The Handmade Quilt
A Complete Skill-Building Sampler
by Carolyn Forster
Copyright © 2018 by Landauer Publishing, LLC
Projects Copyright © 2018 by Carolyn Forster
This book was designed, produced,
and published by Landauer Publishing, LLC
3100 100th Street, Urbandale, IA 50322
515/287/2144 800/557/2144 landauerpub.com
President/Publisher: Jeramy Lanigan Landauer
Editor/Art Director: Laurel Albright
Editor/Photographer: Sue Voegtlin
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher with the exception that the publisher grants permission to enlarge the template patterns in this book for personal use only. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book or any part thereof, via the Internet or any other means without permission from the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. The publisher presents the information in this book in good faith. No warranty is given, nor are results guaranteed.
Print ISBN: 978-1-935726-96-8
eISBN: 978-1-60765-943-3
For a printable PDF of the patterns used in this book, please contact Fox Chapel Publishing at [email protected], stating the ISBN and title of the book in the subject line.
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1-800-557-2144
About the Author
Carolyn Forster, quilt maker, teacher and author, has been sewing and creating for as long as she can remember. Since stitching her first quilt from 1" fabric squares at the age of 17, she has been hooked on patchwork and quilting.
Carolyn’s love of quilting sends her to many places teaching, lecturing and sharing her favorite quilting techniques. She has authored a number of patchwork and quilting books in the UK and America. Carolyn lives in Royal Tunbridge Wells, in the south east of England, with her husband and son, and a lot of fabric.
In memory of Mary O’Higgins
To find out more about hand stitching,
or to contact Carolyn about classes, go to:
E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
When I meet with a new group of students, I’m frequently asked these questions:
“I don’t have a machine” or “I don’t want to lug my sewing machine to class. Is it okay if I sew by hand?” “If I stitch by hand will my quilt be strong enough?”
“Won’t it be slower to stitch by hand?”
The answers are simple:
Yes, it’s okay to sew by hand. Before sewing machines were invented, quilts were always hand sewn. Yes, your quilt will be “strong enough”. Hand stitched quilts have survived over a hundred years and repairs are just as easy as if you machine stitch.
Time spent hand stitching or machine sewing is relative to when, where, and how you choose to spend your allotted time for sewing.
Let me explain from the beginning...
I have sewn quilts for many years. When I first started, I didn’t have a sewing machine so I stitched by hand. That’s how I learned. I enjoyed the pace when hand stitching, and the fact I could stitch almost anywhere in peace and quiet.
When I could afford a sewing machine to make patchwork quilts, it was quite a contrast to stitching by hand. But when I started sewing with a machine, I enjoyed a change of pace—speed! Things came together quickly and I liked the different methods and approaches a sewing machine had to offer. I realized some patchwork blocks went together better by machine, and others were actually easier by hand.
Now I had two sets of skills—one for hand piecing and one for machine piecing. I could determine which one suited the time I allotted for sewing. While it was faster, sewing with a machine required me to sit at one. Sewing by hand could be done almost anywhere. It was portable; I could sew while riding in the car, while watching TV or quietly sitting outside in a calm and peaceful environment. Having the choice between machine and hand stitching was liberating!
I teach both machine and hand pieced patchwork. One of the biggest contrasts in these classes is the pace, atmosphere, and “vibe” that begins to evolve when hand stitching. The conversations that start, the world being put right, confidences shared, seem to allow us to come out of these classes refreshed and ready for the rest of the day, something that benefits everyone.
Learning to hand piece your patchwork can open up personal time and space that is often needed with today’s frenetic lifestyles. As you stitch you build up a rhythm of working and with that, it is easy to let thoughts wander and distill. It gives you a chance to get lost in your thoughts and let go of stress as you focus on the task at hand. It’s a therapeutic benefit and quite often a new creativity is born.
By taking the time to sew by hand you are renewing your patience and showing yourself that, actually, it doesn’t take as long as you thought it would. That, in itself, is a refreshing thought. The process turns out to be as rewarding as the end product.
A machine is not a necessity to make a quilt. With a few basic techniques, a needle and thread, and your own two hands, you can make a quilt. I encourage you to give hand stitching a try. In this fast-paced world it’s okay to slow down, decompress, and create a beautiful quilt totally by hand.
Carolyn
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