HI to all from a new bee
 

My mother taught me how to make the clam shell quilt. She made them for years. This past year, two friends and I made a quilt for the Cancer Society. It was a combination of Tee Shirts, clam shells and strips. It gave me the courage to branch out. Since I do not use a machine, my work is slower than most of you I am sure. But, I am kind of proud of two of my last quilts. I am slowly gaining confidence that I can do this even though I do not use a sewing machine. Any tips would be appreciated. Debbie

Both look great. I love the sea scape--such pretty colors!

Your work is so great. I feel like a wimp using a machine. Please keep sharing as you get the quilts done.

Love the ocean quilt.have been promising my daughter one for a couple of years now since she went to the Bahamas.

Hi, and welcome from Texas! Your quilts are great!! I think its great that you do it all by hand...I used to do all of mine by hand, that is how I learned to quilt from my Grandma...Last 2 years I started using a machine and I love it, too...I am still trying to get the hang of fmq (free motion quilting)...and admit more often than not I revert back to hand quilting...keep up the great work, keep sharing pics...advice I would have besides all the great info here on QB is just google search about quilting, lots of great free info out there, and some really creative people who have their quilt blogs...About 2 years ago I happened upon a lqs (local quilt shop) in town close to me...I have been going there and quilting with a small group of gals...if you can find a small group or few friends who enjoy quilting, I think that is really helpful to bounce ideas back and forth..and just for the friendship, too..I also have bought a lot of great books on quilting...most of them in very good-new condition from Amazon and or Ebay...and of course you can buy books, fabrics, patterns, etc. here, too...
Regards,
Kif
PS Do you not use a machine because you just like hand quilting? Or is it that you haven't used one before? If its the latter, you can get some nice starting machines for really good prices..also most quilt shops offer beginning machine quilting classes...just some more info...

Welcome! Both of your pictures are great, but I love that first one that reminds me of cathedral windows looking out onto gardens. Looking forward to more pictures ...

Welcome to this wonderful quilt board. You can get lots of help here.
I only use a machine for piecing and quilting. My goal is to use as much of my fabrics as I can and make quilts fast.
Your quilts are very pretty.

nicely done

Very nice work. I wish I could hand quilt. I try, but arthritis makes it more difficult.

I really like the way you used the beautiful prints in the first quilt. It's like looking out of the windows into the tree tops.

Welcome from Northern California. What you have done looks great to me. If you can do this my hand, then you can do anything. Looking forward to seeing more of your quilts. BrendaK

Your work is beautiful! Lovely quilts!

very nice start on expanding your quilting. I machine quilt but do some little things b y hand. I think hand quilting is the truest and toughest form of quilting. So Props to you so carrying on what your grandma started. Welcome to the board. speak up anytime most of us will give us you our two cents worth of help.

Welcome from Up State NY!!! Your quilts are beautiful and I can not imagine doing them by hand...I am a newbie too!

Welcome to the board!!!! Beautiful work!!!!!

Your quilts are beautiful! I use a sewing machine and I'm still not very fast at producing a finished product. haha I've been researching the web for clam shell quilts. I've seen the pictures, templates, and all but can't get my mind to comprehend yet how to sew them together. I know I'll eventually figure it out, but for now I'll just keep looking at the pictures.

Debbie, The Teddybear Lady

Greetings Debbie, and welcome from Auntie B, Regina, Saskatchewan Canada. Your hand work is wonderful. I have some of the dolphine and water fabric that I saw on the one quilt. Carry on, you are doing well. Thanks for joining and thanks for posting. Look forward to hearing from you again..... B

Your work is quite lovely and it shows that yes you sure can do this very well. Keep us posted on all your projects

nicely done

Your quilts are great.

Welcome from England .

Great job. Don't worry about the not having a machine. I have a couple and I still take a while to get things completed, rather from starting on another project, or trying to decide how to finish it or just life in general getting in the way. This year, I'm on a crusade to finish what I have started before starting anything new. I'm also not buying any fabric unless to complete a project. So far this year I've only bought just enough fabric to complete my monthly embroidery club class. I'm even making sure what ever is the class of the month gets done within the week after class. I'm doing the projects that take the smallest amount of time to finish first so that my pile goes down faster. I just finished two crib size quilts, one was started about a month before my DGD was born, she'll be two this week so you know what she's getting for her birthday. I even made sure to embroider a lable on the back of it. My next project to finish is the mesh beach bag that I started last yr for my DD, it's big to help taking the little ones to the beach. Then it's onto my son's quilt for his birthday in April. My priorities are smallest first unless it's needed for a special day like a birthday or summer coming. You are doing a great job and it's nice to see inspiration in any form. I commend all who do it by hand, its alot of work.

You do lovely work

Great job on both! Keep up the good work and you'll be a pro in no time.

I love your nature prints. With both quilts I feel like I'm looking through windows at the beautiful scenes on the fabric. Great job.

Hi Kif and to all who responded,

I am so overwhelmed. The Ocean quilt is based on the quilt named Geisha's. I made the Ocean for my friend Keiko and her husband Sat. The Window quilt ironically is called Keiko's garden windows. I have finished a quilt for a friend of my sister but I had a very hard time matching up the triangle pieces. To trained quilt eyes I am sure that my flaws show. Any suggestions on that? I do know how to use a machine. I just prefer quilting by hand. I usually sit on the couch and listen to the tv so hand quilting works for my life style. My new daughter-in-love wants me to join a quilting club, and we have several here in the city, but I am not at a place where I feel comfortable with a lot of "pro's" especially the ones who use machines. They are all so exacting and beautifully stitched.

I do google a lot and have found several places that offer free patterns, that's where I got these two..

Thanks for the vote of confidence

Debbie

Both are terrific! Nicely done!!

Hi Debbie

I am also a teddy-bear lady!!! My husband and I have been giving each other bears and other stuffed critters for years. Anyway, the clam shell is really quite easy if you get a good template. This is a handmade quilt usually. You baste the rounded edge and place them (starting at the top edge of your muslin). Pinning each as you go, drop to the next row and place the shells on top of the circular portion of each shell in the previous row. I usually pin the whole blanket (if a crib or smaller) and sew from the bottom up. When you have completed sewing them in place, you pull the basting and the little clams puff up. I will post one of my shell quilts for you to see. They are really easy once you get the hang of it and they are very mobile. You can take them with you and baste while you wait (say at the doctor's). Thank you for your vote of confidence. Debbie another teddy bear lady!

You have my admiration for quilting by hand. I would never get a quilt made. Your quilts are great!!!

Wow, great hand work!

Awesome quilts! Keep up the great work.

Hi Debbie, welcome from Ohio! I just want you to know when I took my first quilting class I had taken one class and made a skirt. That was the extent of my sewing experience. I've found over the years that there are always beginners and people that have been quilting for years in every class because it seems that there are new gals taking up quilting all the time which is pretty exciting! You won't be alone being new to using a machine and since you already hand quilt I do believe you would catch on very quickly. You'll know when the time is right for you but I just want you to know that I'm sure when you explain your circumstances to wherever you go to take a first machine class(which I would advise) you will find that everyone is very helpful and eager to have you succeed. Yours quilts are beautiful! Thank you for sharing them with us!

Both are lovely...

Thank you for your encouragement. It takes me a good long while to get the nerve up to join a group. When my daughter-in-love moves here I will look at doing that. Have added another quilt, I just finished and it is on it's way to Henry. I have also posted some quilts that I have made in the past or are in the works. Some of the quilts are made of fleece, my favorite for babies because they wash nice and are always soft. They can also take the multiple washing that our regular quilts don't take. Thank you again for the encouragement. Debbie