How long does it take you to quilt a quilt?
 

Quilt size 60x72.
If you have a Long Arm?
If you FMQ on your home machine?
If you hand quilt?
If you have a portable frame (Flynn type)?
If you have a small frame (Gracie type) and machine set up?

I'm curious. I know there is set up time getting the quilt ready to sew, but I'm asking about actual stitching time.

A lot depends on how closely you are quilting. I make at least 20 Linus quilts a month and those are machine quilted on my Bernina with a decorative stitch about every 4 inches and then about 1/2 around the edges to create a false binding. I can usually do one of them in about an hour. Anything larger I prefer to handquilt. Again a lot depends on the closeness of the quilting. I am a domestic goddess and can spend as much time as I want on quilting. I could handquilt a quilt that size with a decent amount of quilting in two to three weeks. I get a lot of TV watching in at the same time. For something that size I would use my round floor frame that resembles a large embroidery hoop on legs.
I do have 40 years of experience quilting.

For me that would be about 10 years (ha ha). I'm a great starter....it's just the finishing part I have problems with.

Lynn

I hand quilt for my own pleasure and relaxation so there's no time limit how when I need to finish. Some days I find myself working on my quilt more than other days. Some days, I don't do any piecing or quilting. This is a hobby for me and not a "must do" every day. So, it's done at my leisure.

This about says it for me too!!!!

about a year for a queen sized hand quilted quilt, and that is with some pretty serious intention to finish.

i can turn around a machine quilted queen sized in much less time, though i tend to get distracted or busy or....and they end up taking a long time too.

i am in awe of people who turn around more than a quilt a year or so.

for me, quilting is slow time. from the planning to the hand stitched binding everything seems to be a long process of doing you know?

aileen

I hand quilt and would rather do that than anything else.....work tends to get in the way though. I am starting my 4th quilt this year here in a few days - as soon as i get it basted and put on the frame. I also have a dresden queen size quilt that i will work on "in between" projects - it is actually for me.

The sizes have varied - a twin size coverlet, a throw, a queen size, and then something bigger than a throw but less than a twin size..

I machine quilt on my Bernina 1530 and I have only made 3 lap size quilts (about 40 x 50). One was stitch in the ditch and two were meandering. The stitch in the ditch took about 7 hours and the meanders took about 5 hours each. I'm not a perfectionist and I only do this for fun.

I used to handquilt everything, and that is still my preferred method, but I never have enough time to do it anymore. I have had several projects (commissions) in the last year that would have been impossible to handquilt, even if the client had wanted it: T-shirt and heavily pieced and appliqued quilts!

To handquilt the size you mention, as my sole project but only in regular quilting time, would take me about 5 months. FMQ would take a week or two (I use my domestic sewing machine).

Alison

a 60 x 72 on my Voyager 17, with a meandering pattern, probably a couple of days. I tend to start the quilt, work on it for a while, then find something to do sitting down for a while.

i have been quilting for over 40 years. i handquilt using a Q-Snap frame. I have done a queen size Trip Around the World quilt in two weeks by quilting diagonal lines through the blocks. Mot of my quilts take anywhere from a month to 4 months depending on size, amount of quilting to be done, and what is happening in my life at the time. I try to determine roughly how long it takes me to quilt one block and estimate a time frame for finishing the quilting. I can only work a few hours at a time before the arthritis kicks in --usually a three hour period--so base my estimate in how many blocks i can do in that time.

several weeks. I take it to the long armer and she calls me later.

Sorry, can't help!

FMQ on my 6600 is my only option (if I am doing it) and for one that size it could be done in a couple hours if only doing stippling or STID. Anything more complicated will add to the time. My biggest time consumer is planning what to quilt. I have been known to look through pattern books for hours trying to find the "perfect quilting pattern". But once I am ready to quilt, it's off to the races coz I just hate to stop til I am done.

There are no stock answers for your questions. Waaaaay to many variables.
Most of my hand quilted queen size quilts take me a couple of years to do and that is working on it fairly steadily. I only have a lap hoop.

On my DSM I did a 60 x 60 in about 3 weeks working on it pretty much only weekends so I guess that would be 5 or 6 days of meander FMQ and echo quilting. I also did one the same size with a simple cross hatch in about the same amount of time.

On the LA that is where I have the biggest variable. If it was a panto, I could finish it up in a couple of hours. Same if it was a simple all over meander. But if there was SID ruler work, custom quilting of different designs in different areas it would take me a lot longer. I only get to really quilt on weekends. Very rarely do I have time to do it on weeknights so the quilt stays on the rack for anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks.

I have been quilting for over50 years and when I have a quilt to do I basically quilt about 6 to 7 hours a day and it takes me about two weeks depending on the size. Baby quilts take me about 8 hours.

