Does the cost ever hold you back?
#41
I got the book on the Cotton Method but after much reading and practicing, decided it was too detailed and complicated for me. I have also quilted a king on my regular machine. No fun. There is a method now that I have tried. You cut your backing an inch larger than your block. Cut your batting same as block. Sandwich them and do your quilting, embroidery or whatever. Then sew one block to another, backing to backing. This puts the backing on the front where you fold and stitch it down to form the sashing. I tried it on a small throw and it works and is soooo easy to do.
#43
I understand cost. I never buy fabric, batting,or anything else unless it is on sale. I am buying Christmas fabric now for next year. Joanns and Hancocks offer coupon sales. There is a lady in my quilters quild that bought a Juki and a frame for around $1400....(of course, not knowing your budget) and she quilts like crazy with it ( she has to reposition more often because the throat of the machine is smaller). I am with you, I don't have the patience to sit and do it by hand either. Some other ladies quilts a square at a time then puts them all togethet. Some quilt shops have a long arm they allow their customers to use or rents time for use in their shops. Good Luck!!
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 435
I have the same problem. I have not taken a class yet, as the funding really isn't there, but I have checked out books from the library, and used those, and then I practice different techniques on hot pads, and use for gifts for my daughters. I also wanted a set of machine quilting frames, and I found online an e-book on how to make some for less than about $250.00. It is done by a guy named Richard. Hopefully my dh gets working on those soon. As for know, most of my projects have been crib size or smaller, but I have read that you can do any size on a regular sewing machine.
#45
I used to hand quilt large bed quilts that were too much of a physical struggle to do on my Bernina but my hands are not what they used to be (pretty much like the rest of me). I will probably finish the one I have started though it may take me a couple more years to do it. Now I make large quilts in manageable sections and quilt them on the machine, they turn out great. It takes some hand sewing on the back but they look good, lay flat and hang straight and from the front it is impossible to tell where they were joined.
#46
Hi, I am just finishing a rail fence -king size quilt. I made the top in 3 sections and quilted them each on my regular sewing machine. Now I am putting the 3 pieces together. It is working way better than I ever dreamed it would. I even machine sewed the joining seam cause it fit right in with the rest of my quilt pattern.
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 397
Originally Posted by katier825
It can be done, but you'd have to use thin batting. The teacher of the class I took quilted a king size on a regular machine. The trick is to focus on a small section at a time. Or you could make several sections, quilt first then assemble the sections. I have a machine w/a larger throat, so I can fit a larger one in mine.
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bluebell
Posts: 4,291
My friend calls them "cuddle quilts", they are my favorite to make. I do my own stippling and free motion, while not perfect, I am getting beter at it as I go. I can't seem to have someone else do my quilting, then it wouldn't really be mine. I may have to get over that, but I doubt if that will happen at least for now.
https://www.baysidequilting.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=284]https://www.baysidequilting.com/stor...idCategory=284[/url]
website for fun and done - one way to complete a quilt
https://www.baysidequilting.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=284]https://www.baysidequilting.com/stor...idCategory=284[/url]
website for fun and done - one way to complete a quilt
#50
When I first started, I had a starter sewing machine. It was pretty cheap but it did what I wanted and all I needed at that point. But I wanted a better one. So what I did was I set up a "fund". Every time I machine quilted on my little machine, I put $50 into the fund, since that's a lot less than what a long arm charges. So then once it built up, I bought me a big sewing machine and love my Bernina and don't know how I survived without it.
But this could apply to anything if you're saving $. Look at it that you're learning to FMQ and saving money, and use that for new fabric/etc $$
But this could apply to anything if you're saving $. Look at it that you're learning to FMQ and saving money, and use that for new fabric/etc $$
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bearisgray
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
13
06-10-2012 11:37 AM