hand quilting

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07-04-2013, 04:06 AM

#11

paoberle

Senior Member

Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Posts: 939

I, too, am starting to hand quilt. However, I am starting with several small projects. I just found this website with videos on hand quilting. I have not looked at all of them.
http://www.amyalamode.com/blog/2009/...ideos-at-last/

07-04-2013, 05:50 AM

#12

IQ2

Senior Member

Join Date: Nov 2011

Location: NY

Posts: 301

I just recently started hand quilting also. I bought self-stick thimbles to use on the underneath finger. They're great! The brand I bought is "Thimble-It". They're small oval self stick vinyl that stick to your fingertip, and they're so sticky that I use the same one several times. I just store it on the outside of the plastic package when not in use. They protect the finger, but you can feel when the needle comes through to the bottom.

07-04-2013, 05:50 AM

#13

carolynjo

Super Member

Join Date: Jul 2010

Posts: 6,430

Alex Anderson should have a video or a book on how to do quilting on a frame. I don't use a frame but quilt on a rotating hoop.

07-04-2013, 06:00 AM

#14

AZ Jane

Super Member

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Posts: 2,877

Also, I personally find it easier to hand quilt without a hoop. Here are some suggestions to view if you might be interested.
http://www.bing.com/search?q=quiltin...ZI&form=MOZSBR

07-04-2013, 06:44 AM

#15

Alice Woodhull

Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Southeastern Indiana

Posts: 363

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ Jane

Also, I personally find it easier to hand quilt without a hoop. Here are some suggestions to view if you might be interested.
http://www.bing.com/search?q=quiltin...ZI&form=MOZSBR

I find that the tighter my quilt is in the frame, the smaller stitches I can make. I know this isn't what most quilters fine, but it works for me. I use 9 or 10 needles. The 11's bend on the first load of stitches. Maybe this is because my quilt is so tight.

07-04-2013, 07:55 AM

#16

Friday1961

Super Member

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Texas

Posts: 2,369

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAbitCrazy

When I started handquilting, a mistake I made, which negatively impacted my results, was I didn't make BOTH hands work equally. My underneath hand wasn't doing much except deflecting the needle back to the top. And it should be helping more by manipulating the fabric, too. Both hands kind of wrinkle the fabric to help make the stitches. The quilting stitch is made by both the needle taking evenly spaced stitches through the quilt and by the quilt being manipulated to present the quilt to the needle's tip at evenly spaced intervals. The quilt must be loose in the hoop in order for you to manipulate it like that. Once I understood how to make both hands manipulate the fabric, things improved tremendously. Have fun with it!

Listen to this experienced quilter! Great advice! Also, I discovered I was not holding the needle straight up as I went into the fabric from the top. You need to do that in order to rock the needle in and out of the fabric as you load stitches on it. My handquilting is still terrible but once you learn how to use your hands and the rhythm and motion of it, it gets better. Getting stitches even and straight is a challenge but you'll get there! Good luck!

07-04-2013, 09:59 PM

#17

TerrimB

Member

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: No. Virginia

Posts: 43

Hey there, I've found that I can't hand quilt very well using a hoop as i find I cannot manipulate the fabric as easily and most are too limiting as to size. The things I find I cannot do without are a leather sort of round thimble that looks like a ring - Joann's carries them. The main thing though is a pair of needle-nose or jewelers pliers. I have a hard time getting a grip on the needle to pull it through after the stitches are loaded. It does mean switching around a bit, but it works for me. And I agree with the others... have fun with it!

07-05-2013, 08:47 AM

#18

mckwilter

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2013

Location: Texas

Posts: 1,198

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwerty

YouTube has some good videos on hand quilting. I am working on my first hand pieced quilt which I plan to hand quilt. It is a twin size Jacobs Ladder. What I didn't find on YouTube was hand quilting on a frame rather than a hoop. Wonder how you learn to change directions since you can't rotate the frame?

There is a woman named Esther Miller who has a 2-day class at the International Quilt Festival in Houston on handquilting on a frame. Her method teaches you how to quilt up, down, forward and back. I was just looking at the catalogue and she is going to be there again this year.

07-05-2013, 08:49 AM

#19

mckwilter

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2013

Location: Texas

Posts: 1,198

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerrimB

You can also use a needle puller. See a picture here http://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?prod_id=92505 I took a handquilting class, and the teacher had a supply of them for us to use. It was very convenient, and you don't have to worry about poking your fabric.