Do you hand quilt?

I am also learning to hand quilt! Sure takes practice, practice, practice.

I love to hear from others that hand quilts? Maybe you can give us tips and tricks, books that you enjoy, etc.

Happy Quilting by Hand

Craftybear

At times I hand quilt, but I'm not very proficient. I use the stab method. Never for the hang of the rocking method. On some things, I think it just looks better. Softer somehow.

Yes, I hand quilt. I love it. I found the ''betweens'' to be the best needles, and after the needle bends, throw it away. It was dull, that is why I was having trouble pushing it thru. But I still never learn, till I bend another one. I like to run the thread over beeswax, that way it doesn't tangle as easy. Since I have trouble threading the needles, (I bought a pack of embroidery floss cards, the little white plastic squares for winding floss on to store in plastic containers)I thread up 10 or so needles, running the thread over beeswax,winding the thread on the embroidery cards, and store them in a gift card tin, or a mints tin, and set it beside me. It holds the little scissors, and a small piece of batting (for used needles) too. That way I can keep quilting, and not having to stop to thread needles all the time.
I like the Coin Clover thimble with the small metal circle on it.

When I learned to quilt very few did machine quilting. But I love the feeling of setting and laying my quilt on my lap and put on my mp3 player with books on and losing myself in the motion of quilting. I think the look of hand quilting is softer. For me, using the rocking motion is easier, except it can do a number on the fingers on the underneath fingers. I use a waxy substance called "thread heaven". Also if I am quilting in a thicker area, like seam allowences, I will use a finger cot to help pull the needle thro.

I use a leather thimble and a finger cot on my thumb to pull the needle through if need be and I don't use a hoop or a frame.

The quilt tells me if I will hand or machine quilt. I took a hand quilting class a long time ago and it was well worth the money. I quilt on a hoop, use inbetween needles, and YLI thread which I absolutely love and I invested in a Roxanne thimble. The thimble is pretty pricey but I have yet to find a fabric I cannot push a needle through with it.

I work in payroll and during the months of December and January life is pretty crazy here at work so at night I would go home and hand quilt and it would reduce my stress level almost immediately.

Awesome, thanks for the cool tips and tricks. Love it!

Craftybear

What is a finger cot??


Craftybear

I love to hand quilt but sometimes it is not practical. I use thread heaven on the thread to reduce tangled thread .

Here is a mini demonstration that gives a good idea of how loose to have the quilt in the hoop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAiBobVNpVY

I use size 12 betweens but you might want to start with a bigger needle like a nine or ten.

This is a good tutorial to show you how to bury the knots and how to make the stitches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-WvF...eature=related

One word....NO. No patience.

I love to hand-quilt! Its very relaxing.

When I started out I used the Tiger Tape for 9 per inch. I drew straight lines on a sandwich and taped it off. After doing a few rows you sort of get into the rythym. Then I just started drawing out curves and such and did them. I always use betweens and hand quilting thread.

Be careful of how much bees wax you put on your thread. In this case, more is definitely not better!!!! Leaves little clumps on the top!! Found this out real quick!! :oops: :lol: Tried the stab stitch and didn't like doing it. Too cumbersome!! For me it wasn't as relaxing.

I both hand and machine quilt.
Hand quilting is relaxing and beautiful. I've found that quilting on the bias,(rather then along the lengthwise or crosswise grain)seems easier. The type of batting you use also impacts your hand quilting. When I hand quilt, I prefer wool, but I've heard silk is wonderful. But silk is far too pricey for me.

I love to hand quilt also. My first quilt class was "Learn to Make Quilts Like Your Grandmother Did". It was hand piecing and hand quilting. I use a hoop, cotton "hand quilting" thread. Between needles size 10, large eye if I can find them since the thread is thicker. I think the goal is to practice and get your stitches a consistent size, don't worry about getting umpteen per inch, who is counting? Once your stitches get to be a consistent size, then you can work on many per inch, if that is important to you. I have tried all kinds of thimbles and can't use any of them. It takes a long time for me to complete a project but I feel I have more control over my quilting(over machine quilting) I'm practicing machine quilting with my BSR attachment! I still have a lot more practice to do! YIKES!

I am a hand quilter and have been for thelast 13 years. I love sitting and deciding on stencils, what to quilt. It is very relaxing to me.

[quote=craftybear]What is a finger cot??


Craftybear

A finger cot is like a condom for a finger. It helps with gripping the needle to get a better hold on it, and also helps to prevent the needle from punching holes in the tip of your finger (although not as much as a thimble does). I buy finger cots at Walgreens near the bandages. They come in a small box.

