hand piecing and quilting

On Jul 9, 6:54�pm, Mary wrote:
Am I one of a dying breed? �I enjoy piecing and quilting completely by
hand. �I have 3 sewing machines, all working very nicely, but really
prefer to do everything by hand even though it takes a lot longer. �My
only "modern" thing is that I use a rotary cutter and mat. �Otherwise
I could probably be sitting on a log bench outside a log cabin . . .
So, are there others who love hand work and shun their sewing
machines?

I used to do a lot of handwork but now the arthritis in my fingers
tells me to restrict that as much as possible. If I need a bit done,
I trade a friend for some rotary cutting or machine quilting. She
still does lots of handwork, in the car even. I am only 55 so I
should have a lot of years left for sewing, I hope.

I absoluely love hand quilting but can't do it either. Between the
arthritis in my hands and having fibromyalgia, the pain of it offsets
the fun of it. The only one I did by hand was a baby quilt for my
first grandchild. A project that should have taken a short time took
me months to finish but I got it done. The stitches weren't very
straight but there was a lot of love sewn into that quilt! Donna



On Jul 10, 9:19*am, Idahoqltr wrote:
On Jul 9, 6:54 pm, Mary wrote:

Am I one of a dying breed? I enjoy piecing and quilting completely by
hand. I have 3 sewing machines, all working very nicely, but really
prefer to do everything by hand even though it takes a lot longer. My
only "modern" thing is that I use a rotary cutter and mat. Otherwise
I could probably be sitting on a log bench outside a log cabin . . .
So, are there others who love hand work and shun their sewing
machines?

I hand sew the piecing, but prefer tying my quilts for the old-fashioned
look (which, of course, is done by hand). I bought a new portable sewing
machine a few months ago because my 43-year-old White quit working and I
don't have the strength to take it out of the cabinet, put it in my car, and
carry it into the shop.

The new one is a Brother and has the ability to place the needle to the
right or left. I hate it. The increments are in .5 and it does not give me
the exact "scant 1/4" I need, so I continue to piece by hand. I've also
found that I get my points meeting better if I do it by hand. Because the
new machine has a computer in it, I'm told I can't use my little
straight-edge magnet to get straight seams either.

For me, hand sewing is the way to go; more precise, more relaxing, and
easier on my back.

"Mary" wrote in message
...
Am I one of a dying breed? I enjoy piecing and quilting completely by
hand. I have 3 sewing machines, all working very nicely, but really
prefer to do everything by hand even though it takes a lot longer. My
only "modern" thing is that I use a rotary cutter and mat. Otherwise
I could probably be sitting on a log bench outside a log cabin . . .
So, are there others who love hand work and shun their sewing
machines?

Well, I definitely don't "shun" my machines, but I do enjoy hand
piecing and hand quilting too. G Also some applique by hand and some
embroidery. Love to have hand work to carry with me, and have while I
"listen" to TV and so on. When I have needle/thread/fabric in my hands
I don't eat, which is a winner all around. VBG

Most of what I do is by machine, and I love my machines too. But it
can all be lots of fun.

Pati, in Phx

On Jul 9, 5:54*pm, Mary wrote:
Am I one of a dying breed? *I enjoy piecing and quilting completely by
hand. *I have 3 sewing machines, all working very nicely, but really
prefer to do everything by hand even though it takes a lot longer. *My
only "modern" thing is that I use a rotary cutter and mat. *Otherwise
I could probably be sitting on a log bench outside a log cabin . . .
So, are there others who love hand work and shun their sewing
machines?

wrote in message
...

Polly! I have never heard of anyone actually ironing men's underware,
is it true? I am 50 something and can remember back to my grandparents
being alive and 2 sets of great-grand parents and I never remember
seeing anyone ironing underwear!

Ellen
******************

Ellen, I doubt your grandmothers would have ironed underwear in front of
company, even family company!

My own Grandma must have ironed in the middle of the night, because I never
remember her ironing. But everything was ironed, even sheets.

And Polly, I am going to assume that you ironed boxers and not briefs,
right?

Cindy

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I bake our own bread, Mary. I neither apologize or assume superiority for
it.

Why on earth would you apologize?? Can I come live witchyou?

I have another friend who is a fabulous quilter. She not only makes all
their bread, she grinds all the wheat for the bread. How cool is that?
She's not exactly a child of nature or anything, she makes modern quilts and
since she's learned to put bindings on by machine, there's no stopping her
now.

