sept97

not all of us can quilt. I'm terrible at it so I use my embroidery machine whenever possible. I love how it comes out

Pagzz

Cari,

I believe you are misunderstanding me. I don't want an exact replica of anyone's quilt or quilt design. I sew because I want to make something beautiful in my eyes with my own hands. I wouldn't actually buy it even if I could.

Lafpeaches

I love to make quilt tops. I dont like the quilting part thats why I have several tops done but not quilted. If I could afford it, I would have a long arm with or without a computer. It looks like fun and interesting to do. I have to use my DMQ to do the quilting and don't like doing it. Can't afford to send to a longarmer. I do like looking at quilting designs no matter how done. None of mine are good enough to put in a show.

MaryStoaks

I freehand LAQ and use an embroidery machine. Would I buy a computerized quilting system if I could afford it? In a hot minute! I do love all my machines and always say how my quilts were made.

Boston1954

I'm with you. I think they are beautiful, and there is a lot of work in them, but I would love to see more that were actually done by hand. My sister has said that so many machine quilted items get the prizes while the old fashioned types are passed by in the awards department.

mrs theo

I think this must be the same sort of debate as hand quilting vs. machine quilting. There are no quilt police here and I say whatever you enjoy is a wonderful thing. I know that all the piecing and basting are tons of work, the quilting is just the next step and it shouldn't matter how it's done

AZ Jane

Sorry folks, I'm with Tartan on this one. Now I'm not saying everyone has to go so far back that we make our own soap. But if the quilting experience is loading a quilt and pushing a button, just has no appeal.

patski

I feel the same way. The computers do beautiful work but its' not what we can accomplish

sxboyer

My thought is if you don't like the way a quilt is done (hand vs machine, computer vs free motion) don't look at the one you don't like. I see no reason to fault anyone because your thoughts are different than theirs, and that is what this seems to be about. If you don't like it move on, obviously other do like it :-)

Dclutter64

That's just it, I don't think people understand that computerized quilting is not "push the button and it goes". It takes a while to set it up. Even if you were doing an edge to edge, each row can present a challenge to get the design to line up right. I have gotten better over time but there is still so much that I can learn and get better at.

If you use your computer to do custom quilting it can take longer than doing it free motion. You have to choose a pattern for each part of the quilt that you are quilting which would make it unique. It is no different then picking out stencils to use on your quilt and combining different ones.

Even edge to edge designs can be combined and modified for each unique quilt. It all depends on the "skill" of the longarmer.

I could have a perfect pattern to stitch out but yet it doesn't always end up stitching perfect! So to make it look perfect as you see in the shows, there is a lot of frogging and restitching that goes on. There could also be a lot of testing of the designs on other fabric before it is quilted on the quilt.

I felt like some of you before I got my longarm. I debated on whether I need the computerized quilting but I am so so glad I did. It allowed me to be successful while I honed my free motion skills on the machine. Plus if I am doing an edge to edge, I can sew blocks together while waiting on the row to finish. I can get more done! Unless I have to frog!

I think there should be different categories and I think the technique should be listed at shows. But don't think that using a computer is always easiest. In some cases yes, in others no. It all depends. I can free motion quilt a lot faster for some designs then others. All comes down to skill!

I normally use a combination of computer guided and free motion on my quilts. I challenge anyone to label them as not unique!

By the way, I do make my own soap! ha ha!