devon

when you are hand quilting, how do you get the back as neat (hopefully)as the front, mine seems to have gaps.

Hinterland

When I hand quilt, I need to feel the point of the needle with my bottom finger. I try and make sure that the needle is going down straight through the layers, and as soon as I feel the point I rock the needle back and go back up.

This keeps the stitches on the back reasonably small, and makes sure there is a stitch back there - if I can't feel the needle, it means I haven't gone through all 3 layers.

feline fanatic

I also feel for the needle but my back never looks as nice as my front. This is why I back with a patterned fabric so all you really see is the texture created by the quilting not the actual stitches. I am happy as long as the front looks good and my quilting is structurally sound.

Kat Sews

like most things, with practice it gets better. If you use a rocking motion with the needle it helps. also for me I need to keep good tension on the quilt while quilting to keep my stitches consistant front to back. I am able to do about 8 stiches per inch now. I looked at a baby quilt I made for my daughter about 37 years ago and my stiches were not great and were only about 5 to the inch.

Borntohandquilt

I must say I don't feel for the needle point on the back of the quilt. Maybe it is because my quilting technique is a little different with single stitches.
I push the needle down very straight and quite deep through the layers. Than the forefinger of my left hand beneath the quilt lays the needle flat to the backing, the needle's tip points in the direction of quilting and the finger is where the needle comes down and stays there. With the thumb and and the forefinger of my right hand I pull back the needle at the thread very gently. The needle tip scratches a little along the back of the quilt - and just before it looses the back fabric the right hand pushes the needle back to the top.
Does this make sense for you? :roll: