First Quilts
 

I have been reading through the post and noticed that even the beginning quilters are sending their quilts out to be quilted. When I made my first quilt I did not even know that was an option. I have always handquilted my own quilts. Those of you that have been quilting for a long time, did you quilt your own quilts at the beginning (either hand or machine) or did you send them out?

I handquilted my quilts when I first started quilting in 1990. I still love to handquilt, but now I also enjoy FMQ on my domestic sewing machine. The money I save by quilting my own quilts goes to buying more fabric.:o

I've always quilted my own by hand or machine.

I sent my first one out and hand-quilted the next few ones. I love to hand-quilt, but it takes me so long.

I had tops for the longest. Then machine quilted them

I hand stitched and hand quilted my first few quilts. When I made the first one I didn't even own a sewing machine then. I still hand quilt some.

I quilted my own quilt -- but it was a school home ec project in 1980 or 1981. I've only been involved with 5 quilts that have been sent out to be quilted -- only one of them was my personal project. The other 4 were group projects. I'm working with a young lady now (she's 12) and originally planned to quilt her first top for her. I got a lot of push back from my husband and other quilters, so she's doing the quilting -- but she's not really enjoying it. I just hope it doesn't backfire. She'll finish the quilt this weekend and I'm going to put the binding on for her -- unless she says she wants to (which I doubt she will). When it's finished, she's giving the quilt to her cousin for her 1st birthday. Ooh -- reminds me I need to get the label made...

I do all my own quilting.

I have not sent one out yet. The first ones were quilted on a machine with a 4 inch throat. Just keep cramming! I've upgraded to a nine inch throat and do it all myself. Quilting is an expensive hobby and added a LAQ to every quilt is more than I care to spend. Maybe if I do a GREAT quilt one day I'll have it professionally done.

i quilted my own way back when- then didn't quilt for a number of years= when i started again the first large (king sized) quilt i made i sent out- and it cost me so much i figured i had better either learn to do that myself- or not ever make another one-so set out to learn to machine quilt, saved my pennies & purchased a long-arm...i do still on occassion quilt with the domestic machine too- small projects- up to twins & if i want to do intricate quilting i do it on my sewing machine. i am working on a queen sized whole cloth with my domestic machine. now i don't have to send them out- people send theirs out to me :)

Been quilting since i was seven. All except four have been hand quilted.
well over 350 have been hand quilted.

Always do my own from start to finish, I want the whole thing done by me even if it isn't the prettiest thing around....I like to say..."I did it".

I take my king and queen size quilts to my SIL to get LAQ'd. But I get the family discount and she's my next door neighbor (but my next door neighbor is 3/4 miles away). The family discount also means my quilts don't get done until she has everyone elses done. But that's fine, I'm not usually on a time schedule for the larger quilts. The smaller quilts I do on my DM.

Modern longarm machines didn't exist until 1984...long after I started quilting.

I do all my own quilting an a domestic sewing machine. Good, bad or indifferent I like to see the project done myself from start to finish.

If they are mine-------------they get tacked. I like piecing---------I hate quilting.

I quilted my first few with a simple diagonal stitch across the whole quilt. On my machine. I still sometimes use that same pattern for smaller baby or lap quilts.

I first started quilting in the mid 70's. Everthing was done by hand. I hand quilted everything. I still do some piecing by hand, but send my quilts to my neice or Charisma to quilt.

When I first started, I hand-quilted. I now own two longarm machines. By machine quilting them, it allows me more time to make more quilts. Most of my personal quilts are custom-quilted, unless you just couldn't see the quilting in a busy pattern. My clientele usually don't have time or the comfort level to quilt their own.

my first few quilts were hand quilted by me plus I hand quilted for others; unfortunately my hands whon't let me do that any more so all my quilts get sent to the LA'r. Its quickerr and gives me more time to make more quilts.

I've been hand quilting and FMQing my own quilts since I started in 1983. Well, the first quilt I made was tied. Unfortunately, I had used cotton batting. The first time the quilt was washed, the batting tore apart and migrated to the corners. Oops. I've come a long way since then! :)

I hand-quilted my first one, then machine-quilted after that, but I've never sent a quilt out to be quilted. I don't have anything against the people who do, but for me, I feel that the quilting is just as much of a design decision as the rest of it, and I wouldn't feel as much ownership over the finished product. I want to do it all, from start to finish.

I have been quilting for years and have probably made over 150 quilts. Since being out of work the past year, I have been busy and have completed about 20 quilts in the year. I hand quilted every one but one. I honestly know I could get more done if I sent them out, but can't afford it, living on disabilty..At least I now have the time to hand quilt, and I really enjoy it too.
When you all refer to a domestic machine, exactly what are you talking about? Is this just a regular sewing machine? I do all my sewing on a Brother machine I bought at Walmart for $99. I can't see how anyone can quilt a decent size quilt on it, being that it has such a small throat!! I have machine quilted table runners, pot holders etc on this machine, but the item was small and easy to move around.

