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Old 03-23-2016, 12:41 AM
  #15  
OhCanada
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Montreal Canada
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Originally Posted by sinceresissy View Post
Yes, right now the stab stitching is taking a bit longer but I hope I will get faster as I practice. With any new technique I have to practice, practice to get good at it. The main thing I learned in class was to have the material in the frame very tight (when I learned the rocking motion I was told to have it material a little loose). The teacher stressed that the needle needs to go straight down and straight up so you want to keep that in mind when stabbing. The real key is that it is the right hand that goes underneath the frame and pushes the needles up through the material and it is the left hand that stabs the needle down so you are using both hands. Don't need a thimble and your fingers don't get sore. The light has to come over my right shoulder instead of my left shoulder. It is interesting and I will eventually get faster. My stitches are straighter and more even but if I don't go straight down or straight up they will turn. I use a rectangle square frame with a pillow in my lap but I am going to buy a round frame with legs so it will set higher in my lap without the pillow. It's just a bag of fun!
This is how I hand quilt as well. Nice to know I'm not a weirdo! All of the information in books and online spoke only of the rocking stitch, but I didn't like that method as I dislike wearing a thimble or using a spoon. So I did it differently, experimenting until I came up with something that worked for me - and guess what? I do exactly what you describe above. You do get faster with time, but I like the relaxing slow pace of handquilting in any case. Below is a photo of a border I'm currently working on. I mark the designs with a chalk pouncer.
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