I don't get it. How do they do this?
 

Okay, I've been quilting for almost 40 years. It's been a passion since I retired 9 years ago and I do something related to quilting almost every day. There was the 4 month layoff while my arm was broken last winter, and I can't do much when we have company. But that doesn't happen that often. But, I try to get on QB for a little bit everyday and I read on here that some people are making 50 quilts a year. How do they do that??? I mean, I'm not that much of a perfectionist but 50 quilts a year??? There's no way I could do that.

Are they just talking about making tops? I've done a few tops in a week but not that many. I mean, really..... I'm lucky to get 12 done a year. Actually, I don't think I've done 12 in a year unless you're talking about baby quilts.

Right now I have one quilt on my quilting frame..... hope to finish it in the fall. I'm working on a cathedral window quilt that I've been working on for over a year (Those do take awhile.... especially since it's a queen sized.) I brought 5 UFOs with me to the cabin this summer to try and finish but I'll feel really good if I accomplish that.... 3 months before I go back downstate. It will take me a week to just do the quilting on the first one..... I said I'd join in on the UFO group trying to finish 1 quilt a month. I sure haven't met that level yet.

So, How do they do this?

I have also wondered that - - - -

Maybe they're in a guild. I suppose if you get that many women together, then you can accomplish a lot more. I'm happy if I finish one a season! I'm a mom, married, have other hobbies and work full time. There's no way I'd be able to finish even 12 baby quilts a year. When I don't know what to make and don't have anyone in particular in mind, I make crib size quilts and donate them to the NICU next to my unit in the hospital. I give one to a nurse that's being nice to me and then she holds onto it until she meets a newborn or family she feels deserves it.

I haven't made 50 a year but I have made 20+, 5 of those were queen or larger, in 2012.
I either LAQ mine or have them LAQ'ed.
If I'm working on a labor intensive top, I may take a day or 2 and make something quick to break that thought process. All of my quilts have homes before I start them, and my list always has 3-7 on it, and I would say the majority of mine are used on a regular basis if not daily.

Goes without saying, there is a huge time difference in having a LAQ. I have however, spent 52 hours quilting on one and 46-48 hours on another on the LAQ. Can't even imagine how many months that would've taken by hand.

They either have absolutely nothing else to do or have some others do everything else (i.e.) chauffeur, cook, housekeeper, wet nurse, personal vet, yard man, mechanic, errand runner.

I will confess that I make at least 200 Linus quilts a year but they are simple child friendly prints backed with flannel and made envelope or pillowcase style. I do very little piecing and they are simply machine quilted and do not have separate bindings. I also make a number of them by just crocheting a decorative edge on fleece. I like to work with cheaters cloth when I do a lot of hand quilting. Last year I purchased preprinted fabric that looked like piecing, added a border to made it bed size and then hand quilted it. I think I made four of them in a couple of months. While I am very fast at hand quilting I do not like to piece and confess that it is not my strong suit.

I know several charity quilters that produce at least 50 a year. One in particular uses a simple pattern and precuts several quilts at once and then sews them up. She does simple, machine quilting and machine binding. She literally can do a quilt a day.

I could no way do 50 quilts a year, nor afford to. Quilting is my fun afraid trying to do that many that fast could make me very nuts!!!!

I have done six tops in about five weeks; queen sized...for gifts in the family...and three quilt tops in four weeks. Quickest one was for gs in about two hours...one piece quilted by machine by neighbor on her long arm...for him to just have to carry around. I try to have a quilt for him every time he gets to Grandma's house, which is never often enough for me. LOL!!

Then again, I have taken five to ten years to finish other quilts to satisfy what I 'seen' my way to be happy with the quilt...finding the right fabric for the stash that I have. Always have at least twenty to thirty quilts in various stages from ideas to starting stage.

I am excited now, because I finally have my quilt room set up with new sewing tables and two new sewing machines or will have next Wednesday. May be even get Grandma's treadle out of my closet.

50 a year? No way. I might get a whole bunch of tops made, but getting them quilted and bound is a whole other thing:)

when i was a member of my guild but working full time, i did manage to make 1 full-sized quilt per month and sometimes some other small projects. when i retired, though, i decided i just wanted to take my time and enjoy the process and the rest of life :)

Oh thank goodness, it isn't just me! I was beginning to think I was a real slug when it came to finished quilts. I can piece a quilt quickly but then it takes a while for me to decide on how to quilt it, and then the binding takes several more days. I like to enjoy the process and don't want it to become work. I usually have 5-6 projects I'm actively working on with many more in progress but on the back burner.

