Originally Posted by Simple Pleasure
When hand quilting small items, do you use a hoop or frame?
Patricia
I've tried a hoop years ago and it just didn't work for me so not I DON'T use either one. I pin baste about every 3 inches or so and then hand baste in both directions about every 3 or 4 inches. It takes me a day to get a quilt basted and ready to hand quilt but I can take it anywhere and work on it for the several of months it takes me to get the quilting completed and remove the basting and pins as I quilt an area. A few of my friends in my quilt chapter are now quilting without a hoop or frame and feel like I do that it's easier on us to do. The hoop always had me working in an awkward position resutling in sore neck, shoulders and upper arms and I have none of that the way I quilt. I take it with me to quilt meetings, when we travel, quilt in front of tv in the evenings. The key is good basting. If you try to skimp on the basting, your quilting will show the results - not good. Hope you figure out them method that works best for you.
Oh yes, another reason I prefer no hoop or frame is I like the poof my quilting results in. With the hoop for frame, you will have a flatter quilt which is fine if that's the desired result. Try one method and see how you feel about it. If it isn't right, try another. Eventually you'll figure out what you prefer to do and who knows, you may be among the many who opt to machine quilt instead.