That is only way I did quilts for many years. I use embroidery floss. I do not know about shrinkage, because I learned to prewash fabric and use poly batting. My quilts have been used and abused by my kids and family members for years from baby size up to king size.They have held up beautifully.

I tie all my quilts. I use either embroidery floss or crochet cotton. They are still holding up

Thank you for starting this post. Pulling a quilt through the harp of a home sewing machine is so hard on healthy shoulders, but on shoulders with problems it is almost impossible, and I am now working on the very last large quilt I will ever quilt on my home machine. I have decided to hand tie them. The posts on this subject have been very helpful, and have helped me decide to tie future large quilts. Crib quilts and lap quilts I'll probably continue to quilt on the machine or by hand ( if I EVER get the hang of that!_) Thank you so much Nancy Lee.

As a teenager, I made a patchwork quilt for my dorm room. I used yarn. But through the years I made simple tacked quilts for my daughter. She liked changing her room theme every couple years. I did not mind as long as I found the twin sheets in the theme. I would buy two sets. I saved one for bedding and one set for the quilt (fitted sheet removed all elastic) and curtains with flat sheet and extra pillows with extra from flat sheet. I liked using the crochet thread on spools. Yes, I pinned it every four fingers across. Then did it in the center of four tacks. My daughter is 22 now and the quilts are still being used and washed. Good Luck to you.

Thank you so much, everyone!!! Longarming a quilt this size, in NY, is at least $200 and I would rather put that money away to save for my own longarm. I really cannot afford it right now.
You are all so helpful!
nancy

I have a hand-tied queen size quilt that I made more than 25 years ago, and it is still just fine (if you overlook the patches because the puppy chewed on it). Just read the label on the batting to know how far apart to make the ties.

I agree with all the options about hand tieing. I have done quilts where I combined hand ties with machine quilting in the boarders. I have used both embrodiery thread and pearl cotton.

As far as shrinkage, it would depend on your batting I think. I don't think on a tied quilt you would get that crinkled look that some folks like when you have a cotton batting that shrinks.

I LOVE my hand tied queen size. Its been washed ofter. I used Perle cotton and left them about 3/4" long (would do an inch next time) and used the "surgeon's knot". I'd do it again in a heart beat!

Good luck!