I have no problem when I sew one stitch at a time and go up
and down and finish the stitch. I have a problem when I try
to "rock" my needle and do more than one stitch. The
backing keeps coming off the needle. I'd love suggestions
on what the problem is.

I always hit my nail underneath and use my finger to make sure there is a stitch under and over. I keep acrylic nails on when I'm hand quilting :) Most people find this an odd way but I do a lot of handwork and it works for me. Yes I bleed some but calluses help.

I just know that my finger is full of pin poke marks and when I had to go for a fingerprinting for a job The guy laughed at my fingers! Make sure you go all the way through and then take your next stitch, mine are still not all the same but getting better.

I bring the needle straight down through the layers, until I can feel the tip of the needle with my finger. Then I rock the needle back to bring it back up.

It helps if the quilt sandwich is a bit loose. If it's too tight in the hoop I have trouble catching the back, too.

Janet

Are you using a thimble on the underneath hand? Some people use nails, as mentioned, or a teaspoon or some other kind of hard surface underneath.

The most common beginner mistake is to hoop the quilt too tight. Are you using a hoop? There should be a fist-size amount of "give" in the middle of the hoop. This allows you to manipulate the quilt sandwich onto the needle instead of just manipulating the needle. If you look closely at demonstrations of hand quilting, you will see that the quilt is being manipulated with the underneath hand at the same time that the needle is being manipulated.

Clear as much? Try loosening the sandwich and see what happens.

The only way I can do it is to feel the needle point prick my underneath finger. I try not to stick it, just touch and then back up. You end up with your underneath finger looking like swiss cheese after a while and I have to take a break from quilting. Some people like the Aunt Becky? It's a little metal thing that sits on the under finger that is supposed to help. Good Luck1

I have just settled in with one stitch at a time and it looks better for me and hurts my hand less. Keep trying to find what works best for you.

Wonderful question! Everyones comments/suggestions are great. I have the same problem that you do and after reading the comments plan on giving these a try and see if it goes any better. Thank you for sharing.

I used to wear a thimble on the underneath hand. One that was kind of smooth on the top and then when the needle toudhed it and I rocked and pushed back up, the needle would slide up that thimble and out the quilt. Once you get that first stitch and the needle about 1/8 inch through the fabric top, send it back again...do that until you have three or four stitches on the needle before pulling the thread out.

I've found it helps to put the needle straight down through the "sandwich" instead of at an angle. Feel the prick with your other finger underneath and push needle back up. I always get a nice callous. :)