Need suggestions from all the hand quilters...
 

I have decided to try my hand at hand quilting... I made a king size top for our bed and I know there is no way I will be able to squeeze it into my DSM, lol. My question is, what is the best choice for a hoop that is not too expensive? Our money is pretty tight right now, otherwise I would send it out to be quilted by a LA... I've watched tutorials on YouTube, so I think I will be able to do it, but any tips would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

Hi! I just posted a thread about lap quilting hoops so maybe someone will offer some suggestions. But, if you are interested in exploring different hand quilting techniques here are a couple of links to Jean Brown's method:

www.jeansimpressions.com

http://o-o---preferred---sn-mv-a5mz-...s_redirect=yes

Sorry for such a long link, but took it directly from the video site.

I posted this picture in another thread just a bit ago but I'll share it here too. I bought this same hoop on Ebay for practically nothing- with shipping I think it was $25. It was used but I didn't care and it works great. Very sturdy. I'm currently hand quilting a queen size quilt in it and it's working beautifully.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]371507[/ATTACH]

I found a Grace hoop last week on craig's list; half the price of new, works great! As with anything online you have to be careful. Good luck.

I too am embarking on my first hand quilting project and it is a Queen size DWR. Don't make the mistake that I made and buy one of the pvc frames! I got it off of Craigslist for $30 but it is too big and too difficult to maneuver. I lucked out at a garage sale recently. The lady had one just like the one pictured in KentuckyRed's post. I was talking to the lady and told her what I was trying to hand quilt and she gave it to me!! It is working out well!

no advice on a hoop other then i have tried both with and without and found i don't like using a hoop

i use an 18" round plastic hoop. it might be pvc...i guess that would make sense.

i have a floor frame too....or sort of a guess. i haven't assembled it in years. i love the hand hoop because i am always quilting in one direction. i also know i won't be sitting in a gnarled up position for too long because i have to readjust the hoop from time to time :)

i keep my quilt moderately loose in the frame and make sure i take it off when i am finished for the session.

a king sized quilt is massive though....be prepared for the aching slowness of hand quilting. keep in mind it is heirloom quality work and keep on keepin' on.

aileen

I use a cheapie wood hoop from JoAnn's. I think it's about 14" round. In my 10-15 yrs. of hand quilting now, this is only the second one I've bought. First one gave up the ghost about 8-10 years in. And I'm always quilting something from lap to king. They are less than $10 and you can probably use a coupon because I don't think I've EVER seen them on sale! I can buy lots of these for the price of some hoops out there. I also sometimes use no hoop. You can hand quilt with none and be successful!

i prefer hand quilting without a frame- just baste well before beginning...if you have not hand quilted anything before put together a small practice piece to try on first- a king sized quilt is quite a project to start with.
a lady at the lqs told me when i first started that if i spent 1 hour a day i could quilt a queen sized quilt in about a year....i went home & machine quilted my quilt-
i have since then learned to hand quilt and enjoy the process-but tend to only do small projects- large ones i machine quilt...unless i'm doing a quilt as you go type where i quilt it a block at a time then put it together...not to say you can not quilt a king sized quilt- just don't expect to get it done in a week or two.
there are many good videos showing how to quilt large (yes-even king sized) quilts on your domestic machine- it's not as difficult as you may think...just a thought...

i have used a 24" hoop and propped it up on the back of a chair so that i can get my hand underneath it. I saw a floor frame w/ a hoop at Hobby Lobby that you could use the 40% off coupon. Basting well is going to be your key to keeping the layers together, and no puckers.

I use Jean Brown's 14" lap hoop. It is sturdy and is heavy enough to be able to use Roxanne McElroy's 'That Perfect Stitch'. A regular hoop wouldn't work, because there is nothing to hold it down and you have to hold the hoop. I have used it for bigger quilts, though not yet a queen or king size. I like that you can quilt toward you.

To add to my last post, anything larger than 14" would be too large for me to reach across. It depends on the length of your arms.

I started quilting at age 7. Didnt know about hoops then, ztill dont. I never use a hoop, and they turn out beautiful. I do row quilting

I also have the free standing PVC frame.It is hard to use, but the handheld ones are great..I have them in a couple of sizes

I also handquilt without using a frame or a hoop. I keep trying to use one, but I'm just not comfortable doing it. I also get nice, consistant, small stitches without frame or hoop. When I try to use one, I get larger stitches and they are not consistant. It's really all in what YOU are comfortable with. Lucky for you that the weather is getting cooler. That king-sized quilt will keep you nice and warm while you quilt it! You may find that you like handquilting so much that you never want to send another one out:) Happy Quilting!!!

I too tried several different sizes of hoops. They were just awkward for me.
Then a friend told me "there are no rules, you do what's comfortable and fun for you".
Since then, I've not used a hoop. Just made sure it's pinned well.
That's the beauty of this craft. You do whatever works for you.

I have a Hinterberg quilting frame - mainly because I was given a bonus at work and decided to spend it on me for a change. So they are pricey - have you checked out Shopgoodwill.com? A lot get donated to the thrift shops so you may want to take a day and check them out. Not sure how good they are to tell you if they have any in the shop or not. Sure wished you lived closer so you can try mine. Being King size it is going to be hard to do the center - have fun - it will take a while, but when it is done you are going to be so happy.

I don't use a hoop either I have several but they just don't feel right and I can't lay them in my lap proper
so I do best with just quilting without any hoops.