Giving some serious consideration to hand piecing/quilting
 

Ya know, I don't do as much sewing as I'd like because it just sometimes seems like such a chore to go to the sewing room, get everything just set up perfect, lighting ect.
My mom did everything from start to finish by hand. No fancy rulers, no rotary cutter, just scissors, pattern, needle, thread, and thimble. And she made many, many beautiful, intricate quilts!
When I think about all the time I waste, watching tv, or waiting on appointments, or just generally sitting around resting...I think although slower, I would still get a ton more things done by hand.
Hmmmm,
Maybe I'll at least start one by hand and see how it goes.

I've been quilting since 1970. My mother asked me yesterday how many billions of quilts I have.
My response was I make intricate quilts very slowly :) If utility quilts or hundreds of charity quilts was my goal it would be more practical for me to buy blankets or make cash donations. I don't quilt as work, I quilt for the pure joy of it, probably why it has always remained a passion. (and we don't have a TV and I limit my time online to no more than 2 hours a day...makes a lot of difference in how easily I can prioritize my life)

If you want to hand piece the easy way do check out Linda Franz's inklingo

edited to add: rereading my post it sounds preachy, absolutely didn't mean it that way, but as encouragement to enjoy the process.

I agree - i love my hand pieced projects - from crazy quilt squares to applique to dresden plate to regular pieced squares - tho i still use some of my tools for cutting - i find it really relaxing - it's really amazing how much you can get done watching a program or two in the evening. One confession - i take the time to mark my 1/4 inch lines on my fabric....the time i "waste" doing that is more than made up for in the speed with which i can stitch - and the accuracy of my units. Go for it !!!

I really like hand piecing. If you have the opportunity, see if you can watch a Jinny Beyer presentation on how she hand pieces -- it's really fast! Years ago I borrowed this video from the library, and it really helped my hand piecing (not that I will ever achieve her speed). Love the portability of hand piecing.

Edit: Found this DVD (Oops! Sorry, just looked at it again and it's a CD-ROM that you play on a computer), not exactly the same as the video I watched years ago but still would be good:
http://www.amazon.com/Hand-Piecing-J...inny+beyer+dvd

Definitely check your library for it, or request it through inter-library loan. (Not sure if libraries do CD-ROM's? Haven't been in ages.......)

I love handwork to take along on flights, appointments, while watching tv, etc. My mom recently went into the hospital for emergency surgery and I wasn't prepared with a project that was ready to go! I ended up taking a crochet project.

Jinny Beyer also has a book that illustrates her hand-piecing and quilting.

http://www.amazon.com/Quiltmaking-Ha...9977685&sr=1-2

Nope, didn't sound preachy at all to me. Appreciate any tips I can get :)

edited to add: rereading my post it sounds preachy, absolutely didn't mean it that way, but as encouragement to enjoy the process.[/QUOTE]

I too love having handwork to do. You are correct in your assumption that you can get a lot done while sitting in front of the TV. I have never tried hand piecing but I have hand quilted several quilts and when I don't have one, I truly miss it. I have recently discovered hand applique. I completed a prepared hand applique top last year. Prepared is when the seam allowance is turned under on the units before you applique them, as opposed to needle turn where you turn the allowance under with the needle as you applique. I am in the process of teaching myself needle turn and love it so far. Go for it. You may find you really like it.

Haven't hand pieced in ages, but made about six full sized quilts where every single stitch was done by hand. For me at least, those quilts I have the fondest memories of making. It gave me such satisfaction and have remained my all-time favorites. They have withstood the test of time too. I machine wash the hand pieced/quilted. I still hand quilt almost everything I make. A lot can be said about slowing down and enjoying the process. Also, with the 1/4" markings on the pieces, I achieved better matching and points than I have ever been able to do 25 years later with a machine.

After further thought, I've decided we limit ourselves so much. Why in the world can't I do both? For whatever reason, it never occurred to me that I can have the best of both worlds.
After all the years of working outside the home, raising children and having to schedule time for myself, I am finding it hard to adjust to all this extra time. Amazing how circumstances change, and I have to remind myself, my schedule (as in none) is different now. I no longer have time restraints. Actually kinda makes me melancholy....

I love hand piecing, its so relaxing. I made the quilt "Eldon" this summer, the 4 inch log cabins I did on the machine but the rest was all done by hand.