I am not able to do hand quilting. I've had Carpal Tunnel surgery on both hands, but still have hand problems.

It is a challenge for me to hand stitch the binding on the back of a quilt. I do really admire those people who hand quilt though.

I hand quilt but I can't get the hang of thimbles or cots so I put clear nail polish (several thick coats) on my thumb and finger to give them a protective coat so they don't get sore.

I tried using conventional thimbles but I would change fingers and stab that one. I now use a leather thimble or my favorite, Curad adhesive bandages. I wear them on serval fingers, they grip and protect my finger tips a bit. I forget I have them on and people always ask what I have done to myself. I'll try the clear nail polish tip, I usually have that in the house.

I know I should change out my needle once it bends, but I like working with a bent needle, it's like having a pair of well broken in shoes to work in!

Wonderful tips once again ladies, boy have I learnt a thing or two since I joined this site!!!!
I quilted my entire quilt with waxed quilting thread and No8 betweens needles. I struggled with the thimble on my index finger, and ended up putting it on every other finger than the one it was need on!! In the end I took it off! I used the nail on my thumb to push the needle through it is very strong and I had no trouble, however I was quilting away from me instead of towards myself, I realise that now since I watched a lady on Utube! I bought another thimble the other day and am going to try to teach myself the rocking method on my next quilt as I think I will get a much more even and straight stitch doing it the correct way! I know I have to work at it but I am hooked on the hand quilting bit, I wish I had started making quilts years ago!!!

Gal

I do both. I read when I was first learning to hand quilt to leave the thimble on your finger for several days until you forget its there. That worked for me now I sometimes will be running errands and find I have left it on. I also use betweens. When I bend one I put it in a special holder to use for basting or binding. The curve seems to help.

I really enjoy hand quilting. I use a large Grace floor frame, and wool batting on the peice I am doing now (I may never quilt with anything else, it is so lovely to quilt!)I thread several needles onto the spool of thread at a time, so when I need a new thread, I slide all but one of the needles up the thread, cut and go! I have tried several different thimbles, and I prefer the leather ones. I switch between one for my thumb (for sewing away from me) and one for my pointer finger (sewing towards me).

I too struggle with thimbles and do exactly what you do. I push the needle with my thumbnail or my index finger nail. So I quilt away from myself when using my thumb and towards myself when using my index. I eventually "drill" a hole through my fingernail and have to wait for it to grow out a bit again. I use #11 Roxanne betweens and hand quilting thread. It takes a long time to hand quilt for me. I am currently on my 4th handquilted bed size quilt and I have been quilting for 20+ years. I have gotten to the point where I can not sit idle in front of the boob tube. I must have some handwork. Be it a tied quilt, hand quilting or a bit of hand applique. I truly suck at applique so I don't tend to do too much of that. I did spring for some hoity-toity sterling silver thimbles that have the back cut away for the fingernail. I can use those kind of. I can't start the stitch with a thimble, even these fancy ones. So I start it with no thimble, take a stitch or two then slide the thimble on. Because I am self-taught I still have to push the needle with index or thumb and those are the two fingers I bought the thimbles for. I have mild carpal tunnel but it is from working on a computer not from sewing and so far it has not caused me much trouble when sewing other than the numbness in my fingertips.

I hand quilt and all the above are good tips. I use a hoop most of the time. The only time I use a large frame is when my lovely dil wants to help me. She is learning, I rock as she stabs.lol Jolo

you might want to try the stretchy gloves with the fingers cut out of them - I can't remember what they are called. They help when my hand gets tired.

i hand quilt most times because my machine is just too small for quilting and i also get a take-along project if i have to go visit family or something. i like the look of the bigger stitches so i actually use 2 strands of embroidery floss and make a bigger stitch on the top with a smaller stitch on the back. i love the imperfect big stitch look.....probably because i can't do perfect and little :lol: !!!!

Pushing needle through with thumbnail - me too! I hate thimbles, or maybe they hate me. :roll: :lol:

Occasionally. My hands won't allow much.

How do you baste your quilt so you don't get puckers, I mean without using a hoop or a frame because that sounds like a good idea - not using a hoop or a frame

I sure do, and I love it!! I was a little scared to at first, but one day I just jumped in and started. My first stitches were about a quarter of an inch long, but I did not care. The more I did, the better my confidence became. Must do all I can before the Arthritis gets too bad.

