Hobbies And Pastimes

The women in my family have all been quilters, going back three generations to my great-grandmother. When I was growing up, I never understood why they would spend months under a lamp creating a quilt, one stitch at a time. When they were done they would put their beautifully handmade quilt in a safe place away from the sun, dust bunnies, and dirty little hands.

Now that I’m older and my grandmother and great-grandmother are gone, I do appreciate that time and I’m grateful for those memories and the quilts they’ve left behind. I understand now that the sun, dust, and my dirty hands would have ruined something they wanted my children and grandchildren to have.

Due to technological advances, quilting can now be produced in masses. Mass production, however, has increased the value of those custom-designed, handmade quilts from the days of yore. However, this brings up the question “What about those quilts from days of yore?”

Some quilters still make quilts completely by hand. The pieces of fabric, which are usually squares, are chosen for artistic or similar reasons. The fabric and design that hold the squares together are chosen with the long life of a quilt in mind rather than efficiency and mass production.

The quilts created by retailers or online vendors are cheap, and production is fast. You may even be allowed to choose the design, what color of fabric will be used, and where on the quilt pieces of fabric will be placed. Most of the time, these types of quilts are done quickly and end up looking just like many other quilts. If you want a quilt that is long-lasting and has been created artistically, then a custom handmade quilt is for you.

A custom quilter can help you decide what colors and design will be best for your theme or idea. Since fiber artists put their names on such quilts, they obviously care that your quilt turns out beautifully. This will not be the case for a quilt that is mass-produced.

If you intend for your quilt to be a keepsake, then a handmade quilt is by far your best option. Although they are more expensive and take longer to make than a mass-produced quilt, you will get a quilt that future generations will hide from dust bunnies, the sun, and the dirty hands of their children.