FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: The real differences between hand-quilting and machine quilting?.

A: First of all, “quilting” refers to the stitches on top of the pieced fabric that holds the top, batting, and backing of the quilt together. Hand-quilting takes longer to do, so any quilts that are hand-quilted are more expensive, but that also makes them more valuable. Machine-quilting creates a more durable quilt and is used on any piece that is likely to be machine washed, such as a baby quilt.

Q: Never dry clean my old quilts?

A: No. Never dry clean any quilt! The chemicals will rot the fabric. If you need to wash an antique quilt, put it into a clean bath tub, and gently wash it with a tiny amount of soap in lukewarm water. Rinse it thoroughly and press the water out of the quilt with your hands. Never wring the quilt. When it is no longer dripping, hang it on a drying rack so that air can circulate around it. Do not dry it in a dryer or in the sun! For simple spots or stains, for best cleaning results spot wash with a warm light mild soapy white dish cloth.

Q: How can you tell a well-quality quilt. quilt from a poor one

A: Here are some check points for quilt quality:
If it is hand-quilted, are there at least 7 or 8 stitches to an inch? Are the stitches all approximately the same length? If so, it was quilted by an experienced quilter who took a long time to do that work. Fewer stitches per inch and/or varying lengths of stitches are a sign of sloppy and rapid work.
Does the quilting design enhance the overall design of the quilt or look like it doesn’t belong on that quilt or was even an afterthought?

Are the colors pretty or do they seem to have no relation to each other? True, art is in the eye of the beholder, but if it looks like it doesn’t go together, the colors were probably poorly chosen.
Finally, the piecing. Do the corner points touch point-to-point? Or are some points up against a cut-off point. It is difficult to make the corners meet perfectly. If the quilt looks neatly sewn together, it is a well made quilt.

Please Note: