| The three layers are basted together (top, batting, and backing fabric) with safety pins and removed as the piece is quilted. Attached to the side of my sewing machine stand, is a bag for the discarded pins. Hands guide the layered fabric and combined with the up and down motion of the needle, create the quilting design.
I hand quilted from 1974 until 1989 with some machine stitching starting in the early 1980’s. Beginning in 1989-1990 I began machine quilting all pieces. I use a Bernina sewing machine now. My daughter owns the singer feather weight I first used.
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Free motion machine quilting is a challenging technique to master and one I love. Machine quilting reduces time to finish a piece, allows for all quilting motifs, is beautiful when sewn well, and creates a sturdy quilt. I believe if our ancestors were able to use this technique, most antique quilts would have been done on the machine. Hand quilting is also a wonderful relaxing process but it takes considerably longer and there are quilts tapping my mind, impatiently waiting their turn.
The quilting thread is 100% cotton and the colors vary with the piece. The backing fabric is considered when choosing threads. If only one fabric is used on the back than a whole cloth look is created. With whole cloth you are only aware of the quilting creating light and shadow. Sometimes the front of the top is full of color and patterns and you miss the all over quilting, which can be appreciated from the back.
Quilting always has been my favorite part of the process. It is through the quilting, the process becomes more than just stitching. This is the time I connect to spirit and think through life for understanding and connection. Anyone who has ever spent long hours quilting (or drawing, painting, writing poetry, listening to music, etc.) knows this quiet, centered spot, where for me colors and shadows mesmerize, connecting my spirit to the cloth.
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