Does anyone make quilts anymore? I rember growing up my grandmother used to make 2 or three quilts a year. My sister in law is working on one but she's the first person I have heard of in years making a quilt.
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Does anyone make quilts anymore? I rember growing up my grandmother used to make 2 or three quilts a year. My sister in law is working on one but she's the first person I have heard of in years making a quilt.
When I was a kid, even I helped my mother and grandmother make quilts, but I haven't known of anyone doing that now in many years.
I love designing quilt blocks and quilts. I design in pictures along with traditional quilt patterns worked in. A friend of mine used to make them up (mostly as wall hangings) and sell them on Etsy and at craft fairs. I still enjoy coming up with the designs but don't know anyone who makes them anymore. I can't sew for beans and don't enjoy it at all so I only dream up the designs.
Quilting is alive and well. There are over six Quilt stores within a twenty minute drive from my house. I just wish I had more free time to devote to quilting, maybe after I retire?
I have never seen a quilt being made before, other than on television that is. I would love to learn how to make a quilt. It looks like it would be a lot of fun to do.
I'm sure there are many ways to do it, perhaps the biggest challenge is simply the size of what you are sewing. My mother and grandmother both used to save scraps of material and sew enough of them together to make a quilt top. They sewed that part on the old treadle type Singer sewing machines. And since my parents never bought flour or sugar in anything smaller than 25 pound bags, some white material also accumulated along with old sheets that had been torn or partially damaged. The white material was also sewn on the sewing machine to make the bottom of the quilt. Then we would spread that quilt bottom fabric on a clean floor, then spread either an old worn out blanket, or new cotton, on it for the filling, then spread the quilt top on that. Then we took a board that was longer than the length of the quilt, placed it under the edge of the quilt and carefully wound the quilt onto the board. We had a couple of saw horses we'd set in the living room to put the exposed ends of the board on, and then several people could pull chairs up and sit alongside it to hand sew. Once started, a second board was used, so as you finished sewing a strip, you wound it onto the second board. So as we sewed, we unwound the quilt from the first board and wound it onto the second one. Of course we didn't have TV, so the family could sit, sew, and visit in the evening. It would take at least a week or two to finish a quilt, so you either needed a place to store it when you weren't working on it, or just leave it sitting in the living room.:D Once that hand sewing was done, then they'd trim the edges and sew a border on with the sewing machine. So quilt making was a family project.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ally
Ally - If there is a fabric store nearby your home, go in and ask if there are any local Quilting Guilds or Groups in the area. And also ask if your fabric store offer quilting classes. One of the best series of books I found when I first started quilting were the books by Eleanor Burns at Quilt in a Day. You can also check out the various Quilting blogs o the internet. Many of them include tutorials on how to do something, for an example, a half square triangle. Another source is the local library. And if you want Quilting Magazines, check out your local book store. The Senior Center might be able to point you towards a quilting group as well. All you have to do is start asking and you'll be on your way to quilting. Hope this helps and good luck to you!
I have always wanted to be able to make quilts unfortunately I am not good with sewing. I would have to get a pretty good machine and even then I don't know if I could do it.
It is so easy and fun. I get my girls to design flowers on typing paper or newspaper. Then I have them cut those out of scraps -- old shirts, skirts, curtains, dresses. We even go to the local flea market for stuff. Get a piece of fabric the size of the bed, with a little overhang, for the top and bottom and batting. We used to use old worn out blankets. Now the top gets the girls' flower arrangement. You can leave parts of the flowers unsewn for stuffing. Stuff and close everything. There are as many ways to quilt, as there are ideas.
My wife belongs to one of several quilt clubs that are in our area. She loves to quilt but doesn't do it as much anymore because she has some health problems. She does love it though and I have helped her before. We don't have room for a full quilting frame anymore so she has used the large quilting hoop for years now. But she enjoys it even if she has had to slow down.
I currently have some squares cut to piece together but I need to find the time to sit down and do that part. I'm using old jeans and with a few pieces of my favorite shirts that my son wore when he was little. I'm excited to see the finished product...if I can get there.
I love to quilt and have made several. While I enjoy choosing the fabric and piecing together the top the most fun is when the layers all get put together. Hand quilting and machine quilting each quilt gives them strength for laundering and beautiful texture. Mine are usually made as gifts for weddings, babies, and special occasions like graduations. That's why I only own 1 of my own making! :) It's gratifying to make a gift that will keep someone I care about warm and snuggly.
I don't know of any quiliting circles in my area, but I do hear that occasionally people get together to make quilts for special causes. I don't think people really like to take the time anymore....