I looked at Eddie's turorial on the Cathedral Window (fantastic tute!). While not reading every single post under it, I am wondering if anyone here has made this quilt by hand. I am curious as to the type of stitch to join the squares, and the points of the squares in the center of each block. Any tips on construction, etc? Thanks in advance for any tips/ideas/advice!

An elderly lady taught me how to do this block by hand. Shes 81. She used a whip stitch. To join the blocks and on the front to tack down the curved part. Her work was wonderful. Someday I hope to tackle this quilt. Good luck with your quilt cant wait to see it finished.

OH Ellie have you lost your mind!!!!!I am in the middle (i use that term loosly) of one now. I love it, but it is very time consuming. I hand stitched the top with a wip stitch, however I have a fancy stitch on my sewing machine that I'm using to join the blocks. I really do love this, just dont plan on it being done quickly. I have a picture I'll have to post so you can see my joining stich

i'm sure you could make this "by hand", however i wouldn't recommend it. i have started one in denim & cut most circles with pinking shears! i don't work on this every day-it is very time consuming.
sewing the squares i'm going to use a really tight stitch-more than 12 per inch--that's for sure-don't want to repair that ever!
when you add your squares to the centers, they could be basted in but i'm just going to lay them in w/o sewing them---b/c the stitches will show on the back!
{you will be catching them underneath when you sew the top flaps down anyway} & then i will use a fancy machine stitch on the curves!

I made one by hand years and years ago, in fact, that's how I learned to do a Cathedral Windows quilt. I did it with small running stitches and whip stitched the flaps down. I started another one about a year ago and tried to do it Eddie's way on the machine but I found that trying to maneuver this queen sized quilt through the machine gave me a lot of trouble (may have been a matter of teaching an old dog new tricks!) At any rate, I love to hand stitch so I usually have 2 quilts going when I make a Cathedral Windows--one (not a Cathedral Window) done by machine and the Cathedral Window I do slowly in front of the TV. Just depends on how fast you need to get it done :D

Yes I must be a little bit nutty to think about doing this by hand, but I do love hand work and I'm looking for something I can carry with me at different times. Whip stitching the top, I think I hear you saying the 'curve' part? Can you see the stitching around the curve? How about on the back of the quilt, are you going straight through. I've got a few blocks but and pressed, I guess I'll practice a bit to get a feel for this. Thanks for your help. I look forward to seeing the picture of your quilt.

I'd love to see some pictures of your quilts. I am not very familiar with some of our sewing terms. Could you explain what you mean by running stitch. I've looked at many pictures of cathedral window quilts but just can't seem to see up close to determine the type of stitching used. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

I love the idea of using a fancy stitch for the curves. I am almost thinking of doing two quilts (not at the same time) but hand sewing the one and machine sewing the other. thank you for your help.

Thanks! I might be 81 by the time I finished it!

My avatar quilt is made by hand. If you enjoy hand work you will love making this quilt. I started by making pincushions and small cushions. I have made a few quilts plus wall hangings. I joined with whip stitch. As far as I remember Eddie's Tutorial is very similar to mine except that he used the machine.

That's exactly right! Your quilt is beautiful! Have you ever posted a larger picture that I can see?

i'm doing mine by hand- i really don't get the by-machine one- seems so much easier to me to do them by hand- somewhere i have pics- i will try to find them tomorrow and post how to do them by hand...i love it as a travel project.

I look forward to the pictures - thanks! I am going to visit my son and his family and hope to carry this with me. I appreciate your help.

How do you tack down the four points in the center of each block before adding the window fabric?

My mother and aunt each made CW quilts, and both sewed the foundation parts of the blocks together by machine, and then hand stitched the "windows" in...

I would think a running stitch would work for sewing the entire thing by hand, with a whip stitch or ladder stitch for the windows.

Mind is all being done by hand. Have wrist issues at the moment so quilt is on hold. My stitches go through 7 layers of fabric where the curves are around the printed fabrics. The back shows all the stitches. I whip stitch everything together. I put 4 squares together and consider it a block. Later I put together about 28 of those and then add the large pieces to my quilt in progress. It is about twin size now. Great as a carry along. Don't have to take much to be busy for an hour or so.
I have cut enough prints for 1620 little squares. I hope to add borders with a machine to make it queen size. I want the top of the bed covered in the windows.

You know you can make a "faux" cathedral windows using the 10 minute block...

I have made 3 Cathedral Window twin size quilts. This was before I had carpal tunnel problems. I used a whip stitch to join units and also in the middle. I loved that this was a take-and-make as you go project, especially when travelling. Good luck!

Years ago I made ornaments by sewing two small blocks together and stuffing them like little pillows. I think the instructions were in one of those holiday craft magazines. Where the points met on the sides I put a small wooden bead. they were a great handwork project and not overwhelming to complete.

