I am learning to hand quilt and am wondering, how many stitches do you quilt to an inch? According to the Amish, 9 or 10 stitches to an inch is considered expert stitching.

I push to get 8...counting the top side only. I knew a lady once upon a time that quilted 12 to the inch! How she did it is beyond me! ;)

I think I get about 8 or 9, but more important than size is consistency. I tell my students to first work on making all their stitches the same size, both on top and bottom, and then with practice, work on making smaller stitches. Nothing looks worse than a few short stitches, then a long one, then short, etc.

I usually get 7. At least I keep them all the same size!

My fear is I will not do the bottom correctly. How do you know you are picking up all of the quilt in a stitch on the bottom? Without making the stitch to long?

Sounds good to me.
:thumbup:

I was watching a lady hand quilt at a local quilt shop, and her needle was the tiniest thing. I'm an oaf. Logger fingers, here. Gimme a darn darnin needle! But, I sure admire the talent and the craft. Blessings Ruth

When your underneath finger bleeds and then gets calloused you know you're through the 3 quilt layers. I can't use a thimble on that finger because I have to "feel" it go through (does that make sense?). I get about 8-10 stitches per inch but where I have a problem is at seam lines. I can't get the stitches on the bottom to come out even. Anybody have any hints on how to quilt evenly through seams? (A secret: the last time I entered my quilt in a a show, I cheated and sewed the stitches on the back at the seams.)
Thanks Vanessa for starting this topic-always can use advice for better hand quilting.

I hand quilt and I usually have 8-9 stitches per inch. The main thing is consistancy.

Mrs pete...you have the cutest dog! I have a black & white shih-tzu, too.

I usually get 8 to 10 stitches per inch. As to when you come to a seam, if it is kind of thick you can use a "stab" stitch for a few stitches until you get past the thick part. It works and if you are careful you can't hardly tell it from the other stitches.

Well, my grandmother alway's got the most perfect stitches at 10 to the inch. I am not the quilter my Grams was. I get about 6-7.

When I learned to hand-quilt I started by using the tiger tape. Its a tape with little black lines on it. It comes in different spacing. You just follow the spacing to get the rythym. Like down a black and up to black. It really helped out. Draw a bunch of straight lines and put the tiger tape next to it and practice.

You'll see, it'll happen! :thumbup:

I have just checked my quilt, yes I have only hand quilted the one, it was queen size, I have 6 to the inch, I went for regular size rather than trying to get lots of stitches per inch. It was a poly/cotton top,calico back, I used No8 Betweens needles and 100% quilting cotton thread to quilt, I am more than happy with my efforts. I am sure practice is going to make me better at it, I so loved the hand quilting, I am hooked on it now! Can't wait to get my next project finished just so as I can 'Hand Quilt'.

Gal

I do somewhere between 9 to 11. It depends on the fabric and size of the needle. I usually use a tiny 12. But recently bought platinum 9 because I was having a hard time with the needle going through the batik fabric, I will not use batik again as backing. So now it is 9 or 10. The main thing is for your stitches to be uniform. I also have been hand quilting for over 25 years.

I have tried to keep my stitches more consistent rather than smaller. In time they are getting smaller and more consistent - practice, practice, and more practice. I do use a smaller needle - actually easier to control.

Go for even - tiny stitches may or may not happen, but even, regular stitches look intentional -

I think of tiny tiny stitches as trying to run a 3.5 minute mile. I'm not going to be able to do it, but if I can WALK that mile, I'm happy.

The point is, do it as well as you can, and enjoy what you've done.

Where do I get tiger tape? At a quilt shop?

Thank you for all the advice. I can't wait to get started. Will be a little while as I have to finish the tops. I probably should set something up on the frame so I can practice first.

Sore fingers here I come!

Get a nice thimble!!!

When my mom tried to teach me to hand quilt( I was about 18) we were working on a quilt top made from those little pre-printed squares bought at dime stores( remember them?) The pattern was printed on, and I was going down one dot and up to the next. Mom informed me that I was doing it wrong and EACH dot was a full stitch, down and up on the same dot. I took one look at how close those dots were and gave up!! In my 30's I decided trying to make an embroidered quilt , also pre-printed. Mom's church group hand quilted it for me and that is exactly the way they did it. The hand quilting I see done now is not nearly as tiny, but if consistent, it is still beautiful. BTW, I'm 71 to date those times.

You might also consider practicing on something smaller first - like a pillow top or table runner.