You are probably asking to plan a project yourself. However, I always find it amusing when a nonquilter sees something I've done and the first they ask is "How long did it take you?" I always want to say "Why do you want to know that?" But of course, one is polite and gives some guess. They could build in a timer on machines, including LAs, so when a project is done, you would have the cumulative amount of time you put in at actual sewing. But as many have said, the time planning, preparing, and living life in between sewing sessions all adds up. Now and then I try to remember how much actual time something takes me, but if I don't write it down, I immediately forget. It's easy to figure if I spend an entire evening, from after dinner, maybe 6:30 or 7, until bedtime, maybe 10 or 11. Same if I spend from lunch to dinner, with time out for a quick tea at about 3. (Do you think food is a factor in my life?LOL) Anyway, I'm interested in all the answers to this thread, so will have to check back later to learn more.

On my HQ Avante, I can do a medium meander on a king size in about 2 hours. Anything else other than meander, takes me a couple of days, since I'm still learning to use the machine.

My thought is "what difference does it make how long it takes me to do anything?" No two people work at the same rate. It'll take however long it takes.

If I'm really trying to get it done, on my Babylock Jane while sitting, it takes about 2 hours. Most take longer because I have to take breaks to rest my arms and back. I love to FM quilt.

I do FMQ on my 77yr Singer 15-91. I pretty much ONLY do meandering or loopy meanders. I can get a quilt done (the size you mentioned) in about 2-3 hours.

A make several 60 x 72 quilts a year for kids going through confirmation at church. At first it took me 4-6 hours just to do the quilting on the sewing machine. Now, about 2 hours. I did one last week and I sewed about 1/2 hour took a break and that is about the way I quilt best. Breaks help ease any tension I may get in my shoulders. All added together I was so excited to complete this one in 2 hours. I do a diagonal. I have done so many that I do not premark the lines, now. I use a disappearing pen and mark only the lines in the borders to connect to the first square block so I get my beginning angle correct. This was my fastest ever. I do not get bird's nest. My back looks as good as the front. I use a Janome 6600P. My speed just gradually got faster as I learn how to hold the quilt as I stitch. Music is relaxing also.
Different speeds for everyone. I personally don't quilt to get it done quickly. I enjoy the process, buying the fabric, planning, caressing the fabric etc.....

Most of the ladies have answered your question about like I would have. Each person sews differently; thinks and plans differently; gathers fabrics differently. I too have tried to estimate what amount of time I have spent on working a quilt up from beginning to end. If I have done the selections, piecing, and quilting myself my estimate would be one workweek 8 to 5 and ready for a Friday Night Out on a regular or queen size quilt. I have a LA, piece with a FW, and cut out all over the house, even though I have my own personal sewing room. I am not including clean-up time.....I have been a professional seamtress in years past, but now spend all my sewing time quilting. My grannie taught me how to quilt during the l950s, and I have taken about three quilting classes at Jo Ann's. I have won several blue ribbons at county fairs, etc. and a few second and third place ribbons. Bragging this morning, huh????? I keep thinking I might tackle something serious and enter it at Paducah. Maybe.....

I'm with Lynn.......sometimes a day or two on the mid-arm, depending if I "work" at it, or do other things in between. A few from years ago still arent' quilted :)
I have hand-quilted, and do a lot on my Pfaff. a few pictures are on my web sites.

I generally say 6-9 months for a Queen size - but I'm a hand quilter. 60 x 72 is about 1/2 a queen so I would estimate 3-6 months. Depends on how much free time I have. I work full time and am currently attending college full time. So I can go several days without touching a quilt and even then only have an hour or so.

Thank you everyone for your answers. The ONLY reason I asked was because I think I take to long to get a quilt quilted so I try to speed up but end up messing up. Now, since I know that it takes a good amount of time no matter how you go about it, I will stop being so hard on myself and do as people say and enjoy the process.

I'm with Buckeye as I can probably look at a quilt trying to decide the pattern longer than it will take me to quilt. I drape the quilt over my large cutting table and I can see it every time I pass the room (several times a day). Never know when an idea will just go "pop". I do the same thing when trying to decide on colors or fabric combos.

once i've decided on the pattern, I'm fairly quick. For a quilt that size with custom quilting perhaps a 3-4 weeks (working evenings and weekends only with many breaks to ease the muscles).

long-arm --somewhere between 1 hour & 10 hours- depending on the quilting design- how detailed/dense the quilting is to be
by hand- a quilt teacher told me once if you quilt for 1 hour every day you can do a queen sized quilt in a year---so that would be 365 hours---again that would certainly be dependant on the density/design of the quilting- and of course some people stitch much faster than others- ive hand quilted a 54" square quilt in about 25 hours.

You just made my day by saying you're a starter but have trouble finishing things. That's so me!! Good to hear I'm not alone! Thanks.

Totally different story whether it's for me or for a customer. Mine take however long it takes. I try to have a 2 week turnaround time for clients. I machine quilt on my Janome Horizon, both tabletop and on an Inspira frame (older style)

I only long arm, and a 60X72 would take me about three hours (pantograph) or 5-6 hours custom. I don't do a lot of meandering or SID quilting. Hope this helps...

