It’s National Quilting Month, and I am on a mission.
I’ve decided that for all of my blog posts during March, I am going to try to convince you to quilt. Not to cut and piece but to quilt, to do the stitching that holds quilt top, batting and backing together.
I’m not interested in getting into a conversation on semantics regarding those who are “toppers” vs. those who are “quilters.” That conversation holds as much interest for me as the purported Mommy Wars between mothers who stay home with their kids vs. those who work outside the home — the conversation creates divisions along lines that shouldn’t exist. If you love quilts, that’s good enough for me!
However.
If you have never tried quilting (by hand or by machine), or tried it maybe only once or twice, then I am here to suggest you give it another go. Think of it as getting a 5-year-old to eat something new: you can’t say you don’t like it until you’ve taken a few bites. So if you’ve done, say, hand quilting and you know you don’t like it, I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. But if it’s a matter of “I don’t know where to start,” or, “Oh, I could never do that,” or, “I started quilting one project and it wasn’t turning out right so I stopped,” then we need to talk.
But more on that next week. After all, before one can quilt, one needs to piece, right? (Well, OK, there are whole-cloth quilts, which are gorgeous, but that’s not what we’re discussing today.)
So to get things started, I have some things to give away. Aren’t you glad you kept reading?
(from left) Galeria Encantada from P&B, Floral Whimsy from Northcott, Heidi from Quilting Treasures
Each of three winners drawn at random will get one of the fat quarter bundles shown above: the beautiful spring greens of Galeria Encantada by Gail Marie for P&B Textiles; the bright and lively Floral Whimsy from Northcott; or the sweet wildflowers of Heidi by Laura Ashley for Quilting Treasures.
Each of the three winners will also get one of the books shown above: Solids, Stripes, Circles, and Squares by Pippa Eccles Armbrester (Martingale, 2012); Pre-cut Combo Quilts by Debra Fehr Greenway (F&W Media, 2012); or Easy Quilts for Beginners and Beyond from Quiltmaker Magazine (Martingale, 2012).
Each winner will also receive free copies of the April/May 2013 issue of Quilters Newsletter (on sale now!) and Best Fat Quarter Quilts 2012.
For a chance to win a free prize package of one fat quarter bundle, one book and the two magazines, leave a reply below before 11:59 p.m. MDT on Sunday, March 10. Tell us if you do your own quilting and why or why not. You may also tell us which collection and which book you prefer and we’ll do our best to make sure get what you want if you win (but we can’t guarantee it). One comment per person, please. Open to those who haven’t won something from Quilters Newsletter in the last 90 days. And remember, the best way to learn about our fabulous free giveaways is to Like us on Facebook.
I do most of my own quilting. I’m of the mind that hand quilting is making a comeback. For me it’s not about speed and crossing things off a list. I enjoy the process of hand quilting as much as I do the other parts of quilt construction. This is after all MY labour of love….
I do all my own quilting, one reason why I don’t do big quilts, both by machine ( my stippling is pretty good) and by hand. Then I can truly say I made it all myself. I love the look of hand quilting the best. All your prizes are wonderful and I’d be thrilled with anything. My favorite is Heidi from Quilting Treasures followed by Floral Whimsy and Easy Quilts for Beginners and Beyond (maybe I could try a larger quilt) followed by Pre-Cut Combo Quilts.
I have only been quilting for about 6 months, so haven’t actually made a big quilt. But when I get to that point, I definitely want to try quilting my own. I’ve been learning to fmq, have got the basics down, but I need more practice to get things looking more polished. I love the green fat quarters and the floral whimsy equally, and would enjoy any of the books. Thanks!
I love to hand quilt. My quilts are always made for family & friends so I really enjoy putting the extra time and love into the quilt. Baby quilts are my thing. Anything bigger would most likely never get finished. (sigh) I am trying to learn to machine quilt – both free-motion and in the ditch. (Thank you Craftsy!) It is a slow & frustrating process, but prolific nieces have warranted the need for speed.
The bright & fun designs of floral whismy made me smile & I would love to create with them. Pre-cut combos & jelly rolls would be the book of choice as I’ve not done any quilting with jelly rolls. But who am I kidding? They are all great choices and I am just happy for the opportunity. Thanks so much!
I do all my own quilting. Hand pieced or hand appliqued quilts (usually not very big) I hand quilt. Everything else I machine quilt. I enjoy thinking of which design to put where. Then relax and listen to audio books while quilting.
I would love to win the P&B fabric and the Pre-Cut Combo Quilts book.
I have just begun quilting in the past few years. I started by making baby quilts for grandchildren and nieces and nephews. I would love any set of the material and any of the books for new ideas. Thanks for the chance to win these great prizes.
