momto5

Lots of opinions here...all good for a healthy exchange; however, the fact remains that some of us CAN, and DO, make 50+ quilts a year. I am a dedicated "pay someone to clean the house" person, no one at home but me and three poodles...I sew my own quilts, I quilt my own quilts (LA), and I bind my own quilts. I have the stash from you-know-where, having accumulated it over the past 35-40 years, so fabric is not a problem. And, I am retired from a medical career where I worked at least 40 hours a week, sometimes as much as 60 or more...and I still quilted! so I know the value of organizing my time. Now then, that said, I am still subject to the same procrastination that a lot of us are; I still get stuck in "I don't wanna" mode every now and then, and I still will NEVER think I have done enough while there are people in this world who need the warmth my quilts can provide. And I have had three surgeries and a couple of broken legs in the last three years as well, and am a three-year cancer survivor. SO.....I guess, as my Mom used to tell me, where there's a will, there's a way.....
At any rate, I think we all do the very best we can....as far as I am concerned, this is no race....but I feel that God has led me to do what I do, and He will make the way for me to get done what needs to be done. So I say, quilt on ladies and gents and do the best you can! That's all we are required to do.

weezie

Interesting thread ... I've read all of it. I say, "to each his own"! All the rather mean-mouth comments aside, I think one's quilt production depends on skills, goals that you set, and ... probably most important ... circumstances. I consider my skills to be better than average, but my quilt production is slow, somewhat influenced by circumstances, but more as a result of my relaxed attitude about it. If I get a fairly complex patchwork quilt top (queen or king sized) done in a year, I'm happy. In the same time frame, I do a little on other sorts of quilt WIP's. I'm just very pleased that I have everything I need, including reasonably good health, to make quilts. I know women who would love to have a hobby to occupy their free time, but can't find one that they want to do.

franc36

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. I'll never make 50 quilts in a year. This year, my goal was one quilt a month. Some months, I have made more. If I am making an easy quilt, it doesn't take long. If I am making a complicated quilt and quilting it on my DSM, I am happy to complete one quilt in a month. My quilting room is well organized and I quilt every free minute. I can accomplish a great deal in 5 and 10 minute intervals.

feline fanatic

Interesting thread and yes I plowed through all 11 pages. I probably could have sewn a 9 patch block in that time!

However, I think some people are too quick to read mean attitudes into some of the responses. I don't think anyone is mean spirited about it. Often things are read into the written on line words that the writer did not intend. I am sure my post will also be misinterpreted. But here goes anyway....

I am a turtle quilter. Mostly because I rarely quilt anything smaller than a queen size and I go for complex patterns like Mariner's compass, NY Beauty, Lone Star, samplers, etc. Until recently I was a handquilter, taking usually around 4 years to complete a quilt. I now have a LA but now I quilt for others, leaving less time to piece my own.

As for turn around (ie time management)...there is quite the difference between a needle turn appliqued Baltimore Album quilt and a jelly roll race quilt. Some of us quilt for pure pleasure (Selfish Me!) and some for a purpose (Noble Charity). I quilt to challenge myself. I day dream about someday entering a quilt in a big show like Paducah but know my skills, 20 plus years in the making, are still not quite there but if I keep trying maybe someday.

Anyway, it is all good, it doesn't matter if your choice is to do a bunch quilts that can be assembled quickly or savor the process and choose designs and quilting motifs that are elaborate, challenging, labor intensive and take a lot of time to learn and master. It doesn't matter if you are a quilter that quilts for your own motives (yourself or gifts for family and friends) or one that feels compelled to quilt for every needy cause (a noble and good thing). In all the time I have been quilting, I would be hard pressed if I have made 50 quilts in 20 years and that is including wall hangings and baby quilts! But I don't consider myself any less a quilter, just like I don't consider the people who churn out a quilt a day any less.

Some of us like simple utility quilts and some of us adore the lavish show quilts with piecing and quilting that blows the mind and makes you say "wow, how did they do that?" and many, many of us like both.

sewNso

well, I know I make tooo many quilts in any yr. i'm trying to beat the clock and sew up my stash before my kids have to sell it all in a yard sale. (67yrs old) I just have sooo many, that I have seen, that I would like to make, just because they were so pretty. I have several 'lines' of fabrics in my stash., several sets of material I have purchased for this quilt or that. But I do enjoy the process, and the grandkids, so I don't do them 'break neck' speed. just as I get to them. a DJ in the quilt frame, half of a farmers wife on the design wall, and I am working on finishing up any blocks I have made.--getting them sewed into a top. I do try to keep up my house tho, and raise a nice garden. not enough hrs in the day to get everything done , I would like to.

shasta5718

I think they make the tops and have them quilted. I know there are several ladies in my guild who do that.

quiltapillow

mpspeedy; you are correct; the baby quilts have it-----2 pieces or 3 of fabric with batting in the middle and your done on your reg. sewing machine. That is all my quilt quild does and they fuss if you don't do these baby quilts to give to the Hospital for those that can't afford a baby blanklet. I mentioned doing a quilt of valor and that was rush ofan attack by the few that bully the others. But, there is no other guild around and the clubs do more gossip and quilt buy hand only, no other activities; so I perservere. LOL But that is the way it is! Your correct--perfectly clean house and that is all they do.

captlynhall

Wow, I have always wondered how anybody could make 30 or 50 quilts in a year. This has been a really informative discussion. I'm so slow, that I am happy to finish one in a year. I'm not very good with a machine, so although I piece on my machine, I hand quilt and that takes a lot of time, but that's OK. I enjoy it. My goal is to live long enough to quilt one quilt for each of my kids and grand kids. I am just now quilting on my fourth quilt, so at 64 yrs. old, not sure I'm going to make it. I would love to do charity quilts and really admire those of you who give of your time and talents to that end. I saw on you tube a video of quilts made on a Serger, and I hope to try that method soon to make a charity quilt. I have never used my Serger, but that will be another skill to master. I think the quilts are supposed to be able to be finished in about 8 hours. That would be incredible. I could crank out a good number of them if that is the case. Will have to wait and see. Work gets in the way of all my fun.

cathylynn

same here. I just quilt cause I enjoy it. but I do finally get to make a girly girl all pink baby quilt after years of all boys in the family. But it will only be my 4th quilt so far this year. obviously not an extreme quilter here.

Nilla

I've noticed when I take a class that we all move at different speeds. We usually end class with various amounts of progress made, yet eventually everyone has a beautiful quilt top to show for their efforts. I admire the ladies that can make so many quilts, I admire the ladies that make so few. I do this for the joy it brings me and I assume that's what motivates other quilters. I don't personally understand ladies that can accomplish so much, whether it's quilting or keeping a spotless house or running a certain amount of miles a day or whatever, but that's okay.

Someone said that you wouldn't ask a painter how many paintings they'd painted. Probably some can paint really fast and others move slowly for inspiration.