Hand quilting vs. machine quilting - I love them both

It is such a good feeling to finish a project. I finished this quilt top last summer, but was unable to quilt it, due to my recent heart attack. 

Once I started feeling better, I couldn't wait to get back to my quilting, an activity that screamed normalcy to me. There were times I didn't think I would ever feel normal again, but I knew that getting back to stitching was a big step toward that goal.

This was a special quilt project as evidenced in a previous blog post here. It was my first attempt at a making a Judy Niemeyer quilt, something I longed to do. This quilt kit was given to me by a dear and generous friend who is a fantastic quilter in her own right. 

I thought I might hand quilt it, though I also love machine quilting.

Hand quilting won out because I was anxious to finally use, for the first time, my hand-crafted lap quilt hoop custom-made by Harry Barnett of Barnett's Laptop Hoops. I have had this beautiful laptop hoop, a piece of art in its own right, since 2021. 

Because I really love doing hand work, it felt good to hand quilt the star in this little Lone Star quilt. While contemplating what to do about quilting the background, I started watching You Tube videos by Angela Walters, a phenomenal quilter and instructor who I had known about but never studied. I began watching with a keen interest and soon was inspired to give her method of overall quilting a try. I made a scrap quilt sandwich on which to practice. I liked how it turned out. I was hooked. I couldn't wait to try it on the background of my Lone Star quilt. In about 3 days, I finished the entire project, including the binding.

So basically, this quilt is both hand-quilted and machine quilted. I had such a good time doing both methods. I love the results of both also. I plan to hang this quilt on the wall of my sewing studio. Every time I look at it, I will be reminded of how good it feels to just be normal again. I will think of my friend Jane. And I will simply enjoy the lovely colors and beautiful stitches. 

Have I said lately how much I love quilting? If not, let that be my final thought. I love everything about quilting.