I do not know which tute you are referring to so I have not seen it but I started one in '95 and only got about 40 squares done and have not touched it since. I really want to finish it but, well you know how it goes with UFOs. I very much enjoy the portability and the hand stitching but just cannot seem to get back to it. I sewed a rectangle by machine and then folded it into a square and slipped the patch in and then fold back the corners and hand sew them down. I whip stitched the blocks together. Good luck with yours. they are so beautiful

I did a queen sized one for my daughter way back in the 80's. I really enjoyed it! I started doing one for me a couple of winters ago (at least I got the pieces cut) but other things got in the way since then. I need to get back to working on it.
The blocks go together quite simply with a whip stitch. If you do it right, you can't really see any of the stitching when it is finished.

I have made 2 king size cathedral windows quilts and I sew the blocks together before I fold the last flaps to the center of the block. I press the final folds, then open them up and use the crease as the sewing line to sew 2 blocks together. when I get 2 rows sewn together, I attach the 4 corners and then I use a blind stitch to sew the window fabric in. No stitches show on the back side of the quilt. Only the seam line where the blocks are sewed together.

I would ask Eddie directly. He really is so nice. His cathedral windows is the quilt that inspired me to make one also. He is so gifted in putting color/fabrics together. Each one of his quilts is more beautiful than the previous!

All these replies have convinced me that I need to do one by hand. Thank you

I made a baby quilt about 20 years ago. I used solid lavender for the outside and pastel prints for the windows. It was very fun. Since you do not need to quilt it, when the top is finished it is finished. It makes a heavy quilt.
I will make another some day. I remember whip stitching the squares together.

Many years ago I made the equivalent if a single size bedspread but did it as pillow tops (everyone in the family got one plus I kept several) It was a great take along, but I am not a great fan of hand work and did get weary of doing it. Take small stitches is the best advise I can offer.

I've been working on my cathedral window by hand for years and also finished one by machine for a lady. By machine is MUCH faster, of course, but I still like the portability of handwork.
The squares are joined with a tiny whip stitch, but join them wrong sides together; this way the whipped stitches are later covered by the "window fabric". The corners are tacked to form a cross (tack stitch two opposite corners, then tack the opposite two). When you sew the curves, use a blind hem stitch (like for hand applique), going through all layers. This leaves stitches on the back of the quilt, which makes it more beautiful, I think. I have also made CW ornaments, even some in miniature, which are beautiful too. This is not a quick project, but so worth all the time.

If you'd consider combining machine and hand sewing, I would suggest watching the youtube video on: faux cathedral window blocks. You can make the block foundation by machine, then handsew the windows. You could either machine or handsew the blocks together.
This way you could make several blocks ahead of time and carry them with you for the handwork.

i have made a full size one all hand done i used a whip stich too mine is about a 24 wide by 28 long never been on a bed i started with an 8 inch square all the prints are different lavada

I am working on one also, never thought of useing the fancy stitches on my machine to join. Thanks, think I will look into that.

Any quilt can be done by hand. It is my understanding that Jinny Beyer does all her quilts by hand. She is an exceptional quilter. There was a lady on one of the Alex Anderson "Simply Quilts" shows who didn't own a sewing machine. Her quilts were beautiful! I am fortunate enough to own 2 quilts that my grandmother made (probably in the 30s) that were all hand made. One is a scrappy Lone Star. The other scrappy DWR. A lot of people do hand work as a take along project, or setting in front of the TV evenings. Hope you enjoy doing your CW.

Typed "Eddie's Tutorial" into Search on this board and found it....yeah!...but, only part one. Couldn't find part two anywhere....IS there a part two for the colored portion???? Help!!! First part was GREAT!

I had an aunt (who has passed away) that made a Cathedral Quilt by hand and she sold it for $1000.00.

I'm still working on mine over a year later and still not complete, but I do love it.

I have one started by hand. I put the blocks together with
a backstitch before I tack down the points. That way the seam holding the background together is inside. I don't know if that makes it stronger or not, but I like the way it looks better than a whip stitch.
I use a tiny slip stitch on the curved edge of each frame and a satin tacking in the points that form the corners. I'm doing sections so it isn't quite so heavy when I work on the frames.

Oh - I love your picture. I can't wait til I can put a few blocks together like this. Did you use a whip stitch for the curves around the window or running?

I made one years ago but I sewed the blocks together by machine but I used a whip stitch to sew the top pieces. I find when I move it much the stitching can come out and I am constantly re-doing some of it. I think it would be hard to use a machine to do all the blocks but it would probably be more "sturdy" if you could. I loved this quilt but it does take a long time to finish. AND its very heavy when its finished. My favorite quilt I have!

Thank for your tip on whip stitching on the inside. I've put the first two blocks together by whipstitching on the back and I don't like it. My hand stitching skills need to be improved, but I don't want to practice on stitching that shows. I will have to practice the blind hem stitch through the layers as I was hoping to have a little something on the back of the quilt. I very much appreciate you taking the time to share this with me.

Here is the link for Eddie's tutorial:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-35742-1.htm

Actually, I don't know how to make this a link, but if you type in the above it will take you to the entire tutorial. Enjoy!