Originally Posted by PatriceJ
Our ancestors pieced and quilted by hand because they had no other choice. as soon as sewing machines became available, anybody who could afford one got one. as the prices dropped, the number of quilters using machines went up.
as much as i admire hand quilting (which is a LOT) i don't feel at all guilty, nontraditional, or out of step with my ancestors when i piece and quilt by machine. i am still helping to keep alive an historic art form/process.
Patrice I am with you on this one but in a way I am still holding onto a part of quilting that is the closest to hand quilting and that is using a treadle for the entire process. Fortunately we have had a lot of interest generated by the Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Thread and I think there is going to be more collectors using the vintage machines to make their quilts. So that part of the hobby will not die off as long as we keep saving the vintage machines!
Billy