Hand Quilting vs. Machine Quilting

Hand Quilting vs. Machine Quilting? This is not a competition! And this post is not a debate about which is better. They are just different -- very different. Each project will vary depending on fabrics and batting, density of stitching, methods and skills of the quilter. But the same designs can certainly be be used for hand quilting or machine quilting. Here is one comparison using the same designs, each done quite differently.

This is a section of the antique 1848 applique quilt that inspired my reproduction quilt and my book, Baltimore Garden Quilt.* On this antique quilt, the various floral quilted designs between the applique motifs are emphasized by very close, straight diagonal lines of background quilting. There was no trapunto or stuffing of the quilted designs on this quilt, and no quilting "around" the applique pieces as we often do today. The batting is cotton.

This is the same area on my reproduction quilt made in 2008. After scanning the drawings that I traced from the antique quilt, Marty Vint beautifully quilted all the floral designs, and closely around each applique motif, with her Gammill longarm. We could have added dense background quilting, but we agreed this was enough. Oh, and there was also that book deadline! The batting is "Matilda's Wool" (no longer available). The quilting thread is a shade or two darker than the background fabric to add emphasis.

How will you decide to quilt?

Hand Quilting - photo courtesy Carla Therrien

Machine Quilting - photo courtesy Marty Vint

In a future post, I plan to show how to adapt these floral quilting designs to other quilts for hand quilting.

*All of the original 1848 quilting designs are included on the patterns provided (on CD) in the book. A full size pattern set (on paper) is also available separately. Avoid outrageous prices on amazon from third-party sellers! Buy directly from my website for $15.00 +3.99 shipping.

Keep Stitching!

Barbara M. Burnham

www.barbaramburnham.com

(c) 2017 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Basting and Quilting in an Old Fashioned Frame

Joe Cunningham is a professional quiltmaker with a flair for improvisation and quilting “freehand” designs without marking. “Joe the Quilter” lives in San Francisco, California, a long drive from Baltimore, Maryland. But thanks to technology, I just spent an hour and a half with Joe and his “Zen attitude,” via his DVD, Basting and Quilting in an Old Fashioned Frame.” (found on amazon.com)

As a teacher myself, of hand applique and hand quilting, I always enjoy learning how other people work on their quilts.

On the video, Joe shows step-by-step how to make the simple, inexpensive 4-board frame he uses. While visiting a local quilting group, the Dorcas Quilters, Joe points out similar setup options that they use. This kind of frame can easily be disassembled and stored away when not in use; convenient for a quilt guild, shop, or at home.

He also shows how to use the frame to thread baste the 3 layers of a quilt (backing, batting, and top) in preparation for machine quilting or hand quilting in a hoop.

From his studio, Joe talks about how he likes to work while actually quilting in the frame, how he decides what to quilt, and the tools he prefers. 

Zooming in to view both hands above and below the quilt, Joe maneuvers the needle to demonstrate how to do the actual hand quilting stitch, tie off, and “waddle” from one place to another.

The most useful thing I learned from Joe today is how to quilt away from myself. I look forward to trying his methods, and I can watch over and over until I accomplish the Zen attitude of quilting "without looking." Meanwhile, I can enjoy the music on the DVD from “Music for Squares” by Joe Cunningham and Erik Walker.

 

Keep Stitching!
Barbara M. Burnham
www.barbaramburnham.com
(c) 2017 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

May I Interrupt Your Quilting Design?

Deborah Y. sent a question to AppliqueAddicts, a Yahoo group: “I feel like I'm stuck in a handquilting rut. Any suggestions other than cross hatching and echo quilting to complement applique?”

There’s nothing wrong with quilting a classic background grid or echo quilting. It’s relatively easy to mark and so relaxing to stitch; almost meditative. Your mind can ponder the world as your needle and thread gradually bring the surface of your quilt to life.

 I shared a photo with the group of an antique (1848) quilt from my collection for inspiration. This quilt has floral quilting designs in the open spaces among the applique. (The applique and quilting designs were traced from that antique quilt for patterns and published in my book, Baltimore Garden Quilt.*)

Here is how the designs look on the antique quilt. Dense background quilting helps to emphasize the floral quilting designs; in this case very close straight lines, almost stippling. But that doesn’t mean that stippling is required, or even necessary, to make use of the floral designs.

Here is how the designs look when they fill an open space on my reproduction of that quilt. My friend, Marty Vint (Dogwood Quilting), skillfully quilted around the applique first. Then she used my tracings of the antique quilting designs and quilted those designs to fill the open spaces; thus background “fill” was not needed.
And here is the back of my reproduction quilt. Plenty of lovely quilting here! (Judges have awarded this quilt with several ribbons at national quilt shows.)

My friend, Carla is hand quilting her Baltimore Garden. She shares her progress on Facebook, and has kindly given me permission to re-share her photo here. Carla is quilting a background grid, and sprinkling just a few of the original motifs in the open areas between the applique.


On another antique 1850s applique quilt (shown below),  various feather motifs interrupt double rodded quilting lines. Antique quilts are my favorite inspiration!
















Copy bits of your applique designs and echo them in your quilting. Add a single stemmed rose, a bird, a heart or heart-in-hand, or any motif special to you. I like to add a double heart. Tracing a child’s hand is another fun idea. Wind some leafy vines around your applique or between your blocks to simulate sashing.

Quilt your initials or your whole name into the quilt, and of course, a date within the quilting. Finally, be sure to plan a label for the back of the quilt, and document your quilt for those who will care for your quilt in years to come.

*From the CD included with the book Baltimore Garden Quilt, print selected patterns as needed. A complete full-size paper pattern set is also available as a separate package at my website www.barbaramburnham.com .)

Keep Stitching!
Barbara M. Burnham

(c) 2015 Barbara M. Burnham. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization.

Freezer Paper - None goes to waste!

I love freezer paper. It is useful for SO many things in quilting!
Here is another great use for freezer paper, even those little scraps you might toss in the trash.
Write notes to yourself (or others) and press the note to a fabric instead of tape, sticky office dots, staples, or pins, which may damage fabric, especially pins that might stick you someday!Even safety pins can rust and leave holes in the fabric.

For example: 
"Save for binding on Mary's quilt."
"Save this piece of backing for sleeve."
"Has been washed."
"108-inch Wide Backing - washed and pressed"
"9.5 yards" - Cross through that amount when you cut off a piece, and write the new amount.
Numbers or letters that are keys to your pattern, a piecing order, or a quilt layout idea.
I have one fabric with a freezer paper note that says "This red fabric bleeds!"

How about this one: "Free to Good Home."

Save information from selvages when they are cut off. You might want to have that information later. Write it on freezer paper, and press it to a corner.

Maybe your guild has a sale or flea market. Roll a fabric piece, write the price or yardage on a strip of freezer paper. Wrap the freezer paper strip around the roll, and press the strip to itself at the end.

I bet you can think of other things you might want to note on your fabrics ...