How many quilters among us?

[jillm]

I'm in!
I've only completed 1 full size, and 2 little wall hangings. Just started 2 years ago, using batik scraps I'd been saving for 10 or so years. ( I'm an artist/craftsperson, I batik clothing and material which I then sew into pillows or scarves. So 10 years of scrap batik accumulation!) Here's the 1st one I made, not a great picture,

And this one is just a little wall hanging


I was working on the first one during an art show, and a "real" quilter stopped to check it out. I told her I didn't really know what I was doing and she said, "That's the great thing about art quilts, there are no rules!"

[JaneE]

Irulan, that was an amazing story! What a wonderful legacy your m-i-l left for you (and your children).

Quilting that exquisite top would certainly be a grand undertaking. As a dedicated hand-quilter my hope is that a machine needle never touches it. Have you ever tried hand-quilting? As with everything in life, no one is born with perfect knowledge/skill and practice makes improvement.

Your m-i-l's quilt group (she was a guild member, no doubt?) certainly reads as a quilter's who's who!

And yes, you are a little unusual: one project at a time?? I could use a little of that discipline! I always have at least *mumble-mumble* projects in the works at all times...keeps me from getting bored (that's my story and I'm sticking to it! ).

jillm, I'd say you were off to a pretty darned good start! I'm in love with batiks!

[bmccasland]

Pretty quilts everyone! Here's a photo of a baby quilt I made for a colleague, being held by the Mom-to-be.


IMHO baby quilts should be bright and cheerful, not pastel.

I've been quilting since high school, although didn't finish a bed sized quilt until after college. I had a grandmother that was a quilter, and like her, I prefer doing the tops instead of the quilting. On larger quilts, I tend to commission the quilting part, with mixed results.

Best quilting advice from my grandmother: "When you see fabric you like, buy it. That way, when you go to work on a quilt, you'll have a nice palette to work from." This is from a woman who was a child of the Depression. She also was from the school of "waste not, want not."

She who has the most fabric wins!

[JaneE]

bmccasland: love that quilt! I'm in your camp, too, about baby quilts being bright rather than pastel.

[Irulan]

Irulan, that was an amazing story! What a wonderful legacy your m-i-l left for you (and your children).

Quilting that exquisite top would certainly be a grand undertaking. As a dedicated hand-quilter my hope is that a machine needle never touches it. Have you ever tried hand-quilting? As with everything in life, no one is born with perfect knowledge/skill and practice makes improvement.

Your m-i-l's quilt group (she was a guild member, no doubt?) certainly reads as a quilter's who's who!

And yes, you are a little unusual: one project at a time?? I could use a little of that discipline! I always have at least *mumble-mumble* projects in the works at all times...keeps me from getting bored (that's my story and I'm sticking to it! ).

jillm, I'd say you were off to a pretty darned good start! I'm in love with batiks!

I have hand quilted some small pieces of the portable variety. MIL had a hand stitch that was close to 12 per inch: unbelievably beautiful. I could never hope to duplicate it. Plus, that king size top is dauntingly huge. There's no way I'd put a king frame up in my house, there is just not enough room.

We have some incredibly talented long arm quilters in our area. I have had a few of my tops done by them. But this album quilt has to be done by hand. Or at least that is what I am thinking for now.

[JaneE]

"There's no way I'd put a king frame up in my house, there is just not enough room."

I don't have room for a king-size frame in my house, either. I quilt with a hoop and have quilted king-size quilts with it. I just start in the center and work my way around and out, typically at my kitchen table (though I do have a stand for my hoop(s) to keep the quilt off my legs. I can't stand getting all tangled up in a quilt in progress though others love to be cuddled in their quilts while they work.

Using a hoop keeps the project reasonably portable, too. I'd LOVE to have the room to keep a frame but I don't think that will be the case in my lifetime.

(And 12 stitches to the inch is a reasonable and attainable goal. Just takes a little practice. )

[bambu101]

I have quiilted for years, and have officially "retired" from full size hand-quilted bed quilts. The last one, a double wedding ring design, took over 4 years to complete, and about 2.5 years of that was hand-quilting. Quilting is relaxing, frustrating, and creative.

I have boxes of fabric in my quilting stash, and will need to live to 274 to finish all the projects I have either started or want to work on! Last year, I made 9 blocks for a raffle quilt for the Avian Health Network, and here is the link: ( I am Wendy)

http://www.avianhealthnetwork.info/q...t_squares.html

[uk elephant]

I wouldn't call myself a quilter, but have made one proper quilt so far and a not properly quilted patchwork blanket. The pictures shows the finished blanket keeping BF warm, and the top for the quilt modelled by the cat. I never did get a picture of the finished quilt it seems. It was a gift for BFs nieces baby last year. I'd love to do more quilts, but never find the time so I stick to knitting for now. Easier to transport...on the train commuting to work, or in the pub in the evening...

[spindizzy]

Wow! Talented, creative, patient quilters among us. I am in awe.

[IGGY]

I'm in!
I've only completed 1 full size, and 2 little wall hangings. Just started 2 years ago, using batik scraps I'd been saving for 10 or so years. ( I'm an artist/craftsperson, I batik clothing and material which I then sew into pillows or scarves. So 10 years of scrap batik accumulation!) Here's the 1st one I made, not a great picture,

And this one is just a little wall hanging


I was working on the first one during an art show, and a "real" quilter stopped to check it out. I told her I didn't really know what I was doing and she said, "That's the great thing about art quilts, there are no rules!"

WHOA! You've got the gift baby! I love how you are working with large scale batik patterns here. These are incredible. YOU, my quiliting friend, need to continue, and show your work!

I'm a quilter, who is generally more of a dreamer unless the quilt has a deadline and destination (wedding, baby) I joined my local guild, and have fun with the ladies, but often my mouth yakking away gets in the way of my machine. How does that happen???? I currently have six projects going, none anywhere near completion. None of them have an expiration date!
I also dabble in knitting, crochet, and any other type of craft other than sculpting. I just don't have the supplies for that yet!

[jillm]

Iggy, will you be my girlfriend? Geez! Thanks for your words! Thank you! For me, the quilting is definitely about the batik. But that's what I do (www.hooeybatiks.com) I batik for a living. The quilting is a whole new aspect that I'm glad I've discovered.

Here's one I'm working on right now. Bad photo, but you get an idea.

[JaneE]

But that's what I do (www.hooeybatiks.com) I batik for a living. The quilting is a whole new aspect that I'm glad I've discovered.

Wow! You make your own batiks?? That is very cool!

I'd love to learn a few details about what you do: Where/how did you learn to do this? What kind of work space do you have? What types of dyes do you use?

This is fascinating!

[jillm]

Wow! You make your own batiks?? That is very cool!

I'd love to learn a few details about what you do: Where/how did you learn to do this? What kind of work space do you have? What types of dyes do you use?

This is fascinating!

Yep. It's a LOT of fun.

Where how - In school (u of illinois) I took an art class, "recreational arts and crafts", like camp crafts. It was a sampler of all sorts of crafty little things and there was a two day session of batik and tie dye. And after that, I never stopped batiking! That was almost 20 years ago. I'm able to make a living (poor but happy!) doing art fairs and selling a few things on line (etsy.com).

Space - Basement. Luckily it's got a lot of windows and good light for a basement.

Dye - Fiber reactive Procion dye from Dharma Trading co. Dharma has everything for fiber artists! Clothing, fabric, dye, tjantings, wax.

It's a lot of fun. If you have space to make a mess you should give it a try!