Saturday, October 29, 2011

Biting Off More Than I Can Chew

How did women back in the day do it...quilting away, by hand no less, hunched over for hours on end?  Did they ever experience carpal tunnel syndrome?  Is there such a thing as quilter's elbow? 

I've started the handquilting on the sunflower quilt.  Sixty minutes later, I don't even have three complete circles finished and my hands feel like lead.  This crap's for the birds!  Twenty blocks?  Plus sashing?  Oh, damn!

Here's what I've got...




There's not much to see.  I purposely chose not to draw the quilting lines.  Don't ask me why, it just looks more authentic to me.  I'll wind up making about seven concentric circles, then filling in the remainder of the tan background with 'arcs'.


However, I'm beginning to think this is a bit too ambitious and may just wind up doing the concentric circles.  Maybe I'll stop at  five circles...maybe three.

Anybody have an opinion on this?  I'd like to hear it if you do...

4 comments:

  1. I always kept my hand quilting on a rack in the corner of my living room. It was always beautiful to look at. I would sit and work on it, in between other things, maybe 15-30 minutes at a time. This worked great for me. Before I knew it, the quilt was finished.
    Hugs, Etty

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  2. Etty,
    I think pacing myself is going to be the key. Now, if I can just REMEMBER to do that!!

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  3. I would go with 3 or 4 circles and skip the arcs. Looks to me like it would be plenty. Soon you'll have great callouses and it won't hurt so much. My expertise only includes 2 hand quilted quilts so I'm not sure I really know what I'm talking about. Good Luck.

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  4. Shifra,
    This is only my 2nd totally hand-quilted project, so you and I are two peas in a pod. The more I look at it, the more convinced I become that 3 circles will do. Thanks for the good luck wishes...I fear I'm gonna need it!!

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