rural01

Wow! I am so excited to have found this thread! I feel vindicated. I recently went back to hand quilting after machine quilting for years. But when I did, I found hand quilting to be so awkward, even though I hand quilted my last quilt only about four years ago. Is it that I've aged and my fingers are no longer as nimble? After a little quilting, I had considered ripping out the stitches and heading for my sewing machine. I felt a sort of guilt for feeling that way. All the time I was teaching myself to free-motion quilt, I had romanticized going back to hand quilting a traditional Dresden Plate quilt I'd started years ago.

At first I tried a large oval hoop. That was awful. A much smaller round hoop was a little better, but still pretty miserable. My stitches were awkward and uneven. The quilt was heavy and cumbersome. (I usually have a cat perched on it). I was really frustrated. Finally, I decided to pitch the hoops and just bundle the fabric onto my lap with the bulk of it on a TV tray. Hand quilting is so much better now. My stitches are more even. I actually enjoy quilting this way and it goes much quicker. I do use a thimble, two actually, depending on which direction I'm working. I quilt forward with my index finger and backwards with my thumb. Thanks all and quiltingboard for sharing this information which I've found invaluable.