vintage flower garden, quilting or ties?
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 18
vintage flower garden, quilting or ties?
I got a cutter quilt a few weeks ago. It is the flower garden pattern with the small hexagon shapes made from vintage feedsacks. It was the size of maybe a queen bed, but I could only salvage a piece maybe 40 by 40 square to make into a baby quilt for a friend. The batting is in poor condition and the backing is pretty ugly/stained. The binding is also gone. BUT the actual quilt top is still good. I am slowly cutting the hand quilting to separate the quilt top piece out and it is taking a long time!
My questions--does this kind of quilt have to be hand quilted with little hexagon shapes (basically following the hexagon pattern) or has anyone ever seen this kind of quilt tied before? Will tying be faster/easier than hand quilting? I am concerned the hand quilting would take forever and the baby is due this summer. I could also do it on the machine but I'd rather do the tying instead but not sure if that would look weird or unusual for this quilt pattern. suggestions?
My questions--does this kind of quilt have to be hand quilted with little hexagon shapes (basically following the hexagon pattern) or has anyone ever seen this kind of quilt tied before? Will tying be faster/easier than hand quilting? I am concerned the hand quilting would take forever and the baby is due this summer. I could also do it on the machine but I'd rather do the tying instead but not sure if that would look weird or unusual for this quilt pattern. suggestions?
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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I don't think tying would look weird, but maybe the fabric might be a little fragile for tying. If you dont want to handquilt, machine quilting would offer the stability you need. I love handquilting, so that's what I would do, but maybe big stitch quilting could also be an option.
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Oregon
Posts: 685
Baby quilts get a lot of laundering and abuse. Machine quilting would give the fabric more support. You don't necessarily have to stitch on every single hex. You could do a FMQ stencil. Please post pics when you are finished.
#7
"I don't think tying would look weird, but maybe the fabric might be a little fragile for tying. " My thoughts as well.
But I would advise against machine quilting. IMO hand quilting is what is traditional for these kinds of quilts, although if it was a new top, tying would be OK too. You don't necessarily have to quilt around each little hexagon, I have done them with less quilting.
But I would advise against machine quilting. IMO hand quilting is what is traditional for these kinds of quilts, although if it was a new top, tying would be OK too. You don't necessarily have to quilt around each little hexagon, I have done them with less quilting.
#8
I received a quilt like that for my first child. It was green, white, blue and yellow pastels. (Typical baby boy colors.) The quilter tied small ribbons in the center of each hexagon. Blue of course. She also took a stitch in the middle of each bow to secure the tie. It was beautiful. He still has it and has used it for all 9 of his children. Hand stitched and still going strong.
#9
I tied a GFG due to arthrites and poor eyesite! It worked out well. I used embrodery floss and matched the floss color to each hex. Am getting ready to pin baste another and will do the same thing. A photo of mine is in the gallery. Queen size.
#10
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 18
"I don't think tying would look weird, but maybe the fabric might be a little fragile for tying. " My thoughts as well.
But I would advise against machine quilting. IMO hand quilting is what is traditional for these kinds of quilts, although if it was a new top, tying would be OK too. You don't necessarily have to quilt around each little hexagon, I have done them with less quilting.
But I would advise against machine quilting. IMO hand quilting is what is traditional for these kinds of quilts, although if it was a new top, tying would be OK too. You don't necessarily have to quilt around each little hexagon, I have done them with less quilting.
Thanks everyone for your feedback, I really appreciate it. I am wondering, if I don't stitch every hexagon (machine or by hand) what pattern would be appropriate, like every other hexagon? or just the centers of the flowers?
I should mention also I have one alteration I have to make, the center of the the quilt as I cut it has a really ugly colored "flower" its black and neon green plaid..ugh. So I cut another flower of hexagons from another part and I'm planning to applique the whole complex (like 20 hexagons) directly on top of the other one. I'll post pics soon.
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