Hand or Machine Quilted - Right or Wrong

I've been doing a lot of blog reading lately.  So many different opinions about quilting.  None right or wrong, just different.  Let it be known that I was quilting when quilting wasn't cool.  I love everything about it.  I consider myself a traditional quilter.  Most of my quilts are hand quilted.  I just think it brings more authenticity to the quilt.  Doesn't mean I don't admire the machine quilters and their quilts.  I have done some machine quilting myself.  But when I want the quilt to seem "special", or if I'm afraid I'll mess it up otherwise, I always hand quilt it.  And I am not your ordinary hand quilter.  I don't use a frame; I don't use a hoop and I don't use a thimble.  I baste my quilts on the floor with needle and thread.  I will usually thread five or six needles and go to town, basting about every six inches vertically and horizontally.  The basting is tight enough that the layers do not shift.  Then I  quilt it in my lap.  Doesn't matter what size the quilt is.  I have hand quilted anywhere from baby size to king size, all in my lap.  I've had many quilters tell me I wasn't doing it right.  But I think the finished product speaks for itself.  The largest quilt I ever made was my king size grandmother's flower garden quilt that covers my bed.  I made this one "wrong", too.  No paper piecing, I just hand stitched each hexie to within 1/4 inch of the end of the piece leaving enough of an opening so that the Y could open to accommodate the next interlocking hexie.  Every part of that quilt was completely hand sewn.  And I'm sure a lot of quilters would say I broke every rule in the quilting bible.  But I think it turned out amazing.  And apparently so did the quilters who grade quilts for the state fair, because it won a blue ribbon. 

I guess my point in all this rambling is to say, there is no right or wrong to quilting.  Whatever works for you. 

So if you get a chance, wander over to my flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/15989528@N06/  and take a look at some of the quilts I've made.  You will see a variety of them.  Some hand sewn and others machine sewn.  But each and everyone of them made me happy.

Happy Easter

My New Blog Header

I have been meaning to change my blog header for some time now.  I just wasn't sure how to go about it.  I made a mosaic of some of my projects and uploaded it to my settings.  I love the new look, but am not quite sure how to shrink it so the width of it fits on the page without having to arrow over.  Over all, I really like the look of it.  I hope you like it, too!

Julianne's baby quilt

Julianne's baby, a photo by sandyb72357 on Flickr.

For Julianne's second birthday, I thought she needed a new baby and cradle. I couldn't give her that without making a sweet little doll quilt for it. It's a miniature version of the line art quilt, I made that Amy claimed. I used leftover fabric from the jelly roll I had used. I trimmed the strips so that they finished at one inch. It turned out cute and Julianne really loved it!

A Dresden Plate Pillow

I have seen so many pretty pillows on different blogs lately.  And on Flickr, too.  And the different dresden plate designs popping up all over have been inspirational.  I love them so much. 

When I decided to combine the two, my original idea was to do just the plate in the middle.  I wanted my pillow to be larger than some, a whopping 18 inches.  So, after I made the plate and placed it in the center of the fabric square, I decided it needed something else.  I made quarter plates and put them in each corner.  I had read a lot about people quilting with pearl cotton and had never tried it myself.  I ordered my pearl cotton from threadart and am really thrilled with the product.  I do most of my quilting by hand, so I was excited to try something new.  I echo quilted around the plates and love the results.  After adding jumbo rickrack around the edge and putting the pillow back together, I joined them.  I made the pillow insert with fabric that I lined with batting and stuffed with fiberfill.  What a cute pillow!  I love this one!  Hope you do to.