#and handquilting takes so long

[tj-crochets]

Another crafting update: I'm a third of the way done hand quilting that green baby quilt from forever ago! I'm thinking handquilting is not my thing lol

[quilt-giving]

How many quilts have you made so far and how long does it take you to make one?

I’m continuously amazed by your work!

I have been quilting since 1990. I am uncertain how many quilts I have made because I only started taking pictures of every quilt in the last ten years. I have made around 50 SCI-FI quilts. That number is an estimate. It takes about 1 to 4 months to handquilt a quilt, depending on size and how much life gets in the way of me handquilting. :)

[creations-by-chaosfay]

Psssst...if anyone here wants to be my anonymous hero...

This is the machine quilting frame I've been mentioning. If I meet all three of my financial goals this year, I intend to buy this as a gift for myself with a fourth goal. Buuuuuut having it sooner would be outstanding. It'll take a lot of practice, but when I have free motion quilting in my skill set, I'll be able to machine quilt my larger quilt. More big quilts listed in my shop rather than the one or two I finish and list.

Read over the description and read why I'm interested. Then look up longarm machine quilting setups. The require their own room. My aunt machine quilts professional with a longarm setup and she had to convert her garage into a second sewing room. The frame and machine combined were over $50k. I have no desire for that.

Yes, I prefer handquilting and love doing it. But my wrists can only handle so much, with the injuries they've suffered. A ligament had to be removed from my right wrist, and I've lost a lot of dexterity, but pain picks up fast and takes a long time to recover. It restricts me to focusing on commissions and picking one or two large non-commissioned quilts to complete.

With this, I can finish more quilts due picky with what I handquilt. I hate machine quilting as is because lack of space and the difficulty of maneuvering all that material and weight messes with an old back injury that has left me with chronic back pain. Irritating it takes little effort, and machine quilting with what I have available messes up my back. It's why I have it limited to small things.

Personally, I would rather pay off my debts, but I won't say no to a gift such as this. It may even result in my quilts selling faster. They'll take less time to finish, meaning less expensive. Handquilting will be an add on for commissions, and priced at my guesstimated hours it'll take to finish a quilt.

If someone buys this for me, I will cry and be beyond speaking coherently.

Now I'm going to bed. I have a lot to do tomorrow, and it starts at 6:30AM.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

Fun fact! I have patterns for sampler quilts!

Make the Cut byGnome Angel is a foundation paper pieced quilt with a hidden layout for the scissors, but I won't use that layout be a use the background blocks will be faded. That's boring, and I don't do boring. The pattern also has different size options, from 57x67 inches to 96x96 inches. Oh, and 100 blocks. Fewer blocks for the smaller sizes, but all of them for the king size.

Small note: king size quilts start at $10k. They will take about a year to make, start to finish. I don't want to make a king size quilt, but that much money will be very big incentive!

This sampler is smaller, with I think 36 8x8 inch blocks. I think it's a lap size, but I could be wrong. Anyone feel like doing the math for me? Thank you, @tj-crochets for doing the math!!! 48x48 inches without borders (I nearly always add borders).

This is another big sampler by Gnome Angel, with traditional piecing and multiple size options. Oh, and 100 blocks. The largest is I think king size.

Last of my printed samplers is this book. The Farmer's Wife 1930s sampler quilt, all foundation paper pieced because soooo many of the pieces are tiny. There are multiple sizes, from lap to king.

Now as for what a sampler quilt is, it's a quilt with many different types of blocks, giving you a sample of each. Some patterns repeat a few blocks, others do not. They're a fantastic way to practice different blocks and use up scraps. You don't actually need a sampler pattern either. Just make a bunch of different blocks, ideally the same size for ease of arranging them. Look up "Dear Jane quilt" and you'll see the ultimate sampler. I might make a Dear Jane quilt someday, but not anytime soon. Commissions are always prioritized.

If a sampler is something you want, say so in the commission info when you purchase one. If a king size is what you want, I'm not joking when I say $10k. It will be $5k upfront and monthly payments thereafter. The amount of fabric and batting will easily be $1k, and the amount of tike it will take to make it, from start to finish, will likely be over 1000 hours, if not more. I've spoken to quilters who have made king size quilts, and each said $10k for handquilting, $7k for machine quilting. I will be doing the quilting by hand unless you request otherwise. With the 50% payment, I'll purchase the Cutie Breeze quilting frame I have on my Throne wishlist, and practice machine quilting on that.

If a sampler quilt is the type you want, commission me. It's gonna be a long time before I make one without it being a commission. Why? I have patterns chose and fabric pulled for quilts I really want to make.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

Taking a week-long break has done wonders for my hand. Still hurts, but not nearly as much. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow and likely come home with a tendonitis brace for my thumb. I'll likely be able to handquilt and sew while wearing it, so no worries there.

