AboutConnie Hester Expertise Quilting and applique expert.Can advise on the following topics:quilting, art quilts, quilt design and construction, machine and hand quilting, paper foundation piecing, machine piecing, hand piecing, raw edge applique, turned-edge applique and fiber art.
Experience Winning awards in international fiber and art competitions since 1983; http://www.conniehester.com/
BS,MS
See my work and books at http://www.conniehester.com/
Expert: Connie Hester Date: 10/9/2006 Subject: To tie or quilt: a question of integrity
Question I have a early 1900's Tumbling Block quilt made by my great-grandmother, a milliner, who used scraps from her shop to make this. I only have the top but would like a bottom to be added. I'd like to have a lightweight batting and then a back added. I'm leaning toward tying rather than quilting because of the incredible amount of time that quilting would take. Will tying take away from the integrity of a piece this old? Should the ties go from front to back or back to front? Can you think of any other questions that I should be asking on a piece of that vintage?
Thank you very much,
Karen Varhula
kavarhula@charter.net
Answer Hi, Karen,
It is my personal opinion that hand quilting with a thin cotton or cotton blend batting would be the choice to best stabilize and preserve the quilt top while also maintaining the vintage integrity of it. Tying would not properly stabilize the quilt top, and it would contribute to large holes and stressed fabrics over time.
If you are not a quilter, you might contact your local or nearby quilt guild or quilt shop to find a person or a group who still hand quilts for a fee.