I have a long arm and it takes from 5 to 8 hours for a bed quilt. 5 for a long twin and 8 for queen/king. (also everyone bed quilt size may be different.) I can us my home machine and do a baby quilt 42X60 in about 3 hours. This is without bindings.

I'm a hand quilter so it takes as long as it takes! Once I get "hung up" on how long it takes, the pleasure of quilting becomes an issue. I'm doing it as a relaxation therapy so it takes as long as it takes!

I do all of my quilting by hand. In the summer months it's harder to quilt because it's so hot to have the needle pushing in and out. I use a quilting floor frame that holds the entire queen/king quilt, and this keeps me from having the quilt in my lap. I'd say it takes me about 3 weeks to quilt and bind by hand. But I have to stay with it nightly. If I have more time during the day, I'll work on it, but most of the time quilting is an evening thing while listening to t.v. My DH is always so happy when I finish quilting - it means I can sit next to him on the couch while cutting more material for my next project.

I only do hand quilting and though I have tried a hoop or frame, I end up not using them. I find if I baste enough, I can keep it flat. I keep it on my lap and check frequently as I quilt. Only once, recently, have I had to undo and re-quilt and it was only a foot or so and I really could have let it go.
I quilt in front of the TV but have other projects going on so I really have no clue how long it takes.
I am currently working on a big quilt-extra queen size-and am making great progress: 4 of the 12 squares mostly done, including their sashes. Sometimes I go back and add more when I see the overall look.
At my current pace, I anticipate being done some time in September! No kidding. It takes me a long time because I only quilt an hour or two at a time before something interferes. So a square a week or 6 hours times 12 squares = 72 hours + borders.
So this isn't very helpful is it! And it may not be accurate. It sounds like way too much time, but I am including marking the fabric, too.

Exactly! The more I quilt the faster I am; the more I quilt the better I am. It really does help to get the rocking motion going and to stick with it. I finally learned how to do knots and then use good batting (makes a huge difference) and it just takes what it takes. I might be really upset if I clocked myself! there would be no way to get paid to compensate for the hours of thought and work.
And an artist friend of mine years ago said that it is not just the actual piece you make/paint/turn on the wheel/etc., but the years of learning and experience that adds up to you and your work.

Sorry I am really in to this question...Has anyone read the Dear Jane quilt book? It chronicles the years Jane worked on her piecing and quilting by what was going on with the war...I believe it was not exact, but guaranteed she had other things to do during that time, too. I imagine sometimes she just flew through the stitches she was so frantic and other times, she was too sad to move...

I hand quilt and I love all the answers that have been posted. When I made my daughter's wedding ring quilt it took me three weeks and I only worked at nighttime because I was working. Now I am retired. I have all the time in the world and so it doesn't matter how long it takes. Right now I have a queen size quilt that I am handquilting. I worked on it for about a week and have it almost done but I have put it aside as other quilts have caught my eye. Things like BOM.s, doll quilts, medallion quilt (for my niece), just takes two (for my sister) and mystery quilts and so many others. I think I must be ADD as I see designs and want to try them. But some of these I am quilting as I go.....I have never done that before so I guess when I get done, I will be surprised because I will be done. This darn board gives me so many things to join that I just can't say no and so off I go. LOL. But if I set my mind to it I can complete a queen size quilt in two weeks or less. I can sit and listen to books on tapes or watch tv while I work. Multitasking is so much fun. I have made a promise to myself to finish my quilt before summer end because I want it for winter.

It depends on the kind of quilting I am doing. I do have a longarm (Innova) on a 12' frame, so it is much easier. If I were doing an all-over pattern I could quilt the quilt in one day. If I am doing custom quilting, it might take up to a week, or even more if it is to be a show quilt. Someone with a computerized system could probably quilt an all-over pattern in half a day. If I were to try to hand quilt it, it would take decades!!! Quilting on my sewing machine is too hard on my shoulders, so I don't do that. I have known of quilts done for show taking 800 hours to make - I sure hope they included the piecing in that number of hours, but quilting quilts for the big shows can be really time consuming!

I do all FMQ on my little Singer Featherweight. It takes me anywhere from 8 hours to 40+ hours to FMQ a lap quilt, depending on how intricately I design the quilting. 8 hours would be SID/diagonal straight lines about 4 to 5" apart. 40+ hours would be if I do a pattern specific FMQ with a large number of stops and starts and thread color changes.

I've been quilting about 30 years off and on. Recently I decided to just answer 40 hours for piecing and 40 hours for quilting a lap quilt - not counting the time to find, buy and starch, and cut the material into the pattern - for my "Stock" answer to anyone who wants to know how long it takes. I usually follow up with a discussion about the freedom to choose what you do and how you do it.

This answer helps me feel better when I look into my closet, see all those UFO's sitting there, and can't figure out why things are not getting done! I do not know of any person who quilts 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, unless they are a professional (and even those folks set longer time criteria for themselves so their quality stays up and they don't feel under the gun of an immediate deadline to get it done).

Don't feel bad about how long it takes. The only thing that matters is how you feel about it, not how long it takes.