I have quilted three quilts so far....so I'm new to it too. But my sister suggested a rectangle made with pcp (sold at Joann's) and I like it better than the wooden hoop I also used. I didn't have too much of a shifting of the back. More than it should have been. Maybe I didn't pin enough. But I have heard basting is also an option, and I will do that with pinning because I like no shifting of my backing. It didn't show after I squared it up and put on thebinding, but I can only imagine that spray basting would have to make quilting it harder. I might try it sometime though...just to see. Its fun to read what each one does. I like to learn from the pro's. Thanks.
Jeanne

The method works like a compass does. Just pin your string in the middle of where you want an arc. Tie the string (or tape it) around a pencil, holding the pencil straight up and down, and make the string as long as it needs to be for the arc you want. After penciling in the line, move the pinned end up one half inch, if that is the measure you want, pin the string again same way, draw your line, move and draw until your space is filled.

You can also draw a cardboard template and keep moving it up. Or just use a regular compass. Just be careful not to put big holes in your quilt.

The way I do it is to tie one end of the string to a hat pin and the other end to a #3 pencil. When I lay out the quilt top, I keep a piece of cardboard or foam core board under where I want the pencil line. This gives a firm surface for the pencil and gives me something to stick the hat pin in.

Just make sure to keep your pin in the center of the space you are wanting to fill.

I've always quilted on a hoop. The one I have now is made by Hinterberg, http://www.hinterberg.com/

I love it. It rotates 360 degrees and it also tilts.

From Don-isewman-- I sit and hand quilt in my chair of a evening also, with my 3 guards(ha-ha_ my pets). The quilt hoop I use is also a 14-16" hoop. I have a oval hoop, but feel it's a little awkward to use. I would say use the 14-16 round hoop. Don-isewman

I like the spray adhesive for lap quilting. Holds the layers together very well. Don't place your quilt tightly in the hoop. Leaving it loose allows for easier stitching.
Welcome. :)

I don't use a hoop either but I do use safety pins and pin a lot in the areas where I quilt. It's just not as bulky to hold.

Ok this is all great information. I used to use a lap hoop then it broke. So I got a PVC stand frame. but it is hard to handle. so now I have made a "fan design frame" but it is so huge it takes up my entire living room. I am thinking of going back to a hoop.
My problem is i started on the floor frame at one end. I hate to pick out all that I have hand quilted so far and everyone it seems is saying start in the middle. I have a ton of pins and plan on pinning it to death will that work and continue with the end quilting or should I pick out?

Just start where you left off on the floor frame, in the center of the row. I would have some of the quilted area in the hoop, and quilt out to one edge, then back to the center and quilt out to the other edge. So long as it's pinned or basted you'll be fine.

I also have a Hintenberg standing round hoop. It is at least 24" and stands on a single leg. I can tilt it and spin it anyway I want. I pin baste. I also have a Grace hoop that is a square with rounded corners. It came with a light attached. It stands on a triganular foot that allows me to pull the quilt and frame into my lap. I have quilted dozens of bed size quilts on both frames. For a wallhanging or small project I usually use a PCP frame no bigger than 12 x 24 inches. It allows me to rotate it around in my lap or on a table. That is what I take when I travel. The frame breaks down into four pipes with four corner pieces. When I use a tradional floor frame I like to have a rolling chair as I am very fast and keep on moving from one end to the other until it is time to roll the quilt.

I have found it easier to handle without a hoop! Use lots of pins then keep making sure it stays nice and flat!

yes, I have hand quilted a large quilt in a hoop. A few things to consider: be very careful when putting quilt in hoop that nothing is bunched up or caught in the hoop, the quilt can get a bit unwielding in the beginning,it feels like your whole lap is buried in material. But, I think you will really enjoy spending time with your family and doing something you enjoy. Good luck.

Yes, I've done all but 2 of 15 hand quilts on a 15" hoop - it's circular, wood with a groove on the outside and a 1/2" elastic cord to hold the quilt in place - as lap projects, it's nice to be able to sit and socialize at the same time. Quilting was originally such a great socializer, and however efficient machines are they can isolate us if we work mostly on our own.

I've done King size and it was easy. I start in the middle and work my way out.

I've done a bit of hand quilting but I prefer to not use a hoop - I like the quilt to lay loosely on my lap as I work on it.

I hand quilted a queen sized quilt after spray basting. However, I had a difficult time getting the needles thru the spray basting. I broke 9 needles throughout the whole process. I like spray basting, but I'm not sure I'd do it that way again. I think pin basting or thread basting might be better. I don't know if breaking needles while quilting is a normal thing. It was my first quilt done with spray basting, so I'll find out if breaking needles will happen on my next quilt that I'm NOT going to spray baste.

This has answered many questions that I had about hand quilting. I inherited my mom's old wooden quilt frames but they are huge and I can't use them unless I set them up in my garage, they take up so much room.

I always thought to do a large quilting job you had to have it on frames. I am looking forward to trying to lap quilt next time.

Do you notice the adhesvie spray making the needles harder to get thtrough?

I did the same thing on my first quilt. I just finished the area in the hoop, then took it out and started again in the middle, and hand quilted from there. I kept freaking out because I couldn't see the middle half of the time. It worked out finethough. The bunching up was mostly around the edge at the end when i couldn't fit it in a hoop anymore. But it worked out and looks fine now. I took out some of the quilting around the edge and redid it. You can always do that before you put on the binding.