Thank you for being so patient! I got A LOT of cutting done today, and there isn't sharp pain shooting up from my thumb. Yay!!!

[creations-by-chaosfay]

My to-do list is getting fuller, but I don't mind. Staying busy is vital to avoiding madness. Especially when that to-do list involves commissions.

Star Story - commission, begin handquilting

Mug rug - commission, bird theme, fabric and pattern pulled

Mini quilt - commission, fpp 18x18 inch crow, forest and wood theme, quilt top only

Four piece coaster set - commission, hobbitcore meets slavic grandma, old fashioned, whimsy, floral

Placemat sets - shop item, two sets of two placemats, purple celestial theme

Five piece dining set - giveaway prize, dessert and treats theme, four placemats and a table runner

Three piece dining set - gift, two placemats and insulated table runner, OSU Ducks theme

Single placemat - gift, unicorn theme

Lap quilt - gift, begin handquilting

I'll be going to the fabric store to pick up extra wide backing for Star Story, the mini quilt, and possibly the four piece coaster set. I have no idea what slavic grandma fashion is, so that will need a little research. Hobbitcore, to me, is lots of green, brown, and plants.

If anyone wishes to commission me, there are still slots available. Please snatch those up.

I'll have the placemats and mug rug done by the end of this week, and have all the pieces cut and prepped for the placemats. Those will likely be finished by the end of today, and mug rug tomorrow. Handquilting will begin tomorrow, and the morning will involve washing the dining room floor and basting the quilt. I tend to work up a sweat doing those things because it's a lot of hard work, and will likey leave me wiped out for a few hours. Basting takes me about one to three hours, depending on the size of the quilt.

The mini quilt and four piece coaster set will definitely be finished next week. The mini quilt is just the quilt top, nothing else, which definitely speeds things up. It's all foundation paper pieced as well. I will also begin the giveaway prize next week if I don't have any other commissions.

Then the week after that, complete the giveaway prize and work on the housewarming gift for a friend. He and his father are buying a house and moving in together, both are HUGE fans of the OSU Ducks (local team), and a two person dining set will be a fantastic gift. Especially since they plan on decorating the dining room with all things OSU Ducks.

If I have no other commissions after this, I'll just focus on my niece's birthday gift of a unicorn themed placemat. My sister and mom describe her as the girliest girl to ever girl, and she loves all things unicorns. I have unicorn fabric and a unicorn fpp piece. I will also work on finishing the handquilting for Star Story and build up inventory in my shop.

Star Story will likely be finished in mid-July. When I have the handquilting complete, and have no large commission to work on over the summer, I'll be handquilting a lap quilt gift for a friend. I made the top a couple years ago, but he made it abundantly clear he's fine waiting because paid projects come first. Handquilting will be done in the afternoon, seeing as mornings are so nice in my sewing room but it's too hot to be in there after about 10AM.

Ah, yes, my summer routine is sewing in the morning (I'm up at 5AM), handquilting in the afternoon, no working after 6PM (dinner), and in bed by 9PM.

Commissions will be closing June 1st, so you had best grab one of my slots now. Prices will increase when I open them again in September. I now have a very good idea of how long it takes to finish things, and have given myself a 10% pay raise from $25/hour to $27/hour. Now that I know handquilting twin size quilts is around 80-100 hours, and queen size 100-150 hours, the prices will reflect this. Queen size quilts will start at $4300 USD, twin size quilts at $3000 USD, etc. King size quilts will take between 300-500 hours, done over the course of 18 months to two years (to prevent burnout I'll take breaks to work on smaller things, as advised by other quilters), which is why prices for those will start at $11,300. I well and truly do not want to make a king size quilt, but that much money is extremely good incentive. As with all projects, if you cannot pay 100% immediately, I'll accept 50% upfront. For a king size, that's nearly $6k. Do I think anyone will commission me for something that large? Absolutely not, which is why I'm not concerned. I will, however, add it as an option when I reopen commissions later this year. If someone does commission me for it, I'm getting our plumbing replaced; the guy who owned the house prior to us buying it was a landlord, and he installed illegal plumbing that's causing problems. We were quoted nearly $12k last year, and have no means of paying for it. A king size quilt will take care of that.

Now I need to eat, convince my husband to get out of bed, go to the fabric store, and then get home and do some sewing.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

I'll have a pair of coasters and two pairs of placemats listed in my shop this weekend. After I finish sewing those this week, I'll focus on thr commissions. One is a mug rug and will take just a couple hours. Another is a FPP 18x18 inch crow miniquilt, and there will be a possible third with coasters. I'll be working on this in the morning, from about 6AM to 11AM.

Afternoons will be spent handquilting. I'll be getting that work done in the living room with the a/c blasting off. Tank top, shorts, and under several layers of batting and fabric because it'll be folded and rolled as I work.

