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Greetings from Friends and Co. Quilt Shop!
The term "quilting" has more than one meaning. The art of producing a quilt is called quilting and the pattern of stitching the layers together is also called quilting.
Quilting your quilt tops used to be done exclusively by hand. This is a time-honored tradition. Hand quilting produces an "old fashioned" look to a quilt rather than a manufactured look. The art of hand quilting may be quick to learn but take a lifetime to master. The best hand quilted quilts have tiny stitches that are equal in size and spacing. Even in these modern times, many quilters choose to hand quilt; not just to maintain a tradition or to achieve that hand stitched look, but also because they find working with a needle and thread comforting and relaxing. It's certainly not the fastest way to finish a quilt but may be the most satisfying way.
As sewing machines became more affordable and more popular to sew, piecing and quilting eventually became the way for most quilters. Initially machine quilting was considered sacrilege! If your quilt was machine quilted, it wasn't considered a "real" quilt! Over time and with the more sophisticated machines, machine quilting became acceptable. You can machine quilt using your regular machine or by using a longarm quilting machine.
To produce "straightline" quilting using your regular machine, you typically use a walking foot to evenly feed the three layers through to achieve even stitching. With straightline quilting can create crosshatch and diamond designs. You would also use your walking foot to "stitch in the ditch".
You can use a "free motion" method of quilting. This involves lowering the feed dogs so you can move in any direction; free motion allows you to produce meandering and stippling stitches, echo quilting, or any type of curved design. This takes a bit of practice to get the speed of the machine to match up with moving your top. There are also templates and rulers available that help create various designs with ease.
You can purchase a longarm quilting machine which is designed specifically for quilting. You "load" your quilt layers on a frame designed especially for a longarm machine. This eliminates the need for you to maneuver your quilt. The machine moves, not the quilt. You can do straightline quilting as well as many other designs. You can even get a computerized machine so you program thousands of designs.
If you own an embroidery machine, it's now possible to do quilting with your embroidery machine. Several embroidery design companies, including Kimberbell and Anitagoodesign, have created quilting designs you can use. You get the look of continuous line quilting as well as motifs.
No matter which method you choose, Friends and Co. Quilt Shop has the machines, threads, templates, needles, etc. to help you obtain amazing quilting results. We have several models of sewing and embroidery machines that make quilting a breeze. And we also have Handi-Quilter longarm machines and accessories to make your longarm quilting a positive experience.
We've got a couple of special events coming up at the end of November. Check out our Kimberbell "Demo Days" Event and Mary Lou's Heirloom Christmas Workshop in our Classes and Events Section below. Ginny Singer has added her Binding 101 Class for November as well.
Looking for your first machine or want an upgrade? We have a full array of Baby Lock and Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machines as well as sergers that will fit any budget and level of expertise. And we won't leave you hanging after the sale; we provide a free owner's class so you'll be stitching in no time! Our in-house technician will keep your machines in tip-top shape! Come into Friends and Co. Quilt Shop and create your own quilt stories to hand down.
Shop local at Friends and Co. Quilt Shop! Shopping local means you're supporting your community. Why travel hours away; shop where you're known and appreciated! Why wait for an online order to get delivered? You can get instant satisfaction and great service here. Our customers come first and our helpful, friendly staff is here for you! New fabrics and notions come in weekly so come in often to get first pick of what's new! And don't forget - our Sale Fabric section is stocked with great fabric that comes from our regular inventory. We never purchase lower-quality or inferior fabric to put "on sale". You'll find the same high-quality fabric storewide - whether it's "regular price" or "on sale"! Our name says it all - "Friends and Co."; where you'll always find a friend!
When you can't make it into the shop, you can shop online! We have many of our fabrics, kits, panels, etc. listed on our website. CLICK HERE to access our website! Not all of our vast inventory is featured so if you don't see what you are looking for, please email us at ([email protected]) or give us a call. You can attach a photo to your email so we can see exactly what you are looking for.
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