I like the big oval hoop (about 24x18 at least!) I also have one with a flat base to sit on your lap w/a rectangular hoop attached to the top that can be moved forward or backward, but always found that a bit unwieldy. It's cool to sit in a nice lazy boy with the quilt puddled around your legs in front of the fireplace during the winter to do hand quilting. Wouldn't recommend it any other time of the year , but then I live in Arizona... I also have a floor frame which I've used for several of my quilts, but it doesn't fit so nicely into the living room and quilting becomes a more isolating experience on that. Hand basting is the key, and starting in the middle of the quilt ou can do any size you like - mine are always bed sized.

I have not done any hand quilting sitting in my recliner but I do other kinds of work. Right now I am making yo yos for a project or I embroider or crochet something simple.

I hand quilt all my special quilts. Baby quilts are usually machine quilted or tie tacked as are the charity quilts. I just cannot use all the time it takes for hand quilting on a baby quilt.

Anyway. I have quilted all the way up to a queen on my little lap frame. It's a 12" hoop, but it gives me almost 11" to work with at a time. Since I am a full time mom and I used to work full time, it would take me a considerable amount of time, only stitching in the evenings, to get them quilted. I used both spray and pin basting. I still don't completely trust spray basting to stay put. I spray first, then pin. I've never had a problem with my needles in it. Start in the center and work your way out.

I must say that when you are quilting that big of a project in your lap, you want to have the bulk or weight of the quilt anywhere but on the frame. It could damage the frame (don't ask me how I know). I quilted my dh's quilt right in front of him. He didn't know it was for him until he opened it. Anyway, I mark as I go. I painstakenly marked a huge quilt with a pretty purple pen once. By the time I was done, have the markings were already gone. I had no idea disappearing ink even existed! I started using a chalk pencil on my last project and loved it. I've now graduated to those resin mechanical pencils. Marking is a dream!

I have several large hoops that I enjoy using. As Don-isewman also mentioned I find the large oval is a bit awkward to work with, especially for heavier projects.

I thought it would make quilting larger areas easier, since I do not like repositioning the quilt in the hoop but found that the circles give me plenty of area to keep me busy a while and they are considerably easier to hold with one hand and are much easier to rotate for those of us who only quilt in one direction. I do not like the stands---at all.

But that is personal preference because it is how I learned. Other quilters in the family LOVE frames and can't imagine ever using a hoop. I love the portability of the hoop, it works for me. I own a frame and have never put a quilt on it.

Do what works for you and enjoy the process.

Wow, very pretty. Good job. Violet

Do you hand piece your quilts or are they pieced on machine? If they are machine pieced does that make a difference in hand quilting?

Yes you can. Hoops come in diffrent sizes too. Find what is comfortable for you and have fun.

I even have my hoop on a stand which is great. :)

For me yes. A machine made seam seems stronger to me because it is two-threaded. It is easier for me to quilt through a hand made seam - but that is just my personal opinion.

No hoop for me either. I thread baste. Just be careful not to pull your stitches too tight. I've done a lot of quilting in the car but you have to dodge the bumps.

Since I dont have a frame, I use my dining room table and fabric clips to keep my quilt nice and tidy and off the floor. I roll as I quilt and for me, I start in the far right corner and work my way back and forth or depending on the block pattern one block at a time. Ive done this with queen size quilt and twin size quilt.

i do baste my quilt good though before I start.

It makes no difference whatsoever - it is a personal preference according to what I've learned.

I don't use a lap hoop.I have a q-snap quilt frame. It only weighs about 3 or 4 pounds and about 35" x 40" in size. I slide my chair right up to it and watch tv while I quilt at night.

I quilted a king size(120x120) on a 36" hoop and the big secret is to start in the middle of it and work your way out in a circle, doing the corners last. It is very doable! Jan

Hi Everyone, I'm new to the room and I do love to quilt but I cheat as far as either basting or pinning my quilts for hand quilting in a lap frame. I use my sewing machine and stitch in the ditch around each block and then do my hand quialting inside each of the blocks. Has worked like a charm for for me so far and no pins to stick myself with. Dolly

Whenever I try to stitch in the ditch, I never seem to know if I should pull my seams apart a bit, or which side to sew on. My stitches tend to 'meander' back and forth. Love love the lap frame, and the more I use it, the more I'm looking forward to trying out a larger quilt.

Trina

when I stitch in the ditch I stitch directly in the seam. My aunt goes a little to the outside of the seam. Not sure which is the correct way though.

I hand quilt big quilts every winter in the hoop while watching TV. I usually do 3 but I moved in Sept & still have boxes to unpack so I will do good to finish 1 this winter. It's very relaxing to me.
Happy stitching.

When you press your seems to one side you stitch on the side of the seam that only has top, batting and backing, not on the seam allowances. The quilting line is almost invisible, there is almost no space between the seam and the quilting. It gives structure to the quilt but the quilting does not really attract attention.

I have never used a hoop and I always hand quilt I just pin and if its a big quilt thread baste it as well - apparently you have to be careful with the tension on a hoop as it can pull your material which could cause problems with the shape of quilt when finished

I'd love to know how you do that!! I learned to hand quilt on little projects like a pillow or other small things. Can't seem to translate that to bigger projects. I had my left hand fingers close to the quilting on the top and bottom. (scrunched it in my hand, does that make sense?) I'm not having much fun with a hoop. Though I suppose I just need to practice more. . .