I count how many quilts I have made, but only because an experienced quilter told me to do that, as she wished she had done that. She suggested I write on my calendar a running count, which I have done. I enjoy knowing how many quilts I have made, but I never thought of it as a race or contest to see how many I could get done. What fun would that be? I have only been quilting for about 3 years, and every bit of it has been fun! I wouldn't want to change that. (I am in the process of finishing my 60th quilt. Just plain fun. I have learned so much and love it all!!)

Dina

Dina

The only way I can see to make so many is to almost make it assembly line style and make several of the same pattern.

While that may be fun for some, I don't care to do that. I've never made the same pattern twice. To me it's like reading a book. Once I've done it, I want to do a different one.

Of course, all those speedy folks are what is keeping the charities alive. We need them because if the charities waited for my pokey self, there would be a LOT of cold people in the world. :)

Who does their cooking, cleaning, bed making, laundry, grocery shopping, weeding etc. etc. etc?????

I had committed to doing 4 quilts for our guild's charity committee, so I purchased a focus fabric with lots of colors and matching solids. Then I did a little math and cut 9-1/2" blocks, and rectangles and squares that when sewn together would equal 9-1/2". So I had 2-rail blocks, 4-rail blocks, 4-patch blocks, and blocks that had 1 rectangle and 2 squares. Then I started sewing blocks into rows, and rows into quilts. I put a pieced border on each quilt, and got all the sewing done in one day. The next day, I spray basted the quilts and used a large stipple to quilt them. Over the next week, I got the binding sewn on and machine stitched them. So, within a week, I had fulfilled my promise. And honestly, I will NEVER do that again. And I didn't have to do them in a weekend, but I knew that if I didn't get them done right away, they would get pushed aside or would never even get started. And if I ever make that kind of promise again, I will just cut 9-1/2" squares and forget about the subcutting.

I am not in a competition when it comes to quilting. Sometimes it takes forever and a day to finish. If someone has the time and the resources to finish that many, then more power to them. A lot depends on the size, pattern, and type of quilting used.

Last weekend I made 2 child-size tops with simple 4-patch and alternating patches. Those tops went together quickly BUT they are hanging on the banister waiting to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound and THAT is going to take a bit longer.

I don't know how but appreciate those that will and can. I am lucky if I get a handfull of charity quilts done and need to work on processing tops into quilts. But do what you enjoy. I couldn't afford that much fabric.

I made 50 in a year, actually 4 months. i'd pc the quilt at home at night and hand quilt it at work the net day,
I was a casket embroider and would put the design on the machine and go quit. the machine did all the work. these quilts were 58" x 70", donated to a hospital for kids

I'm lucky to get one done in a year. But I have 3 kids that are homeschooled too so that takes up time every day. Not so much that I can't quilt though. I should be making more than I do.

I am NOT in a competition either: but I can still do AT LEAST one quilt a week and some weeks even more than that. I piece by machine, LA, add the label (again by machine) and add and stitch the binding by machine. And I also do small quilts for a pup lifeline organization here, giving them at least 25 quilts a couple of times a year. I do NOT do fancy very often; if I do, and you ordered it, you will pay for it. My quilts are made to be loved and used, and I don't have a lot of heartbreak when I see the kids using them for outdoor tents, etc. I also do customer quilts in the middle of all of this...
So it's possible to do at least 50 quilts in a year, if you're not doing the one-of-a-kind ones but rather just trying to help the world a bit. And no, I don't have household help...I live by myself and can do whatever I please. Maybe that enters into my productivity in that it pleases me to quilt!

If I lived alone, I bet I could do a lot more. Only thing is, I'd have to work to support myself. lol. Cleaning up after 5 people, 3 of whom don't do a lot to help, takes time. That will be changing when we move into our new house.

I work full time and keep up the house so I don't have a lot of time for quilting. This used to bother me that it seemed to take so long to produce anything. I eventually determined that my quilts are both art and a learning experience and I should just sit back and enjoy the ride. Feeling pressured to get a lot of quilts done in a short amount of time makes quilting stressful and lots of work instead of being fun to put together. Thus, I've removed myself from the Speed Quilting trend as much as possible. Kudos to all those who can work that fast, they have mad skills I don't. It just doesn't work for me.

I'm not a speed quilter either. Plus I've had my quilting time severely disrupted several times over the last 5 years by several moves.

I have wondered about this also. For me, quilting is my creative outlet. I like to take the time to choose fabrics and patterns, think good thoughts while I am cutting and piecing by machine. Each of my quilts is a labor of love. I am trying to learn fmq through craftsy, but just can't get it. It is my goal to become proficient and comfortable with it, and then purchase a mid arm to do my own quilts. So i send my out to a long armer, but even doing that, I can do 2 or 3 quilts a year at the most.

