Hand Quilting
 

Do any of you wonderful, helpful people hand quilt with out using a hoop, ?? I watched Sharon S You Tube clip but she was only using a trial sandwich, I just can't seem to manage the big hoop, or maybe there is a book some might be able to recommend
Thank you in Advance

Hi: I machine piece, but I hand quilt small things like wall hangings. I use stitch in the ditch, use Tiger Tape in about 1/4 from edge of the material, and when the border has a pattern I might try and follow it. I have deigned some larger wall hangings but I have designed patterns to use, but at this time I have not tried to put them on the material. I will use a pen on scrap material to make sure it irons out first. If the lines are straight I again will use Tiger Tape to make sure my stitches are even. Hope this helps.
tomodachi1

I prefer hand quilting without a hoop- even large projects- I *thread baste* very well- so everything is staying very nicely together, hold my project draped on my lap & happily quilt along. I have (do) at times use a hoop- but they are often cumbersome & I tend to do better {as far as keeping everything smooth} without the hoop. you can quilt any way you like- that works for you.

I don't use a hoop or frame. I make sure everything is sandwiched together well and quilt away. I use spray baste mostly, but sometimes on really big quilts I will thread baste.

Another hand quilter here (sometimes). I also hand quilt without a frame or hoop. Much easier to control, IMO, and if my quilt is square to start with I rarely am off at the end. :)

I use a smaller hoop that has a base that sits on my lap, so both hands are free. I love it!!

Tried handquilting with a hoop and almost gave up the idea of handquilting! It was that awkward.
Then someone told me to try it without a hoop. Wow! So much easier. So far (knock wood) they've turned out just fine. I do pin them well, start in the middle and work my way to the edges.

is there a video to watch so I can learn exactly how to baste a quilt before hand quilting?

Right now I can't think of the guests name but Alex ANderson had a guest on her show that hand quilted. If you go to YouTube and search hand quilting you can find the gal that does it with a hoop. But her hoop has play. I've been practicing with a hoop and really like the stability. One of these days I'm going to order an "AUNT BECKY" also.

Donna, you can thread baste or pin baste your quilts. In either case I pin/stitch about a hand-width apart in each direction. For thread basting, I take a loooong piece of thread, start in the middle of the area I'm basting and pull the thread about half way. Hold that in place for the first couple of looong stitches (think 2-3" spacing between stitches) then continue. Tie off that end of the thread. Go back to where the other end of the thread is located and make those stitches. Repeat as necessary.

I hand quilt both with and without a hoop. Just depends on the size of the project and my mood. I think tessagin is referring to the Thimble Lady (sorry can't think of her given name). She suggests, and I find it easier as well, to have your sandwich fairly loose in your hoop. Makes for easier and smaller stitches. One reason I like a hoop is that it makes it easier for me to find where I stopped working!

I tried hand quilting without a hoop, but was not satisfied with the quality of my stitches. Was not successful trying to juggle a hand hoop either. What works for my is a lap hoop. The type I have is no longer made, I think -- it swivels on a ball. It is very easy to adjust the angle, and nothing impedes my underneath hand. The lap hoop frees up both of my hands for quilting. The closest lap hoop to mine is probably the Grace lap hoop:
http://www.graceframe.com/site/hoops/laphoops

Edit: I agree with keeping the quilt very loose in the hoop. A common mistake of beginners is to hoop the quilt drum-tight. The rule-of-thumb is to be able to move the center of the quilt back and forth the distance of your fist (about 4" each way). This allows you to manipulate the fabric as well as the needle (similar to quilting without a hoop).

I did recently, but that is just because I had forgotten to bring it to the church when I pinned my latest sandwich. It felt very strange, and I am not entirely sure that my stitches looked as nice as usual. lol

I sit on a couch or recliner, drape the quilt over a large table and go for it! Doing a King sized now. But mine is more like stab-stitching or top-stitching. Have done small wholecloths just in my lap.