I don't know if it can be used without a hoop - that is what I am asking - has anyone ever done it? I hope so. I do handquilting on my lap, yes. Talented- - just lucky I think :) I'd love to use AB without the hoop - guess I should just try it DUH!

I have decided that just trying to do your own thing is how she got her results. So we might as well try to do our own thing... who knows, we might succeed! :mrgreen:

When I saw it demonstrated it was without a hoop. The show was closing down I think and she was giving quick demostrations. I even think she was standing up while she was showing me how to use it.

You're kidding me. And I went and bought the darn thing. :shock:

Okay... update!! :lol:

I have adjusted the tension on Jean's hoop to be a little tighter and now I have more control and my stitches are looking good! I'm using the thimble like Jean does and Aunt Becky too, but my personal needs are a tighter fabric on the hoop. And it's comfortable. :mrgreen:

My main reason for giving this whole setup a try is because I want to take my quilting with me on vacations, but I don't want to take my 22 inch quilt-hoop stand. No room in the camper for that. (I hope the picture is right side up.)

Keep persisting, ladies.

I ordered the Aunt Becky and the thimble from Jean Brown's site and received it within 3 days so she has very fast service when you order. I plan to put a base on a 14" hoop that I have but can someone who has her hoop tell me the length of the legs from the base to the hoop - thinking probably around 4". Am really anxious to try her method on a whole cloth quilt that I just finished marking.

I just ordered the aunt beckys finger protector, and got lap hoop off ebay. I have made a giant dahlia center and was wondering what i was gonna do to quilt it. Ive done a little hand quilting so when i saw jeans video on you tube i said thats it thats the thing i wanna learn on and do for dahlia. Ive been practicing and doing great, recommend this method to everyone and quilting goes faster and more even. now i m gonna order thimble.........lol then im really set.

I love hand quilting but haven't done much this year. Had a bone removed from wrist a not very good at present for sewing. I have a habit when doing it of using my nails. I push needle through from top and land on inside of my finger nail then just keeping needle there move finger to left and push up. I get no marks on finger. Not sure where this has come from but I am a member where I stood as a very young child and watched elderly aunts and uncles and grandad sewing.

I had never learned to hand quilt so when I saw this technique, I thought I would learn this way...no other habits to break.

I took a class with Jean at PIQF a couple months ago and LOVE the technique. I have the tool, thimble and hoop.

The hoop is what allows this technique to work well. One of her tips was to make sure that you have enough slack when you put the quilt in the hoop. It shouldn't be tight...it should be loose enough so that when you slide the tool back and forth, the quilt moves up and down several inches. Jean suggested more slack than I was comfortable with, so I adjusted to what felt right for me.

Experiment. :)

I may order the Aunt Becky and the thimble. I wish she was using a dark thread to demonstrate on the fabric she is using. White on white is hard to see.