sherriah

Is hand quilting without a hoop possible?
I understand that an embroidery hoop will not work
for hand-quilting (although I'm not sure exactly why).
The reason I'm asking is b/c I want to hand-quilt
some things, but do not have a hoop.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Sherri

Knot Sew

I've done it at times, just be sure you baste well or use lots of pins and of course start in the middle and work out. There are no right or wrong ways, just what works for you :D

mimisharon

Sherri,
I use my embroidery hoop for small areas, it all depends on the depth of batting, to me. I most always use a low loft cotton or wool so it really only matters the type of quilting you are doing.

The last quilt police was fired! You are allowed to try, to do, or work any way with any thing you please! Honest, no one will ever tell you it's wrong around here. We be the nice 'uns.

Minda

Sherri, I always use a hoop if I'm not using a quilt frame, but my daughter never uses a hoop. I think it just depends on what works for you.

Suz

Sherri,

The embroidery hoop is about 1/2" or so thick. The quilting hoop is about 1-1/2" thick. The extra thickness allows for all of the bulk related to quilting while the embroidery is just one thickness. Obviously, the quilting hoop is much stronger.

Suzanne

Norah

I have quilted several full sized quilts by hand without a hoop. It is not hard if you baste 6" or so apart. I enjoy the freedom of not having a big something to reach around, and find I can make smaller stitches without one. I have done rather busy patterns this way, including Hawaiian quilting, but that was not full sized. Let us know how it works for you.

kathy

I'm in the process of hand quilting queen without a hoop. I used the basting spray and am careful not to pull the stitches too tight, it's looking pretty good. I find it a lot easier without, when it was in the frame I could only get 1 or 2 stitches at a time on the needle and since I'm doing every piece there are a lot of angles and that was very hard when it was in the frame. I tried a hoop too but just found it much easier without either.

lin

I prefer to hand quilt using a hoop, and I'm pretty sure mine is an embroidery hoop--or maybe just a reeeeaaaallly cheap quilt hoop. LOL Mine isn't that thick, and it's been holding up for me just fine. I've tried lap quilting but I've never gotten comfortable with it. That's my sis's preferred method however, so whatever works best for you, I'd say.

3incollege

I have used a really cheep hoop also and it worked fine. remember to save at JoAnn's with your coupon. I did a large quilt without a frame I layed it folded on a table and I prefered that better than a frame it worked just fine and It did not stretch. Donna

Suz

One other thing!! I find that the hoops with a thumbscrew give you more of an adjustment allowing for the thickness of the quilt layers, opposed to the one that are spring controlled.

Suzanne