MadQuilter

I am a process person which means that I revel in the PROCESS of making the quilt (I should say quilt top) and I only have time in the evenings and weekends. Often, I am tired after work and don't have the juju to do sewing - other times I'd rather watch TV. What I am trying to say in my long-winded way is that some of my quilts take a LONG time - which explains my long list of UFOs. Others - particularly those with a firm deadline, I try to plan well and finish on time which for me means - 2 years late - lol.

If people want a quilt from me, they will wait until it wants to be sewn. I am not in any competition and I am proud of my work because I do the best I can.

I did recently join some swaps and that keeps me on my toes. Smaller projects on a timed schedule.

anglgrl

welcome to the group I don't think time is a issue as long as it gets done sooner or later. I have arthritis in my hands so in the winter I like to work on the smaller projects that way something gets finished. Small wall hangings are really fun and keep me busy but I can finish in a reasonable amount of time.

suzeq

It can take as quick as you can achieve or as long as you want to drag it out. Please do not let your health issues get in the way of making a quilt. It is the joy of making it, and the joy in the face of one who receives it, or your own joy for having it.
I find that if I set aside a certain amount of time a day to work on one, it eventually gets finished. This is the only way I can work it into my schedule. I also finish one before starting another. Thanks be to God that I have sewing room where I can leave it out and close the door. Good Luck. Silvia

SandyMac

Oh my gosh I don't feel like such a loser. I really did because i thought all of you were mile a minute quilters I've only been quilting for a year and all I've done is one quilt,one table runner a one purse and only taken two classes I'M NORMAL :-D

Bethy

I have to agree with sew-crafty that a quilt will take how ever long that you want the quilt done and how big. Usually the cutting and the quilting are the scoundrels, because they take so much time. I have arthritis really bad in my thumbs and that takes a little more time, soooo.
I found early on that I could get the quilt top together pretty quick if I needed to, but if I had to hand quilt or try to machine quilt it would take forever. I love them when I hand quilt, but I will never be able to get the tops quilted at the same pace unless I take them to a long-arm quilter. I had this stupid idea in the beginning that I couldn't claim that I had made the quilt if I didn't do everything from start to finish, but I've since gotten over that. I also took on a quilt to do for someone else and it became a job and not something I did for me. I've had enough stress in the last few years, that I don't need anymore, therefore, I'm not going to do that again. I will do quilts, but not under the stressful situation. Everyone has their own stress levels, just know your own and don't try and go against the grain and you'll be okay. LOL Beth

Doris M

It takes me forever too no health issues but I sew by hand.

BTW We're in good company. Jinny Beyer says 2 yrs for a quilt. 1 yr to piece & 1 yr to quilt. AND then there's Elly Sienkiewicz who says her life is counted in blocks not quilts.

Speed & output are not necessarily a good thing. Enjoy the journey!

Betty Ruth

Don't feel bad about taking a long time to finish a quilt. It takes me a long time, even though I have to do everything on the sewing machine. You see, I have MS and arthritis. Both have affected my hands. It takes me a long time even on the sewing machine because just as I get everything lined up my hands start shaking, and my pieces usually wind up on the floor. I especially like to make string quilts and crumb quilts because there are fewer corners to match. I did complete a twin size crumb quilt set together in the"fun and done" method in about 3 months.

weezie

Ditto and ditto! Unless you're making a quilt:

.. for a baby who should get the quilt before it starts school;
.. for a small child who is not likely to remain small indefinitely;
.. for a very senior citizen who is not going to get any younger;
.. for a special person (e.g.: sickness; in combat or wounded military);
.. for a special occasion ...

making quilts should never become a chore to be finished within a specified time.

In case you haven't already guessed, I'm very slow to complete a quilt, but every aspect of it, the initial plan, the fabric selection, the day I start on it, etc., etc., is deeply satisfying.

weezie

Unfinished object.

Susie42quilter

FOREVER I am a hand quilter. My first quilt a queen size

white on white took ten years, but I made several machine

baby quilts during that time. There is no set time to make a

quilt just enjoy the process. Feel the cotton,bask in the colors

and relax with the needle, it's the best therpy in the world to

most of us.