Here are two pictures of needle markings. I use this method of marking my hand quilting patterns with a darning needle for light colored fabrics and it works great. The best thing: you don't have to remove any markings after the quilting has been finished!

Andrea, thank you for posting this. From the picture it looks like an indentation of the fabric. I had to google images of darning needles... some look like they have a blunt surface and some look sharp. Are you actually marking by inserting the needle (obviously the sharp kind) into the fabric or are you just kind of dragging the needle (the blunt kind) to make an indent? How long will the mark last?

beautiful stitching. =) wish I had the patience. maybe one day..

Beautiful quilting.

I use a needle that is almost blunt - I think it would be good idea to post a picture of it. The marking is actually an indentation, produced by dragging the needle tip with an small angle to the fabric.
These marks last quite a long time - I think longer than a chalk pencil line. I mark an area of about 20 x 20 inches in advance and I can see what I need long enough!

Your hand quilting never ceases to amaze me!! Thank you for sharing this
Hugs
April

This is the darning needle I use. It is about 6 cm (2,4 inches) long.

Beautiful quilting! I have a quilt, I have a "between" and I have a darning needle. Now all I need is your talent!

Your quilting is beautiful.

Beautiful quilting. Maybe I will try a small quilt!

Your hand quilting is a joy to behold

Oh, I can't wait to try this with my long arm when I get to end of quilt and trace my own stencil with chalk and it (vibrates off if try to do whole line at once) Wondering if I'll be able to SEE it with machine movement?? But will try THANKS for the tip

How do you learn to hand quilt noone I know knows how. Is there a book out there on how to hand quilt? What would yu suggest?

I am in complete awe of your work.

I am completely self taught and I learned through the only book I found in the library 20 years ago when I started. I changed my technique while practicing.
There are several good books about hand quilting - one of my favourites is "The Essential Quilter" by Barbara Chainey, another one is "That Perfect Stitch" by Roxanne McElroy. Pepper Cory, Elsie Campbell and Alex Anderson published good books, too.

Thanks for sharing,your work is remarkable. pab

Do you put your quilt on a frame or a hoop? I have a small wholecloth that I was trying to quilt but got so frustrated with turning the hoop that I just put it in a basket before I was tempted to burn it. The constant turning of the hoop and my uneven stitches is very aggravating. I have handquilted one quilt that only had straight lines and it was OK.

Thank you so much for the information. I have never quilted anything before but have done embroiding by hand for years and the idea appeals to me. I find working with my hands relaxing.

Wow, your quilting is wonderful!!! What a great idea. :-D

I use a 18" hoop on a stand and I work small and bigger items in it. I only quilt in one direction (towards my body) but I don't have any problems at all with turning the hoop.
For me quilting fancy designs like feathers, flowers, leaves etc. is easier than doing straight lines! The lines show every little uneveness much better than the curved designs.

The darning needle is a wonderful tip. Thank you so much. I am a hand quilter.....oh how I wish my stitches were as beautiful as yours. Practice, practice, practice. I am hand quilting an 83 year old quilt right now that my mother made when she was 14. I can quilt with either my middle finger or my thumb. In fact sometimes the stitches done with my thumb are the neatest. I use this method instead of turning my hoop. It is for quilting backwards.

Many tuts here and other place on line, just read, read and read.

Isn't it?!! :wink: I am always astounded by her talent!!! I've done hand quilting, but her perfect stitches make mine look like a 5 year old did them!!! :roll: I know that practice makes perfect, but.............she is truly gifted. :wink:

My mother told me when she was hand quilting that it was
relaxing for her. I can now understand what she meant.
My quilting stitches are small, but uneven. Still practicing.

Thanks for sharing that tip. Love your work.

Andrea, I understand how you use the needle to mark, but are you using a stencil? Do you design the quilting pattern to fit each quilt and draw it on paper?

Your work is so spectacular. I would love to try a small wholecloth like yours. Where do you purchase your fabric? And what is the fabric called?

Thanks
SewingLadyDI

You never cease to amaze me! Your work is stunningly beautiful.

Great question, I was going to ask the same thing. She is amazing isnt she.

I really wished you lived here in Arizona. You are so amazing. I would love to just shadow you for a day. Your tips are so great. Im almost done with my first practice piece of hand quilting. When I bind it, I will send you a pic, you'll probably laugh, but Im getting it and Im LOVING IT!!!

Thank you, Suebee

I've used my white plastic Hera marker to do lines/indentations.

Yes, I use stencils or parts of it, but I also draw my own patterns on paper and make a template out of cardboard. I only transfer the outlines on the fabric and mark all inner lines freehand. When I find a pattern in a book that I like and the size does not fit I enlarge or reduce it on the scanner or a copy machine and make a template. Some patterns I mark completely freehand.
I never do a design sheet or something - therefore I never know how the complete quilt will look after finishing!
I purchase my fabric here in Germany in different Quilt Shops. My favourite brand for the solids is P&B, but unfortunately it is now hard to find it here anymore. Many quilt shops used to buy it at a Dutch wholesaler but they don't have it longer in their stash so the shops changed the brands. I am going to try the Moda Bella Solids as a "substitute". The fabric I buy has a 44" width so I sew length of it together. All wider fabrics I have found so far does not have the quality I want.
For the backings I love to use flower prints in a similar quality like also P&B, Quilt Gate, Lecien etc.

I wish I could visit all the nice places in the world where hand quilters ask for assistance! But as long as we are unable to beam us from place to place it seems to be impossible...:-)

I am in the lucky situtation to stay at home and to quilt, quilt, quilt the whole day. My dear husband is so supportive to me and he loves what I do. All my time I can spend in hand quilting, in praciting and, of course, in doing traditional wholecloths. I don't piece, I don't have to cut, press and sew. You see my situation is different to most of us quilters!

Suebee, you can be sure: I would never ever laugh at you and your work! We all do our very best and we can all be very proud of our work.

SUPERB!! You are fantastic

When you mark the quilt, what kind of surface is the quilt on? Is it on a hard table or a cushioned surface? Your work is truly beautiful.

Your quilting stitch is fantastic.

I love looking at your quilts....

I mark when the quilt lies on a hard table. But I do the marking after the layers are basted together. Like "mark-as-you-go" I only prepare smaller parts of the quilt with the quilting patterns, then I quilt them, I mark again etc.

I always love looking at your pictures. Your hand quilting is amazing. You should do a tutorial complete with pictures of how you mark your quilts with the darning needle.

gorgeous hand quilting and the needle marking is something I have not seen and will have to try. I have a dresden plate on the table to baste and it will be perfect to try this method on. Thanks for sharing.

Pat
homecaregiver

I am a fairly new quilter. I found this site only a couple of hours ago and can't believe how many GREAT things I have already learned. Thank you for sharing.