patchwork and quilting

Hi Annegarth, I've never managed to get around to doing either of these, but I've been 'drawn to it lately. I managed to get some fab books from a car boot sale and now I'm itching to try it, but of course I know that I need to 'walk before I run'. I just need to try something fairly basic so that I can see an acheivement before I get carried away and try something totally out of my league!

When I got married my first buy was a sewing machine. I had moved to a new district to start my married life and there was nobody there I knew who could run up curtains for me ( no ready mades then).
From there on I made my summer frocks and when the family came along I made them dresses too. Of couse, there was masses of left over bits of material and eventually that lead on to quilt making.
Today, it is much more difficult to track down materials, and clothes have become cheap enough to buy and even throw away, so quilt making has become more of an art.
qilts in Scotland were made to keep us warm in bed and were generally lined with an old blanket or equivalent, and used in place of the modern day duvet. Life now, has changed and moved on, for the better? That is another topic for discussion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty_XgIbH1hQ

This exhibition in New York was meant to be absolutely stunning.. all RED AND WHITE PATCHWORK QUILTS to die for

Have done patchwork over the years.....also lots of very delicate crafts...but hey ho even with decent glasses eyesight is not quite so accomodating....have to use one of those powerful reading lights in the evening!!
So have taken up a more robust craft that allows you to keep one eye on the telly if Lewis is on. Rag Rugging. Am a big fan now....its also great for using up old fabric of all sorts. There are several methods and a good source of info is a book by a Jenni Stuart-Anderson called Rag Rug Making.

Hi Luvvie........found you xxxxxxxx

Hiya duchess, I knew you would lol You will like it on here, you'll be able to talk about all your hobbies and pick up some tips too, luv u xxx

Hi,

I only seem to Patchwork/Quilt during the winter months in the evenings! Too busy Metal Detecting during the day...

I've uploaded 3 images in my 'photos' section.

AngeTheHippy

I made a quilt for my six week's premature grand-daughter from some beautiful fabric that was used for the curtains that were in my DD's bedroom when she was a baby, thirty seven years ago! I also made a lovely red and white bargello quilt for her with all new fabrics, which is probably my favourite of all the quilts I've made.

I have Just taken up P+Q after 30 years. Really love it .Have uploaded some of my recent tasks. Would love to talk and swop ideas with other like minded Grannies

I'd really love to make a patchwork quilt - I've gathered up some fabric over the last few years to make a quilt for my granddaughter. She's now 8 and I have 3 other granddaughters so I'd have to make four!! I will get started as I'm expecting to be off work sick for a while so that will be an ideal opportunity for me to get going. I'll keep watching this thread and would love to see any photos of quilts made. I do have a sewing machine but is it easier to sew by hand or on the machine?

curly, it depends! A large quilt can be difficult to manoeuvre for quilting with a sewing machine, though there are tricks. Done by hand, a table is useful to spread out. Alternatively, you can quilt sections at a time before putting them together into the large piece.