Do you hand quilt?

I am also learning to hand quilt! Sure takes practice, practice, practice.

I love to hear from others that hand quilts? Maybe you can give us tips and tricks, books that you enjoy, etc.

Happy Quilting by Hand

Craftybear

At times I hand quilt, but I'm not very proficient. I use the stab method. Never for the hang of the rocking method. On some things, I think it just looks better. Softer somehow.

Yes, I hand quilt. I love it. I found the ''betweens'' to be the best needles, and after the needle bends, throw it away. It was dull, that is why I was having trouble pushing it thru. But I still never learn, till I bend another one. I like to run the thread over beeswax, that way it doesn't tangle as easy. Since I have trouble threading the needles, (I bought a pack of embroidery floss cards, the little white plastic squares for winding floss on to store in plastic containers)I thread up 10 or so needles, running the thread over beeswax,winding the thread on the embroidery cards, and store them in a gift card tin, or a mints tin, and set it beside me. It holds the little scissors, and a small piece of batting (for used needles) too. That way I can keep quilting, and not having to stop to thread needles all the time.
I like the Coin Clover thimble with the small metal circle on it.

When I learned to quilt very few did machine quilting. But I love the feeling of setting and laying my quilt on my lap and put on my mp3 player with books on and losing myself in the motion of quilting. I think the look of hand quilting is softer. For me, using the rocking motion is easier, except it can do a number on the fingers on the underneath fingers. I use a waxy substance called "thread heaven". Also if I am quilting in a thicker area, like seam allowences, I will use a finger cot to help pull the needle thro.

I use a leather thimble and a finger cot on my thumb to pull the needle through if need be and I don't use a hoop or a frame.

The quilt tells me if I will hand or machine quilt. I took a hand quilting class a long time ago and it was well worth the money. I quilt on a hoop, use inbetween needles, and YLI thread which I absolutely love and I invested in a Roxanne thimble. The thimble is pretty pricey but I have yet to find a fabric I cannot push a needle through with it.

I work in payroll and during the months of December and January life is pretty crazy here at work so at night I would go home and hand quilt and it would reduce my stress level almost immediately.

Awesome, thanks for the cool tips and tricks. Love it!

Craftybear

What is a finger cot??


Craftybear

I love to hand quilt but sometimes it is not practical. I use thread heaven on the thread to reduce tangled thread .

Here is a mini demonstration that gives a good idea of how loose to have the quilt in the hoop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAiBobVNpVY

I use size 12 betweens but you might want to start with a bigger needle like a nine or ten.

This is a good tutorial to show you how to bury the knots and how to make the stitches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-WvF...eature=related

One word....NO. No patience.