pocoellie

I definitely would buy a machine, but not a new Singer, old one, yes. I would also check out some dealers and see what they have in maybe a used higher end machine.

Flying_V_Goddess

I'd try a little bit of both. For machine quilting get a cheaper machine for now, do some simple practice quilts on it, and if you like machine quilting you can upgrade your machine if you'd like later.

mamaw

Piecing by machine is great, then you could consider hand quilting.

amma

There are many older mechanical machines at thriftstores for $25 they would be perfect for a starter machine :D:D:D

Maybe check out a few English Paper Piecing books while you are at Joanns... it is a fun way to get started piecing :D:D:D

sewingladydi

In my very first quilting class, we made a table topper, hand pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted. That was 10 years ago. My mom is still using it.

Doing a small piece completely by hand gives you a real appreciation for the quilt making process. And if you like piecing & quilting by hand, you'll love doing it by machine too.

Cyn

I have so much more control hand piecing!

cherylynne

I've only hand pieced one pillow top and I've never hand quilted. I didn't have the time to invest in a long project. I always machine piece and machine quilt now. Maybe you could learn both methods. Just do whatever appeals to you and makes you happy when you do it. Sounds like my philosophy when I was 20 something in the 70's. lol

earthwalker

Hello and welcome...perhaps English Paper Piecing would be a good start..it is an accurate method and it will keep you occupied 'til you buy a machine (that's how I started). I then decided time was going to be an issue (lots on my to do list). So I dusted off my machine and haven't regretted it for a minute.

I am a vintage freak, I have a 1950's Pinnock (electric) and am now the proud owner of a 1912 treadle (to be restored in the new year). Old machines are beautiful, and are very easy to service and run...you can often buy them very cheaply.

Anyway, happy quilting, whatever you decide!

Willa

Hand piecing is great if you want to be "portable". I worked on one of my quilts at my moms nursing home when I went to see her every day. Would have went NUTS if I didn't have something to work on. I also felt my hand piecing matched better than by machine but lots more work since I marked the 1/4 seam.
Best wishes with whatever you decide! Can't wait to see what you make.

ckcowl

i love hand work and always have a quilt in the works that is all by hand. there are some wonderful award winning quilters out there who do everything by hand...like Ginny Beyer. if you are considering hand piecing i recommend checking out her web site. she has tutorials, videos and lots of tips. the greatest thing about hand piecing for me is how precise i can make my blocks...inset seams are no problem by hand! Nancy Zeiman(sp) has a PBS show called Sewing With Nancy...the longest running sewing show on the air...she does alot of quilting, has an on line shop (Nancy's Notions) and a book called 10-15-20 minutes to quilt. she offers lots of pointers too.
Welcome to the board. start with a small project so you get it done in a short period of time (we all love that instant gratification) and jump in there.
one word of advice. when hand piecing you really can not 'skip' the prep work...when i am starting a new hand project i start with making my templates, cutting my fabrics...then i do use a pencil and 'draw' every seam line on the fabrics...it goes faster than you may imagine. and really makes all the difference.
hand projects are totally portable, and once you get into the groove of your stitching (Ginny will show you how) they actually go pretty fast...i can usually hand piece a project faster than by machine...and never have to use a seam ripper... :thumbup: show us pics of what you decide to start with :thumbup: