mpeters1200

Not weird at all. When I use a floor frame, I crawl under the quilt and look at my stitches all the time. My poor knee sure complains when I crawl out and have to stand back up! I've been using a little lap frame lately and while it's not as fun to be twisting and turning a queen size quilt in my lap, I can just flip the frame over and see what I've been doing.

Handquilting is the most satisfying thing ever. I like to make the tops just to get to the quilting stage. Some of my quilts never get quilted though. My baby and kids quilts get tied...that way I don't have stacks of quilts waiting to be quilted!

sandpat

I love to look at the back! Even when machine quilting, when I take it out of the machine to reposition it I alway lay it out on the floor to check for puckers. I look at both front and back. I look at the back more. I only have a hoop to hand quilt with and I love looking at the back side!

sonshine

mp speedy,
The reason for advising to do a print back is for beginner's. If the work isn't perfect, it doesn't matter as much. As you progress, you willl most likely prefer the solid backs. That is one thing I wish I had known when I first started. All of my learning mistakes showed on my first few. I did not know to start off with a patterned back for learning............But, I do love the look of the stitches to show now that I am better.
I guess it just depends on your skill levels.......LOL :)

Mousie

I have a question. I have a hoop that is, hmmm, 18-24"...can tell I haven't messed with it in a while...it's for hand quilting. Read that you are supposed to leave some give in fabric, about fist sized,...my question is, does having it hooped stretch the fabric? I do cross stitch on aida, with no problems, but have been a little worried about my quilting projects, so haven't braved it yet. I love hand sewing.

mpeters1200

quiltncrazy,

I have a lap frame that is 18". When I get ready to go to bed for the night, I looses the frame a little bit...this prevents leaving hoop marks. I get the fabric in pretty loose. It won't stretch the fabric, I haven't had a problem with stretching on one of my quilts yet. If you leave a little give in the hoop, you'll be able to rock the needle and have an easier time to get the needle through the fabric.

peabee

thanks for the tip (for newbees) to use a printed back! i brought one of those preprinted white designs, aprox 30x30. got caught up in the buying frenzy of a show, i've never handquilted before. i had planned to use a running stitch, but it seems to me you'd get a lot of "blank" spaces. what is a nice and easy and neat looking stitch for a busy panel? also, what brand hand quilting thread and batting do you guys out there prefer? THANKS!!

motomom

Since this is my first quilt, and I knew I would have to go through the learning process to do it, I put that on a label that I cross-stitched and incorporated into the top corner block. It say clearly, "My First Quilt" then my name and stuff. My daughter (intended recipient) commented that she is so happy that I put that on there, so she can always claim to her siblings that OBVIOUSLY she was the most important child, as she got the first quilt!

Actually, I'm glad I put that label on there for me. It's like seeing my learning history in each stitch. You can see the progress.

I'm also getting faster, although I can see that the word "fast" is really relative when it comes to hand quilting!

sonshine

Have have begun sewing a pocket on my quilt back before I sandwich my layers. Then after the quilt is finished I write/or type my name and info onto a piece of cardstock. I laminate the card and slide it into the pocket. It can be taken out to clean the quilt or wall hanging.

sandpat

Thats a great idea....knowing me..I'd loose the card though :roll: :oops:

jojo47

I haven't crawled under a quilt frame since I was 4 and asked my grandma if I could help tie the quilt she had on the frame. I had to poke the needle down from the top, then crawl under to push it up through the quilt again...but I think I did more playing under the 'tent' than I did tying the quilt. What memories! Oh, and now my sister in Montana has Grandma's quilt frame. And, yes, she quilts...when she isn't teaching elementary school!

Jojo