# Quilting Simple



## PAcountry (Jun 29, 2007)

Does anyone else here quilt (piecing togther) simple. I mean without all of the fancy tools. 
I learned how to make a quilt by myself, there was no one around to teach me. But I had to do it without rotery cutters and mats and all of the do dads.
My husband was not going to indualge in ANOTHER craft!
But even though I have been doing it for a few years I still have never went out and bought the "required tools" I also like to hand sew just as a matter of liking it for my down time. 
The only reason I am asking this is I am just wondering if I am the only one.
Dont get me wrong I love all of the tools out there and maybe will use them, but right now buying material will send my dh cringing.


----------



## sewing nana (Oct 18, 2002)

For years that is the only way I quilted. I do now have rotory and mat. I will piece on the machine a little, just for the DGC using quilts. Some swaps I have done that way as well. All else are done by hand. Just so relaxing. I have 3 I'm working on now in different stages. So don't feel lonely we are here stitching right along with you.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I normally use the rotary cutter, it's just more accurate than I can be using scissors. Even when I fussy cut, I usually use the rotary. I did make a baby quilt using 3/4" hexagons and did all of the cutting and piecing by hand. Right now I am sewing another quilt by hand, I think it will be queen size. I cut the pieces by rotary.

When your DH cringes, just smile sweetly at him.


----------



## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

I do 

I put my quilt's face together on a sewing machine because I feel it's stronger, but I do all of my quilting and embroidering by hand.

My sewing machine cost $70. It goes forward, backward, and it does a zigzag stitch. That is all. LOL

My crafting/sewing has always been a very frugal thing for me. I've never had hundreds of dollars to spend on a hobby. Only recently am I starting to buy more "things" to support my crafting because it is for our homesteading. For example, I recently did buy a rotary cutter and mat because we've discovered over the years that products from stores don't last as long or perform as well as homemade. A rotary cutter really does help get the job done quicker, easier, and more neatly. So I bought one that came with a mat for $20. That's not a huge expense and now I have it to use for all sorts of things.

I'll continue to quilt by hand because I don't like machine quilting. It just doesn't look the same to me. I'll continue to embroider by hand because... there's just no way I can afford one of those machines!  

I'm going to learn to spin yarn soon thanks to MullersLaneFarm and some other enablers from the fiber forum. I'm quickly becoming a fanatic and I haven't even tried it yet!

But back to the point...

Remember, our foremothers did these things out of frugality and necessity in the first place. There is no need to spend a great deal of money on any of it. I always take more pride in something that I made that cost me nothing or only a very small amount due to my resourcefulness. 

Make rag rugs out of actual rags instead of purchased materials. Quilt with your needle and thimble while you snuggle with dh watching TV. Recycle old materials into something new and useful without spending a cent. This is the purest type of homemaking of which I know.

 RedTartan


----------



## ELOCN (Jun 13, 2004)

PA Country, I have never quilted but I do enjoy sewing by hand. And I think hand embroidery is much prettier than machine embroidery. I find hand sewing relaxing.


----------



## MtnGranny (Mar 3, 2006)

I have always hated using a sewing machine, so I use mine as little as possible. When I first started quilting, I worried that it would not be as strong, but then I looked at quilts I have that were made by my grandmother's and used and washed regularly for 50+ years and decided that hand stitching is just as durable as machine. I do have a rotary cutter and mat but that's about it for fancy tools.


----------



## Fryegirl (Sep 16, 2006)

I've also found that a rotary cutter and mat are the most useful 'extras'. I now piece by machine, although I didn't always. But I ALWAYS hand quilt. Because I tend to quilt very heavily, it takes me a looooong time to finish one but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Like Tartan, machine quilting just isn't the same to me.


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Up until a couple years ago the only tool I had was my sewing machine and a pair of scissors. I cut all my pieces by hand using handcut card board patterns.

It amazes me that I'm still using the first (and only) sewing machine I've ever owned. It's a Sanko. My first husband got it for me when he bought himself a new rifle. That was 30 years ago. Every 10 years I've taken it in for a "check-up". It's due one now!


----------



## TC (Jun 22, 2005)

I cut by hand, I don't have a fancy cutter, but I want one...


----------



## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I taught myself to machine embroider (with a straight stitch Singer) -- by darning diapers. You know, the corners where you pin always wear out the fastest! I also darn blue jeans and other things.

It's very simple: lower or cover the feed dogs, set the machine to a straight stitch (although some like zig-zag), no presser foot pressure, stitch length to zero. Experiment! It's a lot of fun, and while I don't do a lot of decorative embroidery, the holes in our clothes get filled in!


----------



## simplefarmgirl (Mar 31, 2006)

I want to learn how to hand quilt,, all my quilt are just ole fashion scrap quilts, no design what ever shape the fabric already is, this is how my gramma taught me and what ever I have for scraps, I only hand tie them, I always see all these pretty stitches on the quilts at craft fairs, any tips on hand quilting for a very new beginner.


----------



## PAcountry (Jun 29, 2007)

Are you asking about hand pieceing the blocks togther. or hand quilting the top
if it for the top you can do a simple google search. And About.com has good instrutions.
I am horriable about teaching. My words never seem right or I would!
Try and look those up and if you still need help maybe I could better explain some just PM me
Good luck!!!


----------

