well, that's rude to say that: "but hand quilted items seem to have more put into them from the heart".....

I think it a time thing also. Also more shows excepting machine quilted ones. I still think some will hand quilt. I used to but my arthritis won't let me hand quilt my joints in my hands are all swollen and bent a little :(

I think it a time thing also. Also more shows excepting machine quilted ones. I still think some will hand quilt. I used to but my arthritis won't let me hand quilt my joints in my hands are all swollen and bent a little :(

I think you have taken that statement the wrong way and should not say it is rude. In no way was her post rude or demeaning. I think the poster was trying to emphasize the extra time, patience, dedication and perserverance that goes into hand quilting. I think of it like a race horse that will keep on running in a race even with a broken leg. Or a dog that travels miles and miles across country to reunite with an owner. We have all heard those human interest stories. Most people say about that race horse or dog, what a heart that animal has, meaning the perseverance, dedication and determination to keep at it. It has nothing to do with love although we like to all think we all put love into our quilts when we make them it is a different experience for a quilt that has been years in the birthing as opposed to weeks. Just sayin.

If I want to quilt it has to be by machine because I am inept at hand work. It sounds to me that quilting as an art form is more alive than ever. Those who hand quilt will continue to do so, and those who machine quilt will continue to do so. I do believe that "modern methods" will be what is marketed. We used to use scissors and templates, then came rotary cutters and rulers - enter the die cut machines. Who knows how fancy and creative quilting will become?! I do believe that the old method will not die out because it does not require anything fancy. Needle and thread - and you're good to go.

I hand quilted for years, when machine quilting became popular and more knowledge as how to do it became popular I jumped onto the bandwagon and started doing it. It is so much faster and I have so many quilts I want to make and so much fabric I want to use, I will never hand quilt any but, a few quilts for a Grandchild or Great Grandchild. I have handquilted all the Grands and 1 Great Grand baby quilts. I think all should quilt however they want to.

I think we should start a post to see who does what. I am amazed at all the different types of quilting that is being done daily by members of this board. From pictures and reading the posts there is alot of machine and handquilting being done. The main thing is that each of us be happy at what we are at.

I think Janet is right on! I own several cars, as well as many horses and carriages. I also have many sewing machines and hundreds of needles and threads.

They all work, and they all work well, and hard.

Often it's not so much the end result, but the journey that counts. While we don't hand quilt out of necessity any more, those of us who do hand quilt do so because we enjoy it. I love the look of well done quilting, whether it has been done by hand or by machine. Because hand quilting is now done primarily for relaxation and enjoyment rather than out of necessity, I don't think it will ever die out. In fact, the more uncommon a skill is, the more cherished and valuable it becomes. Consider that cross stitching, embroidering, and knitting can all be done rapidly by machine now, but many people still do these by hand.

Thank you so much for all your answers and for explaining your points of view. It was so interesting to read it.
I'm an avid handquilter and will go on as long as possbile. We keep a tradition and an old craft and somehow that makes me proud. In summer I will re-start teaching handquilting after a break of more than 4 years and I'm happy to say that 2 of the planned workshops are already fully booked! A quilt show will take place here in Northern Germany in June and I will demonstrate handquilting and am invited to display some of my wholecloths. What a great opportunity to show my craft! And I hope it will go on like this.