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From: Bejae
Date: 12-29-2004, 02:16 PM (1 of 17)
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Ok I really hope I don't look totally stupid asking this, but is it possible to make quilts nowdays the old fashion way? A Cardboard template, trace around squares (if using more then one fabric...... pin) and cut out. I want so bad to get into quilting as I've been a sewer for years (clothes) and I just can't afford $44 for a mat, and $$$$ for cutter, rulers etc...... Has anyone ever made a quilt the old way? Bejae 
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User: Bejae
Member since: 12-27-2004 Total posts: 6 |
From: Magot
Date: 12-29-2004, 03:03 PM (2 of 17)
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Yes, only I used a metal template as the cardboard ones go furry and your sizing goes off after a while. I had one with a window in (like a hollow hexagon for positioning the shape on the fabric which was the size of the hexagon + seam allowance) and a solid one the size of the finished hexagon for drawing the paper stiffeners. The first quilt I made was a hexagon paper pierced quilt. Drew around the templates and then tacked them around the paper stiffener, then hand sewed the hexagons together. It's in the gallery somewhere page 18?17? It took AGES. But it is still a perfectly valid quilt making technique. love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Bejae
Date: 12-29-2004, 03:42 PM (3 of 17)
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Really? I just wanna get started on making one. I thought maybe 9 patch would be a good beginner one, then as I go, I can pick up the "better" tools. Thank you, I feel better now  Bev |
User: Bejae
Member since: 12-27-2004 Total posts: 6 |
From: Julia's Nana
Date: 12-29-2004, 05:45 PM (4 of 17)
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I made a Grandmother's flower garden quilt by tracing the hexagons on the fabric, cutting them out and hand pieceing them together. It too took forever but I am hand quilting it now and so pleased with it. This is the one quilt I plan to keep for me to display in my home. My sister works for a lady who lives on a boat most of the year. She has no space for a machine and all the rulers and etc. She uses templates and hand pieces her things, then hand quilts them and does beautiful work. If there is a will there is a way so go for it and enjoy. Most folks say buy the best fabric you can afford but for years and years quilts were made from scraps and used clothing. Some of these are beautiful quilts and still out there today. For me the main purpose of my quilts to to wrap someone I care about in something I made...........and there are many ways to go about that cheaper than quilt shop fabric and gadgets. I love my gadgets but I think most of us will tell you there are a lot purchased that never get used. |
User: Julia's Nana
Member since: 08-28-2001 Total posts: 361 |
From: Hogmami
Date: 12-29-2004, 07:03 PM (5 of 17)
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Also watch yard sales and thift shops, you can get lots of stuff there. I buy lots of fabric this way and have ever gotten rulers and cutting mats this way.
Carolyn
Michigan |
User: Hogmami
Member since: 09-30-2004 Total posts: 800 
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From: beachgirl
Date: 12-29-2004, 08:55 PM (6 of 17)
| Yes you can make a quilt the old fashion way. My Mom did for years & very important people bought her quilts. One such was Jackie Kennedy sent someone down to have one made for her. She collected quilts. The govenor of Mo. bought one . Forget who it was then. Mom would use cardboard at times but changed it often. She used templates she made from pieces of tile, not ceramic but the kind you stick on the floors. Dad made her quilting frames & she had no fancy gadgets that we all seem to collect to make things easier. She did use good needles,good thread & good fabric but for the everyday quilts she used her scraps & what she had on hands at the time.They were beautiful too. I have some of her cardboard & tile cutouts.Also all of her long ago quilting magazines & etc. She never sit down & taught me to quilt but I learned by doing after she passed away just by thinking back & pictureing her doing certain steps. If you can get a book by elenor Burns she's a good one for easy ways to do things also. Good luck & if you really want to make a quilt you can do it. Theresa |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615 
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From: plrlegal
Date: 12-29-2004, 09:11 PM (7 of 17)
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Bejae last year I helped teach a beginner quilt class on Saturday mornings and one of the girls saved plastic milk cartons and cut her templates out of those. I have a friend whose daughter has taught herself to quilt and she uses a regular flat metal yard stick as her ruler. I have a lot of gadgets that I've bought and never used them. You really don't need a lot of glitzy little gadgets. Mainly you need a good ruler and if you watch, you can buy them for half price at Jo-Ann's or Hancock's if you have one nearby. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Julia's Nana
Date: 12-30-2004, 06:37 PM (8 of 17)
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I really like that idea of using the milk jug plastic for templates, Patsy. I have thought several times how I would like for the plastic to be thicker. For small things you could use margarine or Cool Whip lids too, just make sure you cut the edges smooth. Who says you can't teach a old dog new tricks! Thanks! |
User: Julia's Nana
Member since: 08-28-2001 Total posts: 361 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 12-30-2004, 08:39 PM (9 of 17)
