Murphy1

It is so great to read this thread. I have only quilted one quilt by hand and I did it without the hoop and thought I was breaking the rules, but it did make it easier to get those stitches to look nice. I still have some quilting to do on that quilt, maybe is should be doing that in the evening.

Shirls4sons

I am really glad you started this topic. I have such a hard time making small stitches. I thought not using a hoop would be 'taboo'. I'm so glad to see that so many of you do not use a hoop. I am certainly going to try that now. I have a feeling that I will enjoy quilting much more. I hate manipulating a hoop.

jitkaau

I often do.

nanna-up-north

I've done both as well. Since I get smaller stitches if the fabric is loose, I don't try to hoop the fabric tight. It's a personal choice, I think.

Sewflower

No but I'm taking a class in March on that very subject!

Val in IN

I hate using a hoop. I just can't get comfortble, I can't get even stitches, it's very clumsy for me. I've handquilted many larger quilts without a hoop. I do baste, using the Shaumber method. I find that I can get very small, even stitches without a hoop or frame. Right now I am hand quilting a T-shirt quilt without a hoop. It's like quilting through plywood but I absolutely couldn't do it in a hoop.

SevenupinNC

I have only quilted a couple but my first was 80% left of a King size (after a bunch of ladies ditched the charity project) and did it by hand, no hoop. It went pretty well. I kept the part I wasn't working on in a giant trash bag to keep it clean, and I dragged that quilt around with me for weeks trying to finish it up!

I definitely prefer no hoop when quilting by hand. I've tried hoops and frames but I can't hardly quilt when my hands can't feel eachother really well.

DJ

I turn to hand quilting for things too large to get in my machine (including king size). No hoop for me! I do get "kisses" on the back that I'm wondering if I could avoid with a hoop, but I'm not going to worry about them. I'm not entering them in competition.

Becka

I don't use a hoop or a frame, and my current project is queen-sized/hand quilting.

teddysmom

I'm a newbie (only working on my 3rd quilt). I started out using a frame because I thought it was required. My last quilt was done without a hoop or frame. I've learned from that quilt that the secret is in the pinning or basting (whichever you prefer) in keeping everything smooth. My last quilt isn't as smooth as I would like so I know on this next one that I need to take MORE time in the pinning or basting process.