Low Tech Quilting
 

I have been noodling on teaching a class that along with the usual beginning quilting info includes advice and instruction on low tech quilting for those that either want to take a more "heritage" approach, or don't have access to a sewing machine and other costly tools.

Part of that approach would be building skills toward the day you do finally have access to machines etc.

Can any of you offer advice on what information to offer/skills to teach? Any experience teaching this approach?

Fabric acquisition is a real challenge for quilters on limited budgets...what strategies are there for that issue (apart from hoping the local thrift shop has usable old sheets and bedding for sale)?

Would appreciate suggestions!

I would disagree that machines are expensive. Sure, new ones with manuals and that do all sorts of things can be expensive, especially if you want one that lasts too.

As someone who has had both high end and simple vintage machines, all you need for quilting is a good solid straight stitch. That might not be all you want, but it is all you need.

There are plenty of solid little working machines out there in thrift stores and garage sales and such that are being given as free or sold close to it. With the internet you can get a manual or advice from sites like this one. You can do your own maintenance with a simple machine, they really aren't that complicated.

I am aware that my thrift store shopping here in Seattle is like the Mecca of the thrift world -- we have so much good stuff go through the stores and the sorts of goodies I find are just not in all areas. But also look for actual fabric in addition to sheets. You will notice that most modern patterns are built/designed around buying/using large amounts of yardage. But budget quilting is scrap quilting and some designs are more friendly to that than others. And that brings up the problem of storage, it may actually be a better deal to just buy the fabric you want when you want it/can afford it than try to put together things you find.

New quilters also should be told that fabric changes. All the time and there are no guarantees that the fabric you like today will be available tomorrow, much less 3 years from now.

I started quilting quite young, I think the best advice I could have been given was to not be intimidated by the little old quilt ladies. Now that I've become one myself, I find we quilters in general are some of the best people :) And we often have excess fabric of our own and sometimes even machines and stuff...

I agree with Ice Blossom. I've given away several sewing machines. In fact, I have one right now that I have offered to the slant needle group on groups.io. I've given away lots of fabric (I thought I had to build a stash when I first started quilting). I've donated fabric to individuals and to organizations.

In my area, the best deals on both fabric and machines are at garage sales and estate sales. I bought a pristine vintage Singer 15-91 at an estate sale for $47.00 (in a perfect cabinet), with all the accessories a couple of months ago. I also have several machines not in cabinets I would donate to a worthy cause.

I know that doesn't answer your question on how to teach "low tech" quilting, but it might give thought to how those people could acquire the fabric and machines if they "take" to quilting.

I had a friend who was a really good quilter. She had all the tools in the world. However, she used a cardboard pattern and scissors to cut out a grandmother's flower garden. She turned and hand basted the edge then sewed them together by hand. She then hand sewed the "flowers" to a block like you would do a Dresden plate. She never finished that quilt, and I have wondered what happened to it. She gifted me her county fair blue ribbon Dresden plate quilt a few years before she passed. Her grandmother taught her to quilt.
bkay

While I agree good straight stitch machines can be bought used, there are issues with that approach, particularly if you live outside a big urban area, or don't yet have your own car to attend estate sales. That search can take time. I want to give new quilters the ability to start their quilting journey right now, before they have time to save up for and/or find an affordable machine of their own.

Maybe refer to Jinny Beyer's "Quiltmaking by Hand."

I think one can obtain some used copies fairly inexpensively.

If the objective is to recreate how "poor folks made patchwork quilts" -

The minimum requirements are (in my mind):

Hand sewing needles - get good ones -
Thread -
A few thin straight pins
Pin cushion/needle holder
A decent pair of scissors
Something to make templates/patterns out of - I'm not a fan of cardboard/cereal boxes - can't see through them - but that might be what people used "way back when"
A pencil to draw around the template - draw dark enough to see - lightly enough so it does not show through to the front!
A ruler to draw straight lines and for drafting blocks
Some fabric - how to scrounge/salvage - and what to use and what not to use - example: most shirt tails were still usable from men's cotton shirts - while the elbows were worn out and the upper backs would be sun-rotted.

I am a fan of graph paper and teaching people how to recognize the components/units in a quilt block. Doreen Speckmann's book "Pattern Play" is good.

You might consider making up sewing kits for sale - or demonstrate what you put in your kit.

