Hello and BRR from Milwaukee
 

Hi all!

My name's Sorrel and today in Milwaukee I am snowed in by a blizzard. What a perfect time to try my hand at some hand quilting.

I became really interested in surface design while completing my undergrad in Art Education a few years ago. Now I work as a k-8 art teacher and enjoy trying my hand a different natural dyeing techniques in my free time. Quilting came as a way to create art with the fabrics I created in Surface Design classes and I love it.

Everything I know so far has been self taught, trial-and-error, so I'm really looking forward to learning some real techniques. :thumbup:

Hi from Northcentral WI. Worked and lived in Milwaukee for many years.

Welcome from western NY and happy quilting :)

Hello Sorrel and welcome to the board! I was delighted to find myself snowed in last Tuesday. Thanks for joining us and stay warm!

Hello Sorrel, welcome from northern California! You will enjoy it here. I hope you will post pictures of some of your projects!

Hello Sorrel, and welcome! Happy stitching! :)

Welcome Sorrel, I live northwest from Milwaukee in Hubertus, WI. Fortunately I am missing the blizzard as we are snowbirds on the Gulf in Alabama. The winters here are more pleasurable than Wisconsin but we always look forward to coming home to Wisconsin in the late spring.

Welcome from Central California. You will find inspiration here; there are a lot of very talented artists on the board.

Welcome from OHIO! :wave:

Welcome from Southern California!

Welcome from Arizona

Welcome from Michigan!:)

Welcome from NE Ohio.

:) welcome from se TX

Hi and welcome to the board! Your fabric creation work sounds interesting, fun, and inspiring. I hope you enjoy hand quilting, it is great once you find your rhythm. I am only working on my second quilt project, my first being a six block project I learned to hand quilt on. I watched youtubes and have a friend who hand quilts but the online tutorials are helpful if you can't meet with someone who hand quilts. I found once I have marked my quilt top with chalk I quilt the sections counterclockwise (I am right-handed).

Just a word on thimbles, I use a Comfort Thimble from a small company out of Oregon. The Comfort Thimbles are sold through some online vendors and in some quilt stores. I have tried Clover, Dill Buttons, etc. and Comfort Thimble works well for me. No broken needles, no poke throughs with the needle. I have two sizes, medium for summer when fingers are slightly swollen and small for winter, so when I couldn't guess my size and bought two I found I needed both anyway.

I also recommend a Quilter's thumble. A yellow plastic thumb guard for the thumb of your non-quilting hand as I have been jabbed by my needle when I don't wear one. I just bought one at hobby lobby for a few dollars. I think dritz makes it. Last thing, a wonder under for your under the quilt guide finger. You can still feel the needle come thorough the fabric but again easier on your fingers. Gutermann 100% cotton from JoAnn fabrics works great. I used 50 wt on my first project but have read online 40 wt is more for quilting. I hand piece too and am using the 50 wt for that. There are some good hand quilting resources too. Try Jinny Beyer online, you may find a tutorial on her website plus she has a Quiltmaking by Hand book that is exceptional and I borrowed it through my local library.

I'm not sure you wanted that much info, but I am a rookie quilter learning too and about and hour and a half south of Milwaukee (tons of snow here too). I have found the right tools, books, and online tutorials make all the difference. I will check this thread in a couple of days in case you have any follow-ups or specific things you want to know about hand quilting and or hand piecing.

Hi welcome from Memphis tn. Im a former Wisconsinite who migrated here from pt Washington wisc. You will love this board and will learn many things here from all the fine and educated folks. I do miss the snow and wish I was there in the blizzard lol. Don't need a blizzard to do any quilting but it will help keep you warm. This is a whole new world that opened up for you. Am looking forward to seeing some of your work. Happy stitches.

Welcome from Oklahoma.