I hand-sew everything, I still can't use a machine. One of these days I'll learn, but meanwhile I can't afford lessons and I am madly in love with hand-sewing anyway.

I piece sitting at my sewing desk, and usually quilt sitting up in bed, though sometimes on the sofa. Like many people, I started out vastly preferring piecing to quilting. I decided to make an effort to learn to like quilting, as I didn't want to neglect half the craft. Just doing it more helped, and then I discovered Welsh quilting and found something that really speaks to me. I'm now genuinely as happy to quilt as to piece, and am starting to work on the quilting motifs much earlier in the design process.

I use #11 sharps for piecing, #11 big eye betweens for standard quilting, and #9 betweens for quilting with thicker thread. I started off with the usual quilting threads, and have got my stitches down to a reasonable size, but rather missed being able to see the stitching clearly. I'm quilting my current quilt with #8 perle, and I'm delighted with how it looks as well as the fact that it's quicker to do. It's more awkward in a few ways, though, burying the knot can be a nightmare for instance, particularly when I'm quilting over more densely-woven fabric such as a batik.

What is Welsh quilting? I too love to hand quilt especially small (to medium) hand items...There is something so soothing about hand quilting, to me it is so relaxing..Here is a picture of a quilt that I made for a friend..all of it is hand quilted..this is just the top but its been sandwiched and quilted

Wales has a strong quilting tradition that is markedly different to general American quilting. The patchwork is nice but not terribly exciting, simple medallion-based designs generally. The quilting, on the other hand, is absolutely stunning, with designs based on spirals, leaves, hearts, flowers, geometric patterns, and it works in both traditional and modern quilts. Welsh quilting was mainly done by professionals, and it really shows in the quality of the designs. My turquoise/green baby quilt (http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-145562-1.htm) uses American piecing and Welsh quilting. If you want to see more Welsh quilting, just put it into Google Image, or alternatively buy this book, which I recommend strongly: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Welsh-Q...3575156&sr=8-1. While American patchwork has an incredible range, I never warmed to American quilting designs, and in particular I absolutely hate feathers, so finding a quilting tradition that works for me was fantastic.

Thank you so much..I looked at your quilt, its breath taking, its so beautiful! I am going to check into the welsh quilting and into the book that you suggested..Thank you again

Thank you, and woo hoo, another convert! I'm hoping to build up a collection of quilts with American patchwork and Welsh quilting, and then turn them into a book. At the rate of hand-quilting, you may want to give me a few years on that one. Meanwhile, here are a couple of excellent blogs on Welsh quilting:

http://welshquilts.blogspot.com/
http://www.littlewelshquiltsandother....blogspot.com/

@Lobster,
did you win the Hoffman Challenge 2010, Malvern, with the quilt in your avatar?

Thank you for those great websites :thumbup: They are so interesting..And good luck on your book..when you do write it, let me know so I can buy a copy :)

Don't worry, if it does happen then I'll be in here a fair bit asking for advice on what patchwork blocks to choose and so forth! Judging from how people respond to Welsh quilting, I reckon it should be a popular combination, but of course that doesn't mean a publisher will necessarily think so. I'll make the quilts first, that will take a good bit of time, and worry about the rest later.

thank you we all love to see what happen keep in touch

Thanks for posting---I also love the hand piecing and quilting and so refreshing to know others still do as well. I do mine mostly in the evening while watching mindless TV. I prefer the handquilted look over the machine quilting.