Just to put a different perspective on this. It is a FINISHED QUILT (nah..not yelling--just emphasizing) It is being ENJOYED by the recipient. I once was a FANTASTIC QUILTER-- by hand or by machine-- I was good. FACT.
Now I am relearning the entire process--and if it wasn't for a few ppl on this NG I would NOT be where I am now. I will never hand quilt again FACT
I will be pleased to one day-- maybe ONE DAY-- be able to sew on a button by hand. I know how to do it by machine and am quite good at that : ) and I have learned how to ASK for help if they are fancy ones. I have also learned that a PRO QUILTER is FANTASTIC at quilting and will even do the binding for me ; )
In all the quilts I have made, I have never had one returned because the quality was not there (I KNEW I had done better before and I hope to get as good as I once was--but--right now--I am just HAPPY to be able to do once again. Means I have to have help holding after a certain size but I'm ok with that too. Having 2 kidlets standing in the doorway (DD with tears running down her cheeks) just LISTENING to the machine run again and rejoicing in that fact alone.....
SEEMS I have been a bit misunderstood. Quilting is an act of love no matter how you do it, but sometimes there isn't time to do a total hand quilt. I am not prejudiced against machine quilting, I am however prejudiced against MY machine stitching a quilt. if I use a machine-- its in the piecing where no one is going to see the crooked lines and bad stitching, then I hand the top as that's what is expected in MY family. when someone goes "Ohhhh make me one of these!!!" they take for granted that with 45 people (sisters, brothers, aunts, cousins, uncles, parents, kids, etc) in the family, they are not the only ones saying this, and they ALL want one hand stitched 'just for them' cuz I love them, and the time it takes to make one never ever enters their heads...so while they give you these fun projects, direct the fabrics they want and in general take your job, your time, and your family life for granted....they call you up at least once a week to ask 'how is my quilt going?' Its like they think I am supposed to wave a magic wand and boom, one week later...Pineapple pattern! I cant do it that fast even with a machine. Then there is the ever present 'baby alert' and ooh oh...I forgot a birthday (I have a very bad memory and a lot of family) so I end up quilting all the time with no time to actually enjoy it.
I did not mean to give the impression that I am against machine quilting...but in the case of my daughter....it needs to be ready soon, so I will use a simple pattern ( I cant sew curves on a machine too good) and it will be machine stitched, and hand tied. because I know this kid enough to know she would say, "well you did my sister's quilt this way, and you did that to grandma's so why is mine this way?" There is a book called quilt-in-a-day and the only way you can make a full size quilt in one day is to use a machine. when you have no time, its the only way. the reason I quilt is for relaxation, and as I explained with the amount of people in my family, I get no relaxation when I get roped into "make me one" and 'no' is not an option. its like when I knit....I started when I was 12...everyone in the family has something I have knitted....except me. TONIGHT for example...my sister dropped by, seen the cotton tank top I am currently making for mom and said ..."what are you making me?" I said 'that's for mom.' and as if I have nothing better to do than to be her personal knitter and without regard for what I have planned next...she said 'well I want mine to be white, with red trim.' I told her 'the pattern is right there or wait on it, may take a year though.' that is how long mom has patiently waited on this thing being put off because everything else in life hits me and I have to deal with children, hubby, job, and then all the relatives ...who call her saying stuff like 'how come Kay has never made me anything?' then SHE calls me and says well make them something...and I finally got some time to work on her thing and of course it starts all over. I would love to buy a knitting machine (which I cant afford) to get them all out the way by making everyone a 'little something' as mom puts it and then my hobby would be a hobby again instead of feeling like an obligation.
When I quilt for the fun of quilting, it takes me a long time....then someone comes at me with 'do this and rush it' so they get the machine quilt....that is NOT my best work. there are folks .... like my mom, sewing machine is an extension of her....does some beautiful stuff on there....then you have me, cant sew a strait line, having tried for years....I do better by hand. and when I say the way I DO IT...I mean ME, not anyone else, but when someone ask for advice...I try to help...if my advice doesn't work for you, rub off the dust and move on.
My first machine quilt was for 'utilitarian purposes' we needed blankets...after a fire, very little money, mom had a large fabric stash at her house....they weren't the best quilts, they had no patterns per se, but they were warm, and by the time that winter was over....some nice snowballs and nine patches were in progress. Sometimes I quilt in a rush, and sometimes I quilt because I love it. I prefer doing it the way I love it.
peepla
"Kathy Applebaum" wrote in message news:1fy2q4n.1c1tkdi1pinqm8N%Kathy snipped-for-privacy@KayneyNOSPAMquilting.com...
this is what I am saying....I quilt better by hand. by machine....I don't want to admit to being the stitcher....I cant sew worth 3 nickels on a machine. and when I am doing my best....I am doing it by hand. If I want to be embarrassed...I will machine the top. I hide my machine stitches where no one is looking. my ------- looks like /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ when I am sewing by machine. when I am sewing by hand ... my ------- looks like -------.
Ermm.. well.. okay. Can't argue with that. Need any help on Butterfly's? LOL
Elena mmmmmm comatose.... sounds good...This quilt WILL come with you to housekeep for a week or two, won't it? Not much cleaning, just chase the kids and dog, and the rocking chair out on the patio needs sitting in for awhile. Quilting studio readily shared. You can even have my scrap..errr...stash if I get a quilt out of it.
Sounds like time the machine got looked at. If you are doing a lot of sewing, it might need a service and clean up every year - expensive, but worth it. You could try taking the machine in for a look-see and estimate. If it's either not economical to get it fixed, or can't be fixed, it's time to replace. If the cash for new is not available, take a good long look at used machines. There are some real bargains out there, and some very nice older machines going really cheap. I loved my second hand Viscount so much I gave it to my mum when I bought my new machine. It doesn't have all the scary electronics, and stitches really well.
We are having a discussion about good and bad machines on another sewing ng I take part in, and are of the opinion there that bad machinery is responsible for a lot of folk struggling and fighting with their sewing, and learning to hate it.
In the end you have to do what makes you love what you are doing - and my advice is free, so you can ignore it without risking offending me! :)
I dont see why not! The hard part is going to be collecting all those onion skins for dyeing. Maybe this project is a bit over my head. Would you be offended if I showed up with a cheater panel quilt, tied, and a jug of lemonade instead? lol I can still make you comatose other ways. Diana
Kate....its not the machine that sews bad...its me. I have sewn on 3 different machines....mine, mom's and mom's other one....everyone in this house can sew strait on them....I cant. I couldn't sew a strait line in home ec class in school many-many-not saying how many-years ago, and I have not improved at it now. so when it comes to machine sewing....mom and I kinda have a deal...I give her patterns for stuff I want, she gives me stuff she needs hemmed. works out well. she doesn't like hand stitching, and my machine stitching is embarrassing.
Aha! What you need isn't a new sewing machine, it's PRACTICE! ;)
I bet you watch where the needle goes into the fabric, rather than where the edge of the fabric goes past the edge of the foot! It's a bit like driving - you don't watch where the wheels are on the road, you look where you are going!
However, if you are happier doing it all by hand, don't let me stop you! :) Personally, I'm a mad machinist, as you can see on my web site
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