I hand or machine quilt my own.

Wow!
Looks like I am a dinasour. Except for chairty quilts or ones for small children I hand quilt everything. I do quilting for other people and my prices start at 10 cents a square inch. I can do a queen size quilt in a couple of months as long as my neck and back cooperate. THe most tedious part of the whole process is getting started. Putting together the sandwhich and basting. I have never machine quilted anything bigger than a crib size. I just can't handle that much fabric etc. under my machine. Putting the binding on large quilts is the thing I hate the most.

I have several friends that have long arm machines and do beautiful work. I still have this old fashioned idea that handquilting makes the quilt. The feel and the drape is unique.

I've not yet tackled the biggie projects...I'll have to complete one before this is an issue :lol: . I have done smaller projects on the machine and prefer the stitch in the ditch method to the quilt as you go. My background is hand quilting which I would like to take time to enjoy but have to get the current project done and out before the next one takes over!

I think I could handle stitch in the ditch...when you all say free mothion is that just any design you just start making swirls and loops and things like that?...and how do you clamp a quilt to the machine?...for the project I am making now I think I will stitch in the ditch it's for me this time anyway...I am so jazzed to start this project now that alot of my questions have been answered from this board...woo hoo...lol

I would start out on a smaller project. No bigger than a lap size.
Just do a meander pattern, it hides lots of mistakes.
I have a machine with the 10 in throat and that helps alot.
Now I just need to get a table with a hole to put the machine flat with the table top, this would really help alot because the quilt keeps getting caught on corners.

Just my opinion, Katrine, but starting right out on a queen size quilt could be frustrating for you. I first started with placemats and have worked my way through table runners. I have done a baby quilt and a lap quilt. I sent out a king size and queen size and several twin size quilts to my gal who does them on her longarm quilter. I'm happy with just making the tops. Good luck, though. you may find machine quilting a breeze and go like gang busters.

Yes, thanks Rose Marie and dd. I am doing a lap quilt at the moment, after loads of practice squares, and getting along okay so far. I could only ditch on my old machine but now have a Janome 6600P which is great. Dont think there are too many longarms around here - I'm regarded as an oddity cos I use a machine!
Intend to keep the queen quilting simple - it is not an intricate quilt - will post a pic when its done!

I used to always tie my quilts, but recently I started some limited hand-quilting - well, the quilt I was making needed some special motifs, so I kinda jumped in. The last quilt I made I tried quilting on the machine - unfortunately I got way impatient and it is not my best work, especially on the back. It's okay, though, daughter still loves it, and that's what counts. Now I'm working on a quilt that I'm going to try quilting a square at a time before I put it together. I'm going to practice that free motion quilting thing on some scraps first, though!

I do my own quilting on my machine. I am inclined now to quilt as I go block by block. Everything is so much easier that way.

I have just started practicing machine quilting... I did get frustrated and gave up for a few... I will make a try to do more practicing after my move... I have always sent mine to a friend for machine quilting... She only charges me $40.00 for a king and that includes batting and backing.. However she has alot going on in her life right now and I feel taking my quilting to her is taking advantage of her good nature..

I quilt mine on my sewing machine. The special even feed pressure foot works great.