Thank you for this info! I've been learning how to hand quilt, but as yet my stitches are not always even. However, it's good to learn how to go from the center out. I never cease to marvel at all the 'little' tips I pick up on this board, like your tip of clockwise and counter clockwise.

I hand quilt - up to king size - mostly with an 18" hoop and sometimes with none. Don't have the room for a full frame and would find it far too confining. I pin baste mostly, sometime thread baste - never the 2 together. It all stays stable and if I have a pucker along the way I just tug and smooth it out.

I never use a frame when I hand quilt, it is too awkward. I just pin or baste well, put it in my lap and quilt away. I have one of those pvc floor frames from Joanns and I never use it.

I also have that frame. Used it once and it's now in the box in the storage bldg. Think I'm going to try the pinning and basting really good for my next quilt. Am surprised how many of you don't use a hoop or frame. Makes me feel like it's an okay way to do it my way.

I have this book. I started handquilting without a frame and this book was the first one I bought when I was a beginner. The quilt pattern in it is worth buying the book. It's a very detailed pattern for the Star Spin Quilt. I think the book has been out of print for years.

Did the book give good instructions on hand quilting without a frame? I've seen the book for sale on the internet and it has a Dewey decimal number so I'm going to check our library to see if it's on their shelf.

The hand quilting instructions were very helpful to me. I had to stop lending it out. It was about to fall apart. The book a small size paper booklet form so don't expect a substantial book.

[QUOTE=BellaBoo;4718945]The hand quilting instructions were very helpful to me. I had to stop lending it out. It was about to fall apart. The book a small size paper booklet form so don't expect a substantial book.[/QUO

I've googled it and found it for sale for as much as $59. If it's out of print, that could explain the price but for I've also seen it listed as having 60 pages. Don't think I want to pay that price for 60 pages! DUH!!

I use a hoop and start in the middle..works for me. Google hand quilting...you can get a wealth of information. As far as the book being worth it, why not go to your local library and see if they can get you a copy to check out first.

I tape the back to my cutting table with masking tape. Then I lay the batting on the backing and smooth it out. Next I lay the top on the batting. I smooth it out and I use big safety pins to baste everything that is on my table. I never pick up the fabric until I have gently pulled the whole thing to the top of the table. This means that it is all pulled to one side, sits on the top while I work on it. I baste close enough that nothing moves and I quilt by hand until it is finished. I don't use a frame or hoop. I like to sit at a table and work. It keeps the weight of the quilt off of me. It also helps me to have a better posture and no backache.