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Valued Contributor
Posts: 662
Registered: ‎05-02-2011

Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I'm a quilter, and have 9 quilts going in various stages. I also have a computerized 10 foot long arm machine. I do the quilts from start to finish.

We have a Bed & Breakfast, so now I'm making quilts for the guest rooms. How in the heck can the shopping channels sell quilts for that low of a price???? I have more in fabric than their price.

I know! Mine are made with love! Next up for me Amish potholders!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,487
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I'm here!! I must admit I am a machine quilter. I do machine quilt my smaller projects myself, however, my long armer gets the big ones!! I always have multiple projects going on as well
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,210
Registered: ‎03-23-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I'm a quilter too. Smiley Happy I've only made one by machine. I was taught by my grandmother and a neighbor to make them by hand. I don't quilt as much during the school year, but I make up for lost time in the summer.
Occasional Contributor
Posts: 15
Registered: ‎04-17-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

Hi LoriMI, I'm here too! I love to quilt! I belong to several quilt groups, and have more UFOs than I would care to admit. I've quilted for app 13 years, and have built up a huge fabric stash. I work full time, so it's been hard finding enough time to quilt. I'm always the one in my groups who's behind in projects, doesn't have show & tell, etc. I'm retiring May 31 from the company I've been with for 32 years, so I'm hoping to have more time for the hobby I love so much. I'm taking one month off to have to myself, so I'd better produce some quilting during that time. After that I'm hoping to work part-time so I'll still have time to do what I love.

I don't have a long arm, and like riley1, I quilt my smaller projects on my home machine. Typically straight line quilting.

I agree - I don't know how quilts can be sold at such a low price, even if you just think about the cost of fabric. But I would guess it's based on volume, and also where the quilt is manufactured.

I'd love to know about Amish potholders. Haven't seen those.

Hope more quilters reply to your thread. I'd love to hear what others are doing.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,743
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I learned to quilt long ago and had tons of fabric, rotary cutters, cutting mats, etc. Sadly, I realized that the time spent could never be appreciated by anyone but ME, and I just gave it up. As beautiful as they are and can be, the amount of time I had to invest was just overwhelming. I'm in awe of women who continue this wonderful art! I gave all my quilting fabric (and it WAS considerable) and just stopped sewing all together. Think I got burned out. Used to machine piece and quilt. It's just a lot of work!

All this was done in a time when you couldn't find anything but handmade quilts at fairly high prices. I live in an Amish area and even their small ones are more than I wanted to spend.

I, too, have a small B&B and found that putting anything really precious on the beds was a waste. I felt compelled to wash it frequently, and found people would not be as respectful of them as I would like. Found marker ink on one light colored quilt. Needless to say it was ruined. So, I took them all up and now keep washable seersucker spreads on the beds. Less heartache!

Quilts now are so cheap because the fabric is often not good quality and they are likely stitched in foreign countries by cheap labor. I know the stitches are pretty untidy by my standards although if you don't look too close they are fine.

Again, I'm in awe of anyone who still does this, but my heart just wasn't it anymore.

I now make small fleece baby/children's blankets to give away. They are so easy and so rewarding and very easy to care for.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,743
Registered: ‎03-15-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I'd love to know about Amish potholders. Haven't seen those.



The farmer's market where I shop in the summer is mostly Amish farmers and all the women make the Log Cabin potholder's. I must have 20 in my stash! I think they charge $8 for 2, which seems reasonable to me considering the work involved.





Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,210
Registered: ‎03-23-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

The only Amish potholders I've seen are a log cabin design and a star design. What does your pattern look like, loriMI? I'm curious. Smiley Happy
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,210
Registered: ‎03-23-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

The only Amish potholders I've seen are a log cabin design and a star design. What does your pattern look like, loriMI? I'm curious. Smiley Happy
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,487
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

Witchy Woman - Sorry to hear you gave up quilting It truly is a labor of love. Since it gets so hot & humid in the summer I'm usually in and quilting up a storm! Each year I make a holiday quilt for each of my of my daughters as well as the ones I make for my GD. Each new baby that comes along also gets one to welcome them to the world! I just finished a baby girl quilt using Storybook in peach. It is fun but I know not everyone appreciates the work. If I'm making a quilt for a client I always include care instructions and a color catcher.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 662
Registered: ‎05-02-2011

Re: Calling all quilters! .....I know you are hiding out there....

I put the amish potholders on a new thread. I'm going to make them.

Then my son and daughter-in-law saw my latest quilttop, and it's theirs now!