I do both. Some days (or weeks!) I just don't have the energy to go back to the sewing room. I love my hand work projects. Both piecing and quilting. I finished 2 GFG quilts for 2 grandsons who were married this past summer. All hand done. I am now working on a hexagon quilt in diamonds rather than the the traditional "flowers". These are all EPPed one inch hexies. I have a few projects in the sewing room to work on when it strikes my fancy. I have done red work and applique by hand. I did a machine applique SBS, but really don't care for that process. I say go for it, and I hope you enjoy the ride!!

I had not heard of "The Eldon" quilt before, so just googled it. A beautiful quilt and a beautiful story that goes with it. Would love to see your quilt. Have you posted a photo?

i always have a hand project (or 3) going --- i work on them while watching movies, games, riding in the car, waiting at appointments- and i get alot done. i don't do everything by hand but i think i would be lost without a hand project to work on while (sitting around)

I'd be able to watch more TV if I could hand sew, but can't due to my RA--I can't hold a needle anymore. As it is, I machine sew and listen to the TV in the next room. I usually listen to 20/20, Dateline-type shows or the Nascar races. I know I miss a lot, especially with the races. lol It would be so nice to take handwork to Dr. appointments, etc. I waste a lot of time waiting.

I love hand quilting because I can take it anywhere. I can control my points a lot better. Good luck to you.

I don't do that much hand piecing but I do hand quilt almost all of my quilts. Wouldn't know what to do without some form of handwork. Before starting to quilt I did alot of counted cross stitch, knitting, crocheting, etc. Have always had to have some form of handwork available. I really don't have much of a schedule myself either. Has it's ups and downs. I usually machine piece while DH is either at work or off to one of the many organizations he to which he belongs. Then I do my handquilting while he's home and we're just chatting or watching TV. Best of both worlds for me.

I like to hand piece intricate blocks - they are so much easier to press (because all the seam allowances can go which ever way works best) when they are done by hand than by machine.

I do both hand piecing and machine piecing. I started hand piecing so I would have something to do at times that I am waiting for appointments or whatever. I find I take it to work with me and work on it during my breaks, it goes in the motorhome with me, so that when we stop for meals or just a break, I have something to work on if I am waiting for things to cook or whatever. I have some quilts that I hand quilt, and some that I am going to machine quilt. Most of the Christmas gifts will be machine quilted just because I don't have time to hand quilt them all. I also home school my children and I find that when we are reading, I can sit and work on piecing or quilting.

We also travel a good deal in our small motorhome, sometimes up to a month or so. My space is very limited, but I am sure I can find a spot for some handwork. I really miss my quilting when we're on the road, so this is just another reason for me to give it a try.
I did hand-quilt my first quilt a couple years ago. Now it's time to try piecing.

Also, a question about pressing. I normally have my iron set up by my machine and press almost every piece as I sew. Is that necessary with hand piecing?

Thanks for your encouragement and tips!

While most of my quilts I piece on the machine, I always have one or two quilts going that I piece and quilt entirely by hand. We travel a lot with our 5th wheel camper and I can sew while riding in the truck, or sitting outside at the campground. I have found the I love the process of hand sewing because of the accuracy and the calming effect of it. I still usually have a sewing machine in the camper also, depending on what I am working on at the time, but always have my hand sewing project also.

I believe that with hand piecing, it is not nearly as necessary to press each seam as you go, because of the control you have over each seam.

Also, the process of hand piecing goes so much faster than I ever thought it would! I thought it would take forever to hand sew a long seam, but it goes quickly.

Enjoy the process!

If you really want to do hand piecing then go for it. It sounds to me like you're real problem is your sewing room set up. Look at that room with a critical eye and try and figure out what makes you unhappy with it and then try and fix that so that when you want to do a machine project it's not a chore.

I have one of those little wedge shaped wooden hand pressers ...ok...know it has a name but cant think of it right now -- it does a great job - all you need is a flat surface to put the sewn piece on - then run the wooden "do-hicky" over the seam and it's "pressed".

Until I needed bifocals, I always crocheted or knitted while watching TV. Yes, since I was 11 years old and I'm now middle-aged. You can work on quilt projects as well - binding and hand pieced hexagons are really popular. Currently, I can't do both - I hope to fix this with the next pair of bifocals. However, I'm one of those persons who will only do handwork that I can't do by machine easily.

One problem to consider - if you have cats (and maybe even dogs), you need to work out how to prevent access to your needles and thread. Many pets die when they ingest thread - it wraps all up in their intestines. Don't assume that because they haven't done it in the past, that they won't do it in the future. If you don't have a box that CLOSES, then you need to remove your sewing stuff from the living room every time.