I have yet to quilt something large. Just a beginner! I am piecing a very lightweight quilted blanket now for myself, so I intend to try the “just squish it up” technique to fit it on my regular machine. If it doesn’t work out, no big deal. If I piece something epic, I think I’ll have it longarmed anyway for fear of ruining it.
The last 6 years I quilt by hand. All my quilts are quilted by myself.
The first quilt I ever made, a log cabin with a twist, I quilted by machine, and she is wonderful.
However, hand quilting is giving my time and attention to the quilt .
I check the whole quilt, while quilting. I take a lot of time for it. Some took months to complete. As my fingers hurt (arthritis) when I quilt, I force myself not to do more then 2 threads a day.
I sure would like to win, but it really doesn’t matter what that would be.
My quilts are usually lap size or smaller so that I can quilt them myself. If ever I did make something larger I would send it out to have it quilted. I’m not proficient enough to quilt anything larger without making a mess out of it. I would love to add the P&B Textiles Floral Whimsy to my growing bright stash and the quilt on the cover of Easy Quilts for Beginners and Beyond caught my eye. Thank you for the chance to participate in the drawing.
I am a beginner quilter and am working on my first quilt. I will be quilting by machine, not hand. We will see how it goes.
Oh please tell me I didn’t miss this!!! I just started quilting with my grandma and this would be great for us! Love It!
I do all my own quilting by hand. I have tried quilting on my home machine and having someone quilt for me on a longarm machine. I really don’t like the look of machine quilting. I have been a quilter for many years. I quilt because it makes me happy.
I haven’t quite figured out machine quilting on my home machine yet so most of my tops are waiting to be quilted. I’m quilting my latest finish by hand.
I love the designing and piecing but take my quilts to a quilt shop to have them quilted because I want the finished result as soon as the quilt is put together. Then I can start work on the next quilt because I always have another one I want to piece together!
It’s funny I always considered myself an accomplished seamstress, then I didn’t touch a sewing machine for close to twenty years. I am overwhelmed by the advances that were made while I was away from my hobby. I now find myself craving every piece of information I can find on new and interesting techniques, let alone looking at all the fantastic fabric choices. I bought myself a Bernina 830 so I can explore all avenues of quilting, the techniques being used to piece together the quilt tops, the fantastic embroidery that can be done to help finish them off and the joy of creating that I thought was lost. Thanks for helping spark the interest again.
I am new to quilting. I made a full size “swoon” for my gd and used my regular macine to quilt it. Too hard. Going to try some quilt as you go blocks next time. The prize would be great!!
I do my own quilting, though I don t have all the time I would like to. My next quilt will be a lap quilt for my mother who will turn 80 this year. Thank you for the opportunity.
What beautiful fabrics. I’ve been checking these books at one of a time at the library to read!
I have always wondered how you could say you “made” the quilt if all you did was the piecing. It always seemed false to me. Just me, I know.
Where will you post (or have you posted) who won? I was in the ER on Sunday and still feeling discombobulated!
I started quilting in the 70′s made quilts for 2 of my children when they got married and some of there friends, all of them hand quilted, I had a quilt that I had started in 1970 and I hadn’t finished it so 3 years ago I had lost my son and needed something to keep my mind busy without thinking about him all the time, I had lost my mother just 6 month prior to him so I was a mess. The quilt was a king size quilt with lots of birds and flowers embroided on it, then I hand quilted it. I have a friend who quilts and we were alway talking about quilting while golfing so she asked me out to a friendship group and I haven’t looked back. I am going to take a machine quilting class the first of April. I feel unless I finish the quilt myself I haven’t really made it all myself I have done some machine quilting and enjoy it but there is a lot I need to learn about it, I always want to improve. I would enjoy the the bright colored fabrics I would like to win the Northcott or Heidi fabric and precut combo or easy quilts. I am not much into modern quilts. Happy quilting.
I’ve made two and designing three more quilts, but still consider myself as a beginner. I do my own machine quilting (not on a long arm). I like the Galeria Encantada collection and the Easy Quilts for Beginners and Beyond book. Thanks!
Hi…I do all my own handquilting and hand piecing…I found sewing machines jar my left arm that was injured way too much…Hand piecing and quilting also gives me more portability…right now my yellow nine patch has 3 1/2 rows of 6 inch blocks done…only 11 more rows to go…Have a great day…
I try to do my quilting which is in the ditch. the quilts I have quilts have been for children who due not care if the quilting is prefect they just love the quilt. I have two tops for adults ready to quilt but just have not taken the leap. I do all my sewing by machine.
I DO MY OWN QUILTING MOSTLY BY MACHINE. I DO IT MYSELF FOR THE SATISFACTION AND EXPERIENCE AND ALSO TO KEEP EXPENSE DOWN.
The floral whimsy is my favourite fabric line and all the books look nice! Thanks