Grrr, Wanting Something for Nothing & No Appreciation for Fine Hand Quilting....A Rare Speckledhen

[LadyHawkeAvry]

Yes, they will. The thing is that I can buy superb fabric at shoddy fabric prices because I have a source. If I didn't, I would have to pay more and if I'm searching for a particular shade or something super specific, I may have to go up in price by buying at a local quilt shop so I can see in person what I'm buying rather than getting it at my online source, but either way, I refuse to use shoddy fabric. It really doesn't save anything in the long run.

That rooster fabric is fabulous quality quilter's cotton. At Thousands of Bolts, I paid only $4.95/yard. They had sale fabrics, all guaranteed quality, as low as $2.95/yard! That's an excellent price for any well-made quilters cotton.

Wow!!! That's great pricing!! I made a quilt for my daughter's college graduation and was happy about getting $5 - $6 a yard!

 

[speckledhen]

Wow!!! That's great pricing!! I made a quilt for my daughter's college graduation and was happy about getting $5 - $6 a yard!

They also have higher priced stuff like Stonehenge by Northcott, but I'm betting it's way cheaper there than any quilt shop. They have packs of color coordinated fat quarters which usually have 10 fabrics in them for $12 a pack, things like that. I think it was NanaKat here who turned me onto them, even sent me a few samples of their fabrics so I'd try them. She was so right! Once, I ordered a few things and when I got them, it was obvious that I'd been sent someone else's entire order. When I called, they apologized profusely, told me to keep it for free and promptly sent me out my own proper order. Can't beat that customer service.

 

[jerrey]

BOY ARE RIGHT YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

They also have higher priced stuff like Stonehenge by Northcott, but I'm betting it's way cheaper there than any quilt shop. They have packs of color coordinated fat quarters which usually have 10 fabrics in them for $12 a pack, things like that. I think it was NanaKat here who turned me onto them, even sent me a few samples of their fabrics so I'd try them. She was so right! Once, I ordered a few things and when I got them, it was obvious that I'd been sent someone else's entire order. When I called, they apologized profusely, told me to keep it for free and promptly sent me out my own proper order. Can't beat that customer service.

Wow! That's awesome customer service!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, quilters!! www.thousandsofbolts.com has flat rate $4.95 shipping for all you want to buy right now! That means pounds and pounds and yards and yards of fabric for just that amount of shipping cost. I couldn't resist. I got a couple of fat quarters and a few yards of $4.95/yd fabrics. I wait for their flat rate shipping sales and see what I can find. Their 108" wide quilt backs are also great prices. I love using those rather than having to piece my backs. And the leftovers from those are great for so many other projects.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

Hey, quilters!! www.thousandsofbolts.com has flat rate $4.95 shipping for all you want to buy right now! That means pounds and pounds and yards and yards of fabric for just that amount of shipping cost. I couldn't resist. I got a couple of fat quarters and a few yards of $4.95/yd fabrics. I wait for their flat rate shipping sales and see what I can find. Their 108" wide quilt backs are also great prices. I love using those rather than having to piece my backs. And the leftovers from those are great for so many other projects.

Ooooooh! Thanks!!!!!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

I ordered and they had shipped my package within hours! It will be here tomorrow.

I just pieced this baby quilt for a baby girl Ladyhawk's neighbor is expecting. If she doesn't like it for this gift, will put it aside and do another one. I may machine quilt this one "in the ditch" with the walking foot and maybe add some hand quilted hearts in the middle of the snowball blocks, not sure yet. I have so much other stuff to do in addition to this.









Still on block #12 of my 35 block bed quilt that I must have ready by April! My bed is not going one more spring without this quilt on it.

 

[speckledhen]

We decided to go another direction and I'm going to try to sell that baby quilt top in favor of this one I'm working on now. May try to machine stitch in the ditch or across it:


And the next installment of Masters of Mountain View series, a table topper featuring Deacon's likeness.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm attempting to machine quilt this baby quilt. It's way harder than it looks on youtube. You'd think stitch in the ditch would be simple but it's so much more difficult than hand quilting because you must stay 100% focused 100% of the time or you run off into a ditch, or out of the ditch, as the case may be. Guess I'll have to hand quilt the border, won't I? I have no idea what to do with a walking foot and I can't free motion yet. This is a gift for someone so I can't completely mess it up.





I'm done with the body of it--now to figure out what to do with the 3" border. And the back is just blah, just utilitarian-looking, nothing special, just a grid.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I'm attempting to machine quilt this baby quilt. It's way harder than it looks on youtube. You'd think stitch in the ditch would be simple but it's so much more difficult than hand quilting because you must stay 100% focused 100% of the time or you run off into a ditch, or out of the ditch, as the case may be. Guess I'll have to hand quilt the border, won't I? I have no idea what to do with a walking foot and I can't free motion yet. This is a gift for someone so I can't completely mess it up.





I'm done with the body of it--now to figure out what to do with the 3" border. And the back is just blah, just utilitarian-looking, nothing special, just a grid.

That border would actually look wonderful with a free motion design. It's actually easier to free motion than machine stitch in the ditch. You get into a rhythm and it can be very relaxing! My favorite pattern is a meandering vines and leaves sort of thing. If you've got a free motion foot, I'd say grab a piece of scrap fabric, throw some batting behind it, and do some practice patterns. I learned by doing a little practice, then putting together a small double disappearing nine patch piece and just covering the whole thing in free motion designs. After that, I was good to go. You would be surprised at how easy it is! I say go for it!!!!!


A later free motion practice piece - I was trying out new designs here. Things in the baby quilt size range are really easy to throw on the machine to free motion quilt if you're like me and don't have the $$ for one of those beautiful longarm machines..... (I think half the pile of stuff it's sitting on are tops I still have to quilt....)


Once bound, it was immediately claimed by our ferret, who considers it exclusively his...