Quilt in a Day Forums

I really want to give hand quilting my dresden plate quilt a try. But I read that sometimes it takes years....I want it done in four weeks. It''''s a twin/full size quilt and I can probably dedicate about an hour or more an evening to it during the week and a little more on the weekends to it. How long do you ladies think this will take?

You didn't say how it would be quilted -- stitch in the ditch around each petal, just around the the outside, etc. All of this will make a difference.

I am by no means an expert. I started hand quilting my nephew's quilt in May. This was, for all practical purposes my first hand quilting. I'm just quilting the pieced blocks, 1/4 inch on each side of the seams. I have about 1 and 1/3 blocks to go. I must say focusing each night move the quilt along after I neglected it for nearly 2 months -- but then my wrist gave out on me once the end was in sight.

My DWR that I'm planning on quilting, I'm allowing one block a week. That's not to say it won't get done faster (or perhaps not at all given my wrist)

So, this is my opinion, based on my experience. I'm sure you may end up with conflicting opinions, just like everything to do with quilting.

If you haven't hand quilted, and it must be done in four weeks, I think I'd send it out -- or re-evaluate your priorities -- desire to hand quilt it (yourself) vs the deadline.

Good luck with your quilt and let us know what you decide.

I hand quilted a king-sized Grandmother's Flower Garden years ago. the first half took me about 2 years. Then I got serious, put it on an old fashioned frame of my mother's and really got down to business, working on it several hours a day every day and finished the second half in 4 months. Never again.

I did a Dresden Plate quilt in March/April this year. I did it all freehand (by machine!). I did a small meander in the background of each 'plate'. In the centers I did a "rustic" round of concentric circles. And I did an elongated loop in each "petal". I loved the way it turned out! I have a long arm, but if you're quilt's not too big, you might be able to do it on your sewing machine by dropping the feed dogs.

Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing.

mary

If your time is so limited and you need to have it finished in about 4 weeks, you should send it out. To try hand quilting for the first time and be on such a deadline would not make for an enjoyable experience. The first time you try it you want to have fun, play around with it and have an experience that will make you wnat come back and to it again.
Good luck, Pam

I suggest you hire a longarm quilter. The only problem is finding one that will finish it in four weeks. Usually, the waiting list is pretty long, so if you decide to go this route, you should start making phone calls quickly. And you might have to pay extra because it's a rush order. I've been a longarm quilter now for six years, so this is from personal experience. Good luck.

Nancy

P.S. The first quilt I hand-quilted was a queen-size. It took me ten years to complete!!! I would work on it a little, put it away for a month or so, take it out again ... Your fingers will get sore pretty quickly from hand-quilting, especially the underside finger from feeling the needle come through the bottom.

Get a long arm machine quilter, have the binding ready when you pick it up, sew on the binding by machine, and turn it, and sew it again on top. You can do it. Zip-a dee, you can get it done. Go for it. They will help.

Well, I'm hand quilting and enjoying it! My daughter and I decided not to put a time limit on getting it done. I work about an hour to two hours a night after work. I am definitely relaxing and enjoy it!

That's wonderful!

AND...Quilter's Tape...Can I get an AMEN?!!!!!!!!!! My lines are great and it seems to help with my stitch uniformity for some odd reason....LOVE IT