dottiemae

Do any of you have an aunt becky that you know how to use properly? I have one and been practicing with it for a couple of weeks. although I am getting more consistent with it, I know I am doing it wrong. I have watched the video so many times, but I need to ask some questions. Here goes: In the video it shows that the needle just sits there on the fabric and the aunt becky pushes the fabric on the needle ( I got that part) then she pulls the aunt becky back and it appears the need goes down into the fabric. like going to the underside ( mine isn't doing that) , so my question is : could I not be having the fabric loose enough in the hoop or too loose? I find I have to "rock" the needle with each stitch while loading and that is completely opposite of what the video shows. I figured out when the needle comes to the aunt becky the stitch is more consistent if I let it take a stitch the length of the bend of the aunt becky. Is this correct?

I know that seems more complicated that it really is. I just have these questions and not like I can tell much from the video to answer this question so hoping someone on here has one and knows what I am asking. Thank you for the help.

Bree123

Looking forward to answers to your question. I, too, purchased an Aunt Becky & have been trying to make it work. I've never hand quilted before, so no rocking habits to break ... but I still just can't figure it out. Hope some other members here have figured it out & post their experiences.

dottiemae

I am new to it as well. I am not good at the "rocking" part of it and my consistency well just don't exist. it is better with aunt becky , but I know I am not using it right. I am sure when others come on , we will get some answers . We shall learn together

sewingitalltogether

I watched the video. The metal Aunt Becky goes underneath the quilt? (I know, dumb question ).

daisydawg

Need to ask, what is a Aunt Becky?

MadQuilter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeSSyueipPw

daisydawg

thanks for the info, MadQuilter.

peaceandjoy

There are lots of threads on Aunt Becky. http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....rchid=13124763

One of them convinced me to buy one. I gave up....

Sharon Schambers teaches locally, I took a class from her and found her method much more to my liking. Still, it takes practice and needs to be done consistently, or at least periodically, for success!

cashs_mom

And thanks for asking that question, daisydawg. I had no idea either.

Sleepy Hollow

A longer version of the video linked above https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DHEDYeIWz4

And another quilter with a slightly different method-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeKrAHJKAwU

The lady in the second video still rocks a little.

I used a combination of these two videos to figure out how to make the Aunt Becky work for me. I just started quilting this last summer, and really wanted to learn to hand quilt. I also work a job where I can be exposed to some icky stuff (including sewage), so I really wanted to minimize any needle pricks to my finger.

The batting used can make a big difference in how it feels. For the baby quilt I did, I used warm and natural, which I've since learned is considered a hard batting to quilt through because of the scrim. At the quilt group, I've done quilting on one with a batting with a lot of loft, and I had to make my stitches bigger to get through it. Another quilt I've done has a lower loft polyester batting, and that is different than the others... I can't quite get rid of the rocking motion, and I believe my choice of batting may have something to do with that.

It took some practice to figure out how loose I needed to make the quilt in my hoop frame (I have the one Jean's husband made/makes, from Jean's impressions). My mom knows a lady who uses one just doing lap quilting without a frame. Sometimes, as I'm quilting, I still adjust how loose it is. The direction I'm quilting also has a difference, "with the grain" quilts slightly different than "against the grain".

As a new quilter, I think it was easier for me to adjust because I didn't yet have any hand quilting habits to change. Some of the women I quilt with have tried it and were never able to get it down, even after taking classes.