Do any of our readers remember a magazine feature "There Ought to Be a Law?" Borrowing from that title, I say "There ought to be a law—for Quilters." We think of ourselves as innovative, artistic, and daring. We alter patterns, play with color arrangements, and experiment with fabrics. The results can be fantastic, beautiful, or overwhelming. They can also be almost impossible to quilt by hand.

What's a law got to do with such situations? If every quilt maker were forced to hand quilt at least one of these fantastic quilts, she would either a.) be more careful about their fabric choices, or b) quilt the top by machine.

Twenty-five years ago, most women who quilted for others charged by the yards of thread used to finish a quilt. I do not remember the price, but some ladies in Alabama told me they charge 60 cents a yard. That can amount to $150-$200 a quilt.

In 13 years as a group, Mt. Tabor Quilters have quilted several quilts that were very difficult to do. Some of these were because of the detail of the pattern; other were constructed of fabrics that could not be easily quilted.

Before starting a quilt top, decide how you want it quilted. If you plan to do your own quilting, you may be wise to check each fabric for ease of stitching as well as color co-ordination. Otherwise, you may be charged by the yards of thread and/or degree of difficulty in quilting if someone else does your quilting. 

Read other Quilting articles by Mary Ellen Cummings