Why machine quilt on a home machine?
Jul 21, 2005 Quilting
I intended to write one blog entry about getting ready to machine quilt. I started writing my entry. I quickly realized that it would be a very long entry. Instead of a very long entry, I’m going to write several smaller entries about my machine quilting adventures.
I really should start off with explaining why I’m choosing to machine quilt instead of hand quilt. That topic would require a long well thought entry. I’m not in the mood to think about that topic. It’s a topic for another day. I’m ready to machine quilt. I’ll start off my explaining why I’m choosing to machine quilt on my home machine.
Motivating Factor #1
Paying someone to machine quilt costs $100+. Given the work that is done, the talent that is used, and the time that it takes, $100+ is fair price. However at this particular point in my life, I can’t afford to pay someone to quilt every quilt top that I make. Since I’m not paying someone else and I’ve chosen not to hand quilt a particular project, I have two choices. Choice #1, I can make a lot of quilt tops that never get quilted. Choice #2, machine quilt my quilts myself. I choose number 2.
Motivating Factor #2
I consider my quilt tops a creative expression of myself. Sometime I capture what I’ve imagined. Other times I’m learning a lot about the process. Regardless, each quilt top contains part of my artist expression. If I were to turn the quilt over to somebody else to finish, then my quilt isn’t just expressing my artful soul. It also contains the artist expression of the quilter. Perhaps I’m greed. I want my quilts to express me and me alone.
I’m lucky enough to have a good sewing machine, a Bernina 130. While it is no where near a top of the line machine, it is a good machine that won’t give me fits during the quilting process. My Bernina and I are off for an adventure.
Next post: What kind of design will I quilt?
