aunt becky experience
 

Do any of you have an aunt becky that you know how to use properly? I have one and been practicing with it for a couple of weeks. although I am getting more consistent with it, I know I am doing it wrong. I have watched the video so many times, but I need to ask some questions. Here goes: In the video it shows that the needle just sits there on the fabric and the aunt becky pushes the fabric on the needle ( I got that part) then she pulls the aunt becky back and it appears the need goes down into the fabric. like going to the underside ( mine isn't doing that) , so my question is : could I not be having the fabric loose enough in the hoop or too loose? I find I have to "rock" the needle with each stitch while loading and that is completely opposite of what the video shows. I figured out when the needle comes to the aunt becky the stitch is more consistent if I let it take a stitch the length of the bend of the aunt becky. Is this correct?

I know that seems more complicated that it really is. I just have these questions and not like I can tell much from the video to answer this question so hoping someone on here has one and knows what I am asking. Thank you for the help.

Looking forward to answers to your question. I, too, purchased an Aunt Becky & have been trying to make it work. I've never hand quilted before, so no rocking habits to break ... but I still just can't figure it out. Hope some other members here have figured it out & post their experiences.

I am new to it as well. I am not good at the "rocking" part of it and my consistency well just don't exist. it is better with aunt becky , but I know I am not using it right. I am sure when others come on , we will get some answers :). We shall learn together

I watched the video. The metal Aunt Becky goes underneath the quilt? (I know, dumb question ).

Need to ask, what is a Aunt Becky?

thanks for the info, MadQuilter.

There are lots of threads on Aunt Becky. http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....rchid=13124763

One of them convinced me to buy one. I gave up....

Sharon Schambers teaches locally, I took a class from her and found her method much more to my liking. Still, it takes practice and needs to be done consistently, or at least periodically, for success!

And thanks for asking that question, daisydawg. I had no idea either.

A longer version of the video linked above https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DHEDYeIWz4

And another quilter with a slightly different method-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeKrAHJKAwU

The lady in the second video still rocks a little.

I used a combination of these two videos to figure out how to make the Aunt Becky work for me. I just started quilting this last summer, and really wanted to learn to hand quilt. I also work a job where I can be exposed to some icky stuff (including sewage), so I really wanted to minimize any needle pricks to my finger.

The batting used can make a big difference in how it feels. For the baby quilt I did, I used warm and natural, which I've since learned is considered a hard batting to quilt through because of the scrim. At the quilt group, I've done quilting on one with a batting with a lot of loft, and I had to make my stitches bigger to get through it. Another quilt I've done has a lower loft polyester batting, and that is different than the others... I can't quite get rid of the rocking motion, and I believe my choice of batting may have something to do with that.

It took some practice to figure out how loose I needed to make the quilt in my hoop frame (I have the one Jean's husband made/makes, from Jean's impressions). My mom knows a lady who uses one just doing lap quilting without a frame. Sometimes, as I'm quilting, I still adjust how loose it is. The direction I'm quilting also has a difference, "with the grain" quilts slightly different than "against the grain".

As a new quilter, I think it was easier for me to adjust because I didn't yet have any hand quilting habits to change. Some of the women I quilt with have tried it and were never able to get it down, even after taking classes.

I bought the spoon for hand quilting and also have not been able to do it. I quilt in a hoop and just found it awkward and that I wanted my hand free, not holding something. Well, I was reading Jenny Beyer's site and she talked about watching an older lady quilt and she was fast and her stitches small and she used a QUARTER on her bottom hand. I tried it and I love it. I tape (with painter's tape) the quarter on the bottom of the thumb so it extends about 1/4" beyond the tip of the finger. When the needle hits the quarter, I pull back a little and make the stitch and repeat. It is important to have your fabric loose enough in the hoop. I have it so that you can indent it about 2". You will know if it is not loose enough because you will not be able to make small stitches.

The quarter is a creative solution to a problem!

Someone suggested a spoon to me when they saw I had the Aunt Becky, but I haven't tried it. Pretty much for the same reason--I don't want to have to hold something. I can move the A.B. around to different positions, fingers/thumb easily, and I don't feel like my hand is going to cramp up holding something. I'll remember the quarter trick though, in case I ever find myself without my A.B.!

