus rides to work don't seem so brain-draining as I can sew, so long as it's already pinned. I put each block into a separate little freezer bag so that I haven't got several pieces to sort out whilst travelling.
As others, I am definitely more accurate with hand sewing than on the machine.
And, I've got to be honest here and admit it... it feels damn good to look at your finished, handsewn quilt after all those months of work... and tell it how lovely it is, how well it behaved whilst you were making it, then pat it and tell it how well loved it is... lol!
(Sorry, been sewing most of today... I think my brains gone a bit addled!)
The same as all the reasons mentioned above, it's relaxing, it's portable and I think it's a more sociable way of making a quilt.
I can sit with the family and sew or pin, early morning bus rides to work don't seem so brain-draining as I can sew, so long as it's already pinned. I put each block into a separate little freezer bag so that I haven't got several pieces to sort out whilst travelling.
As others, I am definitely more accurate with hand sewing than on the machine.
And, I've got to be honest here and admit it... it feels damn good to look at your finished, handsewn quilt after all those months of work... and tell it how lovely it is, how well it behaved whilst you were making it, then pat it and tell it how well loved it is... lol!
(Sorry, been sewing most of today... I think my brains gone a bit addled!)
#23
Here is a pic of a quilt I started hand piecing when I was pregnant with my daughter. I hated the colors and the Joann's cheap fabric, though. And the templates don't make as sharp of points in the center of the wheel, so I took the blocks I had and made a doll quilt out of them. When we took all the kids to Florida, I took it for our new son to lay on since I wasn't finished with his quilt yet. Here he is on the ugly doll quilt I hand pieced.
He was 12 weeks old. That's my mom helping him push.
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#24
I have not hand pieced anything yet, but I love counted cross stitch. Any handwork like that I find very relaxing. It's very much like mindfulness, when you are in the moment now and only in the moment now. I think it is very meditative, the needle going in and out, your breathing in and out, your mind focused on the activity.
#29
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 10,357
I started doing lots of embroidery, needlework, tapestry and crochet. So when I got interested in quilting, I automatically started English Paper Piecing. Now I am branching out and trying my skills with the sewing machine, and doing quilts the "American Way". I won't ever give up hand-work, but I love using the machine now and learning all the fantastic techniques and patterns on this fantastic board.
Besides...life is too short for me to stick with hand-work...I can make more quilts on my ever expanding list if I keep up machining!
Besides...life is too short for me to stick with hand-work...I can make more quilts on my ever expanding list if I keep up machining!
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: western australia
Posts: 1,793
Originally Posted by niizh
I find any handwork is relaxing. When I ask my Mom why she did so much hand work, she said "it is better than Prozac." When making clothing, I disliked hand work, however, with quilting, applique, etc., it is a joy and really relaxes me.
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AngelinaMaria
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04-17-2012 08:55 AM