I started quilting at the right time (almost 2 years ago).

I wish my mom and grandmother was here to see the new ways of quilting. To be able to see the new designs of quilts! I want to hope that they were the ones to lead me in this direction.

I admire the "old" ways but am glad that we have access to rotary cutters and machines large enough to free motion quilt with. Depending on what I'm doing I can mix and match what gives me most satisfaction. Sometimes it is the actual handwork, sometimes it is the artistic aspect of the design, where the accuracy of machine piecing is desirable. It depends on what I am doing and what the final intention of the piece is.

I'm a self taught quilter. Before deciding to jump into this madness and purchase a bunch of tools/things I may never use again I made a table runner exactly as you described. I rationalized it that people 100's of years ago had none of these fancy things so why did I need them. Honestly wasn't impressed with the final results. I came to the conclusion that today's instructions/patterns almost require these implements. 10+ years later I'm happy I have my 'stash' of tools and it really is MUCH easier!

the only thing i will complain about is that with all the new stuff that makes quilting faster/easier.........

the old ways are being forgotten

I think there was a lot more needlework done before TV started getting our attention. As a child I embroidered, crocheted & made my own clothes.

I have done quilting both ways..the old and the new! And you can choose which ever way you want to work. Or you can use both.

I am so very glad for the "new and improved" way of quilting. I just started a few years ago and was addicted from the first quilt. I can zip thru the piecing in no time and have a beautiful (at least to me)quilt ready to take to the LA. I do not have the patience to sit and hand quilt and my hat is off to all that do!. Sometimes I will wrestle a smaller quilt thru my machine and do some SITD. Needless to say I have 3-4 tops at any given time waiting for attention...lol.

I learned to quilt in 1973 using cardboard templates and scissors. At that time, there were very few quilt books on the market. Quilters Newsletter was only a few years old and was printed in black and white.

I must admit I am so very grateful for rotary cutters, mats, and especially the HST method. I could never get my seams to match up before. I'm amazed the seams in the antique quilts do! Unless I get a set of accurate plastic templates, I wouldn't want to go back to the old template method.

I agree with redturtle that the old ways are being forgotten which is a shame. My LQS owner doesn't know how to calculate the amount of fabric needed based on the size of template & the block being made. I was told "most people usually buy x-number of yards." Knowing how to do the calculations was required in the old days. I guess that's more of a statement to the increase in people's financial status as well as the decline in home clothing construction.

Some of the modern techniques seem very wasteful to me. Also many of the old names of quilt blocks are being changed. Mainly by pattern book authors and magazine editors all because they want to give a quilt a snazzy name. They don't mention in the article that this quilt was made using such-n-such block.

I have been saying this for years. Well stated.
I marvel at the antique quilts, what they were able to accomplish without the modern gadgets is awesome. I think there is room in the world of quilting for all the techniques.