I hand quilt and have since I made my first baby quilt 35 years ago! But my tops are piling up and I can't quilt fast enough, so I'm going to start machine quilting them. I bought a walking foot and quilted some table runners, place mats and tote bags, so next I'll be trying a wall hanging or throw size quilt. I love to hand quilt and my grandmother will turn over in her grave when I quilt a big quilt by machine! But I just gotta do it! (Sorry, grandma!)

I was taught how to quilt back in the early 80's by a lady that made everyone in class hand piece and hand quilt their first quilt. It taught us all alot about patience, really looking at what we were doing and the look we wanted to get. I've since learned to machine piece and quilt....and do some of both. Hand quilting means one or two quilts a year, whereas machine quilting will give me 5-6.... But I always have one in my lap to hand quilt while watching TV. I agree...very relaxing and stress relieving!

I hand quilt and machine quilt. I hand quilt to relax,and machine quilt when I need to get the quilt done.For example I am currently making a pink ribbon quilt for the Relay for Life at my job.It will be raffled off and the money will go for breast cancer research.My machine quilting is done on a regular sewing machine with a walking foot and a method called quilt as you go.

I love the look of hand quilting, and love to do it, but I just don't have time to do it. I have gone to having my quilts machine quilted. At least they will get done in my lifetime!
Marta

I love hand quilting and people are amazingly complimentary about my stitches and I mean members of my quilting chapter and our guild officers when they visit - it has amazed me as until joining a chapter here 2 years ago, I've not had the opportunity to be around other quilters and am totally self taught. I don't use a hoop or frame but have tried using both and couldn't tolerate them. As a result, I pin baste heavily and then hand baste 3 inches apart top to bottom and side to side - very heavily basted. I prefer hand quilting as it gives a puffy look to my quilts and my batting of choice is the low loft polyester sold in a bag at JoAnn Fabrics. The members of my quilt chapter tried hard to convert me to 100% cotton until one guild meeting we had a well known presenter who hand quilts as much as she machine quilts and her batting of choice for hand quilting is polyester as well and to give the quilt dimension and puff. Never heard of such a thing myself, just a personal choice for me so hearing it put me on cloud 9. The does use warm and natural for all of her machine quilting projects and she does all of her machine quilting on a home sewing machine - no long arm for her. Too bad I can't remember her name because many of you would recognize her name.

I can't use a thimble. LOL. Found myself with my thimbled finger constantly sticking up out of the way and of totally no benefit or use. When my fingers get sore I use bag balm to treat them and will put masking tape or a bandaid in the tender area and it does the trick until the callous forms again. I have tried all kinds of thimbles so far without success and a hand quilter looks totally stupid sitting there happily quilting away with a wayward finger.

I do quilt as you go using a variation of the Marti Michell "Machine Quilting in Sections Book." She was written up several times in Woman's Day Magazine years ago and that's when I realized that yes, I can do this quilting thing if I use her technique. Over the years, my "Patty Style" has evolved and i work in panels. I recently bought her book because several friends in my quilt chapter want to learn how to do it but on their sewing machines and my specific modification will NOT work with machine as it would put too much fabric back on the machine. She has several approaches to quilt as you go in panels so something should work for most and yes, I do have seams on the back. My quilts done this way over 20 years ago, those seams have held up beautifully. The little mending I've had to do on my daughter's quilts was not to those seams but to areas of fabric that have worn thin or been torn.

oh I love your discription of a finger cot. LOL but you are right

I have been known to show up in the grocery store with a thimble on my finger. "senior moment'

I'd wondered if nail polish would work but since I don't wear it, don't own any. Have to give that a try. Thanks for the tip.

I always hand quilt. once you master the art, it is rewarding.

I have been quilting for 3 years, mostly hand quilting. I use the "Underthimble" for my hand under the quilt and a leather thimble with the metal disk in it on top. The under thimble eliminated the sore finger. However, it is so comfortable when I finsh quilting I sometime forget I have it on my finger. I have lost a couple of them this way.

Hi, I love to hand quilt...it is a "meditation" of sorts time for me...I lived in a very small town in Iowa where a group of quilters(ages 62---97) met weekly and we quilted on a squared frame. That's where I learned. You are right that practice is the way to perfection once you know the method. Just be kind to yourself. I don't like a hard timble so I use the kind that glues onto your tip. Also, I am left-handed so I am sure some quilters find my position different??? But it works for me. I live in Missoula, Montana where there are lots of wonderful quilts created but they are all machine quilted....not for me. keep practicing. betsylou