Hand quilting without a frame?
 

I have tried for years to do hand quilting, trying different kinds of frames and hoops. No matter what method I have tried, it makes my wrist ache outrageously and I have had to stop. I got pretty good at FMQ but I am working on an orphan block quilt and the designs will require too many stops and starts on my machine. I am thinking about using the method to quilt a large quilt on a domestic machine - cutting the batting into thirds and basting a section at a time, then quilting each section on my lap. This will allow me to puddle the fabric without bulk so I can maintain the tension. Has anyone tried this or have any other ideas?

I could never manage hand quilting with a hoop-just wasn't coordinated enough I guess. I lower my ironing board to lap height and drape the bulk of the quilt over it. It supports it enough that I can get even stitches without trying to juggle a hoop.

I tried it when I first started out, but I am not sure if I could manage it now. I love my hoop and I am thinking about getting one of those miniature snap frames of about 11 x 11 inches. If you are having trouble with hoops, you can support the bulk with a table or the ironing board like Jan says. It sounds like a good idea.

My mother taught me how to hand quilt and that was with the quilt basted and laying on my lap. Then I did a quilt as you go riding to North Carolina to see her with the squares being hand quilted as my DH drove the 12 hours there and back. I made a whole quilt that way with the 15 inch squares in a neat pile and as each was finished put in a plastic container. I quilted the whole time I was there in the evenings. Having said that, I have tried and tried to do the frames and hoops and finally decided, I was doing pretty good stitching without the hoop that just got in my way. I hand quilt about every 5th quilt I make - baby quilts, queen size quilts, and runners, etc, no hoop just alayin' on my lap.

i've hand quilted over 300 quilts by hand this way, never used a hoop. when i was little, no one told me to use a hoop, so i never did.

I also could not learn to use a hoop to help my hand quilting. I sat on my couch and draped the quilt over the top and did my quilting that way. I had the room to spread out and had all the support that I needed....

Judging from all the youtube instructions I found, I thought that using a hoop is the only "right" way to do hand quilting :confused:. So I ordered one online. However, it just didn't work for me, I couldn't work out for the life of me how to hold everything the way they are doing it in the videos... This spring I was finally getting enough from my GFG UFO that was just waiting to be quilted. Worked fine for me without the hoop! Since the GFG, I've only done small baby quilts, but I have a big top almost ready to quilt (waiting for batting and backing to arrive) and I think I will try the idea with the ironing board!

I am going to teach myself Jean Brown's method of hoop quilting using Aunt Becky thimble on left hand and regular thimble on right hand. She does NOT move her wrists when quilting. If you google Aunt Becky thimble and scroll down you will find a YouTube video of her doing it. I'm determined to learn it and will practice til I do. I hate pricking my finger with the usual method and it causes pain in my wrists, too.

I'm not clear on why you think quilting in small sections will eliminate the wrist issue.

I also couldn't do the traditional hand quilting stitch because of the wrist movement. I switched to the thimblelady folding method, as explained in the book 'Perfect Hand Quilting without Pain' by Liuxin Newman, and now I hand quilt without any wrist or finger stress.

Hey joes mom I think the pain in my wrist is caused by the rocking motion I do with my right hand when I quilt in a frame. For some reason that motion is reduced when I gather the fabric in my left hand to maintain the tension rather than pushing up with my left hand underneath a frame. Maybe I am doing it wrong but I just cant sem to load the needle with one hand. A running backstitch works better in a frame for me but judges dont like that and I am hoping to enter this one in our fair next year.

"For some reason that motion is reduced when I gather the fabric in my left hand to maintain the tension rather than pushing up with my left hand underneath a frame. Maybe I am doing it wrong but I just cant sem to load the needle with one hand."

