Machine or hand quilting?

**Valerie in WA** · 04-03-2006, 10:52 AM

Which is your preference?

I definately prefer hand-quilting. I can sew 6-8 stiches per inch easily, 9 if I try REALLY hard. I love the way it looks - kind of ripply and old-fashioned.

But I'm noticing a trend among new quilters to machine-quilt their pieces.

What about you?

**homesteadmamma** · 04-03-2006, 11:19 AM

Hand quilting, hands down.

**Michelle** · 04-03-2006, 11:22 AM

I prefer doing machine quilting, maybe because I'm better at it than hand quilting. I do, however, like the appearance of hand quilting more.

**marym** · 04-03-2006, 12:00 PM

I don't know yet. I have only hand quilted. I like doing that because I can watch TV at the same time. I have not tried machine quilting, I'm a new quilter.

**dolphin** · 04-05-2006, 12:43 AM

I piece with my machine and do the quilting by hand and really prefer it that way. I've only done one quilt completely on my machine and it's just not set up for quilting (don't even have a walking foot) so it was difficult but it was very fast and my brother liked the quilt so it wasn't a waste. It was a panel piece quilt though and I believe I will always do my pieced quilts by a hand as I also enjoy sitting around and doing it whenever I want to.

guest7 · 04-05-2006, 06:23 AM

machine quilting- b/c I don't have time to do it by hand.
I've learned alot of techniques for the machine. Rubber finger tips helps too.

**peanut** · 04-05-2006, 12:41 PM

Machine quilt. No time for hand quilting. I use a extension bed, rubber tipped gloves and a special darning foot. I also took a machine quilting course at a Quilt Show a few years ago.

Interestingly enough, there are sections of Canada where they do not consider machine quilting to be quilting. As one lady in the Maritimes put it to me, "It's good for horse blankets."!!! I think a lot of what's acceptable is cultural.

In the Maritimes they are having a hard time making and selling handsewn quilts. They are time consuming and people don't want to pay the money for them.

I talked to a gift store owner from PEI when I was down there. He claims all he can sell are the cheap Chinese knock-offs now...for a couple hundred bucks. He used to sell the handsewn ones, but noone wanted to pay $1500 for them (queen size).

I think it's just a matter of time before machine quilting becomes popular in the East. Either that or quilting will die out.

Jean

**2bz2bbored** · 03-08-2008, 09:54 AM

I'm new to FV and was hoping to revive this thread. I see it is an old topic so I hope someone out there is still interested.

I am a hand quilter (approx 10-11 per inch) but have just completed several wall hangings using machine quilting. I think there is a place for both. The only thing that concerns me is losing the art of hand quilting. I think shows and competitions should definitely have a category for both and that they should be judged separately. I have entered shows where they do not differentiate.

I also tie quilts. (Wow, do I get grief for those) I live in a very old farmhouse and we have no heat source on the second floor. I make our quilts comforter style using two layers of hi-loft batt and tie them. They are usually backed with flannel and VERY warm and cozy!

I've never met a quilt I didn't like.

**Dancing Lotus** · 03-08-2008, 12:03 PM

I machine quilt because my hand stitches are not very pretty. I know that comes with practice but patience is not one of my stronger points.

Maybe I can find a small project to practice my hand stitching on.

**Juju** · 03-14-2008, 11:08 PM

I don't have a choice. I have to hand quilt. My sewing machine is to small to quilt a quilt on.

**TripleT** · 03-17-2008, 01:47 AM

I machine piece, then hand quilt. Even though it takes time, I find it very relaxing.

**Frugal Nurse** · 04-28-2008, 08:24 AM

Machine.

I've jsut learned to master meandering.

Those special rubber tipped gloves help a lot!

**knitnmom** · 05-25-2008, 12:38 PM

I machine piece and hand quilt. I just really enjoy hand quilting and the feel of the fabric. It's very relaxing even though it does take me forever and my stitches are far from perfect. I just do the best I can and realize I'm doing this because I enjoy, not to impress anyone.

**Ilovesewing** · 06-13-2008, 01:10 AM

Mostly I machine piece and machine quilt unless it's something very special. I'm currently working on some baby quilts for my 'grandbaby hope chest'. I'm making quilts to put away so that if one day my grandbabies are born and heaven forbid I'm not here, they will still get a quilt made by grandma. These I am hand quilting. Quilts that are hand quilted are so much softer and have a much nicer feel to them. It just requires a lot of sitting and doing. I'd rather be messing around in my sewing room rather than sitting in front of the tv which is the only time I hand quilt. Now if I could just move away from the computer maybe I could work on something!