Tartan

A strange thing happened at the last quilt show I went to. I saw some great quilts and when I went closer to look at the quilting, I could immediately tell that the were computer quilted. Now don't get me wrong the quilting patterns were great and they exactly fit into the quilt pattern but I dismissed them and moved to the next quilt.
I wanted to see quilts and patterns that I could actually attempt not patterns that only a computer could do. What are your thoughts of quilts quilted by computer programmed patterns?

stella63

I feel it is cheating no skill or love. Quilting should be like a finger print every one should differ even sightly if is the same pattern, that is what makes it individual and special . Hugs Stella

Dclutter64

I own a computerized quilting machine. There are so many different patterns you can buy or you can digititize your own. I do both. I also use it free hand. It takes just as much artistic talent to apply a computerized quilt design on a custom quilt as anything else. By the way it is a lot of work also. Digitizing a design can take days or weeks to do. Applying it on the quilt takes a lot of time to set up.

Many computerized designs were adapted from other non computerized designs. You can always take the concept or a part of the design you see and adapt it to your needs. That is what I did when I machine quilted on my domestic.

I think a lot depends on what you are interested in at the time. One day it isn't of interest and another day it will be. That happens to me a lot! Just depends on where you are in your learning cycle.

QuiltnNan

While I definitely admire hand manipulated quilting, computer quilting is not as easy as it may seem. I have done computer quilting in the past. I designed special patterns to fit the quilt and the personality of the recipient. It took quite a lot of time and skill to digitize those custom quilt designs. Then they have to be placed just so on the quilt. It's a different kind of skill, but should not be easily dismissed. I do think, though, that quilt shows should have separate designations for computer aided quilting... apples and oranges in the judging.

Dclutter64

There is a lot of skill that goes into applying a computerized design. It is not as easy as you think. By the way there is also just as much love that goes into it. It is just a different process.

Tartan

I know it takes tremendous computer skills to customize the designs but they are way beyond me. My hat is off for all those who know how to digitize and design computer patterns. Luckily there is room for all forms of quilting in our craft.

WTxRed

I LAQ with a computerized system. I echo what's been said, it is a different skill, it does take ample time, it's not just push a button and go. One has to build the sandwich, pick the design(s), threads, make sure everything is correct.
It's still a machine and you have to get to 'common grounds' with that machine to work flawlessly. I have spent as much as 40 quilting hours on LAQ'ing on one quilt. I could go on but you get the jest.
That said - I think every quilt show should differentiate in Computerized quilting (including those that computerize their embroidery work for the quilting process) vs hand guided LAQ vs FMQ on a DSM vs hand quilting. They each require their own skill set. And any comparison of those types to each other are clearly not equal.

So let me toss this to you, only because I am curious - when you see embroidery work, do you dismiss that that has been done by a sewing / embroidery machine?

Cam's gram

I have a computerized quilting system. It was the perfect solution for me - I can't draw. Never have been able to but I have a knack for computers. I do some freehand but this is a solution for people like me that want to be able to do quilting but are unable to transfer from our minds to the fabric. The other solution is marking the whole quilt but that looks like way to much time for me.

KwiltyKahy

I agree with all this. It is a different skill set and not to be dismissed out of hand. For some of us this may be the only way we get any done. A seperate category at a quilt show sounds appropriate to me, just as one for hand or machine pieced and individual or group quilts.

RST

How can you tell that something is computer quilted by looking at it? Just curious.