Garylester

I'm lucky to have a nice unfinished basement. Always thought a big frame would be nice. So I put together a ceiling quilt frame. It works great. The problem is I'm extremely left hand dominant. I can quilt top to bottom, left to right, top left to bottom right. The other ways not so good.
Will this severely limit what I can do, or can I work around it? Are most of you big frame quilters ambidextrous? Should I just go back to my lap frame exclusively?

PaperPrincess

So there's no way that you can move to the back of the frame and quilt from there? Maybe if you made the frame narrower, you could get to the back. You'd be giving up frame space, but if it's hard to quilt in some directions it may be worth it to avoid the hassle. Or maybe move the frame forward into the room?

Garylester

Thank you. I can get on all sides of the frame. I'm doing "X"s on a simple 9 patch now. I can do top left to bottom right. Bottom left to top right is difficult. When I go to the other side it's the same way. I would still have to go from b-l to t-r. Maybe I'll just have to work on learn to do the other directions. I think quilting on this "old fashioned" type frame is kind of fun.

PaperPrincess

Oh, I see. You'd have to move to the side, but it's probably too wide to reach the middle patches. Looks like a new learning opportunity :-)

Rachelcb80

Never thought about this issue, but it's unlikely I'll ever do much hand quilting. I'm hand piecing right now and I definitely prefer to sew right to left. Not even sure if I could do left to right.

Best of luck learning both ways!

luv-e

I'm a South Paw too totally understand where you are coming from.....
Would love to see a picture of your setup?????

butterflies5518

I just took a hand quilting class today and was shown how to quilt towards you, maybe that would work? There is a youtube video of the "Thimblelady" that shows this, we used her open cone thimble as well. sorry don't know the link.

ps I am a lefty too and had no problems with over extending my wrists, it was my shoulders I hunched up trying to hard

Garylester

Thanks for the comment. I'm not picture posting ready yet. I put 4 eye hooks in the floor joyces (ceiling of the basement), tied clothesline to each one, ran it down to the 1"x4"s that would be on each side of the quilt, and back up and over to a cleat to tie off. I can then adjust them at whatever height I want. I used carpet tacks to put batting and ticking around the 1"x 4"s to which I pin the quilt. Then C-clamp these to the side boards after I've wrapped and stretched the quilt. It just hangs there at whatever height I want. Not as good as a picture, but not quite a 1000 words.

Garylester

I saw your post a few minutes ago. The only quilting course I have taken was one on handing quilting a couple of years ago. It didn't quite take with me. But recently I've decided to give it another try. Hand quilting is very relaxing, even if I'm not very good. Good luck to you with it.

luv-e

Thanks Gary! Again, I wish you luck on the lefty sewing...
I think that would be the best way to hand quilt. Give me a chair with wheels and look out!!!!! lol lol lol Making it more narrow sounds good.....