It always surprises me when someone says "I would NEVER do/try/use/ or whatever". My mother has a friend who quilts and she will not go to a quilt show because "People use MACHINES to quilt-That is not REAL quilting".

I will try any thread, material, technique, anything new or old, and I will use or do it. I love trying new and different things and materials and threads, whatever. The only requirement is I must ENJOY it.

I completely agree with you second paragraph.

Some folks just get set in their ways and refuse to change or try something new.

I agree with you 1,000%! I too love trying new things - that is how I am learning more & more with each project I do - big or small. No sense in putting all of our time, money & effort into this if we are not going to enjoy it. Nothing like some good "Quilting Therapy" to clear my head & put a song in my heart.

You go girl!!!! :thumbup:

If something catches my eye enough AND I have resources (time, $, supplies, patience) to do it, I will try it at least once.

I envy people who have the time and patience to make a hand made quilt. If I was ever lucky enough to get my hands on one, I'd probably hang it on a wall so it could be looked at and admired, I would never dare use it in case it got hurt.
That said, I personally prefer the thought of working with all the wonderful new techniques and designs that are coming along daily.
Why spend months doing something that could be done in a day on a long arm amachine. Or hand piecing a top that will probably be given to a relative who won't give it the care it needs. So many people talk about how the person they gave a lovely quilt to soesn't understand the time and love that went into it. Back in the days when I was doing a lot of handwork, my sister in law came along and cleaned me out, come to find out she wanted them to put in her church sale, I haven't given her anything since. If she'd said she wanted stuff for that, I had plenty that could have filled the bill, not the things I'd worked the hardest on.

Absolutely. I had a quilt teacher tell me yesterday I can't FMQ with Isacord polyester as we don't know how well it will hold up in 100 years. I love it and use it all the time.

I have been getting great tips/ideas from this board, and learning a whole bunch of different things to try. The motto I follow is, your never too old to learn

I used to be one of those people. Was orginially taught by an elderly woman (who was marvelous) and everything was by hand. When my hands got so bad I couldn't hold a needle for long (even after surgery on both) I gave up quilting. For years I mourned the lose of my ability to quilt-then finally I thought what is wrong with me? Just sew by machine!!!! Even though I can no longer do the beautiful baltimore album appliques by hand. I can quilt just about anything else I want to by machine. Why did I waste so many years?!!!!!

Kat

Thank you. After having people look down their nose with disdain when I mention quilting by machine, or that some of the fabric is from Joann's instead of a LQS, I decided that I would never do that to anyone. Walmart fabric? Go for it. Using scraps of polyester? Why not. Applique with fusible web- goes quicker, doesn't it?

It's your quilt and your creation and no one should tell anyone else that it's wrong or to do it differently unless asked specifically for their opinion or suggestion.

We need to remember that old saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Just smile and nod. :-)