I have always quilted my own, some by hand, some by machine. My first quilt, made in the 70's, was hand pieced and hand quilted. That's what I learned from my mother and aunts. Now I mostly piece and quilt by machine on my trusty little Singer. I've even quilted king sized ones by dividing the work into quadrants and working from the center out.

I quilt my own. I can not afford to send out. By quilting my own then I have money to BUY more fabric!

I so proudly quilted my own. Looking back they were pretty awful, but none the less I was proud! For me I machine quilt, cause I haven't got the patience to hand quilt. I want it done yesterday, once I am at that point! :D

Quilted my own by hand or tied them.

I do all my own quilting, but some I still tie - I love the old-fashioned look that tying gives my quilts.

I hand quilt most of my quilts. I do tie occasionaly, and have done a couple on the machine......simple cross hatch. The only one I sent out was back in 1962, It was a hand pieced GFG and my grandmother quilted it for me. It was my very 1st quilt, and my grandmothers last. She passed soon after. That quilt is still special to me, and I still miss my grandmother.

I'm a newbie quilter and I've machine quilted my first 2 quilts that I've made. I want to learn to hand quilt...but haven't asked anyone in my newly joined guild yet if they would teach me. I'm working on project #3 right now and it's for my daughter...so I'd love to learn to hand quilt in order to finish it for her (she's 3)

I have never sent a quilt out, although my sister used to make extra money quilting for others. Unlike most people, I started out hand quilting panels long before I pieced anything. Now I do both, and I also machine quilt. I love fmq, although my work is far from perfect.

My older sister died in 2003 at age 53. She taught me to quilt. After I pieced the top of my first big quilt, she took me to a LA quilter to have it quilted and I've been doing it ever since. I machine stitched one table runner and hand stitched 3/4 of my very first quilt (which I still haven't finished) and hand stitched a table top quilt but the stitching is very big stitches and I think it doesn't look very nice. I have it on my dining room table but I'll stop and admire my handwork every so often. I always take mine out to be quilted.

I'm taking Craftsy's free BOM and have made 20 blocks and this quilt we are going to machine quilt. I am excited about do so. I think it might be the push I need to get me to start quilting my own quilts. If I like it, I just might start quilting all of mine. My sewing machine has a stitch regulator and a deep throat - made for machine quilting. I could really save some money.

When I starte quilting I quilted by hand. I can not do that anymore. I am now quilting on my machine. I want to say I did the whole thing. I do not have a long arm. I just finished a queen quilt on my small machine for my grandson and his wife, they love it, and that is all that matters. However I just bought a Jenome, 11" throat to do my next one I have started.

My first quilt I quilted by hand. I love hand quilting, but I now have MS and it is all I can do do cut my quilt pieces out. I am making my last big quilt now and will make smaller quilt items after that.

Never say "never", but so far I have machine quilted all my quilts (about a hundred). Arthritis keeps me from even thinking about hand quilting. I really admire some of the lighter, more enhancing professional quilting, but my quilts are my quilts and I want to do them myself. My strictest judges tend to be my Gkids and so far they have been thrilled :>)

By doing it all yourself you get to outside the box and be whimsical if you want. Follow the rules that are important and do the rest the way you want!

I just finished my 3rd quilt. All were FMQ by me on my domestic machine. The first one is for my best friend of 45 years and has big pattern mistakes in it, which only add to the love. I think the receivers of the quilts appreciate the work that goes into FMQ it yourself. Paying someone to do something on the quilt makes me feel like it wasn't hand made. I don't know how to hand quilt, guess I'll have to look into that.

I do my own wall hangings and lap quilts - started out with meandering and I am working my way up to very simple designs - even stippling. It is very hard for me to do small stippling, but I am working on it. Anything bigger than a lap quilt and mine go to the LAQ. Our LQS offers LAQ lessons and rental time on a small Innova - looking forward to doing that. Perhaps "someone" will gift me with a certificate for lessons for Christmas - hint, hint....

I hand quilt for myself and close family members, and machine quilt those I expect to be "well loved". I have yet to send one out, but I think about it often.

I make a quilt start to finish. Want it to be all me:p

[QUOTE=Justamom410;5568131]I'm a newbie quilter and I've machine quilted my first 2 quilts that I've made. I want to learn to hand quilt...but haven't asked anyone in my newly joined guild yet if they would teach me. I'm working on project #3 right now and it's for my daughter...so I'd love to learn to hand quilt in order to finish it for her (she's 3)[/QUOTE I have hand quilted for years. I love my handquilting, but it takes alot of time. There are many good videos on youtube that show different ways of hand quilting. I have 2 very different quilting frames, I like the smaller, less expensive one better than the more complicated, more expensive one. I still also quilt in a hoop. I have also just started machine quilting and FMQing. I get a great deal of satisfaction from hand quilting, but sometimes I give in and machine quilt, especially if I need to get something done on a time line. Good luck with your hand quilting, I hope it brings you pleasure for years to come.