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I also have a couple of friends that work for doctors and they use discarded x-ray films for templates also. I also have a friend that it is very hard to beat her to an estate or garage sale. She picks up tons of good quilt fabrics. Also, if you every look at mens' shirts, some of them are 100% cotton and really nice patterns for quilting. There is a joke among quilters here in Oklahoma that if you cut the back out of your husband's shirt to use as a fabric in a quilt you're making, hang the shirt back in his closet so he can oly see the front of it. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Julia's Nana
Date: 12-30-2004, 11:34 PM (10 of 17)
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My hubby is really a good sport about the quilting but that would be the last straw! LOL I had to laugh though as his family is from OK, Mom all her family live in Anadarko. What you said about hanging it back in the closet sounds just like what one of them would say................we laugh alot when we are all together! One of his aunts does beautiful quilting and we had a great visit this summer. We went into OK City to the memorial there.............that is so touching and not to be missed if you are in that area. |
User: Julia's Nana
Member since: 08-28-2001 Total posts: 361 |
From: EvelynF
Date: 01-02-2005, 11:33 AM (11 of 17)
| hello ladies in reading this thanks glad to know there are still some out there who cut and sew the old way I am trying to learn qulting but do not want to use the rotary cutter and would really like some instrutions in quilting useing templates and cutting with out the rotary cutter I have not posted but a couple of times before I live in Ga. and am a Sr. citizen have done a lot of crochet thanks Evelyn |
User: EvelynF
Member since: 09-05-2002 Total posts: 2 |
From: Julia's Nana
Date: 01-02-2005, 12:07 PM (12 of 17)
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I haven't done a lot of this past the Grandmother's Flower Garden that I did but from what I understand you just trace your templates on the back of your fabric and cut them out. I would find a book or website with good directions for cutting out templates..........for me that would be one that had LOTS of pictures! LOL Just about every quilting source addresses this method. I love the rotory cutter but sometimes I am not as accurate (I hate it when the measurement is for something with 7/8 inch) as I would like so I think this template thing might be the way for me to go also. I also like seeing progress as I go along and with the templates I think I would cut a block at a time and sew it...............then do another until I got a handle on it.................great thing about quilting is there are several methods for most everything and you just have to find the one that fits you and go for it. Rotory cutting is faster but I find that I get better results with slow and steady!  Good luck!Norma |
User: Julia's Nana
Member since: 08-28-2001 Total posts: 361 |
From: alabamanana
Date: 01-07-2005, 10:47 AM (13 of 17)
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Hi Bejae, I have made a quilt the old fashioned way. It is very time consuming but very enjoyable. The end result is unique and beautiful. I even have an old fashioned quilt frame hanging from the ceiling in my sewing room. |
User: alabamanana
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 3 |
From: momofangels4
Date: 01-22-2005, 10:41 AM (14 of 17)
 this is great I was wondering the same thing that the user in the first question was asking!! This is a wonderful site, everyone is so helpful and understanding without judgement!!!!  I am sooooooooooooooooooooo glad I found this site. I too don't have a lot of money to go out and buy a cutter and mat so what I did was use a cd case for my templet!! it works great. Now I'm going to attempt to make each one of my kids a quilt ( 4 of them ) Thanks for all the help everyone, Heather 
Loving & devoted wife and mother
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User: momofangels4
Member since: 01-22-2005 Total posts: 13 
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From: Julia's Nana
Date: 01-22-2005, 04:18 PM (15 of 17)
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Heather, I love that idea.............there are so many things one could use as templates if they just look around! There are a lot of different quilt blocks you can make just using that one square and cutting it into half squares or quarter squares. It would be a great template for a "Trip Around the World" quilt! My mother made some of my younger sisters clothes when they were in school. When one sister got married, she made her a scrappy quilt out of six inch squares of left over scraps from those clothes. We used to have more fun sitting on her bed picking out squares and talking about what dress/skirt/short outfit it was left over from. Great memories were in that simple quilt. Now I have to tell you that not all the corners were perfect and it was just tied rather than quilted but is my sister's pride and joy and showing much loving wear and tear. It means even more now as we lost Mom this fall. Your children are lucky indeed to have such a thoughtful Mom. Norma |
User: Julia's Nana
Member since: 08-28-2001 Total posts: 361 |
From: JoanieB
Date: 02-02-2005, 10:03 PM (16 of 17)
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Hi, I'm glad to see another Alabama gal in here. I'm in Alpine, which is in Talladega Co. I agree with the others I think we get too gadget fixated at times. As long as you have fabric, something to cut it with, a way to mark your pattern, and a needle and thread to join the pieces, you can make a quilt.Good luck and happy quilting. JoanieB 
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User: JoanieB
Member since: 01-28-2005 Total posts: 68 |
From: M & M's Mom
Date: 02-02-2005, 10:59 PM (17 of 17)
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...is the blue plastic "mat" found underneath the block of cream cheese in the 8 oz. cardboard package. There are lots more template users around than want to admit it...like me.
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User: M & M's Mom
Member since: 12-01-2004 Total posts: 102 |
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