Opinions, please? Machine quilt or try to find hand quilter for vintage quilt top?

My 91 yr old mom was a quilter, but an old fashioned type who hand pieced and quilted generally utilitarian type quilts that we used to keep warm. She made a few quilt tops in the late 60's and 70's and gave a couple to each of us. She was frugal and the material isn't the best. I had one quilted by a long arm quilter this past year. It still needs a binding because I need to experiment with tea dying to get the right match for color. I didn't feel bad about having it machine done because I like it a lot, but it's not my favorite one.

The other is a top I really like. It's just small 3" yellow and white squares, but looks like spring. The material is not top quality and one of fabrics tends to ravel. My mom made these to be pretty, but she wasn't really accomplished and some of the seams won't lie flat. I still love it because my mom made it but I haven't figured out how to finish it. I feel a little bad about taking a hand pieced quilt top to have it machine quilted.

What do you think? Here are my choices.

1. Have it finished by the local long arm quilter. My mom has been amazed by her quilting on tops I've made for her.

2. Try to find a hand quilter to finish it. I thought I'd found one last year, but I became concerned about her memory after a couple conversations with her. I'm also not sure the quilt is worth that very expensive investment. My mom thought the price way too high, though understood it from a time used point of view.

3. Learn to hand quilt and finish it myself. I've thought about it, but it'll take forever and I don't know if I'd ever finish it.

What do you think?

Good Morning, Cathy
I have had some experience with these type of quilts. Recently, I finished up two quilts for friends who had a granny that made them these type of quilts. some of the fabric just didn't go to the machine very easily, due to the age. These quilts were also made during the 60's and 70's. I decided to finish them up by hand stitching.
If you have never hand stitched one, be brave and do a rough running stitch. That is how I quilt most of mine. I use perl 8 cotton and a large eye needle. My stitches are FAR from perfect but heckfire shoot! It gets done quicker and many times, enhances the old timey look that I enjoy looking at.

Attachment 95194Attachment 95195

I agree with Blondie. The perl cotton and larger stitches makes a very nice look on old quilts and it much, much faster than the small stitches with hand quilting thread. It can be done with a hoop so you won't need to set up frames. Depending on the batting (not sure if you are adding that or the quilt has 30+ year old batting) you won't need to quilt very close together. Older poly batting will need to be closer than if you get newer batting.

Good luck. What a treasure to have quilts done "the old fashioned" way.

Well if it were mine, I'd send it to your LAQ. If you sent the 2nd liked best quilt to the LAQ, why not the liked best quilt? Besides, I would think the many stitches from the quilting would help to hold the delicate fabrics together. Then you could spend your time on binding the other quilt.

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Originally Posted by snippet

Well if it were mine, I'd send it to your LAQ. If you sent the 2nd liked best quilt to the LAQ, why not the liked best quilt? Besides, I would think the many stitches from the quilting would help to hold the delicate fabrics together. Then you could spend your time on binding the other quilt.

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Good point about the many stitches.

I'm glad you asked this question. My daughter gave me a quilt top she found at a flea market--lovely double wedding ring--and I've been debating how to finish it. I look forward to the feedback you get here.

Thanks for the responses. I'll be using warm and white for the batting. The idea about the running stitch is one to consider. I wish I didn't have a couple others , including a wedding quilt for dau, to do.

Go for it. You can hand quilt it yourself and it will become even more special. HQ is not hard it just takes a long time. So what? I think we spend way too much time rushing through things to hurry up and start the next project. Slow down. Enjoy the process. Your mom would be so proud of you for finishing up something she started. Just get a comfortable good-fitting thimble and don't be intimidated. Here's another piece of advice: you could at least start HQ, and if you don't like the way it looks go to Plan B. Taking out hq stitches is a piece of cake if you need to.

Did you ever see the Gee's Bend quilt display? Those were made with all different sized stitches, some had quite big stitches almost like basting--that surprised me. So you see anything is acceptable.

Good luck. I know it is hard to make up your mind but you will make the right decision that you can feel good about.

If it were me, I would hand quilt it myself. Do as Blondie does, the big stitch...it is something special. Just look up some tutorials on you tube and go for it.

I agree with the hand quilting suggestions.
Since you are using Warm & White, you can quilt up to 10" apart. How about if you quilt straight lines about 8 - 10" apart (depending on the block sizes) and then add hand quilting for special effects. It will go a little faster and you can also maintain the old world charm with bigger stitches.

I was afraid hand quilting would be the answer. : ). Thanks for the opinions. My LQS will do a loose machine baste cheaply. I'll probably have them do that since I may be 91 before I finish it. : )

Blondie's quilting is beautiful. It is exactly what you would like on a vintage quilt and it is oh so special because you would do it yourself. I love hand quilting. It is so therapeutic and relaxing. We usually have 4 or 6 sitting around the quilt for hours and we laugh. We bring pot luck and quilt for hours. It is such quality time with my cousins. In total it takes us about 100 hours total (five of us for 20 hours each, etc) to do a queen size quilt.

What is loose machine baste? Is that so you can then hq it yourself? It's pretty easy to baste it by hand yourself in a few hours. I used Sharon Shaumber's (or shaumberg?) method of taking 2 long boards and rolling the top on one board and the backing on the other. It's on You Tube. The basting stayed in just great and I basted it on my DR table.

My longarm uilter will baste the layers together at a very reasonable fee. I find it difficult to get the layers as taut when I quilt on my home machine as she does with her long arm so I'll definitely have her do the basting. She's great.

Oh goody, another convert to hand quilting. Now go find yourself a decent thimble!

Before you baste your quilt with the Warm and White, make sure you can hand quilt through it. I know many hand quilters who say Warm products are hard to hand quilt through. Try a small piece and practice on that before you decide.