I was excited when I saw the title of this thread because I too saw someone use an Aunt Becky and got one. I have yet to use it. Seems like there are a fair number of us newbies. Thanks for the link to the longer video. I'll check that out. At least as we are all practicing with our Aunt Becky we can rest assured we are not alone in our struggle.
The quarter idea is so clever. I had never heard of that!

Dottiemae,
I found a Youtube video by the woman who invented the Aunt Becky's finger protector. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeKrAHJKAwU
Sharon in Texas

Thank you all for the responses. I have watched Jan Bressler and her way of using Aunt Becky. I noticed she "rocks" as well, but not as much as I do. Here is my samples how my stitches look using Aunt Becky.[ATTACH=CONFIG]567436[/ATTACH]

I use the Aunt Becky and I seem to have no trouble. Yes, the gizmo rests under the quilt, but I simply push the needle through the quilt on the top of the ridge. You can't (or I can't take but 1 or 2 stitches, however. Have you tried Veterinarian's tape, the spongy stuff that animals can't chew through?) I fold it in half and wrap it around the finger that pushes the needle through and it works.

Thank you carolynjo, that is what I have been doing as well ( pushing needle through when the top of the ridge is at needle. I can get 3 on my needle. However, I have to rock the needle like Jan Bressler does in her video. It doesn't seem to work for me doing it Jean Brown's way because my needle just doesn't seem to go down into the fabric when I pull back the aunt becky. Not sure if my quilt isn't loose enough in the hoop or too loose. I have tried loosening it and tightening and can't seem to get it. I have to problem getting my needle through the fabric or any of that. Which is a plus. I think my stitches are ok for a first timer ( picture in previous post).

Your stitches look great!

Your stitches look good to me! How do you like them compared to your stitches without using it? If you like them just as much, just stick with it and you'll get better as you go (I have logged over 150 hours on mine now, and my stitches are smaller and more even than they were when I started. Going to a small needle (a 10 or 11) also helped.)

Disclaimer: I'm preparing for night shifts, so had to keep myself awake until 6 this morning, and got curious.

I looked up the patent number, and the Aunt Becky was invented by a woman named Rebecca E Nicklous. She filed for the patent in 1981. In her instructions, and drawn figures, she basically describes rocking the needle, so really, it's not wrong to rock the needle!

Patent link (if you click on images at the bottom of the patent page, it takes you to her application and diagrams--use the arrows or page selection on the left to go through the four pages)

From patent: "It may be desirable to hold the protector in a substantially vertical position as shown in FIG. 2 when the material is supported by a frame or hoop. Here, the curved surface 25 is held flush against the underside of the fabric and at substantially right angles to the penetrating needle. The needle can be inserted until it touches the protector. The protector can then be moved back under the tip of the needle to push the needle point back upwardly. The eye of the needle is pushed back down simultaneously so it will slide up and over the surface 25 and through the fabric. Again, any of the corners or surfaces available can be used as suited, depending upon the nature of the work being done. "

In 1985, sisters Jan Bressler (the woman in the videos linked above) and Lou Shafer bought the Aunt Becky company and started giving lessons.

I also found out their store is in Philomath, OR (a converted old theater). I drive through that town when I go to the coast! I think I'm going to need to plan a trip to the coast this spring/summer and stop by their shop, and maybe take a class. :)

I've seen this as the new "fad" for hand quilting. Personally, I haven't had any issues with the way my great-grandmother taught me - if it's all for the sake of moving body parts preservation - might as well give that one up. We've moved our body parts since birth - they will all have issues as the body ages. Hand quilting has been the same for so very long, using a new tool under the quilt is just another challenge in making a simple quilting technique, complicated.

Sleepy Hollow, thank you for that information. Yay! I am not doing it wrong. I do like my stitches. And I will continue my method with Aunt Becky as it does help me. I know by the time this little baby quilt is done, I will be much better. I am making it so the grand daughters can use it during nap time when we have our days together :) Thank you all for you response and the help. You all have helped me very much.

I want one of these tools. I saw the video years ago but have not been able to find one. I think it takes lots of practice, lots and lots of practice. Don't give up.

A lot of the online quilt shops have them. I was just on Connecting Threads, and they have one for $4.