bhowell

I inherited a quilt my late mother started a number of years ago and abandoned due to health issues. The top is complete, and the backing and batting have been basted onto it and a small amount of the center has been quilted. The quilting is all by hand and I have the quilting frame my woodworking father made for her. However, I am not a sewer, much less a quilter, so I am desperate for advice on how best to complete it. Is it necessary to put it back on the frame? Would it work as well to get a quilting hoop to use? How critical is it to maintain tightness since it is already basted all over?

juliasb

First welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. I have used both a hoop and a frame on the same quilt. I have come to prefer the hoop so I can lay in bed with DH and quilt to my hearts content. The frame is great to just pull up a chair and quilt away alone or with a friend or two. My younger sister is learning to quilt and just finished her first quilt. She used a frame in the end to quilt her quilt so she didn't have so much in her lap. She too started with a hoop and went to the frame. With the hoop you will have the weight of the entire quilt in your lap. It is distributed differently with the frame. Don't be afraid to experiment to find which way you are most comfortable. Again welcome to the QB and I hope to see a lot of you here.

Tartan

Welcome from Ontario, Canada. If you have the frame and room to set it up, I probably would give it a go on that. If not, then a lap hoop is fine also. Complete that treasure from your Mom however you can.

selm

Since you say you are not a sewer perhaps you could ask at the local quilt guild if anyone would do it for you. This could be expensive. Did your mother belong to a quilt group that might be willing to finish it for you.
I'm not a hand quilter but have seen it suggested here on the board to finish a partially hand-quilted quilt by machine. That might be an option also.

ptquilts

Welcome to the board. I would not mix hand quilting and machine quilting on a vintage quilt. Maybe when covid restrictions are lifted, you can visit a quilt guild and get some lessons to help you hand quilt it. I have hand quilted many vintage tops for people. My entire instruction consisted of a one hour lesson on hand quilting. You may pick it up quickly.

luvstoquilt

Welcome from Illinois. I so agree with Tartan. Do your best and you will feel the presence of your mother while you work on it. I copied a quilt my grandmother made and it was so nice to work on it. I felt like she was watching me.

toverly

Welcome to Quilting Board from Florida. If you would like to finish it yourself, put it in the frame or in a lap hoop and start slow. Go to a good quilt shop and ask their what to use. I would keep it by hand all the way. Check out youtube for videos that will assist you. Take your time and enjoy the process.

SuzSLO

It might be helpful if you post photos on this Board. Sometime a project is unfinished because of an issue with it. I just quilted a quilt top my great-great aunt made that had been stored since the 1950’s. But she had made a mistake cutting out the triangles around the edge, which meant she left no seam allowance. I was able to power through and appreciate that done is better than perfect.

But if you are going to finish the quilt your Mom started, you want to make sure that your not making it more difficult for yourself than it needs to be. There are lots of hand quilters on this board, which is why a photo might help. Some questions a photo might answer: Is the top mostly flat? Is the basted sandwich mostly flat? Is the batting suitable for hand quilting?

I hope you can enjoy the process of finishing this precious gift.

Jingle

Welcome from outside St. Louis, MO.

Good luck finishing the quilt.

bhowell

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions and encouragement! I took my first dip into quilting Saturday with about six inches of work. Only had to redo about two inches! It will be slow going with more backtracking, but it's a start.