I'm glad you started this topic, because it's answered a lot of questions that I've had, too. Glad to hear about Warm N' Natural because it's all I've ever used and I haven't been able to figure out why I can't seem to get my stitches smaller. I guess on my next project, I'll try something else.

It's definitely true that seams make a difference! If you figure that you're quilting through four (or even 6, if it's where some seams overlap) layers of fabric, not even counting batting, that's a lot of thickness to quilt through. Not easy to make small stitches with all that going on. I'm quilting something with a LOT of seams, so right now I'm just being content with consistency and not worrying about size of stitches. It's making me want to take on a wholecloth sometime soon! :)

Some people, like me, plateau. I have been handquilting for 20 years and I never have gotten more than 10 SPI counting top stitches only. My natural SPI seems to be 9. That is I consistently get 9 without concentrating or trying.

Yes. Wool batting is great for hand quilting, it's very easy to needle and gives a more "puffier" look than cotton. There are also different cotton and cotton blend battings available for hand quilting. I like to use Hobbs or Legacy 80/20 for my quilts.

I love everyone's suggestions. I am happy if I can get consistent stitches, I guess about 8 or 10 to the inch. When I started I could only do 4-5 per inch! I must keep practicing, although if I never get smaller stitches and all my stitches are even then that will be good enough for me.

One thing that I will add to all of these great suggestions, is, be sure to use good quality fabric. Some of the lesser fabrics, use fewer threads per inch, so, even the best quilter can't get really small stitches with that fabric.

Thank you Kristin. I am thinking of giving it a try. It is about time for fall up there right? I am from NH originally. Winter is the time for maybe sitting and trying my luck at this.

I made one quilt 30+ years ago, then got interested again this summer. Well, not exactly this summer, I've gotten interested before and gotten books, etc, but each time I started, a major life event got in the way.

So, finally, this time I got started and nothing has gotten in the way. The book I've been using is by Liuxin Newman, _Perfect Hand Quilting Without Pain_.

I started out at six stitches per inch (counted on one side only). I haven't practised long in any one session due to mobility problems. In about four hours of practise total, I'm getting 9-10 stitches per inch.

I plan to keep practising on whole cloth scrap sandwiches until I am consistently getting 12+ stitches per inch. I'm guessing another 4-6 hours of practise will do it.

I bought a king sized package of Hobbs Heirloom wool batting for practise, which compresses to feeling like nothing when I pinch it in the sandwich, which helps get more stitches to the inch.

It's very different from the Warm and Natural cotton batting that I used for several quilted vest projects about ten years ago; the W&N drapes nicely but never loses its thickness when pinched. I haven't tried it yet for quilting but I doubt I could get much more than 8 stitches per inch with W&N. I am not putting down the W&N, it made wonderful vests with nice drape! It is what it is and I think most things in life go better when I don't try to force them to be things they are not.

Yes, I bought two thimbles from Thimblelady (the name of Liuxin Newman's company). They work really, really well for me, one on my middle finger and one on my thumb. I can quilt towards myself and away from myself with no change in my stitching. The dimples are really deep and placed well, so that they help me control the needle and keep a good, healthy hand position as well.

Best of all, I still have chronic tendonitis in my hands from doing too much calligraphy (for a living) many years ago. Liuxin Newman's methods have kept me from feeling any hand pain at all. I can barely write three sentences by hand without feeling hand pain but I can stitch for up to an hour at a time with no pain at all.

I guess you can tell that I'm a believer.

Yes, it is! We had some pretty hot weather for a while there (for us Mainers, anyway!) but it's starting to cool off a bit. The nights are cooler, too. Looking forward to the leaves starting to turn soon! Cozy fall and winter evenings are perfect for hand quilting! :)

I've been hand quilting for about 5 years and have learned a lot during that time. You have some great suggestions in earlier posts. The main things I have noticed are:
1. Use a thin needle.... #9, 10, 11. Some glide through the fabric better than others. I've had some break.... be careful.
2. I use a leather thimble with a 'coin' at the tip. The needle doesn't slip as much.
3. Don't make the sandwich to tight. Looser allows you to move the needle up and down more easily.
4. Use a thinner batting. The thicker the sandwich, the longer the stitches will be.

Good luck... I don't do the one stitch at a time thing but don't get a bunch of stitches stacked up on my needle either..... I get 9-12 stitches easily.

I do not use a hoop or frame, use a very small needle, and like thermore light because it is so thin. I use a running stitch with an anchor on the quilt for a little tension. I use the thread in the quilt for stitch length, about four threads per inch down and four threads per inch up so it is consistent and the size I want.