Well that's not cheating that's just smart! Great tip, I'll have to try that!

Thanks ladies, I'm planning to make a carpenter star and want to hand quilt it. I won't be doing anything but stitch in the ditch. I guess for my first time that will be ok. Most of my quilt I send out to a friend but she only has one pattern for her longarm. it is just a over all loop, it looks nice but I don't think it would look to good on this quilt.

Do you use different kind of thread, I have seen spools of quilting thread at JoAnn's is that what you use? any speical kind of needle?

Thanks so much for your help. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at this. :D

Thank you for putting this Link up it really looks like it will help.
I'll try it . :D

When you use the Search here on the board you will find lots of threads about hand quilting threads and hand quilting needles.
I prefer the YLI brand for hand quilting, sometimes I use Gütermann or Coats. My needles are Betweens # 11 made by John James.

I too use the rocking stitch, but yes it takes a lot of practise. I did a four block sampler with it and by the end of the entire thing, I was beginning to get even stitches some of the time. But I do like it, it's soothing to do it by hand.

Another thing I found that helped me make smaller, even stitching is to use some kind of hoop or frame with the piece pulled fairly tightly. Years ago, I sat at a quilting demonstration and one of our guild's founding members and prolific quilter gave me that advice and I have offered it to a few other individuals and what feedback I got was that it worked for them also. I do use a rocking stitch but only try for 3 or 4 stitches at a time. I've never had luck with using something to protect my fingers underneath so I do end up with finger tips that look a little like ground meat...but it's worth it.