Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I am trying to teach myself to hand quilt and it is not going so good. I think I need some advice
from the pros here on the board. I feel like I am all fingers, some of my stitches are bigger then others and I don't know really what to do with my left hand under the quilt. Can anyone please help.
Thank you so much
Have you looked to see if a LQS has a class?? Usually hand quilting classes are the most reasonable priced classes at least they use to be at my former LQS.
A Good Friend, like an old quilt, is both a Treasure and a Comfort
Some good stuff on youtube....I process it better when I can actually see how people do it. Oh and patience is a great friend with practise you will get there.
Totally agree.Originally Posted by kindleaddict63
Thank all of you so much for your advice on hand quilting I will keep trying.
Pat
When I first tried hand quilting, I did a small piece -- an Ohio star block with an appliqued heart in the center of it -- that I thought really looked good. The colors I chose were nice, my stitches were even, and the heart seemed to float above the rest of the block. I was very proud. The ladies in the group kept making fun of my "toenail grabbers," though, so I've done my quilting on the sewing machine ever since. I admire and envy the talent and skill it takes to do a really nice hand-quilted piece of work.
Sometimes I try to act "normal," but it gets boring so I just go back to being myself.
What were the 'toenail grabbers'? Big stitches? I'm sorry their comments put you off hand quilting!
Craftypete, The 1st thing I'd suggest is to watch some videos on YouTube. Everyone does things just a little different. I like to quilt without a hoop but a close friend only likes to use a hoop. I prefer longer needles and not the short quilting needles. I quilt coming toward myself and not sideways. It's best to practice on small things first like mug rugs.
You might try using perle cotton (#8) and a crewel needle and doing big stitch quilting until you get comfortable.
Good luck and keep at it.
Joyce T, RN retired
Laughter is the best medicine
The two best books I found on hand quilting are 'That Perfect Stitch' by Roxanne McElroy, and 'Perfect Hand Quilting without Pain', by Liuxin Newman. The first shows the traditional quilting stitch, and can probably be found at your local library (or on amazon); the second shows a slightly different method developed by a woman who found the traditional method problematic; I bought mine used on amazon.
It's hard to explain the mechanics of hand quilting without visual aids. It's such a difficult thing to describe -- a delicate balance of actions and tensions. I believe that for most people, it takes a good deal of practice getting it right. I would strongly recommend that you start on a practice piece, not on a quilt that you want to turn out really well.
I don't know what's available on YouTube, but there's bound to be some demos.
You use your left hand to feel that the needle has gone through all 3 layers.
If you use a hoop or frame, be sure the quilt is loose in the hoop. You don't want it stretched taut.
I agree with others to watch some youtube videos and take a class if you can.
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