Tomorrow, a trip to the fabric and quilt shop for batting in Star Story as well as fabric for the crow miniquilt. Hopefully these can be found at the fabric store. Less expensive, and my budget is very small. If I sell anything from my shop overnight, going to the quilt shop will be an option.

I find a lotta good stuff at the fabric store, such as one of fav designers (Tim Holtz), solids (Kona Solids) and most of my rainbow prints. Quilt shops have a better precut and extra wide backing selection though. I insist on extra wide backing because I loath pieced backing. Buy 4-6 yards, cut it up to make it wide rather than long? That's awkward and sometimes very expensive. Extra wide? 108 inches (3 yards) wide, no cutting up fabric to make it fit, just iron it smooth, tape it to the floor, and add the layers for basting. I end up cutting the backing a little shorter and save that excess for later.

Extra wide is usually around $22-$25/yard, and two to three yards is usually all I ever need. Standard width is $7-$15/yard.

If anyone fancies sending me fabric or gift cards for fabric, Joann Fabrics is ideal. Batting, fabric, sewing needles, books, sewing pins, and various other supplies. I use quilt shops for very high quality fabric and precuts, patterns, and extremely high quality thread. The thread is often waaaaaay outta by budget, but it's absolutely worth the cost.

Seeing as so many of you voted I spend the summer making low budget items and use jeweltones and rainbows. There will also be some finished quilt tops, and those will have the addon option of me turning these into completed quilts. Kinda like a commission. I'm hoping all these sell successfully, and before October. Get me closer to completing my ko-fi goal.

Speaking of which, I'm giving away two quilt tops if the goal is met by the end of June. Otherwise it's a single quilt if met by Halloween. I need my year to end on a high note with fewer debts, and fewer quilts left as well. Meeting the goal is my focus. When it's met, I'll be able to enjoy nice things, like gifting my husband an XBox Series X (he turns 50 in August), a tabletop quilting frame that will make it possible to machine quilt with a standard sewing machine, business cards for myself, a second pair of shoes (I have a single pair and they're white walking sneakers), paint the dining room and hutch (currently in our storage room), some nice watercolors, and possibly some new clothing for myself (my wardrobe gives me about ten days before I have to wash my clothes).

In the meantime, I'm seeing and taking necessary breaks. At some point, I may take a couple classes to learn how to make my own clothes. I can't self-teach this, videos and books aren't enough, so a class or two will be absolutely necessary. Maybe someone in the quilt guild can teach me? I'll find out in a few days! For now, finishing commissions and stocking the shop.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

This recent summer was a nightmare with lack of a/c and my sewing room reaching over 140 F, resulting in zero quilts being made for several months. We've recently moved from a two floor 814 sq ft duplex to a single floor 1500 sq ft house. It's been a joy having so much more space, more light, and no stairs. We moved in October, I've finished a couple projects already, and can now work on more.

Here's the list, measurements not included because those are subject to change. Sometimes adding a border is what really brings things together. I've also included the estimated amount of time it will take to finish the quilt tops. Handquilting time is not included.

Husband's Table Mat, machine quilted - 6 hours

Yuletide Tree Wallhanging, machine quilted - 8 hours

Fruit Rainbow, handquilting - 15 hours

Pony Party, handquilting - 15 hours

Happy Little Spools, handquilting - 15 hours

Framed Pinwheels, handquilting - 20 hours

Skylights, handquilting - 15 hours

Fairy Window, handquilting - 10 hours

Double Square Star, handquilting - 20 hours

Sweet Treat Delight, handquilting - 15 hours

Mardis Gras Wilds, handquilting - 12 hours

Blue Flight, machine quilted - 10 hours

Summer Cheer, machine quilted - 10 hours

Earth Science, handquilting - 30 hours

Autumn Nights, handquilting - 30 hours

The items marked with handquilting don't include the time it will take to quilt them. This is the estimate in how long it will take to make the quilt top. It may take less or more time. The items marked with machine quilted include start to finish. Nearly all of these are lap quilts, simply because they’re faster to make and I can make quite a few in a single year.

Commissions aren't included here! All but items 1, 2, and 8 will be listed in my shop when finished. Small items might be made here and there, stuff I can finish quickly and on a whim. These are all just the major projects. My members will get to have a say in what I work on next if I can't decide, which is more often than you may imagine. They will also have first dibs on items I list in my shop.

I know this looks like a long list, but the quilt tops can be finished in a couple months, and from there it's simply deciding on which one gets finished first. Again, members will have a big say in what I work on. If you wanna cast a vote, sign up as a member. You'll be supporting me monthly and receive goodies exclusively for you.

Keep in mind the handquilted projects can take well over 100 hours and will be listed lower than their true value in order to keep them more affordable. Prices will inevitably go up as I improve, as a reflection of the value. Monthly supporters receive a discount on the work, which is a very good reason to sign up. Thank you!