This is the way I've always quilted. No one taught me how, I just didn't have enough money for a hoop or frame. At first I did baby quilts than gradually worked my way up to full size quilts. It is just a matter of doing what is comfortable for you. Good Luck with whatever method you use. Remember, practice, practice. :)

I have only done a few small projects by hand without a frame. I know my grand Aunt Maude quilted on one of those large frames that I think her husband made. I can't see why you can't use the QAYG technique for hand quilting if it works for you.

I prefer to hand quilt without a hoop. I do much better that way.

Have you tryed using a lap hoop? Thats what I use, and it really helped.

I have bought 2 different hoops thinking a smaller one would be easier. I just can't get situated right so I ended up trying the hand quilting without a hoop and it works fine just puddled up in my lap. I have to admit that I am not very good at it and I still use the stab/up/down stitch....but it works for me and I enjoy the process of handing quilting even if I am doing it 'wrong'. I think the ironing board idea sounds great and plan to use that in my next hand quilted project.

I hand quilt usually with a lap hoop but sometimes without. I use a Thimblelady thimble which has you pushing the needle with the pad of your finger vs the tip of your finger. And if you use her method of quilting, you are essentially 'rocking' the fabric vs rocking your hand. If you use a hoop/frame, the trick is to keep the work very lose in the hoop so you can move the sandwich rather than your hand. It really is 'painless' quilting. If you use her longer needles, you can load many more stitches. I still prefer Roxanne needles though. I think they are a bit stronger. I can still manage to load a good 4-6 stitches on a #11 Roxanne between with no issue using a very lose work area.

Thanks for explaining, JNCT14. It isn't wrong if it works for you! I wish you the best trying this new method; it sounds as though many others have success with it.

I handquilt without a hoop. I baste the quilt sandwich with water soluable thread...works well

Here is the orphan block top that I would like to hand quilt. I like the ironing board idea and will try it.

I also have many issues with hand quilting/frames/hoops/Aunt Becky. I make good hand quilting progress with the quilt weight supported on my cutting table ... which is great for sewing long lines, like grid work. In the cool months, it comes off my cutting table and I sit underneath the quilt-in-progress to do the small areas that are awkward (but not impossible) to do when the quilt is on the table. This has worked well for me for many years. When I need my cutting table for other things, the QIP is easily removed and then put back again.

I hand quilt certain quilts that just need hand quilting & never used a hoop. Large or small it is on my lap!!

It has taken a while, but unless you plan on entering a quilt in a show, I have learned, your quilt, your rules. Get advise, but it is your quilt. I, also, hand quilt without a hoop.

Wow how cute is that! I wish you success with hand quilting it!

My mother always used to tell me how the ladies of olden times used to hand quilt this way and did beautiful work.

There are books out on lap quilting. There is no one right way to do anything. I was thinking that maybe you could wear one of those wrist braces that would help to keep your wrist from moving.

I have done very little hand quilting of quilts because of my carpal tunnel syndrome - too many years as a secretary. However, I did quilt my DD's full size quilt, I can't even remember the pattern now, and that's the only one. I sat at my former dining room table, which had been moved to my basement sewing room, and since it was summer, had a fan under the table to keep me cool, I used a large hoop, but it was supported on the table, with my cat Mischief occasionally trying to catch the needle. I had seen someone hand quilt without using a hoop, and I actually did a couple small quilts using that method and I liked it a lot. To all you hand quilters out there I applaud you, but it's just not something I can do.

I love to see hand quilting and have quilted two large quilts by hand but I do mostly machine quilting now. I agree with everyone that you do whatever way is more enjoyable and comfortable for you.

I had the idea to do it in 12"" or so inch blocks. Then connecting. Would make it portable...

I have not used this method except for small sections as a quilt as you go. However, a member of my group always quilts by hand without a hoop. She has good results and seems to treat the quilting as an embroidery. She does a small section at a time and then moves onto the next, and does not do more than a light basting to keep the sandwich together.

lynnie.....Oh my gosh girl, your post flabberghasted me!!!! "300 quilts" you did by hand and never used a hoop. Wow what an accomplishment. What do you do in your sparetime? LOL