Hi, I just measured a couple items I have recently quilted. I seem to average between 5 and 8 stitches per inch. Years ago I could use a #12 needle and my stitches were a little finer. With age and arthritis I now use an #8 or a #9 needle. 20 years ago our county participated in a country wide quilt documentation project. We hired textile experts from the DAR musuem in Washington, DC to examine the quilts we were documenting. The ladies from there counted the stitches on the front and back. The first time one of them said 18 stitches to the inch my eyes bugged. If you divide that by two that meant 9 inches on top. In my 40+ years of quilting I learned the hard way that the weave of the fabric, the batting, the number of seams, the needle size and the type of hoop, frame or otherwise that you are using makes a difference in the size of the stitch. What is really important is the eveness of the stitches and the fact that the item is finally quilted. Ihave a friend who was also a handquilter for hire and who is left handed. Her stitches are unbelievably tiny. I stopped worrying about it a long time ago.

I touch my finger underneath and then push the needle back up. I really do not concern myself with the stitches on the back, they seem to just work out fine when the top stitches are good. What I should have said is that the stitches need to be even, both the stitch of thread and the space in between them! The best thing to do is mark a small project, like a pillow or wall hanging, and practice on it. It won't take long before you're quilting like a pro!

If you are just learning then I suggest you strive for even stitches regardless of the number. Evenness is more important. With practice you can always improve for smaller stitches. Don't get frustrated at not being able to do the "expected" or "standard" number at first.
A good way to practice is on 1/16" or 1/8" gingham check fabric. Has lines and spaces to follow. 4 even stitches to the inch is ok at first. Then practice for 6 even stitches etc etc.
Also, don't fall into the trap of assuming that you MUST use the smallest needle. Start with the size you are comfortable with and then go smaller and smaller as you gain confidence.
If you are using a hoop I highly recommend the No-Slip hoop that you can get at JoAnn's. 14" is a good size. It is made so the fabric doesn't slip once you get the right tension for your qulting.

My stitches have also changed with age. I use to do 12 consistently, now I am happy with 10, but I only count what is on top. Never thought about adding for both sides. Consistency now is all that is important.

I usually get 7-8 stitches an inch, but I'm trying to get more. I try to be consistent in any one project that I do!

I probably get 8 stitches to the inch. But I agree that getting consistent stitches is more important than the number of stitches.

To me, good quality 100% cotton fabric and wool batting are the two biggest factors in getting a good stitch.

I have heard that batiks are a completely different weave (much tighter) than cotton quilting fabrics, and are a beast to hand quilt.

I will never use batik for the backing again. Almost impossible to hand quilt. I finally went with a size 9 platinum needle the two to 3 stitches seem to be a little easier and they are more consistent than when I used the 11 between.

Hand-quilting is something that takes practice!!!! :D I've hand-quilted for years and if I don't do it for awhile my stitch count goes down. I usually do between 10-12. 12 when carpal isn't acting up. I try not to take any more than 3 stitches at a time, otherwise it is very hard to pull your needle through. The most important thing is to relax and enjoy it!!! Once this is accomplished, then work on getting your stitches smaller, say with the tiger tape. I practice on sandwiches with straight lines and curves with the tiger tape until I felt the rythym that you get. Atleast that's what happened for me.

Good Luck and remember to enjoy!!!

Mine comes out between 8 and 9. But it takes lots and lots of practice to get there.

[quote=janRN]When your underneath finger bleeds and then gets calloused you know you're through the 3 quilt layers. I can't use a thimble on that finger because I have to "feel" it go through (does that make sense?). quote]

Ditto. I use my thumb nails on the top and bottom to feel the need and help guide it. Had a couple ouches.

Definately no expert. I am almost finished quilting the train quilt that was my first. And I can see quite the difference from bottom to top in my stitches.

Kyia

I get around 8 to 10 stitches on the top, per inch. I don't quilt till I bleed (okay - on occasion I have), but generally you can feel the needle without being "punctured".

I would reinforce what others have said, which is consistency rather than stitch length is the most important thing.

I"ve never counted but work to keep them all even and the same....If I don't hand quilt for awhile it takes times to get back in the groove

I have often wondered if they counted the top AND bottom stitches to get some of their counts!! And the part about the bottom finger getting jabbed till it bleeds?? Been there - done that! I have a pretty good callus going on now. I'll rub bagbalm in before I go to bed. And my thumb nail, too! I even use a thimble but I like to feel the pains, and joys of making a quilt! LOL!!

I have to feel the needle too, but I found a medical tape at the drug store by Nexicare 3M, called flexiclear tape. I put two layers and can still feel the needle, I have to change it every hour or so once a hole is worn through, but it actually works great. I have used if from almost the begininning of my quilting, it use to be made by johnson and johnson and was a little more narrow.

I agree!! Consistency is great!

Im glad i read this topic my mom,sister and i are all taking a beginning hand quilting class together,mymom said she needs a hobby(boy is she in for it now)so we all signed up at our LQS,it really learning how to mark and do the stitiches, on muslin and batting which they are providing, along with a needle.

I like your quote. Oh how very true about a worn bible

6 I dont care for small as much as EVEN. my wrists dont do much smaller anyway.