machine *and* hand quilting?

[Carla G.]

I'm a new-ish hand quilter and I'm really enjoying it. However, I just finished a quilt top that's fairly large and I want to do a bunch of stitching in the ditch/straight line quilting. I love doing swirls and curves by hand, but quilting loads of straight lines sometimes can get a little boring.

I'm considering doing the straight lines by machine with my walking foot, and then doing the rest by hand. Has anyone else tried this sort of thing? I'm not making quilts to enter in shows or anything like that - just for my own enjoyment. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work - but I thought I'd toss it out here to see what you think!

I would love to hear any feedback or ideas from quilters who have done this! I've consulted a bunch of books from my quilting library, but no one talks about doing this!

[Frances L.]

Callie,
One of my first quilts was a log cabin flower. I did machine straight line quilting around the flowers and hand quilted a flower in the blank squares. I also machine quilted in the ditch around the blocks. It worked out fine.
Frances

[Judy M.]

Callie, I've seen it done, too, and I think it looks really nice. The only problem might be the batting used for machine quilting is a little harder to "needle" when hand quilting. Aside from that, I'm planning to try my hand at this, too. I just don't have enough time to completely hand quilt every single quilt. Judy in Torrance

[Sandy F.]

I'm new to machine quilting and haven't mastered free motion quilting yet. I am combining straight machine quilting and some hand quilting on the Mariner's Compass I am currently making for my son. There are no quilt police at my house.

[Sandy F.]

I remember an episode of Simply Quilts that had someone on who combined both machine and hand quilting. She did all her anchor stitching in the ditch by machine and then did beautiful hand quilting where it could be seen using bright threads. On my Stars Ablazin quilt I ran short on time and did all the ditch quilting for the outside border on machine so I could get done sooner. The only way you see a difference is if you look at the back - I should have used a different thread in my bobbin ops: I also have discovered that if I use invisible thread in the top and a colored thread in the bobbin, turn up the top tension just a bit (or lower the bottom tension works too) and lenthen the stitch, the bobbin will pop to the top just a hair and give the illusion of a hand stitch! Not something I would recommend for a bed quilt that would see a lot of use, but it works great for a wall hanging. Just watch you don't make the tension too high or it will break the invisible thread.

[Sandy F.]

Thanks so much, everyone! I now feel a lot more confident about doing this.

Now if I can just get this darn thing basted...my least favorite part!

Thanks again!

[Sandy F.]

I'm a new-ish hand quilter and I'm really enjoying it. However, I just finished a quilt top that's fairly large and I want to do a bunch of stitching in the ditch/straight line quilting. I love doing swirls and curves by hand, but quilting loads of straight lines sometimes can get a little boring.

I'm considering doing the straight lines by machine with my walking foot, and then doing the rest by hand. Has anyone else tried this sort of thing? I'm not making quilts to enter in shows or anything like that - just for my own enjoyment. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work - but I thought I'd toss it out here to see what you think!

I would love to hear any feedback or ideas from quilters who have done this! I've consulted a bunch of books from my quilting library, but no one talks about doing this!

Callie, I spray baste my quilts, stitch in the ditch by machine and then do the decorative stitching by hand. Have had no problems and I like the results.

[Sandy F.]

I've basted 3 crib-size quilts using the method that Sharon Schamber shows on YouTube, and just love it. I can sit at my dining room table in a comfortable chair and baste them with no sore back or arms.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[Sandy F.]

Hmmm, I'll have to look up Sharon Schamber's method on YouTube - I'm intrigued!

[Lynn K.]

Sharon is my 'quilting Goddess!' Her web site is so cool. I have only one of her books and it's on turned under applique preparation using Elmer's School Glue and then machine applique. It's wonderful!
Lynn

[Lynn K.]

I had a quilt that was taking a long time to hand quilt and I was getting tired of it and losing my inspiration as to what to do in the borders. I went ahead and used one of those paper rolls to free motion a pretty design in the borders with my machine and am really pleased with it. I don't think of it as cheating or anything.

Why not use whatever ideas or resourses we have!? Nancy in NY

[Lynn K.]

I couldn't agree more Nancy! YOU still did the work.