lorli

So...I finally finished the wall hanging for my quilt club exchange (only 2 months late but it's for my friend and she understands). I started hand quilting in my usual way (on my lap, squashing up the fabric in one hand and running stitch with the other), but I was reading that it will come out better if I use a hoop. So my local quilt store lady very kindly loaned me her own q-snap frame and last night I tried for hours to quilt it.

I had the book "That Perfect Stitch" open beside me and was following the directions in it. On each first stitch, when I tried to bring the point of the needle up to the top, it would jump off the quilt (I was holding the end with my thimble finger as instructed) just like a tiddlywink. The only way that it wouldn't was if I took a really big stitch. I don't think the quilt was too tight in the frame - there is a lot of hand applique and embroidery in it and I couldn't make it tight. After 2 hours, I had only done about 2 inches of quilting.

I ended up taking it out of the frame and going back to my old method.

What was I doing wrong? And how important is it to use a frame. Is my squished up fabric, no hoop method, so bad? It is not a huge quilt, only a wall hanging. Has anyone else ever had this problem?

I would REALLY appreciate any help or opinions! Thanks, everyone, in advance.

Lorli