Also, I enjoyed "The It's Okay if You Sit on My Quilt Book" by Mary Ellen Hopkins.

Depending on how intensive you want your course to be - and the attention span of the students - that would also determine what you would cover.

The first class I took was to hand piece six different blocks. There was a hexagon grandmother's garden type, one using the drunkard's path unit, one with a baskety thing where we learned how to make a curved tube for appliqueing the handles, - don't remember for sure what the other ones were.

We learned how to join seams and how to deal with intersections - it was a class well worth the time and money to me.

In my experience, I have not seen all that many usable sewing machines available at yard sales or thrift shops. Or "quilting fabric" or even woven fabric garments that I would use. Once in a while there is "a bonanza" - about as often as one hits a jackpot while playing a slot machine.

Not everyone has easy access to "go shopping thriftily" . Or necessarily have the space or money to have "lots" of stuff. Or even the desire to have lots of stuff.

One can get machines "for cheap" - but would a newbie know what to look for? A piece of junk that doe not work properly is not going to make someone a fan of sewing!

I think it's a great idea to go low-tech.

Thanks BearisGrey for those suggestions. Through my younger daughters I know there are a lot of very young folks who want to start quilting but have no idea how to start, and who are struggling with student and pandemic budgets. That is one of the motivations for coming up with an accessible, low tech approach for those who need or want it.

I will check out the books you recommend!

Sewing was done by hand for thousands of years and anyone can do that. Some may think they can't and it will be fun to teach basic sewing to them. I had a friend in school that hand sewed all her clothes.

You can also show how to do a Manx quilt. It is hand piecing and very forgiving. Yard sales are also a good place to find clothes that can be deconstructed for fabric

There may also be sewing machines available to borrow to use at home from the local library or for use at a local Makerspace.

The fundamental principles of accurate cutting and accurate seams would apply to both hand sewing and machine sewing a quilt top.

Needles and thread are quite affordable, but are you factoring in cutting tools (cost and where to purchase) to make the pieces that would get hand-sewn accurate to start?

You might check out Manx Quilting on Pinterest. It doesn't require a machine.

Bless you for doing this!

I agree with everyone's comments above. We have Offer Up which I think is everywhere, an app, and there are low price sewing machines all the time. But hand sewing is an option too. I would also suggest too, that acquiring a fabric stash shouldn't be a goal. I don't have one. I have a basket of scraps, buy just what I need for a project. Check out Bonnie Hunter for scrap quilts.

I personally love the idea of a low-tech teaching approach you're thinking of doing. Though I agree with everyone's suggestions not having the money for purchasing new fabric, a machine, and the notions you need can be overwhelming to those who want to learn sewing/quilting. I personally watch yard sales and estate sales for fabric and notions, and every once in a while I can find a good working sewing machine. If the group you're thinking of teaching lives close together suggest purchasing things as a group rather than individually yes it'll be hard since they don't have everything themselves but it's a way to get started. Teaching them how to hand sew is a good start as not many young people know how to do that if they aren't raised around someone who sews. I'm on a very tight budget to purchase my stuff and I'm trying to teach myself how to quilt, but I've been lucky enough to inherit majority of my notions, thread, fabric, and even my first sewing machine from relatives. I also watch for fabric sales and slowly over time get enough fabric that I want to use for a quilt.

I'd like to suggest making some potholders or mug rugs as a start. You can cover all the skills in a short period of time and they can be useful.

Go for mug rugs - not pot holders! Or a doll quilt - or a pillow top.

Because (useful) pot holders usually have a lot of thickness(es ) to deal with . I still find making a decent potholder to be a bit of a challenge - and I consider myself somewhat experienced.

I enjoyed having some hand piecing to take along while traveling. I think it is a useful skill.

The OP might even throw in how to resew a seam or hem that has come undone and how to sew on a button.

Also mention how to make the quilter's knot -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnHRnJWXWX4

Finally could get consistent knots!

Thrifting for fabric doesn't always have to be just looking at old sheets. I've been able to source some sweet patterned 100% cotton fabrics in shirts (including Hawaiian and novelty patterns) and some homemade items (duvet covers, aprons, and dresses). Flannel shirts can also be an option if you want to look at rag-type quilts. You can also ask friends and family to pass on not-too-worn items - a shirt or cotton sundress with a food or wine stain on it isn't really going to sell, but could be cut up and put to use in a quilt.

