Quilting?
05-29-2014, 05:06 AM
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,430
I agree that sometimes less quilting is more. There was a quilt posted some time ago that I could not even recognize the pieced pattern because of the heavy quilting. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if the quilter likes the look, who am I to say "to much".
05-29-2014, 05:32 AM
#63
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Posts: 67
Too much quilting!
Originally Posted by judith ann
I have been looking at the pictures of quilts. I do not want to offend. In the pictures I see so much quilting the piecing is lost. Perhaps the quilts with a lot of quilting are considered art pieces,but when I think of a quilt I think of something soft and cozy. Something I can wrap up in on a cold night. Your thoughts? judy j
05-29-2014, 07:34 AM
#64
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Some where in way out West Texas
Posts: 3,041
I feel like I need to make a comment on this subject. I love all quilting, long arm, domestic machine and hand quilting. When I make a quilt I make every effort to make each one better than the last. I love to sew the pieces together and see the out come. I have to quilt mine on my domestic machine and they never get too fancy, because I do not have a LA and I am not an accomplished free motion quilter. Some do have a mistake or two no matter how hard I try, but as one of my High School band directors often told us when someone made a mistake- "you aren't perfect, there was only one who was perfect and they crucified Him, but always at least do the very best you can". So far I have never had any complaints on any of the quilts I have made and quilted. Yes I have sold a few. In my personal opinion when I make a quit I personally like to do it all myself, cutting, piecing, and quilting, then I can say I made this or that quilt. As someone else said I don't feel like I can afford to pay someone else to do the work.
Quilts that I have seen that were LA are beautiful and for those who do it hats off to them. I would love to have a LA and be able to see what I could do with my quilting then. I definitely admire anyone who does hand quilting and takes the necessary time and patience to accomplish this task-to me that is truly an art in itself when well done. I however have never attempted to hand quilt and doubtfully never will. I hate to do hand sewing. Also some things are not always meant to be soft and cuddly, and are sometimes for more display and beauty.
This being said I think that all quilts not matter how they are quilted, pieced or what colors or pattern that is used are and always have been a work of art. True quilts in the past were meant more for necessity and warmth, but they were still works of art.
This is a subject about which every one has their own opinion, some will never change theirs so no one is completely wrong or right, such are like the many quilts made and people all are different (thank goodness).
Quilts that I have seen that were LA are beautiful and for those who do it hats off to them. I would love to have a LA and be able to see what I could do with my quilting then. I definitely admire anyone who does hand quilting and takes the necessary time and patience to accomplish this task-to me that is truly an art in itself when well done. I however have never attempted to hand quilt and doubtfully never will. I hate to do hand sewing. Also some things are not always meant to be soft and cuddly, and are sometimes for more display and beauty.
This being said I think that all quilts not matter how they are quilted, pieced or what colors or pattern that is used are and always have been a work of art. True quilts in the past were meant more for necessity and warmth, but they were still works of art.
This is a subject about which every one has their own opinion, some will never change theirs so no one is completely wrong or right, such are like the many quilts made and people all are different (thank goodness).
05-29-2014, 08:31 AM
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 619
Originally Posted by Gerbie
This being said I think that all quilts not matter how they are quilted, pieced or what colors or pattern that is used are and always have been a work of art. True quilts in the past were meant more for necessity and warmth, but they were still works of art.
This is a subject about which every one has their own opinion, some will never change theirs so no one is completely wrong or right, such are like the many quilts made and people all are different (thank goodness).
This is a subject about which every one has their own opinion, some will never change theirs so no one is completely wrong or right, such are like the many quilts made and people all are different (thank goodness).
05-29-2014, 07:44 PM
#66
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Originally Posted by stillclock
i went to a "quilts of great britain" show this weekend and a number of things stood out about their gorgeous work.
they don't have the same inclination to send out quilts to long armers. there are long arm quilters in the uk for sure, but the whole industry that is blossoming here around contracting out that part of the craft is not taking hold there at all.
i would say more than 70% of the quilts were handquilted. that's something i am seeing less and less and less of here.
in talking to one of the visiting quilters, she spoke about the long and rich tradition of quilting as cultivated through the guild system. the emphasis on handwork is still huge, and she said they can't offer enough classes to meet the demand from young people. and that's true across traditional skill guilds. the resurgence in a genuine desire to learn hand craft is massive there, and shows no sign of slowing down.
the quilts in the show were of all different styles and types, but i am hard pressed to think of one example of an "over quilted" piece. that is surely partially based on who chose the quilts to travel, but it was really different than a lot of what i am seeing in local shows.
handquilting by its very nature is disinclined towards overquilting. it takes so long to complete, and most quilters spend a lot of time carefully thinking through their designs. i feel like with long arming - especially contracted - they are working from a totally different perspective. they didn't piece the quilt and aren't attached to it that way. the quilt becomes a canvas for their art on top of the piecing. this isn't to detract from the amazing skill and creativity of people doing the work; i think some of the stuff i see is absolutely breathtaking. but i do think sometimes the quilting is disconnected because the quilter has no attachment to the top in front of them. it's a paid job and while some of them might pay more attention to the details than others, i know my tops inside and out because i made them. the quilting part of the craft is just a continuation of the same creation, not a separate work. does that makes sense? it does to me
aileen
they don't have the same inclination to send out quilts to long armers. there are long arm quilters in the uk for sure, but the whole industry that is blossoming here around contracting out that part of the craft is not taking hold there at all.
i would say more than 70% of the quilts were handquilted. that's something i am seeing less and less and less of here.
in talking to one of the visiting quilters, she spoke about the long and rich tradition of quilting as cultivated through the guild system. the emphasis on handwork is still huge, and she said they can't offer enough classes to meet the demand from young people. and that's true across traditional skill guilds. the resurgence in a genuine desire to learn hand craft is massive there, and shows no sign of slowing down.
the quilts in the show were of all different styles and types, but i am hard pressed to think of one example of an "over quilted" piece. that is surely partially based on who chose the quilts to travel, but it was really different than a lot of what i am seeing in local shows.
handquilting by its very nature is disinclined towards overquilting. it takes so long to complete, and most quilters spend a lot of time carefully thinking through their designs. i feel like with long arming - especially contracted - they are working from a totally different perspective. they didn't piece the quilt and aren't attached to it that way. the quilt becomes a canvas for their art on top of the piecing. this isn't to detract from the amazing skill and creativity of people doing the work; i think some of the stuff i see is absolutely breathtaking. but i do think sometimes the quilting is disconnected because the quilter has no attachment to the top in front of them. it's a paid job and while some of them might pay more attention to the details than others, i know my tops inside and out because i made them. the quilting part of the craft is just a continuation of the same creation, not a separate work. does that makes sense? it does to me
aileen
I have to disagree with your statement regarding long arm contract quilters being detached from the quilt top and thus the quilting is disconnected. Long arm quilters work with their customers to find out what type of quilting is desired--design and density. Since they know "time is money", doing excess quilting for their own reasons would not be smart business.
One thing that I find that overwhelms the piecing is the use of numerous large scale prints in the fabric--which seems to be what I see frequently in the quilting magazines and find I can't really see the quilt piecing design until I flip the page and view the diagram. Does anyone else have this issue?
05-29-2014, 08:53 PM
#67
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 190
I kind of want the piecing to disappear a little. Maybe it's because I grew up in a generation surrounded by my grandmothers quilts, but I'm really drawn to quilts where Im not sure where the blocks begin and end at first glance. I want to see the quilt as a whole and slowly notice the little pieces and quilting.
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