I love to have something to work on while watching TV. I hand quilt & hand applique. Also I substitute teach and hand quilting is a good way to keep myself busy while the students are doing their work. But there are also times I like work at the sewing machine.

It is not necessary to iron hand piecing. In fact, when Jinny Beyer irons her hand-pieced tops she doesn't pay any attention to which way the seam allowances fall! She just irons from the right side and that's it. (At least in the video I borrowed from the library years ago where she demonstrated her hand piecing techniques.)

I just started a class at the local high school on hand quilting. I love it so far. only made 2 squares but it is relaxing and when each square is done you have a good feeling like evey hand stitch is a little more love going into this quilt. We are even making out own templates and only hand sewing. No rotary cutting either only scissors.

I got my Grandmothers Flower Garden done by english paper piecing while watching Tv going to appts. etc. Hand piecing and quilting is very relaxing however I now do everything by machine cause arthritis has taken over .

I totally agree with PenniF. I keep my piecing/quilting beside my chair. I can pick it up and do as little or as much as I want to do without a lot of prep time. It becomes an enjoyment rather than "I don't really have time to set up the machine, etc." It's more relaxing to me when it's not a lot of trouble. Just enjoy the process and don't make it a chore! I also take the time to mark the 1/4 inch seam because that makes the piecing much easier. I also quilt around each block just about 1/8 inch (more or less) from the seam. I don't mark those, though.

I also love hand piecing. It is very relaxing for me. I do English paper piecing and regular piecing. Progress is slow but I'm not into quilting as a competition to get things finished. I know I will never complete some projects and others get put aside when I'm bored and pulled out at a later time. Like other quilters I have my UFO's and my To Do list.

My mom knits and hand quilts while watching TV. It's amazing how much she gets done. Good luck to you as you try it out!

I am trying to get a ton of stuff ready for a fall craft show and I have to make use of every second of my time. I have carefully plotted my projects so that at any given moment I have machine-ready piece (piecing, machine quilting) and a hand-ready piece (applique, binding, burying thread ends from machine quilting (which takes me far longer than it probably should - anyone have any suggestions on that one?), design work with paper and pencil, hand embroidery). This way when someone calls on the phone when I am using my machine I can just switch to a hand project, or when watching TV or listening to a good radio show. I like the feeling of always having a little something to work on...

Alison

I try to machine during the day and hand work at night. In general, I'm doing a top, usually mornings and hand quilt at night. BUT I force myself to stay with just 2 projects at a time. I must finish one before I can move on to the next.

I agree I have two quilts I am in the process of handquilting but I am also working on some lapquilt that will be completely machine sewn and machine quilted. I still do have some time restictions but I am looking forward to not having them.

My first few quilts were hand pieced and hand quilted back in the 80's . I took my first class from an old school teacher. Personally I think everyone should do at least one. The reason being It shows you how the peices go together one at a time. I can look at most quilts (when my oldhiemers isn't working) and know how they are put together. I feel if I only did strip piecing I wouldn't be able too. Maybe some can not me. And the look is different than machine down too. I use to sit and watch tv and hand quilt and hand piece. I got quite a bit done.

I have sewed for many years and just started quilting about 4 years ago. I enjoy hand sewing the binding on and decided to try making a quilt by hand. I am now working in making a grandmother's flower garden quilt with 1 /12 inch hexagons. I have all my flowers made and now am working hand sewing them all together and have almost half done.

I was able to take a small tote with me most everywhere and work on my hexagons. No more wasted time watching TV. And the time waiting on DD to get out of school and practice passed very quickly.

I had the same problem when I was first Retired. There had to be a "system." So, this is how I did it, and it really works! When I have finished quilting in the afternoons that I really quilt, I get some piece ready to do/finish by hand. Then in the aft. or eve. when I don't care if I watch tv or not while quilting, I go to the sewing room and use the machine. That really works!
If I want to machine sew in the eve. while watching tv with DH, I use the featherweight, which stays set up at all times.
This has really helped me get more done and enjoy it more.
Mariah.

I am just getting ready to make up some kits for hand quilting. I can no longer sit in front of a SM for long at a time; must think again of hand work. I, too, mark my 1/4" seam line. It surely helps when piecing. Go for it.

This is the reason I make "quilt as you go" quilts. The pieces can go with me and fill in areas of waiting time.

The quilt police be ignored:I hand quilt sections of my quilt where it is easily seen..I machine sections where design is buried Ianthe fabric pattern. Some of both lets me actually get a quilt done (which is better than perfect).