There is an interesting journey described at https://www.quiltedtwins.com/upcycled-blues-project.htm.

As others have mentioned, there is definitely a challenge with working with "what you find" rather than what you may actually want and it can take time to gather your materials. It's important to keep an open mind, get the creative juices flowing by seeing the amazing work done here and have a nice bit of storage space for all of your finds!

I got fussed at in my beginning quilt class because I just could not get my 54-40 or fight block right on my machine so I hand-pieced it. I like hand sewing. I have all the blocks for a LeMoyne Star quilt pieced by hand because it is easier than on a machine.

Maybe it's just me, but if my introductory to quilting was hand stitching, I doubt if I ever would have learned to quilt. I also think that a single stitch machine is all that is really needed for most jobs. Access to cheap machines are plentiful. If transportation is someone's problem, then shopgoodwill.com should do the trick. Also, simple machines are plentiful on that site. I have purchased a few and have had good luck. I also think if your aim is to teach making quilts, it's the fabric that's going to do you in if your on a serious budget. But of course, maybe it's just me. To me, the machine makes it the fun part.

Freecycle.org is also a great source for both fabric and machines. A local quilting friend of mine has gotten a boatload of very high quality quilting fabric from that sight including full kits/patterns. She has been generous enough to share some with me as well. I often also see sewing machines listed on that site as well. Granted, a younger student may need someone to take them to/from to pick up those items, it is very local and I'm sure they would be able to get someone to help them out.

My late DH and I started quilting in the early 1980's and were definitely low tech. He would never use anything but scissors for cutting (I do use a rotary cutter now). He was a math whiz and made his own patterns, even for Double Wedding Ring. I think he would find it funny that people use a die cutting machine to cut squares. But I guess it is probably faster.

I have always done hand quilting, tried it on a machine once and it was a big nope for me. I was kind of shocked when I joined this board and saw all the "high-tech" things people used for quilting.

Years ago, employees at my office joined together to make baby quilts as gifts to those expecting. Many in the group had never sewn. Many did not have an iron or ironing board. Most did not have a sewing machine. We put together kits for each block and had get togethers at lunchtime where the 3 quilters in the group provided irons and needles and threads. Even after we made 10 or so quilts, only a couple became converts and wanted to learn more about quilting.

I can see the attraction of minimalist quilting for those times in your life when you don’t want to add to your “stuff”. I can also see the attraction of only using recycled clothing or sheets to reduce the impact on the environment.

But I’m not sure it’s “low tech” to shun the use of a sewing machine. The Singer sewing machine was patented in 1851. The first electric sewing machine was patented in 1889 and the first electric iron was patented in 1881. I have a quilt which was hand-pieced and quilted, but when it came time to put on the binding, the “ladies at the church” got out the machine.

Machines are out there. Often unused and just sitting there. Ask around. Whenever I know of a new quilter. I send them looking for precuts. Wide variety, many different fabrics, just add a solid and they can make a great coordinated quilt. Cake mixes using layer cakes can really help, just sew on the line and cut apart.

I agree. I never would have continued quilting if I'd had to do it all by hand. I do like hand sewing and usually have an EPP or embroidery project going, but it very slow and laborious. Most newbies don't have the patience to wait for 6 months to see any result.

I also agree that a straight stitch machine is all that's needed for quilting and they're easy to find. I saw a really nice 301 in a cabinet at a garage sale for $125 the other day. She wasn't busy and said she was just looking to get rid of stuff. I probably could have bought that machhine for $75.

Fabric can be had at garage sales. I've never seen it at Goodwill or thrift stores here, but I'm sure some area have it. Watching for sales and coupons is also an option.

For a comparison -

I think it is still useful to have a pen or pencil and paper around to write on even though I have word processing on this computer.

I think knowing how to hand piece does not negate using a sewing machine - nor is it "wrong" to know how to hand sew if one has the latest and greatest in sewing machines.

It is just another way to accomplish something.

I belong to a group that gets together to quilt once a week. We get donations of fabric from people who have passed or just stopped sewing. This may be a source of fabric for you. We saved fabric for a girl who was doing a school project once. Talk to the director, I bet she would be willing to help you. She may even offer space and a machine for you to use. I am so glad to hear you want to help these girls.
Forgot to mention where we meet. We meet at the Senior center

I like the idea of "low-tech quilting."

