Directional Applique
 

Hi Quilters, I was curious as to the direction that most hand quilt. Do you applique around your motif clockwise or counter clockwise? Our group recently had a workshop and I noticed that some were quilting around clockwise and others were counter clockwise. Is there a correct method? If you quilt clockwise, the motif is above the needle and if you quilt counter clockwise the motif is below the needle. If I am right handed, which is the easiest method?

I've never worried about the direction, except that I usually start in the center of my quilt and work towards the edges.

If I have an applique, I will start on the side closest to the center and work towards the edge, so I can smooth out the backing as I quilt. If I started on the far side of the applique, I would risk creating an unquilted bubble of backing.

Then I decide on the direction by which one seems most comfortable and will give me the best stitches, and that changes! I also try to pick a "path" that keeps me quilting the longest without having to stop and knot off.

Janet

I am right handed and have always quilted counter clockwise. Even when I sew and hem clothes, I sew counter clockwise.

I am RH, so it is more comfortable for me to go counterclockwise. I also start nearest the center and work outward.

YEP. me too. right handed=counter clockwise. Again, tho no right or wrong just do what feels good to you.

it is whichever is easiest for you and produces the best results. I applique (and bindings) with fold on the top. I took a class years ago from a Hawaiian appliquer and she taught with fold on the bottom. It was awkward for me. Either is ok.

I applique clockwise with the motif above the needle. I do the same when sewing on binding. I'm right handed. I have friends who applique much better than I do who do it counter-clockwise with the motif below the needle, and others who do it my way. It's all a matter of personal preference. In fact when I took a hand applique class the teacher said that she does it one way and her sister (a co-owner of the quilt shop) does it the other. Try both ways and decide which you like.

I am right handed and do most things clockwise. I mostly hand quilt clockwise but sometimes change directions around different shapes. I hand quilt with my thimble on my right index finger and push towards my right thumb going towards myself unless....I sometimes wear my thimble on my right thumb and quilt away from myself towards my right index finger. I can also quilt in almost any direction away from myself using my thimble on my right thumb. Try out what works best for you there are no quilt police here!

This topic is getting confusing, because some people are talking about applique and some about quilting. I thought the original question was about applique, but in looking at it again I see that it's about quilting around applique (I think), which is a different thing than doing the applique. Whatever... the answer is still the same, do what's easiest for you.

I just re-read my question and you are right. It is confusing. My question pertains strictly to applique and the applique stitch. I have mis-used the word "quilting". I apologize for the confusion.