You can find her here in all her bread baking, quilt making, chicken raising
glory.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/


Cindy

On Jul 9, 8:54*pm, Mary wrote:
Am I one of a dying breed? *I enjoy piecing and quilting completely by
hand. *I have 3 sewing machines, all working very nicely, but really
prefer to do everything by hand even though it takes a lot longer. *My
only "modern" thing is that I use a rotary cutter and mat. *Otherwise
I could probably be sitting on a log bench outside a log cabin . . .
So, are there others who love hand work and shun their sewing
machines?

With me, it seems to go in cycles (like everything else)! Was a time
when it was all hand work. Dolls hand sewn with hand made lace
edgings and all. Bread baked twice a week and grew my own vegetables
and preserved fruit in season for a family of five. Never had a mix,
bakery item, or commercially prepared can in the house.
Now my embroidery sits forlornly, month after year, while I do
everything by sewing machine. Learning fmq, got a walking foot, and
the quilt I am working on cries out for hand sewing in several places
but I figured out how to do it on the machine. And yesterday I
realized I did not have any flour in the place.
You never know where life is going to take you!
Turtle

Howdy!

I remember wheat bread.
g

Hand piecing: very good. Hand quilting: Very good. I enjoy it
My Janome, tho', does the piecing much more quickly than my fingers alone,
so I let her piece & I quilt. For tricky bits like "the points must be
very pointy" & circles, I go by hand. And yo-yos- I can make yo-yos in
seconds, another use for my favorite hand quilting thread, Gütermann.

Hmmm.. trying to remember when we last had wheat bread in the house,
or on the table (any table, home, café', restaurant).
For make-it-yourself food, I'll stick to my chocolate ice milk recipe.

Chills!

Ragmop/Sandy


On 7/10/09 12:21 PM, in article , "teleflora"
wrote:


"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I bake our own bread, Mary. I neither apologize or assume superiority for
it.

Why on earth would you apologize?? Can I come live witchyou?

I have another friend who is a fabulous quilter. She not only makes all
their bread, she grinds all the wheat for the bread. How cool is that?
She's not exactly a child of nature or anything, she makes modern quilts and
since she's learned to put bindings on by machine, there's no stopping her
now.

You can find her here in all her bread baking, quilt making, chicken raising
glory.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/


Cindy

When we got married 42 years ago, my MIL was ironing DH's undershirts
(t-shirts) and handkerchiefs. That ended real soon . I learned to iron
on dish towels and handkerchiefs. No more. I usually put sheets right
back on the bed after washing -- that way I don't even have to fold
them. I empty the dryer as soon as it's done and hang up or fold neatly
right away.

Julia in MN

teleflora wrote:
wrote in message
...

Polly! I have never heard of anyone actually ironing men's underware,
is it true? I am 50 something and can remember back to my grandparents
being alive and 2 sets of great-grand parents and I never remember
seeing anyone ironing underwear!

Ellen
******************

Ellen, I doubt your grandmothers would have ironed underwear in front of
company, even family company!

My own Grandma must have ironed in the middle of the night, because I never
remember her ironing. But everything was ironed, even sheets.

And Polly, I am going to assume that you ironed boxers and not briefs,
right?

Cindy




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Awwww, now, now, Phyllis. I thought about that one while cleaning floors
and decided I couldn't just let it sit here unanswered.
Of COURSE you can do a scant ¼" seam on your Brother. You'll
simply have to figure out how and make it comfortable for you.
With a plain old pencil, draw a line on a length of scrap fabric that is
the ¼" from the edge that pleases you. (scant or dead-on, either one).
Stitch on that line for a little and observe where the edge of the
fabric travels in relation to the foot and the bed of the SM. Mark that
line with a strip of blue masking tape or post-it notes.
I don't remember which foot or why, but one time I actually put a fine
dot with a Sharpie on a SM foot. The ¼" foot wouldn't do whatever I needed
to.
Anyhow - you can so do a ¼" SM seam on a Brother.You'll just need a
'bring it on!' attitude. You choose your battles but by golly, I'd show
that Brother a thing or two. Polly



"Phyllis Nilsson" wrote, in part The new one is a Brother and has the
ability to place the needle to the
right or left. I hate it. The increments are in .5 and it does not give
me the exact "scant 1/4" I need, so I continue to piece by hand. I've
also found that I get my points meeting better if I do it by hand.
Because the new machine has a computer in it, I'm told I can't use my
little straight-edge magnet to get straight seams either.