i need some....quiltboard wisdom and opinions.
 

hey :)

i've been working on and off on a quilt for my very very much beloved gran. i pieced it up in a pretty short time and then started hand quilting (you know..she's my gran and i wanted something really really special for her.)

so i have one more dragonfly in the centre of one more block to hand quilt. that's three more hours and then the sashing and blocks are all done.

but when i designed the quilt i put a 10" border on it because there's an amish cable i have always wanted to do.

now my gran is 89. and the last year hasn't been great. and i really want to give this to her at christmas.

i might be able to get it done by hand, but i might not. straight line quilting is a lot faster than fussy, hoop turning detailed motif quilting, but not THAT much faster....

i want you guys to either encourage me to keep stitching by hand or to git 'er dun and machine quilt the cable.

i am just spent but i don't want to regret m y decision either way. i figure if i can hear what you guys think it will strengthen my resolve one way or the other.

thank you. so much.

aileen

Do what you have to to get it to your Gran asap. She is going to love it no matter what, she already loves you.
We are not promised tomorrow, just saying. My Granny always make us quilt tops so when I make her the first quilt she every got from anyone it wasn't perfect, but it was made out of farm animal blocks she had given me, i made them into log cabin blocks using the animals as the centers and it was a quilt as you go and one of my first quilts, she loved and and slept with it all the time it was about 13 years before she passed and I now have it, but she was proud that I became a full quilter and she got to see my longarm and all before she passed. I did my first potholder quilted and all on her treadle.

You are one great granddaughter!! Whatever you decide will be right and your grandmother will be delighted!!

You can get this done by Christmas. Schedule some time each day....that should do it.

Dina

There is nothing wrong with doing both hand and machine quilting on the same quilt. In fact Anita Shackelford wrote a book on the very subject. Suggest finishing the center by hand and then machine quilt the cable border. They are separate sections and will look fine and coordinated.

Good advice above. I will keep you, your quilt and your gram in my prayers for a very merry Christmas.

I don't disagree with the mixed methods but I bit the bullet and did all hand quilting on my grand's quilt. I'm glad I did. Although her eyesight was gone, she knew it was hand done and loved it. It's back with me now since her passing. It was the first quilt I completed and learned much. She loved it because it was from me. Let that be your guiding star.

get this done for the reasons you make clear. Honestly, what is your deadline? I'm bothered by holiday deadlines. They seem silly to me.

my opinion, take it for what it's worth ;-)

edited...

wow, i just reread your post. Sorry about my holiday nonsense. Not sure where that came from

If it was mine I wold sew it together and give my gran, without anymore quilting on the border. I would include a message will finish with love on my visits. Sit chat and enjoy her company and you hand stitch while you are visiting. She will enjoy your company and the quilt at the same time. My gran wanted visitors no matter when or what you do. My gran always left the most important thing to tell us to when we were leaving, just to keep us a few minutes longer.
The quilt even if WIP will keep her wrapped in love when you go.

I'm with Dottymo....an excellent plan...win, win for you and gran.