I have done a dozen donation quilts in one year, all the same pattern and machine tied off. I loved it at the beginning as each was was different, but it actually began to be a chore, and was hard for me to think good thoughts as I assembly line sewed them together. Hand top quilting takes me years, as I do it a bit at a time.

I make A LOT of quilts every year- mostly queen sized, once in a while a twin or baby---I don't enjoy those as much so don't make them as much- I work full time outside of my home- I manage to keep the house up - with the help of a wonderful supportive hubby- we get up early (5 am every morning) on Saturday after breakfast we 'dive in' he cleans both bathrooms, including mopping the floors, I strip our bed, clean the kitchen, vacuum all the rooms with carpeting- through out the week we keep things up- so it only takes an hour or two. I (waste) very little time- I always have hand work to do if I want to sit & watch a ball game or something I work on my hand project- I start my day with a cup of coffee & head for the sewing room- I have 2 hours to sew/prep/work on what ever before I have to hit the shower & go out the door- I take my 'hand work' with me- for those 'empty moments' when I get home I look through the mail & head for the sewing room- get an hour or so in before time to start dinner- we eat, both of us clean up, do the dishes together- hubby heads for his favorite chair- I head for the sewing or quilting room. if we don't have plans on the weekend I can spend all day working on what ever I want- if we do have plans I still have my early morning & later in the day- I generally quilt a queen sized quilt in 2-8 hours depending on the complexity. I may work on it for an hour or so-then move to the sewing room & sew for a while- ...I just stay {on task} some quilts I work on off & on for a year or more- some of them seem to go together fairly quickly- sometimes I may have 6 different ones in various stages that all of a sudden all come together at once...it is not uncommon for me to make 30-50 quilts in a year---without a housekeeper, cook, chauffeur... or any of those other things someone stated...and I make it to work each and every day- I just don't sit around staring at the tube doing nothing....thinking about what I wish I had time for...I make the time for the things I want to do.

my family and friends are too important to spend that much time making quilts. I make a quilt for a reason. Also, I get very bored during just one craft or hobby. I need lots of escapes.

I would like to be the store where those people buy the fabric from to make that many quilts in a year.

Well said!

I start 50 quilts a year!:D

I have made seven quilts since April this year and the first one was the Diamond Pineapple. Most of them are large quilts and the smallest being 86x86.

It's true that I am retired and my DH does all the house work and laundry. I just cook and do the shopping and I sew all day if the mood dictates to me to do so lol.

I sew very fast as I have sewed since childhood and there is nothing that I can't figure out and sew up. I only sew fast from experience, I can't help it but I enjoy every minute of my quilting from the cutting to the binding.

I only make quilts that I enjoy making, no special orders etc. I found that it pleases me to not have UFO's anymore. When I start the quilt, I finish it before I start another one but of course, I could work on two at a time and they get finished too.

I have finished most UFO's, there were only a couple or so. I think I found one in my trunk that I completely forgot about and I think there is a beginning of two from the time I took classes and lost interest. I still might finish those tho. One is called, The Winners Circle and came with nice templates and the other is Grandmother's Flower Garden and those are from 1996 lol.

I don't think I every made 50 quilts a year. In fact, my entire collection is in my quilt and doll room all rolled up on tubes. Let me go count them lol,hang on. Ok, I counted 40 and then I think about 10 are in other people's collections. Now, that is from 1996, when I seriously started to quilt and that is 17 years to make all these quilts. A lot of them are king size and the smallest is the size of the bug quilt, remember that one with the bug jars and then the on with the bugs on top? I love those and made one of each one.

Oh wait I do have another 10 needed to get binding so I do have UFO's still hahahahahahha, so that is, lets say, 60 quilts more or less.

Maybe the 50 quilts that the ladies make in a year are baby or lap quilts.

I have made seven quilts since April this year and the first one was the Diamond Pineapple. Most of them are large quilts and the smallest being 86x86.

It's true that I am retired and my DH does all the house work and laundry. I just cook and do the shopping and I sew all day if the mood dictates to me to do so lol.

I sew very fast as I have sewed since childhood and there is nothing that I can't figure out and sew up. I only sew fast from experience, I can't help it but I enjoy every minute of my quilting from the cutting to the binding.

I only make quilts that I enjoy making, no special orders etc. I found that it pleases me to not have UFO's anymore. When I start the quilt, I finish it before I start another one but of course, I could work on two at a time and they get finished too.

I have finished most UFO's, there were only a couple or so. I think I found one in my trunk that I completely forgot about and I think there is a beginning of two from the time I took classes and lost interest. I still might finish those tho. One is called, The Winners Circle and came with nice templates and the other is Grandmother's Flower Garden and those are from 1996 lol.

