The stitches on the underside of my quilts are always shorter than the stitches on the top of the quilt. I use a rocking motion and load 4 stitches onto the needle and usually get 8 to 10 stitches to the inch. How do you get the stitches on the back of the quilt to be the same length as the stitches on the front? Any suggestions? TIA

Practice, practice, practice!!! One thing that I used when I first started quilting was tiger tape. It helps in getting used to when to go down and when to come up. I found it very useful.

What is tiger tape?

She's right about the practice, practice, practice. I also found out that if I am able to make really small stitches on the front then the little stitches on the back even it out. I have found that if I use really thin batting that this makes it easier. A small needle makes it easier too. I usually use either a size 11 or 12. Recently while quilting with a group of ladies, one of them was in need in of a needle. I gave her one of mine and she was amazed at how much easier it was to use instead of the larger size she had been using.

I have always used a 10 needle. I think I will give an 11 or a 12 a try. Thanks!

This small size was a challenge at first, but after I used it for awhile it got easier. Good luck!!

I have not tried hand quilting , something I would like to do on a small piece. What is Tiger Tape? Please pm the answer so I will get it. :) Thanks Sharon

Ditto all the above comments. I use a 10 or 12 also. And practice helps a lot. I love to hand quilt. It is my favorite part of the quilt process. Very relaxing for me :) Good luck!

Practice is the best way to get them the same. It took a long time for my stitches to be even.

I don't strive for perfection on the back. I usually have some kind of patterned fabric on the back so stitches don't show as much. What I am looking for is the texture and a kind of shadowing of the design. I know I certainly won't have a show quilt with this attitude but I don't quilt for awards I quilt to make me happy. If it looks good on the front I am happy.

When I push the needle down to make the stitch, I try to have the needle at a 90 degree angle with the quilt - so the needle is going straight down. That helps make the stitches on the back the same length as the front. If it goes in at an angle then the back stitches are smaller.

I'm happy if the back stitches look nice, without too many that are too long or too short, and the top ones are even. It's a bonus if the back and front are the same size!

Janet

tiger tape is a tape with little marks on it it is narrow, like 1/4" or 1/8th" wide and you can get it with the marks from 4-12 per inch, it bends, or gives you nice straight lines, you place it along your quilting lines then use the marks as a guide to make your stitches...helps learn to be consistant, make your stitches even...is available in most quilt shops, or joannes type stores,and is inexpensive.

One of these day I want to learn to do that. God bless. Penny

Its a 1/4" tape that is sticky and you put it on fabric. It has black and white lines on it. It comes in different stitch lengths.

I second this completely! The angle is the most important thing. Of course the material you use (fabric and batting) influence the look of your quilting stiches.

I am a beginner and have discovered hand quilting, I think it is the best part of making a quilt!!!!! I have found that if I try to make my stitches too small then the back suffers, if I go for even and straight stitches rather than trying to get tiny ones then the back looks a whole lot better. I believe and trust those experienced hand quilters who say that with practice you will get smaller stitches and through practice the back will equal the front.

Gal

Amen to that. If I am happy that is what counts.

Thanks everyone for all of your comments. I so appreciate the help. I think I will try a smaller needle, piercing the quilt at a 90 degree angle, and not worrying about it. If my stitches improve, great. If not, so what. Quilting makes my heart "sing." :)

And my soul sings, too!

:thumbup:

Years ago, the "older" ladies (and I am now 70) who taught me to handquilt used needles as small as 14s. So their stitches were sooooo tiny. I have never accomplished that. Do keep trying and practice. You will get to the size you want and it will be easy.

Ohhh.... 14s? Are you talking about a SIZE 14? I've never heard about that, the smallest I know are size 12...

:roll:

I too love hand quilting. I use a 14" hoop, size 11 or 12 needle, and a small jewelry pair of pliers. This way I can fill the tiny needle full of stitches making them more even and pulling through with pliers keeps my fingers from being sore.

Great tips!!

I have hand quilted for 27+ years. I also do rocking and get 9-11 to the inch. My stitches on the back are always a little smaller. That is ok, as long as they are even.

I agree with the 90' advice. My stitches are better when I make sure the needle is vertical as I stitch. If the needle goes in at a slant the stitches on the bottom tend to be off.

It is tape with lines on it to help measure the size of the stitch you make mos QS have it roefrench

If you're getting 8-l0 stitches per inch, that is beautiful. The important thing about the wrong side is that you have made the contact. Frankly, i wouldn't worry about having both sides the same. For me, that would be very difficult.

Another question: Do you care for the number of stiches you do per inch or not?

I do care - I try for 10-12, and I try for even. If I make it, great, if I don't, well, it won't ruin my day!

I figure if I try for small stitches most people won't notice if they aren't even. :)

Janet

If you have trouble using the smaller needle...thread several sizes and just use each needle as needed. When I did not know what size needle I was using ...no stress...and I could use all sizes. I think the tiny needle has you giving up before you use it. It did for me. Anyway, this worked for me. Hand quilting, you go girl!
Donna

I'm just getting back into quilting and right now I care more about the size of the stitches. In time with practice I hope to get them more even, but right now I figure if they are small I can't see if they are even or not!! The eyes are not as young as they once were!! ;-)

For me it is so much easier to not use a hoop when hand quilting.

I don't like to use a hoop either if my project is small. Are you just holding the layers in your hand or is there some other way you do it? Curious what other's do.

I have found that when hand quilting that the fabric should not be really taut in the hoop. That is what I was doing when I started hand quilting and it was really difficult to make stitches. Since then I have learned that it should be a little loose. When I put the "quilt sandwich" in the hoop I first get it sort of taut and then loosen it a bit after I tighten the screw a little bit by pushing down gently so there is a bit of a sag. This makes it so much eaiser to rock the needle. At the Houston Quilt Show some years ago I witnessed an oriental lady demonstrating how she quilted and was amazed how "saggy" her fabric was. And she was able to make really small stitches. She was marvelous.

I just have one hand underneath to help guide the needle and feel for wrinkles. I keep a finger cot on my left thumb(left handed) and a leather thimble on my middle finger and go for it! The finger cot helps pull the needle through multiple stitches on the needle and the leather thimble pushes the needle also. Works for me anyway...lol.

sounds a lot like I quilt. Haven't done it in a long while, but all this talk of hand quilting is making me want to do it again.

I have always used a size 8 betweens. I bought a package of 10 betweens but I couldn't thread them with the hand quilting thread. I even tried to use a needle threader but it wouldn't go through the eye. can anyone tell me why? and do you have that trouble?

Different brands have different sized eyes. Roxanne #11 betweens have a larger eye than the John James #11 sharps. I just checked my supply.

I use a needle threader that I bought from the Clover website. Joann's also sells it. Doesn't matter what brand of needle I use, I have to use my needle threader!