Nothing like hand quilting!! You can get hand quilting thread at walmart! Have fun and just relax/

Is there a special kind of wax you buy?

What size needle do you all use?

I use a size 12 needle that some may find too small. It's a personal choice, but I've found that if I use a small needle, I can get smaller stitches. I also use contrasting quilt thread that forces me to do better work. I do believe that every hand quilter determines what works best for her/him.

Like others on this Board, I return to hand quilting because it's so relaxing. I have my quilting frame set up in my living room where I can listen and watch the television while I am quilting.

Another note: Do not be discouraged when you start to hand quilt because a curious thing has happened with my own quilting. I cannot do the extremely small stitches, but my stitches are even and regular--good enough that my hand quilted top won a Blue Ribbon at our local Fair. :lol:

I am a beginner, and what is the best way to get the "rocking" motion that hand quilters do?? I have hand quilted a table runner, and it looks....not so good!!

Notion guru

If you are hand quilting for the first time make sure you use polyester batting or wool batting. Wool is pretty expensive for first time projects. You will do fine, however, hand quilting takes practice, practice, practice. Also decide weather you are going to use a hoop or not as it is very difficult to change once you get accustomed to one way or the other. I use a baby spoon for under the quilt surface and find it successful and saves many sore fingers. Also, try using rubber finger tips (found in office supply stores) for pulling needle through the fabric.

Good Luck,

Notion guru

If you are hand quilting for the first time make sure you use polyester batting or wool batting. Wool is pretty expensive for first time projects. You will do fine, however, hand quilting takes practice, practice, practice. Also decide weather you are going to use a hoop or not as it is very difficult to change once you get accustomed to one way or the other. I use a baby spoon for under the quilt surface and find it successful and saves many sore fingers. Also, try using rubber finger tips (found in office supply stores) for pulling needle through the fabric.

Good Luck,

You can get a small block of beeswax encased in plastic to run thread across for hand quilting. It's usually hanging in the notions area at places like JoAnn's, maybe Walmart.

I find it easiest to use a lap hoop. This is the one I prefer:
http://www.keepsakequilting.com/prod...APTOP-HOOP.htm
It swivels on a ball, so it is easy to move to any position. Having it sit in my lap frees both hands for the quilting.

A common beginner mistake is to hoop your quilt tight as a drum. Don't do it! You should allow enough slack in the hoop so that you can move the center about a fist's width in either direction -- in other words, very loose. This allows you to manipulate the fabric as well as the needle for rocking.

Check your library for hand quilting videos. Years ago I found one that helped me a lot. I also took a hand quilting class that helped. If I can find a good Youtube video demonstrating how to "rock" with hand quilting, I will post it.

Okay, haven't watched these through, but this one looks good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAiBobVNpVY
(Notice how loosely the quilt is hooped!)

and here is a 7-part Youtube video series (don't have time right now to check how good it is; one thing I wouldn't do is safety-pin baste for hand quilting; I would thread-baste):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgNuRW9ycK8

It's quilter's wax in a little plastic case with grooves in the sides where you run the thread through. I get it online from the UK but I'm sure you can get it there. :-D