What Is Machine Quilting?

Machine quilting has been an alternative for quilters for more than a hundred years. The beauty, durability and worth of quilts and quilted items makes learning to machine quilt an option that many people choose as a way to quilt faster. Machine quilting is the faster and easier version of hand quilting. There are several categories of machine quilting, and there are both pros and cons to machine over hand quilting.

Definition

Machine quilting is the process of using a sewing machine to stitch together two layers of fabric with padding between them. Quilting can be applied to any type of fabric or item and is only considered machine quilting if a sewing machine is actually used.

History

Machine quilting first began to become popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When electric sewing machines became widely available to the public, the chore of hand quilting was shortened considerably by using the machine. Most traditional quilters in the late 20th and early 21st century began to consider machine quilting to be "a cheater's choice" when they compared it to their preference, hand-stitched quilting.

Function

Quilting is a way to hold together several layers of fabric and a filler. Quilting stitches keep the filler from moving and allow the layers to stay sandwiched together evenly. These stitches are also used as a decorative addition to whatever item is being quilted.

Types

There are two categories of machine quilting. Machine-guided quilting is generally used for straight lines and slight curves and uses a walking foot to help feed layers through the machine. Free-motion quilting is used for designs that have many curves or are highly detailed as it is easier to change the direction of the stitching.

Benefits

Using a sewing machine to quilt items is faster than hand stitching. It also allows even beginning quilters to add strong and even stitches to their quilted items.

Considerations

Items that are hand quilted are worth more money than machine-quilted items. When considering which style of quilting to choose, it is important to consider whether time saved is more important than the amount of money an item is worth.

Resources

• Machine Quilting Basics
• Quilt History