Lovely things can be made with a relatively low investment for tools and materials.

I feel very overwhelmed when the "necessary list" seems to include - most, if not all, of the following:

A long arm machine - preferably one that can load a king-size quilt
A die cutter for fabric - with all the dies available
The very top of the line computerized sewing sewing machine - or several - for different colors of threads and settings
Quilter's Select rotary cutters- at least one of each size, mats, and rulers (all of them available)
At least a roomful of fabrics, battings, and threads.
A computer, printer, and internet connection to spend time at/on the Quilting Board
A couple of design walls
Enough storage space for all this so items can be located
And adequate working space to spread all this out in to be able to function.

Nothing wrong with having all the goodies - but one can start out "small" -

I am with some, machine sewing and quilt making is the only way I would have ever sewn anything. I no longer hand sew on bindings. My hands cannot tolerate it anymore.

I have other machines but the two machines I use all the time are straight stitch only.

I think some forget the times we are in right now. Having $$ to buy food and pay rent is short for many. Buying a machine and all we consider necessary may not be an option for all. I do love my machine but at times I enjoy hand work. Cindy Blackberg does a lot of hand piecing. She has some nice ideas to look at

What a nice thing to do is pass on your love of quilting. As for fabric....Think outside the box...cotton shirts that are no longer loved. I've seen many quilts made with men and women's cotton dress shirts. Blue jeans if not too thick are fun. If you have a local guild to contact, they may have fabric and notions to donate or machines to lend. I learned to quilt making place mats or if smaller projects are needed...a mug rug.

I am not aware of any "law/rule" that says one "has to" use only one method when making a quilt.

My first quilt - I hand pieced the blocks - sewed the borders and sashings to the blocks by machine and attached the binding by machine. Hand quilted the quilt and hand sewed the binding to the back.

Still would mix methods/techniques if it is reasonable to do so.

I sewed for years in a 6' x 8' breakfast nook in our townhouse. You'd be amazed how creative you can get with storage and different areas. I used to do tailoring and made beautiful suits to wear to work, plus some formals and I even started wearable art in this small area without any special tools. I had a basic sewing machine, an iron and a good pair of scissors and that was about it. Sometimes you just have to work with what you have and add stuff later.

I'm still not big on one use rulers, don't have a die cutter and do a lot of things the "old way".

Everyone has raised excellent points! Personally I love my Bernina 170, but I was nearly 50 before I could save up enough to buy it, and even then it was used. I have gone on to acquire most or all of the nice quilting "upgrades", including a very large stash, but none of those would be easy or possible on a tightly restricted income.

That said, I would sure hate to quilt without my rotary cutter, mat, 24" and 12" rulers.

These young women just want to know where and how to start their quilting careers, and we will begin with a mug rug and doll quilts, then a lap quilt. Most cannot initially afford any kind of machine, and will if they like the craft have to save up and hunt for that great, affordable first sewing machine. I am in Canada and we do not have a plethora of resources for recyled/used/thrifted items or materials.

I would like to ask all of you who have hand-pieced about the durability of hand piecing. I take those quilts are handwash only?

Hand quilting will hold up just as well as machine stitched. As long as the stitches are not too long and a small back stitch every so often. Machine washing on a gentle cycle is possible. If there is doubt, try washing in a front load machine where there is no agitation

I have had to unsew some of my hand-pieced blocks. They are almost as hard to take apart as some of my machine sewn ones.

There is a "however"

The stitches need to be small/short - less than 1/8 inch showing (I do not know how to count hand-sewn stitches) and back stitched every 4 to 6 stitches. Anyway,that's what I do. Ginny Beyer's hand quilting book is awesome!

Basting type stitches will not hold together . I picked up some squares that had been "sewn" together. Those did not even survive being picked up.

A fairly short, interesting article on needles:

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/the-sewin...9th-centuries/

I think the idea of a mug rug or place mat or table topper as a starting point is excellent. They are fairly useful items, and still provide a lot of opportunities to learn if one like the idea of sewing or not.

Also, it the item ends up being "a learning experience" - the investment was comparatively small in materials and time.

I still think a pot holder - while a useful item - is not the "right" thing to try to learn about quilting.