I don't think I ever made 50 quilts a year. In fact, my entire collection is in my quilt and doll room all rolled up on tubes. Let me go count them lol,hang on. Ok, I counted 40 and then I think about 10 are in other people's collections. Now, that is from 1996, when I seriously started to quilt and that is 17 years to make all these quilts. A lot of them are king size and the smallest is the size of the bug quilt, remember that one with the bug jars and then the one with the bugs on top? I love those and made one of each one.

Oh wait I do have another 10 needing to get binding so I do have UFO's still hahahahahahha, so that is, lets say, 60 quilts more or less.

Maybe the 50 quilts that the ladies make in a year are baby or lap quilts.

I enjoyed reading and contributing to this thread.

[QUOTE=nanna-up-north;6171392]Okay, I've been quilting for almost 40 years. It's been a passion since I retired 9 years ago and I do something related to quilting almost every day. There was the 4 month layoff while my arm was broken last winter, and I can't do much when we have company. But that doesn't happen that often. But, I try to get on QB for a little bit everyday and I read on here that some people are making 50 quilts a year. How do they do that??? I mean, I'm not that much of a perfectionist but 50 quilts a year???

I could never figure that out either. At best, I may end up with 5 or 6, and I usually work on them daily, maybe taking a little break between them. It is a mystery to me.

I have no idea how many quilts I've made or how fast. That is not important to me.

What is important is who am I making "this" quilt for?

Maybe I've decided beforehand, maybe it just came together and I'm waiting for the right person to choose it as theirs.

Either way, I do it for my own creative enjoyment and as a love gift to someone I care about.

Also I have many other people and activities in my life besides quilting.

One week or two I may not even walk inside my sewing room. Then I may spend three or four days doing little else beside sewing. Just depends on what else is going on.

I can make a large rag quilt in a day using the Go rag die. I know I've made over 9 so far this year. I lost count of the Jelly Roll Race quilts I've made in the last year. I can have a large twin size top made in the race style in about an hour. Buy a jelly roll and and make a quilt top, easy and fast. I use my Go dies for all my quilt patterns or use pre cuts. I don't rotary cut fabric if I can help it. I keep a quilt top to handquilt during the year when I get the urge.

Well I live alone, I dont cook, not much to clean, make bed when I get out of it, do laundry while long arming (both are in basement), avoid grocery shopping till I have only condiments left, and have no yard ;)

I can do about 1 quilt a week if I am not stopping to do other quick projects. I have a system. I cut and set up my pieces on sunday night. Then during the week after work, I get 1-2hrs to sew, this is where I piece everything. Usually have the top done by friday night. Then on sunday morning, I get the top and the laundry, head down to the basement and quilt the top while doing laundry. I am still using pantographs, so it takes no time whatsoever to quilt. Usually then prep the binding and hang on the door in sewing room (up on 2nd floor) and do it when I have a free moment.

Now with that being said, some patterns take more time, have one that took 3 wks to work on. Another is going to take at least 2 weekends to quilt. (once i pull out the bad stitching) .

Lately I have been practicing my feathers and free hand work on my long arm, so my tops are piling up :p and havent been in the mood to bind, so have a bunch piling up there too.....lol, will need to get everything done before christmas

I made close to 50 last year. Those are the finished ones. I have one more from last year to quilt it is a huge queen size and it will nearly kill me to quilt it.
Most of those were child size quilts, easy patterns. I made 22 of those in a month for my guild to donate to our NICU Those were Christmas quilts for the little ones. I did have help binding half of those cause I was on a time schedule.
Mixed in with those little ones were one huge queen with a million pieces and at least 12 lap size quilts. Most were easy patterns and I FMQ most but not all of them. the ones not FMQ were quilted on the diagonal with a fun stitch.
I do get teased about being a "speed" quilter. I still love the process but if you can run the machine at full speed and still get an accurate stitch, why not?

I do all my cooking, from scratch. I do have a house keeper every other week. Ii is just my DH and I in the house, though the kids come over for dinner often as well as my toddler grand daughter. I do the shopping and weeding, DH mows the lawn. I do not work outside the home any more but volunteer a lot of time at church. I guess I am just "fast"

I hand quilt and have made about 30 quilts in a year..Most of these were twin and a few were for babies. I have plenty of time and can sit as long as I want to work..sadly because I have COPD and attached to an oxygen tube 24/7. My children do the cooking and cleaning. Despite what people think, I enjoy what I do - the entire process..If it wasn't for the hours I spend on my quilting, I would be stir crazy.