I too have quilted all my quilts with the largest probably a queen size. I start by doing the SID , then depending on the quilt I meander, echo, cross hatch, follow the design in the fabric, bubbles. I can't do the fancy designs that the long arms do, but I make them as gifts for my family and I want to say I pieced and quilted it myself. In retirement, I have found this a very fulfilling passion.

I love to attend quilt shows and admire the works of others. They are masterpieces that inspire me to try new techniques. Enjoy quilting - just as when we attend art museums, we enjoy the work, but don't put ourselves down for not being able to do the same. We are inspired instead.

This won't work for the tops that you have done but check out Nancy Zieman's Column Quilt method. I'm in the same boat that you are and this has been a God send. I can still make quilts although not in the traditional way.

i don't have a long arm and do stitch in the ditch or some kind of curvy thing.

If I had quit doing everything in my life because someone else could do better...I wouldn't have accomplished anything.

:) :) :)

You can quilt on your home machine, in do-able sections, or block by block, if you want to. It's not all that hard & quilts come out great that way! Don't give up, & no need to pay a longarmer to quilt them for you. If I did that, I couldn't afford to quilt either, & there are lots of us out there like that. Besides, I like doing the whole darn thing myself, & knowing that I did just that, whenever I finish a quilt! So, don't give up, & don't get rid of it. LOL! Just get over it, & keep quilting! Where's there's a will, there's a way! We are all here to help you too, so when you run into a problem, or get discouraged, just come talk to us here, right, everyone!....

Don't be disheartened...... use other methods to finish your quilts such as QAYG, tying or buttons or make tops that do not need major quilting: make string quilts on fabric, not paper, that can be lined & tacked. The crazy quilts of the past weren't quilted. Sometimes speed is emphasized so much at the expense of the pleasure of leisurely quilting. Many of us on the QB are not as well-off as others but we are not inferior because we cannot stack up thousands of dollars in stash and spend thousands on equipment. That is one reason I tend to enjoy older quilts--not just the art quilts made by the upper classes of the time--the quilts of the everyday woman made of what she could afford and the skill of her hands and imagination.

With today's wonderful batts and the possibilities of non-conventional fillers like older blankets you can put together quilts with minimum quilting. You can put completed quilt squares together on a blanket, for example, like piecing a log cabin. Put two squares face-to-face in the middle of the blanket and sew along one edge. Press open the seam and place 2 squares sewn together face down on the first squares and stitch them down one side. Open and press. Do 2 more squares on the next side, then 3. If I'm counting correctly there are now nine squares sewn to the blanket in a 3x3 configuration. You can stop now and add additional stitching to the nine blocks or continue adding strips of blocks/sashing/border.

You can also sew strips of blocks in vertical strips. Beginning in the center of your blanket or other filler, stitch two strips together as for normal joining, open and press. Continue adding strips, alternating sides to reduce bulk. You can include setting strips, cornerstones, etc. with the blocks as usual.

These types of top works well with the 'birthing' method of lining.

Nancy this Nancy agrees with you 100%. The satisfaction comes from deciding what to do, selecting the fabric, cutting, piecing, pinning and quilting. Love it and have only been doing it since 08.

Maybe you could trade one of your quilt tops to a longarner to quilt one of your quilt tops............

You know, a longarm machine does not do the quilting for you. It's an erroneous mindset that a bigger machine will turn you into a stellar quilter. It's kind of sad how many people fall into this trap where they think spending more money will make you better at something. I have a $60,000 piano and it might sound better than my old one but it doesn't make me a better player. Only practice and dedication can do that.